Waiting is Forgetting

Naghihintay sa isang tawag na hindi dumating-dating. Naghihintay sa panunuyong hindi maganap-ganap.

Naghihintay. Naghihintay. Naghihintay.

Hanggang kailan?

Memento

Thought provoking indeed. I have a huge urge though to watch the film in reversed order. I guess I'll have to watch it again for it to make more sense to me and answer a few questions floating here and there.

Takeoff

I love you to death (star) you little black and white troopers!

~~

Still from the amazing Stefan.

A Peruvian Dream

When I was about 14, I saw this movie – Max is Missing – in our local cable channel, about a boy who was on a vacation along with his family in Peru. He got separated to them, got chased by robbers who were after a priceless mask that was given to him by a dying man. What a great adventure for a 12-year-old kid (assuming that every kid with the same adventure will also live), right?

After watching that movie, I was so inspired to have my own adventure in Peru, particularly in Machu Picchu, traverse the great Incan trail and watch the sun rise from the top of the ruins.

Keep in mind that I don’t know much about Peru back then. I came in a province wherein internet – if it does exist during those time – is unheard of. All I know is that Peru is a country far, far away from where I live therefore it is impossible for me to run around, get lost, let alone sit and cry on top of a pyramid ruins just like what Max did, because 1) I am not rich and 2) I don’t have any idea how to. My young mind still has that pretty limited world and imagination.

12 years after, here I am obsessing once again for that Peruvian adventure. I have to admit thought that Machu Picchu is second only on my top-two list of greatest ambitions/dreams/adventures in life. Egypt came first and I blame my Discovkids watching days for it. For dreaming BIG. The drive for that Peruvian adventure was just too strong lately.

So there. I’m spending my work-free hours at the office researching everything about a (hopefully and God-willing) future backpacking trip in South America. I started with the basics. Filipinos do not need visas to get to Peru (as well as Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and Suriname). Yay!

The next was to pick a flight that will send me directly to Peru with a connecting flight in a country that will not require me to show nor possess a visa. I’ve read some options and still looking for viable (read: hassle-free in transit experience and not too expensive) flights preferably those that would need less connecting flights. I even wish that when I finally get to go on this trip, there’s already a direct flight from Manila to Lima. Ha!

Logistics, logistics, logistics. I won’t delve into that right now because everything’s still a big “if”. But surely, in order for me to push through with this dream trip, I would have to have an immense bank savings account first.

Which brings me to the post right after this.

London 2012

Borne out of the loopy but hopeless dreamer in me, plus an acquiescent – no, make that tolerant- friend that challenged me to actually make this happen. I’ve always dreamed of a European backpacking trip but pragmatically speaking, I cannot afford it. Maybe 5 to 10 years from now I could, but in two years? Never.

So I’ve come to my own terms and accept the fact that it will be just United Kingdom, for now. I’m sure there’s plenty of things that I can do and enjoy in there, interesting stuff that will fill up my schedule not to mention the amount of time it will take me to hunt British actors and rock stars that I’m obsessing on. That’s if I ever get approved for a tourist visa first haha.

But I’ve got a good feeling about it all. I’ve already started my “London 2012 jar fund”. Hopefully it will be enough to get me to UK in about 2 years, if not I’ll always have my visa-free Southeast Asian neighbors.

~~
The moral of the story is this: Peruvian trip will not be happening in the next 3 years. Perhaps in 5-7 years. I can always wait but I will definitely make sure that it will happen.

Ad Astra Per Aspera!!

Shaun of the Dead

After watching this film, I had a serious suspicion that this movie inspired Zombieland. Nick Frost and Simon Pegg obviously have a good chemistry. In fact, they are too even behind camera. Good friends, I mean. Next on my must-watch list is Hot Fuzz, the second to what they call their Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy. The third installment I’m afraid hasn’t began production yet.

A familiar face: Bill Nighy!

Expect to hear the word exacerbate plenty of times in this film. But all in all, I enjoyed this movie immensely. Who said the Brits have dry sense of humor?

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

After watching How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, my penchant for Simon Pegg was reawakened. I’ve seen him before as secondary characters of long-ago films (except for the most recent film he made, the Star Trek, where he played Scotty – which was my favorite character!) so I was inspired to dig up and look for his previous films. But more of that in the coming posts.

This movie was ridiculously funny it had me giggling uncontrollably even if I look like a total buffoon for doing that alone. I didn’t know that Megan Fox was here and so is Kirsten Dunst (as her leading lady). Still, it was nice overall. I love Simon Pegg’s accent for a Londoner and I love the way he crumples his face for more comedy effect. In fact, I saw a consistent sample of Pegg’s funny faces and grunts on most of his films that I can immediately identify where I’ve seen and heard it.

