Happy Holidays!

The 'rents are currently in-town to spend the holidays. Ahhh, can anyone say home-cooked meals? I missed that. The stove was busted when dad left for Surigao and since no one among us knew how to fix it (or connect one to an LPG tank) we survived on canned goods and take-outs. For two months! So college life, right? Which is why I love it when my mom's around. She can never stand seeing us famished. She even bought me Spam when we did the groceries a few days ago.

Noche Buena celebration was pretty low key. It was just us in the family. But it was fun, since we were together. Pretty funny though how it was my mom who ended up buying a new gadget for herself. While us siblings are sharing a laptop, she gets to have her own netbook! We named her Pinky (tacky, I know!) and she’s a spiffy Samsung N150.

Inggit! I sure wished we had Yogi with us already. While the rest already had digicams and DSLRs to document their holidays, we had to settle for the good, old camera phone. Oh well, God has bigger plans. If not this year, maybe the camera is meant for Summer 2011. I can wait. I just hope I can get a leave by then. Three days would suffice already.

Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope you had a great celebration with your loved ones.

Freakin’ Five Years!

Today I celebrate my 5th year with APS. Pretty amazing, huh? For someone who had sworn off working for call centers before, I can only wonder how I managed to stick around for half a decade. Much of the credit goes to my officemates. It’s always true. You can never last if you hate the company of who you’re working with. I’m just thankful that we are quite a wacky bunch. We have our own quirks, yet we all managed to get along so well.

And speaking of work, yesterday we had the Christmas party for WFM Cebu at Pump 1. I wasthisclose to not attending since I hated looking for an outfit at the 11th hour to fit the theme they chose. Good thing my sister still prodded me to attend. After all, I forked out quite a contribution for this party. I’m just so happy I received the gift I had on my wish list. Now I can start fulfilling my quest to follow JK Rowling’s footsteps. (joke!)

Bubbles, Me, Boogie and Badet

Rey hosting the program. In all fairness, the food was GREAT!

I got the notebook from Fully Booked that I wished for! :)

10 Fun Things I Can Do with a new Lenovo Laptop

It’s hard when you share a PC with your siblings. You take turns in using it and sometimes even the ‘rents join in. Now if I had my (own) laptop, then imagine all the fun things I can do with it. To name a few, I can…

1. Blog at my own pace. No one will ever hover behind me again begging for his/her turn on the PC.
2. Catch up with all the blogs that I follow.
3. Use my laptop when I hang-out at coffee shops with my sister. Wi-fi hotspots, here we come!
4. Focus more on my writing. I want to be able to write stories, never mind if I start with fan fiction.
5. Store pictures by the time we have Yogi (our DSLR project) with us.
6. Have more privacy with my files.
7. Organize my music collection. Who knows? I might get my own iPod next time.
8. Bring my laptop when I go on out-of-town trips. (I wish!) Maybe 2011 is my lucky year?
9. Watch my favorite US TV series or Korean dramas whenever I want to.
10. Brag about it to my friends and officemates. If ever, this will be the first time that I win an online contest… and it’s a laptop to boot!

This is my entry in the Lenovo-YugaTech Laptop Give-away. Wish me luck!

And I’m back (again)… with Blogger!

Yeah, it’s hard to stay away. I figured that if I want to have my own domain soon, Blogger is the cheapest way for me to do it. I have no cash to spend yet for hosting my own blog so I’m good with my current set-up. Besides, it’s easier to follow my favorite blogs for updates here.

So what’s new, huh?

Nothing much. December is turning out to be quite a busy month. Aside from the Christmas parties to attend to, there’s the pressure of making sure everything is all set for the holidays at work. I’m just so happy I’ll get to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve at home again.

Who is The Lost Prince?

This TV movie is just sad... and tragic, to a certain point. Not much is known of Prince John, the youngest child of King George V, who died at the age of 13 from a severe epileptic seizure. He was largely hidden from the public eye due to concerns on how society would accept his condition when at that time, it was taboo to be different.

 

It broke my heart to see how the royal family could actually stand to send off one of their own into the countryside instead of accepting his disability and helping him integrate into society like a normal human being. One couldn't help but wonder, were they really that heartless? The King, I can understand. He was busy with stately affairs after all. But the Queen? How could she stand to be so emotionally distant from her youngest son? Was a hug too much to ask? No wonder Queen Elizabeth II suffers from the same kind of public image. These were her grandparents. They had doted on her and played a large influence on her formative years.

 

I cried. You'd be heartless enough not to. The actors who portrayed "Johnnie" in the movie were so convincing that you can't help but feel for their innocence. I cried for Johnnie who had mainted a positive attitude despite being abandoned by his family. I cried for Lalla, the nanny who treated Johnnie as if he were her own kid. She was there for him when his parents simply refused to be saddled with an additional obligation on top of their royal duties. I cried for Georgie, who lost a brother and a bestfriend. Johnnie was his only refuge from a life restricted to what their father had dictated. How ironic that the two brothers closest to each were the first ones to die among George V's children?

 

One interesting note in The Lost Prince is its background on the fate of the Romanovs. The tragic story of the last Russian royal family will have you feeling sympathetic towards the Tsar Nicholas and his children but utter indignation towards the Tsarina Alexandra. Royal families are always a dysfunctional bunch, huh? This series is a definite must-see if you’re interested in the British monarchy. Looks like the cold and calculating image of the current queen has some history after all.

Only you know how, to hear me through the silence…

 

Romanticized or not, this movie remains to be on my list of favorites. Rupert Friend and Emily Blunt’s chemistry was off the charts. Made me wish that they were the real deal themselves. Like The Queen, The Young Victoria was an attempt to humanize England’s longest-reigning monarch. It dealt more on the queen’s family and not the monarchy or the politics surrounding it. Having such a strong cast to carry the film also became its advantage.

Emily Blunt was exceptional in the title role. I have always been a fan ever since I saw her in Empire. (great mini-series! Santiago Cabrera is a dream!) However the biggest revelation turned out to be Rupert Friend who has come a long way from being merely known as Kiera Knightley’s boyfriend. His portrayal of Prince Albert was heartfelt that you can’t help but fall in love with the character. Pray tell, if you knew a prince like that wouldn’t you want to marry him yourself?

Now if only I can find an original DVD of this, then I would be most happy. Wishlist, huh?

