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Non-existent Address [Saturday, June 26, 2004]
Fete De La Musique [Monday, June 21, 2004]
A Crazy Plan Indeed [Saturday, June 19, 2004]
Reward System [Wednesday, June 9, 2004]
Icarus Album Launch [Sunday, June 6, 2004]
So Happy Yet So Sleepy [Friday, June 4, 2004]
O, Draconian Devil! [Tuesday, June 1, 2004]
Computer is back to tip-top shape, that is after a complete format and reinstallation of everything. It's so good to have a second hard drive which made backing up a breeze as compared to burning 10GB of files onto disks.
Anyway, now that's done, am back and ready to blog again. I don't know why but am getting lazy when it comes to blogging, the computer was not totally broke the whole week, I just didn't go the extra mile to blog. Don't ask why as I myself don't know. I guess I have to realign my objectives why I loved blogging before.
No new movies this week due to another Metro Manila Film Fest. Luckily it is only for a week since Spiderman 2 is opening next week. It's actually amusing that some local actors are protesting the release of Spiderman 2. Sorry guys, but you already had your way with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, enough is enough.
Speaking of Spiderman 2, the soundtrack is already out, and I have a copy of it already. Why? New songs by Yellow Card, Taking Back Sunday, Lost Prophets, Maroon 5, The Ataris, and Dashboard Confessional, among others. Need I say more?
Ordered another bunch of DVDs through Parconline, A Nightmare before Christmas, Seven Samurai Criterion Collection, and Trainspotting Limited Edition. Unfortunately, there are no more copies of A Nightmare Before Christmas available or in print, so my hopes are down in ever seeing that film.
Anyway, delivery was supposed to be made yesterday, but as I expected, they would never be able to find my house. The secretary of Parconline confirmed that with a phone call earlier, saying the courier was not able to locate the address. DHL then said the delivery won't be made until Monday, which is okay since I don't have PowerDVD installed yet on my computer as someone at work borrowed it.
I knew they'd have a hard time locating the address, but I though they are a courier company and assumed they had special skills or mutant abilities locating non-existent addresses. Sadly, I assumed wrong.
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Fete de la Musique was great until the rain poured down mercilessly for an hour or so, but it still offer some good moments. Then the rain stopped, but sadly the night was over. Most of the events were held outdoors and were all cancelled due to the rains.
My plans to stay until morning and go straight to work were replaced with a crazier one. Reacting on impulse, I decided to go home. Yes, at 12 in the morning, I made that decision. An hour's wait for my brother to pick me up and another hour for the journey home. This meant being home by 2 in the morning, and if you have been reading this journal religiously, you'd know I have to wake up by 3 to get at work in time.
3 or more hours sleep at the office exchanged for an hour's sleep because I simply wanted to go home. Impulsive craziness. This is the reason why I can never own a credit card.
The event was awesome, I do not know why I passed up the event in past years. The event was awesome, despite the rain. As per my previous entry, I mentioned wishing for rain. Like all things in life, they come a little too late and at the point in time when you're happy with what you have and don't need it anymore.
My computer is playing up, producing random stop errors at some points. Reinstalling everything would solve all of this, but it ain't an option at this point, I don't have enough time and I need my computer everyday. Will post Fete pictures tomorrow.
Work restricts us to a handful of websites, and with a little clever browsing I stumbled across a link about Fete de la Musique from INQ7's YOU! Nothing special about it except for this comment about 6cyclemind.
Often gigs at: "'Pag basketball sa Ultra, pero minsan lang yun. Also sa mga events and schools."
You wouldn't believe how much I laughed after reading this. Hahaha. This was the band which was performing when the gates of heaven poured all the water down.
It's also amusing how the article uses "gigs" as a verb.
So were are you gonna gig next?
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This is amazing. Right now, am kind of praying for some rain. Part of me wants to go to Fete, part wants to just suck up at home.
Ah, blast it. This maybe my last chance to attend Fete, an event I have never attended so far, so why not make the most out of it.
Now, I hope it does not rain.
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It seems that everyone has been blogging less these days, and I myself, have been infected. 10 days since the last blog is truly strange for a person such as myself. Maybe it's because I have a life now. Yeah, right! Dream on kid.
