<S> Marks the Spot from <S>andwich

Wildlife from Pupil

Behold! Rejoice! Surfernando is Here Nah! from Markus Highway

Now you have an Eraserheads 2008 album!

I would say though that it’s a form of strategy to get more traffic to the originators’ site. Unlike in the real world, traffic in websites is a good thing. I thought long and hard if I will give in to this maelstrom. Hmmmm….

Heck, why not. Nothing to lose here.

1. I’m always proud to say that I am the eldest in the brood of 5 and the only guy at that. There was a time when suitors of my sisters were afraid of me. With my hulking figure and all, I do not have to do anything to scare them. I think it’s not the case anymore.

2. Surprisingly, many friends that I’ve known post-UP days don’t know that I also taught at UP. Their eyes would widen in disbelief that I taught at UP. Ikaw?! is the often expression they would give me. Their eyes would widen more when they learn that I taught Math at UP. It’s my secret combo move. haha.

3. I’m a sleep person. 9pm pa lang, lowbatt na. I can’t stay up late everytime there’s a gathering. If I don’t get enough sleep, I can’t function the following day properly.

4. I love playing video games (me and Pen in fact!) – PC games, PS2 and PSP are the platforms that I have tried in the recent years. I may not be a hard core gamer, but I would say that I am able to keep up with the latest games. I’m playing NBA Live ’08 in my PSP now.

5. I was into buying comic books before. I stopped buying when I learned that latest issues are freely downloadable if one knows where to look. I am still reading comics now but not that addicted anymore. I think I’m passed that stage.

6. I never owned a Levi’s jeans. Not one pair of Levi’s jeans. I don’t know, it’s just that I’m better off with other brands of jeans.

7. I wear my wristwatch in my right hand and I’m not a lefty. When I was in high school, I just thought that why not wear my wristwatch in my right hand instead? So I started wearing it on my right. Up until now, it stays in my right hand.

Wow. It took some time to make that list. Thanks to Joy for this meme. Made me realize my personality too.

I’m supposed to tag 10 people. The chain letter stops here. If you want to do it, be my guest. Drop me a comment so I would know okay?

I had fun, maybe you’ll have fun doing a list too. Thanks for the tag Joy.
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I thought about doing this list but was just too lazy… and the fact that this person Joy was addressing AJ and not me. Anyhow, since AJ did it, may as well… But since I don’t have enough time to think this through, it may not come out as a good piece on 7 truths, but basically just 7 truths off the top of my head.

[I realise that some of these also qualify as being 7 proofs that I'm too geeky]

1. Things I love to do. Watching movies [and good TV shows!] has got to be on top of my list of favorite things to do. If I could only get paid to do this every day for the rest of my life, I would so love it! One fantasy I have is to have a mini-theater at home with the perfect seats and all the nachos and popcorn one could eat! A close seoncd would be playing videogames and just plain surfing the net.

2. Things I wish I didn’t have to do. I know I have to work out, seeing how much I love to eat and how immobile most of us are during the day [darn computer work!]. So however I dislike having to rise up early to do some yoga or go for a quick run, I haaaaave to. But let me just say, the hard part is the beginning when you have to tell yourself you need to do it, but when I’m already doing a yoga pose or have gone a block of running, it actually feels good =)

3. Things I love to eat. Junk food used to rule my life in UP. Since I left UP, the craving died down for some reason. But still, I can’t live without my occasional milk chocolate and potato chips. I am not a big fan of corn chips, but that salty kind ‘Tomi’ back home is too addicting. Keep them away!

4. Things I love to smell. I so love the smell of brewing coffee, frying bacon and browning garlic.

5. A forgetten ‘talent’. The first piece I would play on guitar [though not perfectly] is always Blackbird (Beatles). It has got to be the easiest plucking piece there is to learn and play (and never forget!). I learned quite a few pieces when I was in grade school, but without practice I can’t play much unless it’s with a SONG HITS book [hehe, typical PinoY!]

6. A peculiar habit. I can read katakana, hiragana and some kanji. Most of my batchmates in UP took Japanese classes [even AJ did] and they probably can too. I was exposed to Nippongo from childhood, because of Japanese family members related to us by marriage. It surprises people sometimes that I read labels in Japanese groceries. [I don't mean to, it is just fascinating to read romaji of Nu-tu-ri-shyo-n fu-a-ku-to-su (Nutrition facts) --- I just made that up now hehe] However, I can’t understand much since my vocabulary is too narrow.