Yogurt Heaven

Now I get it why people <3 Red Mango. I was introduced to it only recently and I cannot seem to get enough of their frozen yogurt. Quite an expensive addiction, eh? Yogurt does not come cheap. It takes a lot of self-control not to buy one every time we're at the mall. As a compromise, my sister and I agreed we'll go for fro-yo only on paydays. We're looking to try White Hat next since we're done with Red Mango and Coffeecat.

Food trips are our only consolation these days since our December Project has been temporarily shelved. Pretty disheartening if you ask me. But we had to give way to the 'rents otherwise I'd end up being the bad seed in this situation. So yeah, there goes my plan of owning a DSLR before the year ends. 

Lesson learned: No more 13th month plans next year! I've learned it the hard way. Whether I like it or not, it always gets jinxed.

NKOTB and BSB at the 2010 American Music Awards

Imagine my regret when I read a tweet from a friend that NKOTB (New Kids on the Block) and BSB (Backstreet Boys) co-performed during the 2010 American Music Awards. It slipped my mind that there was actually a live telecast of the show! So off I went to search YouTube for a good soul who might have uploaded the said performance.

Tadaaa! Can I just say… Jordan Knight is still hawt!

Thanks to THECookieNookie for the HD upload!

Thankful…

How can you not love an account who celebrates Thanksgiving? Yayyy, no work for me tonight! It’s the first time I actually get to enjoy the perks of the celebration ever since I started working for a BPO company. I was always the loser who had to work on holidays.

But there’s still a lot to be thankful for this 2010. I’ve had my own share of hits and misses but I choose to remember the blessings I’ve been given.

CAREER

My promotion came just when I needed it the most. It was not about the money; I was thisclose to giving up because of the working environment (incompetent boss, anyone?). Today I am in the company of the best in our field. My current boss is such an excellent mentor and I am learning a lot from her.

WORLD CUP 2010

Yes, I will never get tired of blabbing about it. It was one of those events that made this year so memorable for me. I’ll probably even include this in my “the year that was” post by December 31st. My love for La Furia Roja has grown since I first saw them play against Switzerland. Oh, and while we’re at it… happy 29th birthday to my boyfriend husband love of my life, Xabi Alonso!

HEALTH

Not a great year for me, health-wise. But I’m surviving. Maybe it’s the stress of the new workload, or I’m just getting older and my immune system is failing me. Haha! Here’s to a sick-free 2011!

And lastly, I’m thankful for my friends and family. We’ve been through a lot through thick and thin. Thank you for keeping me grounded. Your company keeps me sane and things are brought into the right perspective whenever I seek your advice. 

So what are you most thankful about?

Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

I am running on barely 5 hours of sleep as I write this entry. Yup, all for the love of Harry Potter! There was no way we were missing out on seeing the movie during its first day of showing. Not when it has been a tradition of ours eversince Sorcerer's Stone came out. So yes, I dragged myself to the mall together with my sister for the 12:40PM screening on November 18. And was it worth it?

Every. single. penny.

The film is almost 75% trio-centric and this is where I really appreciated their friendship the most. They only had each other to rely on. When one broke off (albeit temporarily), it deeply affected those who had chosen to remain. Next to Goblet of Fire, this was the only Potter movie that had me near tears when a character kicked the bucket.

So while we’re at it, allow me to share with you my thoughts regarding the movie. Be warned for spoilers behind the cut and in the comments.

4–0, seriously?!?

I am starting to sense a pattern here. Qualifiers, they win. Friendlies, they lose. It almost seems like they’re trying to lose on purpose just so they can save their strength for qualifying games. Still, it hurts that they lost to two countries who have huge egos concerning association football. Wake up, La Roja! I know you can do better.

William and Kate: Well it's about time!

I'm taking baby steps towards straightening my finances. Last Monday, I opened an ATM savings account with the intention of being a wise spender once I receive my 13th month pay. Easier said than done, huh? Truth be told, I'm excited to test the limits of my budgeting skills. This should translate to less foodtrips and sensible shopping investments (wardrobe, shoes, gadgets) without going overboard on the alloted budget for the month.

So while I channel my inner Becky Bloomwood, it is with great joy that I blog about Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement. According to the news, the couple are to marry sometime next year. Yayyy! I love royal weddings. It's like a family reunion for Europe's royal families who are mostly descended from the late Queen Victoria of England.

Trivia: We had a tape of the Charles/Diana wedding on betamax. Everyone at home forgot about it until August of 1997 when the princess passed away in a car crash. Now, no one knows where it is again.

Good thing my teenage crush on Wills has long been over. Superficial as it may seem, he is no longer as dashing as before. I guess it's true that you tend to get more territorial over your celebrity crushes when you're in your teens. Once you get older, you simply couldn't care anymore. Now it's one royal bachelor down. At least Prince Harry's still available, right?

It comes from within

The new Spanish NT jersey makes its debut…

How hot are my La Roja boys in this commercial? I can let the skin peeling pass. It's Xabi Alonso, people! Whether he is shirtless or in a suit, the man can do no wrong in my eyes.

The new jersey they're modelling debuts on November 17 when La Furia Roja reunites for a friendly against Portugal. Pretty exciting, eh? I hope they win. The match should generate enough interest in their bid to co-host Euro 2016 with the same country.

Some little fangirl posts…

Why, oh why, Bonnie Wright?!? I'd say never wear black to premieres again! It's nice to dress down sometimes but please not during Harry Potter events. You deserve an outfit that will highlight your best assets. In this case, a little black dress simply won't do the trick. It is unfair though how you're always getting the short end of the stick when compared to Emma Watson. You ladies are both pretty, end of story. There shouldn't be any competition at all.

Now that we’re into films, one of the movies I'm actually looking forward to next year is Country Strong. It stars Tim McGraw, Leighton Meester, Garret Hedlund and Gwyneth Paltrow in a story about a fallen country star and a rising young singer-songwriter she takes under her wings as they try to resurrect her career. Hedlund is reason enough for me to watch this. I've adored the guy since Four Brothers and he was the only saving grace in Eragon. Pretty scruffy, but definitely a great actor.

Gossip Girl fans, on the other hand, would surely watch this for Leighton Meester. She's such a darling as Chiles Stanton, the beauty queen turned singer, whose good-hearted innocence reminds me of Carrie Underwood when she first started in American Idol.

I’m back!

My 3 day training ended yesterday and it was a relief when we finally took the assessment afterwards. Guess what? I PASSED! What's even more surprising was that my score was in the 90s. (to date, the highest known score from all who finished the sessions is at 98) I couldn't be more happier. HPMT (High Performance Management Techniques) nearly drained the life out of me. It was information overload at its finest. 