It's kind of unusual since I should have more time now to blog, it just so happens that I am too worn out by the time I reach home to do anything else but eat and sleep. I guess I already adapted to the night schedule and now has to reboot and rewire my body clock all over again. This is not a complaint, so don't get me wrong. I love being in the morning shift.
And it isn't like I have anything to voice out, there are quite a lot in fact, like the skyrocketing prices of commodities these days and the continuous spiral of this country down the septic tank.
The week at work was satisfying. It was not frustrating, and it was not exceptional in anyway. Except the way they ruin all our plans for a Team GA. A few weeks back, we had plans for an overnight happening at some resort in Laguna. Two days before the planned day, day-offs were changed and the plan was ditched. This week, we had agreed to just spend a day at Enchanted Kingdom today, unfortunately and to be expected with all perfectly laid out plans, shit happens. Yesterday, day-offs had been switched again, and the trip was again cancelled. No work on Saturday but after a day's rest, work resumes on Sunday.
In a way, this could be good. Now, if I'm really crazy, I can go and watch the whole Fete De La Musique event if I wanted to. Crazy, in the sense that there is work the next day. Even crazier is the current plan I have. The event starts at 4 in the afternoon and would end by 4 in the morning, with work starting at 6, there is no reason to go home. The crazy plan is to attend Fete and go straight to work, if lucky enough, catch a little shut eye at the company lounge.
It's still a plan, and how it unfolds depends on the state of sanity I'd be in when I wake up later. The thing is, I really DON'T want to miss this event and I cannot be absent at work.
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Due to sudden necessity to meet certain metrics at work, I have implemented a reward system. If I'd be able to meet the target, only then can I treat myself to a new movie.
As a result, I watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban yesterday, and Dawn of the Dead today. Wanted to watch The Ladykillers, but it had close to a limited release, and the malls nearest to work did not have it, opting to have more Harry Potter's and the pathetic You've Got Served.
I've heard a bunch about this movie, You've Got Served, saying the movie is so bad is not enough, but it does not even appeal to the intended demographic. Now that's lousy.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a good movie. It is definitely better than the first one. The change of directors clearly shows. Everyone was wondering how they would trim down one of the longer books in the series into a decent less-than-three-hour movie.
Simple, cut that extended and unnecessary ending away. The first two movies had this 30-minute ending where the characters would meet in a grand hall and kiss off the year at Hogwarts. This is not present in the third movie, which is good.
For a person who hasn't read the books yet, I find this movie short and concise compared to the first two which tried to do so much. Another benefit that the third installment utilized would be the extensive portrayal of Hogwarts and the school year itself in the first two movies, this allowed for shorter scenes like a brief Quidditch match.
A well edited movie which showed what was necessary. For fans of the book, let your imagination fill in the blanks.
Dawn of the Dead is a pretty movie. A pretty senseless and graphic movie. I'd say this is one of the most graphic movies I have ever seen. The story is crap and leads nowhere. Personally, I prefer 28 Days Later, and man, that is saying a lot. I have yet to see the zombie movies of old, which may be the reason why these movies don't appeal to me that much. This is a remake, you know, and George Romero, the grand-daddy of zombie flicks, is associated with this film.
Only The Ladykillers remain unseen, and I have to think how I can work the reward system once I have seen most of the movies out there. Fridays, Spiderman 2, and Kill Bill Volume 2 are, of course, exempted from this. I will watch them regardless of meeting the grade. Fridays are end-of-the-wee-relievers, so a movie on that day definitely makes sense.
Did you know that yesterday, June 8, 2004, Venus passed the Sun and this can be seen on earth. This astrological phenomenon is called a transit, similar to an eclipse, but the difference is that the planet is so small, that only a small black dot can be seen passing the sun. Technically, only two astrological bodies can do this, Mercury (which I doubt could even be seen) and Venus, since they are the only other bodies before the Earth. The last transit of Venus happened in 1884. The bad news, the weather was so bad yesterday, that it was not even broadcasted on the news coz what's the point if you can't see it. The good news, you only have to wait until 2012 for the next transit.