7. The snobby wallflower. I am terrible at socialising, mainly because I find being put into a room full of people very daunting. I know that if I try, I would just look like I am trying too hard, when in fact I’m not. This is why most of the time I would just listen and not talk too much. I am not very fond of talking when it’s “small talk”. I guess this also ties with the truth that I’m not fond of big gatherings. [Interestingly enough, I don't find conferences and seminars too daunting, but more exciting.]

Haaaay pinas, sana umayos ka na para naman pagbalik ng mga bagong bayani sa inang bayan ay masasaya pa rin sila. Itong mga munting bagay na ito lamang ang hinihingi namin. Sana mawala na ang trapik, polusyon, kurakot, (ay sa ibang listahan na lang ito…).

Buti na lang at hindi ako ang naglilihi.

This is my achievement in just 5 months. It may be a short list for some but it’s a biggie for me.
Without any cooking experience back in the Philippines, I have conquered the fear of cooking.

Congratulate me!

Ranking Criteria and Weights

* Weights are decided upon by the Times Higher Education Supplement

Ah, I didn’t see the show. To those of you who did, care to tell some stories? I’m just here to do a bit of useless and boring commenting, often unrelated to the results of the Globes.

Warren Beatty: He joins the likes of Walt Disney, Alfred Hitchcock, and some others as he receives the prestigious Cecil DeMille award for his contributions to the industry. Beatty, Disney and Hitchcock are also recipients of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, given to outstanding producers.
*Did you know that the part of Bill in the film Kill Bill was originally written for him. However, Beatty turned down the role because he felt the film was too violent.

Babel was awarded Best Motion Picture (Drama) and Dreamgirls bagged the title for Best Motion Picture (Comedy/Musical). I have yet to see both movies.
*Babel stars Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt. Casting sounds interesting enough don’t you think? I’ve heard so much raves about this movie. Dreamgirls sounds to me like another “Walk the Line” meets “That Thing You Do” kind of movie. Why not, give Beyonce a chance?

Best Actresses: Helen Mirren in The Queen is Best Actress (Drama), Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada (Musical/Comedy)
*I saw The Queen on TV… sorry but I fell asleep on the dinner table. I woke up every now and then to some gasps of disbelief, but that’s more on the story not the actress. Meryl Streep is delightful as always. I read the first chapters of this book in Powerbooks Live in Greenbelt. She was exactly the type I had in mind for Miranda!

Best Actors: Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland (Drama), Sacha Cohen in Borat (Musical/Comedy)
*I like Forest Whitaker, in a mellow sort of way. Good to hear he won an award! The oldest film I can remember him in was in Good Morning Vietnam with Robin Williams in the late 80s. Did you know that he was originally cast in the role of “Sawyer” on “Lost” (2004)? He backed out when he was cast in the film First Daughter (2004). Sacha Cohen… no comment…

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls
*I saw her being interviewed by David Letterman some nights ago. She could sing! Then I learned she was one of the American idol contestants.. not a winning Idol, but look at her now with a Globe! Talk about good fortune.

Best Supporting Actor: Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls
*Is this Eddie’s first Globe? I don’t remember him winning an Academy Award either… I could be wrong. One interesting fact about Eddie that I didn’t know before was that he turned down the role of Winston Zeddemore in Ghost Busters (1984).

Best Animated Feature: Cars
*Loved this film! But did it gross as well as (or better than) the earlier Pixar films?

Best Foreign Language Film: Letters From Iwo Jima (Japan, US)
*I want to see this film… I’m not a big fan of Clint Eastwood (yes! he is the director of this Japanese film), not until I saw him on Letterman a month ago. Bah, David Letterman is my film artist guru!

Best Director: Martin Scorsese for The Departed
*I am kicking myself for not seeing this movie. The casting (Nicholson, Damon, DiCaprio, Wahlberg, Sheen, Baldwin) drew me to it, but I just didn’t have the time. I think the only Scorsese movie I’ve seen in entirety is Goodfellas.

Best Screenplay: Peter Morgan for The Queen
*ZZzzzzz…

Best Original Score: Alexandre Desplat for The Painted Veil
*Wow, bested Hans Zimmer for the Da Vinci Code?

Best Original Song: The Song of the Heart, Prince Rogers Nelson for Happy Feet
*I want to own this film! Supposedly all-Aussie save for Robin Williams

Best TV Series: Grey’s Anatomy (Drama) and Ugly Betty (Musical/Comedy)
*A reason to watch Grey’s Anatomy: Patrick Dempsey. Full Stop. Ugly Betty, Ajay told me this is a rip-off of Betty la Fea. It’s showing here too but I don’t like watching it.