But I'd like to tip my hats off to the trainers. It's never easy training people who are no longer used to classroom sessions. Oftentimes some were on the brink of dozing off. But we survived! And for that, I am truly grateful. I felt like it was such an achievement on my end considering I was never a good student back in the days.

This month also marks the return of the Harry Potter movies, specifically the first part of the finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'm so excited. My VL for the 19th was already approved when I learned that the movie will actually open here on the 18th. Oh well... good thing I have a flexi schedule.

So who among you are watching Deathly Hallows on its opening day too?

My Grown-Up Christmas Wishlist

I'd be a hypocrite to say I don't crave for material things. I do. In fact, every December we've made it as a project to save up for a certain gadget or appliance that we fancy. Everything is paid in cash. The credit card is considered an evil entity in this household as long as spending patterns aren't normalized. And because I have bills to worry about, wishlists are the only way I'm motivated to work even harder for the things I really want. Allow me to share to you ten things I really want to receive (or buy) this holiday season, or hopefully by 2011.

A Canon 1000D camera - Not for me, per se, but rather for my sister. She has an eye for taking great pictures and I want to encourage that talent. Besides, we need a new camera if we are to push through with that summer trip to Tandag next year. Who knows, this might translate to better profile photos on Facebook right?

A Xabi Alonso soccer jersey - An imitation would be fine, but an original (branded) one would be even better. Those who know me are aware of how much I adore this guy. Who wouldn't love the name Xabi, eh? My World Cup 2010 memories bring me nothing but pure joy because of him and the rest of La Roja. If only the guy can be cloned.

An all-expenses paid trip (one week) to any provincial destination of my choice - I say this time and time again... I am in need of a long-overdue one week vacation. Working in a BPO environment can be very toxic. Once in a while, you need to de-stress yourself to relieve the pressures of the job. If someone offers me a (free) tour of Vigan or Iloilo for that matter, I'd haggle for leave credits from my boss and gladly go on that trip without batting an eyelash.

A domain of my own (http://iamnofangirl.com) - Pretty far-fetched for now since I have no credit card. But who knows? Right now I'm enjoying my renewed interest in blogging. It's always nice to read through your past entries and realize how much you've grown emotionally (and physically!) since you wrote it.

DVDs (original ones) of my favorite TV series – Ugly Betty, Modern Family, Criminal Minds. Any of those three would be fine. Ugly Betty keeps me grounded and focused with my attitude at work. Modern Family provides me the necessary humor I need in my stress-filled life. Criminal Minds is my form of escapism on what it would be like if profiling was my current job.

I might add more but these are the immediate answers that came to my mind when coming up with this year’s wishlist. I never did one for my birthday so I think this should be aptly called, “my birthday-slash-christmas wishlist for 2010”.

The One where I’m alone for the weekend

First off, yeah… it's an obligatory Harry/Ginny photo from Deathly Hallows. Can you believe it? Thirteen days more to go! Vacation leave has been approved for the 19th so I'm all set. It's the beginning of the end... of my teenage years. Joke! Truth be told, I started reading Harry Potter back in 2001. I was already a senior in college. (Trivia: Chamber of Secrets was the first book that I finished) I always knew OBHWF was end game back then. Felt relieved that JKR had the same thing in mind by the time she released the final book. 

On the other hand, my sister's friends are currently in Cebu for a short vacation. I envy them. I can't stop blabbing about vacays since I haven't had any out-of-town trips for quite sometime now. Loser, right? I know! But work demands so much of my time. I am slowly turning into a workaholic who has no time for fun. Huhuhu! They brought us durian jams from Davao though. Nothing is stopping me from making mango-durian float over the weekend. Tastes like heaven, I tell you.

I am glad Sheila (my sis) finally gets the chance to enjoy a day-out with them since they all live in different cities. Reunions like this happen once in a blue moon. Like my college besties, their friendship has withstood the test of time (them being friends since high school). Take a wild guess where they’re spending the weekend? 

BANTAYAN ISLAND!

Can I just die of jealousy now?

Dearly beloved brother...

Is it too much too ask that you live within your means? Every month, this never fails to be an issue in this household. You are earning your own keep. Learn to budget. Stop with investments that you can't even afford. Better yet, learn how to say no. Remember that you are only human. You cannot solve every problem that your friends have. Now that we're at it, can you also be honest with us? It's not all the time we can clean up after your mess, you know?

Love,

Your disappointed sisters

The Next Big Thing: Mara Clara’s teens

These kids are just too cute for words. Not to encourage love teams or anything, but I think they are part of the reason why Mara Clara is rating well despite it being a revived soap opera. The story is formulaic; switched-at-birth kids, an evil family member and a long-kept secret that could destroy both families once revealed. But keeping the characters up-to-date with modern times has made viewers sympathetic with Clara, captivated by Mara’s positivity in life and seething with rage at Kiray Desiree’s mean girl antics. Let’s face it. Kiray is such a scene-stealer in this show, eh?

My sister, who is known to abhor tween pairings, actually looks forward to the show every night. These teens can actually give those kids from the other network (*cough*Tween Hearts*cough*) a run for their money given the proper projects and workshops to hone their craft. I never even thought introducing Christian this early would work for the plot. His scenes with Mara are starting to grow on me lately. Makes me miss high school life. Haha!

Is a week-long vacation in the works?

This is the thing when you're given the chance to go on PTO. The day you're supposed to go back to work? You don't want to drag your ass off to the office anymore. But reality bites. This is what I get for being such a workaholic. I try to be the best at everything I do but there are just some things where I fall short of. Isn't this what they call real-life? You learn from things that you experience one day at a time.

Speaking of which, I made the most out of my first paid time-off in more than 12 months. Me and my sister dropped by at Cempark to pay our respects to my grandmother and uncle. After which we went malling and I got myself some new flats to spruce up my sneaker-dominated footwear. I worry about my spending habits though. I'm not addicted to shopping... I'm more into food trips. See how unconventional I am?

In 10 years, it’ll be JoBros and Justin Bieber

Am I one of the last ones to know?!?

No wonder ticketing websites crashed. It's Take That, people. All freakin' five of them. Epic.