I also saw some short cameos of other British stars in this film such as Maurice Moss, Katherine Parkinson (both from The IT Crowd), Daniel Craig and Thandie Newton!

I’m not a freak, I’m just really observant.

Thought

There shouldn't be a what-if person/moment in our life. You'll just end up getting crazy picturing what-might-have-beens and what-could-have-beens. It hurts.

San Iker Spam

Sorry but I just gotta post these World Cup finals photos of San Iker. This is not the last I am telling you.

The captain cries. Halika nga rito, yayakapin kita ng mahigpit.

Photos nicked from http://omgikercasillas.tumblr.com

Olé! Olé! Olé!

Yellow cards were practically flying everywhere. The announcer was getting bored. The fans and spectators were getting antsy by the extra minute (and bored too). Thank goodness for that much-awaited goal by Andrés Iniesta.

You've no idea how absolutely happy I was for Spain to take that trophy this time, this year. They've waited for like, forever, for this moment to arrive lang naman. And they deserved every inch of that 18k trophy. Kudos to Nederlands also, you did your best guys. Too bad you can't get past over the greatest not to mention the cutest, most adorable goalkeeper we have today: Iker Casillas.

Ooh I can almost imagine the Spanish celebration. Wait 'til these boys get home.

Felicitaciones España!

Photo courtesy of CBC.CA sports

Makes you think Paul the Octopus was right all along. Too bad Dutch fans and others out there were probably wishing you're their dinner tonight. Hey, an octopus' gotta do what an octopus gotta do!

San Jose Revisited

Noticeably clean San Jose port

More than a year ago, the Cheese and I had our first solo travel together in the farthest south that we've both ever been: Butuan. We were supposed to go to Siargao but due to uncontrollable events and mishaps we weren't able to take that ferry to Siargao so we ended up in Dinagat Islands instead (children look it up in the map).

Well, I won't consider our short stay in San Jose as one of the best times of my life. In fact, it was a bit scary to say the least. But looking back now, it wasn't so bad after all. It still scares me everytime I think about the town's interesting history but I'm glad nothing bad ever happened to us in our short stay there.

There's still so much more to explore around the islands but too bad it requires a lot of moolahs to be able to afford that. Someday, I will make a new memory of Dinagat Islands.

La Furia Roja!

Currently waiting for the World Cup finals game between the Rojas and the Oranjes. Will Paul the Octopus' prediction come true? Will the Spanish team prevail? In about 3 hours, we will find out. Me, my chips and chocolate milk will be waiting!

Happy Birthday Tbud!

You're like the nicest person I personally know on Earth and I'm so darn glad we're friends!

Vamos España!

Since my chosen World Cup team suffered a stupendous and horrible loss against the Germans (as one friend stated they are full-o- offense-with-no-regards-for-defense team) I have adapted Spain as my 2010 World Cup bet because I love Barca and it's almost like an El Clasico game although they're not fighting against each other.

Carles Puyol, you are one mighty capitan! Let's see what Paul the octopus will have to say on the 11th.

Too cute for words!

Hooray for Fourth of July!

First things first.

I am not an American nor an American patriot. Where I come from Fourth of July is deemed as the Araw ng Kalayaan of United States of America. Independence Day in English. So what, every country has their Independence Day anyway.

It is there in the title because I'm just delighted that two weeks into my new job (after being unemployed for more than 6 months!) I'll be having my first ever long weekend (say yea!)

Yes 1) I have a new job and 2) We follow US holidays because I work in a US back office company sort of thingie. At first glance or occurrence maybe, "aah, call center (more like call cennur heehee) but no. They actually have but I'm not part of it. We just don't deal with sales period.

Obviously, the reason for my long absence here was because of work. I haven't had the time to browse sites that I religiously follow because most of them are banned in the office and I have no time to browse them whenever I surf the net outside (read:pay for it).

I still check facebook from time to time (only because of Mafia Wars!) but I am still and mostly active in Twitter.

Since I work in a graveyard shift, my social life has been drastically altered. I don't get to see much more interact with friends and the Cheese. But hey c'est la vie. I'm still pretty much adjusting to the new work environment, working with new people, walking out of the office on a bright sunshine, sleeping with the bright sunshine and practically missing out on a few things. But I'll live. I need this job to regain my depleted bank account and to save up money for September.

Now that Argentina has just exited the World Cup scene from a massive 4-0 loss with Germany (and England way earlier on the Cup), I can concentrate more on this year's Tour de France updates. But I am still hoping Spain will make it. Barca all the way!

Right now it's time to hit the sack 'cos I'm almost 24 hours way behind of normal my sleep. And we all know humans need to sleep and I'm convinced that I am still one. Human, that is.