Best Actresses: Kyra Sedgewick in The Closer (Drama) and America Ferrara in Ugly Betty (Musical/Comedy)
*Kyra is Kevin Bacon’s better half right? She’s fantastic in this TV series. I watch it whenever I can but I keep forgetting its time slot.

Best Actors: Hugh Laurie in House and Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock
*Way to go, Dr. House! You are THE man. Your American accent is flawless! Uh, 30 Rock?

Best Mini-Series/Motion Picture for TV: Elizabeth I
*ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

Best Actress in a Mini-Series/Motion Picture for TV: Helen Mirren in Elizabeth I
*ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

Best Actor in a Mini-Series/Motion Picture for TV: Bill Nighy in Gideon’s Daughter
*I love Bill Nighy! He’s totally disgusting! hehe. I have yet to see this show though, maybe he’s in a serious role here. Anyway, I recall Bill from the films Love Actually (the perverted singer) and Underworld (that ghoulish vampire).

Best Supporting Actress in a Mini-Series/Motion Picture for TV: Emily Blunt in Gideon’s Daughter
*Isn’t Emliy Blunt in Lost as that pregnant girl? She’s Aussie I think.

Best Supporting Actor in a Mini-Series/Motion Picture for TV: Jeremy Irons in Elizabeth I
*Jeremy Irons, my favorite musketeer and lion’s voice, hands down.

Here are some quick and simple ways to burn an extra 100 calories:

1. Buy a pedometer and walk an extra 2,000 steps, roughly equivalent to 1 mile and 100 calories.
2. Walk the dog for an extra 20 minutes.
3. Jog for 10 minutes.
4. Do 30 extra minutes of housekeeping.
5. Pull weeds or plant flowers in the garden for 20 minutes.
6. Pedal an exercise bike for 13 minutes.
7. Climb up and down stairs for 18 minutes.
8. Jump rope for 15 minutes.
9. Swim for 15 minutes.
10. Dance for 20 minutes.
11. Mow the lawn for 20 minutes.
12. Wash the car.
13. Work out in your living room with an exercise video for 15 minutes.
14. Golfers, carry your clubs for 15 minutes.

How to Cut 100 Calories From Your Diet

And here are some tips from the calorie-cutting side of the equation:

15. Eat a high-fiber, whole-grain breakfast cereal instead of granola
16. Use mustard or low-fat mayonnaise on your sandwich instead of regular mayonnaise.
17. Have a piece of fresh fruit in place of cookies or chips.
18. Drink diet soda instead of regular soda.
19. Choose sherbet, sorbet, or low-fat ice cream over super-premium ice cream.
20. Use 2 tablespoons of light whipped butter or margarine instead of regular.
21. Top your favorite pasta with a red sauce instead of a cream sauce.
22. Skip the blue cheese topping on your salad.
23. Order a small drink instead of a super-sized drink.
24. Hold the bacon on your sandwich or at breakfast.
25. Use water-packed tuna instead of oil-packed.
26. Eat a snack-sized chocolate bar instead of a whole candy bar.
27. Order your pizza with veggies instead of high-fat meat toppings.
28. Eat an appetizer as your main meal instead of an entrée.
29. Skip the extra butter shot on your movie theater popcorn.
30. Order your sandwich on whole-grain bread instead of a croissant or bagel.
31. Leave the crust on the pie and enjoy the filling.
32. Leave 3 to 4 bites of food on your plate.
33. Pass on the gravy on your mashed potatoes.
34. Try an open-faced sandwich.
35. Leave the cheese off your sandwich or burger.
36. Switch to low-fat salad dressing instead of regular.
37. Use only half the packet of salad dressing when ordering salads to go.
38. Eat 2 slices of whole-grain bread instead of a bagel.
39. Spread your bread with jam instead of butter or margarine.
40. Have a side salad instead of French fries as a side dish.
41. Savor 5 Hershey kisses instead of a chocolate bar.
42. Choose skim milk instead of whole milk.
43. Eat 1/2 cup less of pasta or rice.
44. Remove the skin from poultry before eating.
45. Choose ground sirloin instead of ground beef.
46. Share a dessert.
47. Enjoy hummus with baby carrots instead of cheese and crackers for a snack.
48. Drink 1 less 12-ounce light beer or glass of wine.
49. Choose fruit canned in natural juice instead of heavy syrup.
50. Skip the butter or margarine in the pan when grilling sandwiches or eggs.