Marriage must've done wonders to Robbie Williams that he finally agreed to join his mates in this much awaited reunion of Britain's biggest boyband (in the 90s). For those who take their fangirl duties to heart, this is one of those not-to-be-missed events. Hence, the queue for tickets and the website crashdowns. Can you believe it's all for the love of seeing their favorite lads performing together again (the first in 16 years)?

Boybands are <3. Or at least those who made it big during their heyday (BSB, *NSYNC, Boyzone, Westlife). I grew up listening to their music. They made me the hopeless romantic-slash-cynic that I am today. (Haha.. kidding!) But seriously, it's quite nostalgic when music icons of my generation are now the ones staging reunions. I feel so old.

It’s Team Canon, bitches!

Harry Potter was the first fandom that introduced me to the concept of 'shipping. Imagine pairing off kids who were even too young to start a relationship on their end. Quite weird, huh? But because it was mainly the story about an eleven-year old's journey to self actualization, JK Rowling was wise enough not to dwell too much on the romantic aspects of the story. It did not stop 'shipping wars from escalating. 

Team Harmony vs Team OBHWF (One Big Happy Weasley Family) is the most prominent of all HP 'shipping wars I have encountered. Although I doubt if it would still be classified as such ("war") since the epilogue sealed those couple's fates in canon. Trust Pinoy fans (or at least those in the forum I usually visit) to twist logic into their favor. Majority of them hate Ginny because she's boring, a flirt and not a significant character in the series when deep-inside they simply can't stand the actress who plays her. Bonnie Wright is the ultimate ice queen in their eyes. Shallow, eh?

And for the life of me, why on earth are people 'shipping Daniel Radcliffe/Emma Watson IRL? DRad outside of his HP persona screams flamboyantly metro-sexual with zero appeal. Emma, I can understand. The girl is no doubt easy on the eyes. It's quite disturbing however when these people (kids?) read too much into D/E publicity photos for the movie. You are no matchmakers. Let them live their life.

/rant-over.

Good thing I'm not that invested in 'shipping stuff these days. It was a period in my life that I have happily outgrown. It was fun while it lasted. But it doesn't mean I don't believe in happily ever afters anymore. I still do.

You will be missed, Pulpo Paul…

July was quite a memorable month for me this year. Apart from my promotion, I was finally able to enjoy the World Cup frenzy which drove all (association) football nations crazy except for the Philippines. Who could forget the sleepless nights me and my sister had to endure anticipating the outcome of every La Roja match? Or my fangir-ly moments in the office as I jumped and shrieked in relief after that wonder goal by Andres Iniesta in the finals. But no one could ever argue that the biggest celebrity ever produced by WC2010 was none other than Paul the Octopus.

His predictions made him a household name and earned him the gratitude of every La Roja fan. Vicente del Bosque himself never fails to make a reference to him whenever honors are bestowed upon the team. But just a few days ago, news was released that Paul has passed on. He had lived a good life and will surely be missed come Euro 2012.

Oh my halo-halo…

 

Here’s to our new addiction! Razon’s Halo-Halo is our new comfort food everytime we’re at the mall. I know it may not be as good as the one from the original branch… but hey, at least Cebuanos are now given the chance to enjoy this delicacy. So if you’re somewhere near Ayala Center Cebu, do check them out at the 6th floor of the Metro Ayala Center.

Trailer: The King’s Speech

Monarchs always make for interesting subjects whether it be on print or film. I loved The Queen because it gave us a human side to the ever-formal Queen Elizabeth II. But I think I’ll love The King’s Speech more because the trailer itself manages to show an unorthodox storytelling on how George VI (Elizabeth II’s father) overcame his stammering. Geoffrey Rush is a delight as the speech therapist, Lionel Logue, who helps the king with his predicament. Helena Bonham-Carter is even a surprise with her less-eccentric portrayal of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. And how can you ever go wrong with Colin Firth in the title role? For royalty enthusiasts like me, this film is a definite must-see.

Are we looking at a possible Oscar front-runner?

Mara Clara 2010: The Supporting Characters

I guess it’s no news anymore that ABS-CBN has decided to remake the famous teleserye, Mara Clara, before the year ends. Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Montes have been cast as the leads bringing much speculation as to who will portray the other characters that we’ve come to love from that show. They have huge shoes to fill. Most of those who grew up watching this series are well into their late 20s or early 30s by now. They remember the story by heart. Cramming five years’ worth of storyline into a six-month to a yearlong run is another challenge they have to hurdle.

So for those of you who are wondering who will be the new Amante and Almira del Valle, here’s the “Noon at Ngayon” video of the supporting characters courtesy of Mr. Eric John Salut.

MARA CLARA: Noon at Ngayon (Past meets Present)

Hope in humanity…

Chile has done the impossible!

All 33 miners, trapped for 69 days under the collapsed San Jose mine, have been brought back to the surface. Words cannot describe how overwhelming it was to see those men finally reunited with their families. The rescue efforts were extraordinary. Even the whole world was captivated. It is amazing how a threat of tragedy can bring out the best of the human spirit.

It was just annoying how I couldn't talk about this with any of my officemates because either they: (a) were apathetic to the news; (b) don't have television and had no idea about the plight of these miners. :( This is why I love my family though, as much as we are dysfunctional at times, we can totally talk about anything whether it be showbiz or news and current affairs.

To hell with friendlies…

La Furia Roja is back with a vengeance! Their 3-1 win against Lithuania last October 8 in Salamanca kept them right on the road towards Euro 2012. It was a shaky start for the team as most of their veterans had been sidelined due to injuries. Heck, I never even knew my dear Xabi was down with the flu! But they recovered. VDB re-grouped the guys and came back with a vengeance in the second half of the game. Kudos to Fernando Llorente and David Silva. These fellows have definitely stepped up their game since their World Cup victory. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them gets retained in the starting line-up for future NT games.

Next game is on October 12 against Scotland. Like many supporters out there, I wish that Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos will be 100% OK to join the team.

It's a hodge-podge of everything...

The much awaited teleserye starring John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin finally premiered last night to the anticipation of both fans and haters. Imortal had been marketed as a Lobo sequel, but some are skeptic enough if it can surpass its predecessor in terms of quality. What was great about Lobo was that despite being branded as a Forbidden Love/Blood and Chocolate-rip off, it managed to elicit discussions in messageboards regarding the characterization and how the story was progressing. The CGI effects though leave much to be desired.

Imortal's pilot episode provided viewers a background on the centuries-old war between vampires and werewolves. Here we were introduced to Magnus (Jake Roxas), the vampire-sire of Roman (Jomari Yllana). Both men are the polar opposites of each other despite now being the same kind. Magnus is ruthless and relentless in his pursuit of vengeance against the taong-lobos whom he accuses of murdering his family. Roman, on the other hand, is dismissive and repulsed of his newfound ability. Sparing his life had meant immortality and endless years of torture being away from his loved ones.

From the premise alone, looks like John Lloyd's Mateo is poised to be the central character of the series. Angel's Lia was wisely tied up as a love interest by making her a descendant of Lyka, the central character of Lobo. Critics may argue that the plot is a hodge-podge of all vampire fiction we've come to known of late. What else is new, huh? A series always needs some point of familiarity with the audience in order to rake in the ratings.

Confessions of a Blackberry Newbie

“Hi, I'm Rose... and I'm a CrackBerry...”

We gave in. I don't text much. I don't even call anyone on my mobile unless it's necessary. So when my mom offered to buy me and my sister a new phone, I was kind of hesitant. Given that we share ownership (my sis and I) of the nifty gadget, I still get to use it mostly when I go to work.

Who knew canvassing for a new phone can be so tedious? Dad suggested a Nokia C3, but my sister found it too juvenile for her taste. So we ended up going for a BB. It scared us shitless reading of horror stories online on how "some" people had a difficult experience subscribing to BIS (Blackberry Internet Service). But thankfully, everything went smoothly for us.

It's funny though how people always assume I'm on a postpaid plan when they see my phone. Surprise, surprise... I'm on prepaid!:) Do not be afraid of going on a budget. I think it works for us since we're not really into calling and texting a lot, it's just the BIS we're after these days.

Fall Season TV returns!

As much as I hate to admit it, I can never swore off watching Criminal Minds. The show fostered my love for profiling people. Countless of times I wished we had a BAU in this country. I would gladly take my chances and apply for a position. This current season is bittersweet as this will be the last for AJ Cook and Paget Brewster. I will be missing JJ and Emily. There goes my Hotch/Prentiss dream down the drain! :(

Over the summer hiatus, my sister and I became converts of Modern Family. It reminds us of the same brand of humor we loved in Arrested Development. Sadly, the latter failed to captivate a wider fanbase after its first season. Steve Levitan and Chris Lloyd, on the other hand, did their homework well and came up with a winning combination of a great casting ensemble and effortlessly funny scripts. Now I'm a fan of Eric Stonestreet and Sofia Vergara. It is their scenes I look forward to the most in every episode.

GLEE? Nah, I'd rather stay mum on the subject. Let's just say I still watch the show if only for Harry Shum and Jane Lynch. Now once they start hints of a Mike Chang/Quinn Fabray pairing... then they'll have me back hook, line and sinker. But it's just a fangirl's dream, much like how Dan/Blair is to Gossip Girl.

I'm still on the look-out for reviews of new shows who are on its pilot season. So far Nikita's shaping up to be a favorite. Hellcats is not that bad although I still can't stand Aly Michalka. Ashley Tisdale, on the other hand, looks so much better as a brunette. Mindless shows like these help especially when all you want to do is relax after a stressful day at the work.

So what's on your TV viewing list these days?

La Roja Forever!

I thought my heart would break upon reading the news that you guys lost the friendly to Argentina. But hey, as my sister said… it doesn’t make you any less of the champions you already are right now. In a game, someone always has to lose. But I am proud that VDB takes the extra effort to field all players who weren’t able to play during the WC in their friendly matches. He believes in the capability of each person he has called up for the national team and he wants them to tap into their hidden potential.

Do I sound like a fangirl already? Good. Because I am proud to be one when it comes to this team. The bright side from the game? Xabi got to be captain again!

Love Unexpected

A few years ago, I came across a TV movie on HBO about two adults forced to live together to raise the orphaned son of their mutual bestfriends. I was immediately drawn to the story. It helped that Thomas Gibson and Poppy Montgomery had excellent chemistry to boot. Does the story sound familiar? It should, because that’s the same premise of the new Katherine Heigl movie to be shown this coming October. Life As We Know It pairs her off with Josh Duhamel and the 10 year old kid from Raising Waylon (the TV movie) is replaced by a baby instead. Not really Heigl’s biggest fan but this is one chick flick I would totally watch. Would you?

Fangirl updates!

Xabi Alonso’s twitter account is now verified. Yayyy! Take that, doubters! ;) I sure hope he tweets more. And maybe just for once reply to my tweets as well? Haha! Yeah, we can dream.

News about La Furia Roja or Real Madrid allows me to unwind after a busy day at work. Right now I am starting to feel the demands of the job, but it’s nothing that I can’t handle so far. I love being busy. It makes me feel that I am doing something productive at work.

Oh, and here’s another reason for me to smile these days. Modern Family! :D Kudos to the show for winning Outstanding Comedy Series in the recently concluded Primetime Emmy awards. It was the most deserving of the bunch and I am happy it’s turning out to be a favorite of both critics and fans alike. It has gained the success that Arrested Development failed to sustain.

Look who’s now on Twitter…

It’s the classy one himself, Xabi Alonso. :) The account’s pretty legit since both Alvaro Arbeloa and Sergio Ramos are following him. The guy needs to tweet more though. A twitpic perhaps? I’m sure his followers (me included) would love that.

A major, major overdue update…

My eye has healed completely. Thank god. I thought I’d forever sport a swollen eye to work. :) So how have I been over the past few days? Pretty great. I love all the things I’m learning at training and I cannot wait until I go live. The pressure hasn’t sunk in yet. But the challenge is there to prove myself worthy of the position. I’m just thankful to be part of a solid support group. I have an awesome mentor and super-supportive teammates.

In my hiatus from the blogging world, it seems that a lot has happened. There’s the unfortunate hostage drama with the Hongkong tourists which was terribly heartbreaking. I know it’s pointless to compare. But haven’t they learned anything from the countless procedural dramas over the years? Someone needs to be subjected to marathon of Criminal Minds. I can only hope international relations between Hongkong and the Philippines will mend in time.

And who can forget the infamous “Major, major” eh? Venus Raj may have placed 4th in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant but she made the most impact with her Q&A blunder. Heck, she even made it to Yahoo! It was like Charlene’s “high tide or low tide?” all over again. You gotta love beauty pageants for giving you a goldmine of quotable quotes when it comes to the question and answer portion.

No, it’s not sore eyes…

I have Blepharitis. Iccck! I'd rather not expound on what it is because it would just gross you out. You can google it if you want to. It pisses me off though because... why now? Why couldn't this have manifested itself while I was still an RTA? Why now when I am in my first week of training for my new position? I hate being sick. I hate being held back on important things I need to accomplish immediately. Not to mention the dent it would cost my pockets for the antibiotics that were prescribed to me by the company doctor. But it looks like I have no choice. The meds have to be taken diligently otherwise I’d be left with a swollen right eye.

Because I miss Xabier…

I have to thank the 2010 World Cup for introducing me to the “classy” one that is Xabi Alonso. Before it, the only person that kept me interested in association football was Kaka which meant that by default I had to support team Brazil. Here lies the problem. I barely knew half of the team.

Things started to change when I watched La Furia Roja play their first game against Switzerland. I loved the way the commentator said Xabi Alonso’s name and I decided to google the guy afterwards. Who cares if he’s married? ;) I had found the team to root for in this tournament. The good thing was, I fell in love not just with the guy but with the whole team. Within days I familiarized myself with the other Spain NT players. I rooted for all of their WC games. (I still maintain they were underdogs against Germany) To top it off, I even screamed and jumped like a freakin’ lunatic at the office pantry after they were crowned World Cup champions.

Why no love for the Hong sisters?

Seriously… with the exception of My Girl and My Sassy Girl Chun-hyang, it seems that Pinoys have no love for the rom-com works of the Hong sisters. Why place them on afternoon timeslots when most people are either at work or in school? He’s Beautiful (a.k.a. You’re Beautiful) deserves a primetime audience. Never mind if the plot is quite superficial. The guys alone are eye-candy enough. I hate seeing it suffer the same fate that befell Fantasy Couple, a drama which happens to be one of my favorites. You gotta show the sisters some respect! They’re my writing gods after all. But like all writers, there’s a pattern in their works. Probably in a separate post I shall discuss more about “You know you’re watching a Hong sisters’ drama when…” ;)

Soon-to-be royal girlfriend?

Oh the news you get from the Daily Mail. :) My sister loves that site for all the latest international “chismis” she can get. One interesting bit was the news that Spanish/Filipino model Alexandra Escat was snapped together with the Duke of York recently. Now who exactly is Alex Escat? I only remember her as one of KC Concepcion’s closest friends. But I guess the article can speak for her profile and credentials, huh?

Camelot lives on…

Thank goodness for Sky Digital, there's a huge chance I will actually get to see the eight-part mini-series "The Kennedys" on cable TV next year. I'm excited because I have always been fascinated with the family's history eversince I read the The Kennedy Women and watched The Women of Camelot. They're like the Aquinos, only less controversial. (*cough*Kris Aquino*cough) Katie Holmes is playing Jacqueline Kennedy but I am far more intrigued with Greg Kinnear and Barry Pepper who are playing JFK and Robert F. Kennedy respectively.

Speaking of The Kennedys, I am still waiting for a paperback version of this book (not that it’ll ever arrive on Philippine shores) for my reading. Fully Booked and NBS only have this on hardbound copy! :( Birthday wishlist? Hehe!

Other Asian, FTW!

Who rejoiced when they read this on their Twitter timeline? I did. Yayyy for Other Asian! Mike Chang deserves as much love as Santana and Brittany. It's about time Ryan Murphy realizes that. I am not jumping 'ship, however, after the revelation that the show would return with him dating Tina. Mike/Quinn remains to be my OTP in the series. Nevermind if it's AU. This is the GLEE universe after all. Anything can happen. :)

Look, Ji-hoo’s back!

Just when you thought they'd stop at Meteor Garden, Group8 announces that they're currently working on the Korean-remake of the popular idol drama It Started with a Kiss. With their penchant for recycling actors from past productions, guess who got casted as the lead guy?

None other than Yoon Ji-hoo himself, Kim Hyun-joong. Notice the "Keanu-Reeves-school-of-acting" expression in the pic? Me and my sister aren't too fond of the actor. He managed to hog the spotlight in BoF, no thanks to a scriptwriter fangirl, ultimately sacrificing what could have been a potential backstory for another F4 member.

He's paired this time around with newbie actress, Jung So-min. Are they cute together or not?

I think I’ll go for My Girlfriend is a Gumiho instead. :)

I’d rather have you off my TV screens…

Yes, there are just some people we cannot stand to see on television. It's not just because we cannot stand their personality. It could either be we've grown tired of hearing their issues or they just don't have what it takes to leave a lasting impression on the small screen. Networks just couldn't care less because these people rake in big bucks for the company. But if I really had a choice, here are just some of those I would permanently boot off my TV screen:

CHARICE - *ducks from tomatoes thrown by rabid fans* I do not care if people would say we should be proud of her because she is Pinoy. The girl is just unlikeable. Even when she's trying to sound humble and overwhelmed about her achievements, part of it still comes off snotty. And it doesn't help that she has such... uhhhmm, how would I say it... passionate fans who don't seem to realize that people are entitled to their own opinions about liking her or not. Don't even get me started about that Glee guesting.

MELASON - Never did, and still couldn't get the "masa" appeal their loveteam supposedly embodied. Melai's manner of speaking irritates me to no end and Jason's "deer-caught-in-the-headlights" look isn't really helping either. But yeah, people love them so I guess we're stuck with their antics for now.

KRIS AQUINO - Opinions on her are quite polarizing. One minute you'll love her candidness, the next thing you'll know is that she has effortlessly stolen your thunder. The lady thrives in attention. I'm just thankful she decided to give up SNN and The Buzz. One can only take that much with regards to another person's personal life.

MARIAN RIVERA - She used to be so likeable when she was doing afternoon soaps. What happened? Ohhh, right... Dingdong Dantes. Somehow when these two gravitated towards becoming a couple their likeability factor waned for me.

Before anyone thinks I have such crab mentality in me for only listing local artists, I have my beef with some foreign ones too. Like how I could never get the swooning over Taylor Lautner when he's just pretty meehh to me. Again it's nothing personal. I just don't like their faces being shoved at viewers constantly just short of hero-worshipping them.

This, is my Carnival entry for the week. :)

This is no A.L.I.A.S.

I like my heroines flawed. A sense of vulnerability makes them more human in the eyes of the viewing public. The first few minutes of Covert Affairs certainly did not give me that impression on Annie Walker. One would even be annoyed at how perfect she was. Seasoned traveler, polyglot, strikingly beautiful, single... quite the perfect candidate for someone the CIA wants within its people. It was Sydney Bristow all over again. Or so I thought.

Sky Cable goes digital…

Cebu City suffers from the misfortune of being stuck with Sky Cable as its only cable provider. There's Dream Satellite TV though but it's not as well-known in regular households. Now just imagine my sister's horror when she woke up two days ago to realize we were left with only 54 channels in our lineup - one channel short of KBS World. What? No K-drama fix? NOOOO! So off we are to subscribe to Sky's Silver Package for their digital offer. Anything for the love of extra channels to boot. I'm getting ETC and 2nd Avenue back! Besides, it's the closest thing we'll ever get to TiVo anyways.

Speaking of television, it feels weird not having any World Cup games to look forward to these days. Did one month just flew by in a snap? I miss my La Roja guys. Shallow as it may sound, the fact that they were eye-candies made it all the more easier to root for their team. Thank goodness for Tumblr though. That site feeds my need for Xabi, Iker and Nando picspams with occasional La Roja guapitos on the side.

Kung-Fu (Oranje style)

No one kicks my beloved Xabi in the chest and gets away with it. Bad move, Nigel de Jong! If karma didn’t bite the Oranje’s ass mid-way into the actual game… it painfully caught up with them in extra time. They were a huge disappointment. To say they played dirty would have been an understatement given the flurry of yellow cards handed throughout the duration of the game. But the long wait was worth it. La Furia Roja is one proof that prayers indeed work miracles. I have never prayed this hard for a favorite team of mine (OA, but true) and they pulled through convincingly. Surprisingly, the haters who strongly criticized Spain prior to finals were now squabbling amongst themselves what went wrong with the Netherlands.

New Home, New Beginnings...

I've moved my blog to Wordpress. Just some slight tweaking though with my previous entries because I am such a stickler for order. I can never stand seeing my entries not formatted properly. This is the very reason why I usually end up changing blog templates every month. Let's see how this goes with my new home. Hopefully more productive blog entries to come! :)

Speaking of new beginnings, I am happy to say I got accepted for the job I had interviewed for a few weeks ago. It's a lot more complicated than my current job description but I went for it as a challenge. I officially start training in August. In the meantime, we are still awaiting news regarding my replacement (for my current department). It took a promotion before TPTB could act on hiring additional manpower for one of the largest accounts in the company. Our staffing had been bleeding for close to four months already!

But enough of my bitterness. It is time to leave that all behind. I look forward with eagerness to my new responsibility and working for a new boss. Now is the time to embrace change.

Vampires Suck

 

Now, now… before anyone flames me for the subject of this post, I was actually referring to this parody movie brought to you by the makers of Disaster Movie (and the Scary Movie franchises). Campy as it looks, anything that pokes fun at Twilight is worthy of my attention. I almost didn’t recognize Matt Lanter as the movie’s “Edward”. This looks fun. Maybe I’ll ask my brother to download it a few months from now.

The week that was…

The World Cup has taken over my life. Well, sort of. It's just that I have been rooting for Spain since the tournament started and now it's pretty annoying when people trashtalk the team in favor of Germany. The fan in me actually gets affected by all those black propaganda against La Furia Roja. But hey, you can never please everybody right? As my sister would say, "let them eat their cake and we'll eat ours too". It's a whatever floats your boat situation and I won't force them to like my team if they don't.

I also miss the academic atmosphere. Had I been the diligent type as a student, I would love to go back to school and take up a graduate course. But sadly, I wasn't blessed with such brains. I have a few officemates who enrolled this semester and I wish them luck in juggling work and studies. It ain't easy multi-tasking after all! :)

Lastly, I feel guilty for not being able to submit a Carnival entry last week. It was supposed to be a walk-in-the-park topic since I love FRIENDS! Sadly, real-life caught up and I just didn't have enough time to type my entry. I'll make up this week, and that's a promise!

It all ends here…

View Full Album

Full circle, anyone? The recently released teaser poster for Deathly Hallows showed the destruction of Hogwarts, the site of the final battle between the Dark Lord and The Boy Who Lived. Pretty depressing, yes. But it also showed how far along the series has progressed since starting out as a mere children’s flick back in 2001.

I will miss you, Harry Potter. It has been a great ten years of my life as a fangirl of the series and I am proud to be one.

La Furia Roja

These guys are my remaining hope for the World Cup. Who knew Brazil would fall to a shocking exit against the Netherlands? At this point in the competition, it is clearly anybody’s ballgame already. La Furia Roja has to survive. They have to!

I do not mind at all if people call them underachievers. It has been a slow and patient climb for them to the top. I cheered when they recovered from a disappointing loss to Switzerland and couldn’t be happier that they’re in the semi-finals after beating Portugal. Root for Argentina or Netherlands if you want, but win or lose… my money is still on these guys.

Good luck on the game against Paraguay!

San Iker

My sister and I can never quite figure out how he does this mannerism of his. But we found it cute. And so we spent the entire day trying to emulate it. Not to mention going through every Tumblr post that featured him and Xabi Alonso. Where were this guys during the 2006 World Cup games? Why did I not discover them before?

 

I am so sorry Brazil (or should I say, Kaka), but I am switching my allegiance to La Furia Roja. It’s not like I’m expecting them to reach the finals anyway. I’m taking it one game at a time. Maybe I connected more with the team since I sat through that entire game they had with Switzerland and rooted for them to recover afterwards.

The after-math of downsizing…

Some of my favorite shows are dropping some series regulars for next season! First there was AJ Cook and Paget Brewster. Just yesterday, Ask Ausiello confirmed that Emily VanCamp will be leaving Brothers and Sisters next season after two episodes. I guess this is one way of bringing in more love interests for Justin, huh? I actually liked him and Rebecca together. They had chemistry. But they had a lot of issues between the two of them, not to mention the history between their families.

Primary reason for the downsizing seems to be budget cuts. Oh well, perhaps this will serve as a lesson for me not to be too emotionally attached to a certain show. I hate it when cast members leave!

The Beginning of the End…

And so it has begun, the first official trailer for the finale of the Harry Potter series has been released and people’s reactions are simply overwhelming. Kudos to whoever’s in-charge of creating the trailers. They surely know how to catch the viewers’ attention. I felt the same thing when the trailer for Half-Blood Prince was released

 

Windows Live Writer

Test post from my Windows Live Writer software. Thanks to Little Miss Kessa’s entry, it had me tinkering immediately with my laptop trying to figure out how to access it on my end. I have a lot of catching up to do in the world of blogging. I’ve missed two Team Carnival entries already so I vow to make up for it this week.

My previous week just had been so busy. I interviewed for a internal job hiring just out of gut feeling. Man, I forgot what it felt like to be interviewed again! ^_^ I had butterflies in my stomach the entire evening that I thought I’d pass out. Here’s hoping this week will be a stress-free one.

Te quiero, Xabi!

I'm catching up on Xabi Alonso's clips on YouTube. Man, I love guys with accents! He's just so cute when conversing in English that it reminds me of Puss-in-Boots. Haha! But yeah, finally got to see that infamous long-range goal he had back when he was still with Liverpool. Whether it was pure luck or a strategized game plan I can only imagine the excitement of the viewers who were watching the game at that moment. Oh Xabi, is it too much to ask for a repeat performance in this year's World Cup? ^_^ 

Write-ups always say he looks like Jason Bateman but I think he's more of a cross between him and Eric Mabius. And yes, he's married. Good thing I'm no longer a teenager who can be very territorial over guys they fangirl at.

Victoria & Daniel: A Royal Wedding

How can you not love royal weddings? Aside from having me wishfully thinking I was a member of royalty myself, I find the "true love conquers all" mood generally appealing. So when Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden got married over the weekend to her fiance of eight years, Daniel Westling, I just had to google photos of the event. Sadly, the royal guests were mostly in their mid-thirties and I highly doubt anyone from Carl Philip and Madeleine's age group was present. Too bad the British princess (William and Harry) were off in South Africa for the World Cup, eh? :)

Blame it on the vuvuzelas?

My favorite World Cup teams are losing their steam! With Germany's loss last night to Serbia, this ballgame has become totally unpredictable. The underdogs have managed to outwit the favorites while my favorite players haven't really stepped up. If Brazil and Spain don't get their act together in their remaining matches, Argentina is getting an easy ticket into the finals. I wouldn't want Diego Maradona to have that satisfaction though. :)

My new World Cup crushie, Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso

What a chauvinistic move, CBS!

I'm not even sure I'll look forward to the 7th season after reading about this yesterday from Ask Ausiello. Seriously, CBS? The show's strength lies on its ensemble acting and I don't think the dynamics would ever be the same if it's merely the guys who are running the show. Drop the spin-off if you must, but keep JJ and Prentiss.

Oh, and perhaps fellow fans might want to sign the petition too? 

Waka waka!

I do not claim to be a football fanatic. I barely even know squat about the mechanics of the game. But now that the whole world is caught in the euphoria of the 2010 World Cup, I am so excited to be rooting for the teams of my favorite players. While my sister is all for Team Korea, I shall be rooting for Team Brazil and Team Spain (maybe Team Italy too, just because Gigi Buffon is one awesome goalkeeper).

But like a typical Pinoy whose idea of sport is either basketball or boxing, my dad is apathetic to our FIFA fangirl tendencies. He'd rather watch the NBA Finals than figure out who'll score a goal first in a football game. :)

Yes, I am a couch potato...

images from Amazon

For my first Team Carnival entry, allow me to share with you 5 TV shows I wouldn't mind watching over and over again on DVD. Nowadays I tend to gravitate more towards procedural dramas because I'd like to think I have the brains for it (I wish! ^_^). But back then, I was just like your regular couch potato who was after the eye candy and believed in happily ever afters. Making it to my Top 5 are two shows who have been renewed for the next season and three who have long-ended their run on the boob-tube.

DAWSON'S CREEK - Way back when Katie Holmes was still likeable and Joshua Jackson was still Charlie Conway (and soon, Pacey Witter)  for everybody . This, was a staple Tuesday morning discussion at school during my college years. Nevermind if Tabing-Ilog "sort of" ripped-off its concept. Come to think of it, this show most likely introduced me to the concept of 'shipping wars way before Harry Potter ever did. I mean, who among you here were on Team Dawson? or Team Pacey?

CHARMED - Ahhh, The Power of Three. What I loved most about the show was how it dealt with sibling issues together with the advancement of their powers. Who wouldn't want to be part of the Halliwell sisters? The girls managed to juggle good looks, awesome jobs and hot guys with their lifestyle as witches.

FRIENDS - Six people with distinct personalities stuck with each other for ten years to show us just how far friends go for the people they love. I watched this mainly because of my love for Mondler. But one can never deny that Phoebe Buffay was the real scene stealer.

GLEE - Despite the continuity issues and the hype surrounding it, I love Glee for making me remember what it was like to be in high school again and to be so idealistic in achieving what you want from life.

CRIMINAL MINDS - Unlike CSI, the team is not after the evidence but rather the behavioral background which prompted the unsub to commit the crime. Profiling is my dream job. So much that I like practicing it on my officemates or just anyone at random. I love what the team does for a living and the fact that they get to help solve some crimes is an added bonus. Too bad we have no Behavioral Analysis Unit in the country... or is there one that I don't know of?

I really have a lot of favorites, but these are shows I can actually sit through an entire season of. How about you? What are your favorite TV shows?

Of chick flicks and Chuck Bartowski

In an effort to turn my brain into mush, me and my sister watched The Proposal (finally!) on DVD a few days ago. Sandra Bullock & chick flicks FTW! Despite the age difference, she and Ryan Reynolds (lucky ScarJo!) managed to make their chemistry work. While I swooned over how Ryan made Andrew Paxton's character so charming, my sister was more amused by Mr. Reynolds' sense of humor. A guy with good looks and comedic chops certainly ranks high in our hotness meter. Not to be outdone with equally hilarious scenes in the movie was Betty White who played Andrew's grandmother. Her agility had me wishing I'd be as graceful and upbeat when I reach that age.

My only peeve was that three days was too short a time for the two leads to fall in love. Had this been a Korean drama, all those angst over the fake marriage would've been stretched to 16 episodes. But hey, suspension of disbelief for the hopeless romantics at heart! This is totally going to my must-have DVD collection.

Speaking of hot guys with comedic chops... who knew Chuck Bartowski Zachary Levi could carry a tune? I chanced upon the video of his duet with Katharine McPhee while browsing some Mark/Lexie thread at Fanforum and it swept me off my feet instantly. Yes, I am a sucker for cheesy lovesongs. Haha! Terrified has been enjoying constant airplay on my phone for weeks now. I don't think I'll ever get tired of listening to it. Listen for yourself!