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Finally. 78 gig-less days have come to an end. It seems like forever since my last gig which was during a small Urban Dub event at Bahay ng Alumni in UP.
There we go. And not just one, but two gigs. Icarus launch at J. Nakpil St. Malate and a Tribute gig to Allen of Greyhoundz at Mayrics.
Despite the weather and the fact that home is 3 hours away from the event, I still managed to get there, missing just two bands, Jumbolilith and Sugarfree. Valley of Chrome and Typecast followed and I actually got to see them perform for the first time.
Chicosci performed most of the songs off the new album, of course, but they simply had to start off the night with Paris. The audience participation in Shallow Graves is amusing and thanks to MTV, everyone now knows when exactly to clap their hands. It's quite a sight. Aside from that, pretty much the same thing, nothing too special. They capped off the night with another song from the second album, The Sound and Taste of Tears Falling Upon Your Chest.
Argon_erratum had quite a time with my camera, just shooting away until the camera ran out of Ni-Cads, I mean, Ni-MHs. Damn, ran out of batteries. I tried swapping two dead batteries for two fully charged ones but apparently, you have to change the whole set at a time. I can't remember the last time I charged the batteries for it. I think it was before going to Baguio. Next time, I'll make sure they are at a 100% charged.
Here are my favorite shots from last night.
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Album launches usually finish early, so we decided to drop by Mayrics. The place was packed, but fortunately, we were able to get in at a discounted rate and saw Slapshock, Cheese and Greyhoundz perform. The chimes from the acoustic set of Cheese sounded real cool. This gig ended past 4 in the morning.
Got home before 7 with my grandmother already awake, and said I was early from work. I just said yes. Mom knows where I went, so no need telling grandma another story than the one she already knows.
With a splitting headache due to lack of sleep, I just dropped on the bed dozed off. Until I was woken up by my foolish brother playing on the speaker phone.
It is good though, as I have to sleep early later tonight in order to adjust myself to the morning shift.
After a week, I have finally finished The Da Vinci Code. Marks the fastest time I read through a book lately. During that time span, I did not play any videogames, or log online even, spent every opportune moment reading the book. Could have finished it in a couple of days, but work did not allow that.
It's a real good read, and it makes you think as well. Cryptology, mysteries. A nice gripping thriller indeed. Read on the net that Ron Howard of A Beautiful Mind is currently spearheading a movie based on the book. Reading through the book with this in mind gave me a visual flair of how a scene would play out in the movies.
Now that's over with, I can go back to videogaming.
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I am so happy yet so sleepy.
We are back in the day shift. Add to that, our day-offs are on Saturdays and Sundays. Truly fascinating ain't it? I am gonna miss saving huge amount of money though, but an easy trade-off, as I now have my life back.
Movies, malling, videogames after work. And of course let's not forget the opportunity to go to gigs.
Am just barely able to break my old record for gig-less days which last stood at 75. Currently going at 78 now, but thanks to the sudden change in schedules, the counter will finally be reset tomorrow.
Chicosci's album launch tomorrow for Icarus, an album launch that was supposed to take place two Fridays ago, but thanks to some unexpected rain, it was moved to June 5. Of course I'm going, I missed a helluva lot during summer as a result of being in the night shift.
I am mildly annoyed by the fact that I have not finished the book I've been reading. The fact is, it's an insanely good book and I want to finish it right away, but due to time constraints, it just ain't possible. I was trying to read as many chapters after I got home from work, but I could feel my eyes closing now and then causing me to re-read some paragraphs more than once. One things for sure, it would be over before a week passes, started reading last Monday, and am sure as hell I'd be able to finish it by Sunday.
A weeks time for a book would be the fastest time I breezed through a novel taking into consideration how short my attention span is.
In the meantime, I have to prepare for my last night on the night shift. Ta-ta!
For the record, I have yet to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban which highly unlikely of me, a fan of watching big name movies on opening days. I should have an easier time now with new sked. Hoorah!
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O, Draconian Devil!
Time. I wish I had more time.
Am particularly engrossed with a book I actually bought last year, but under pressure and the seeming notion of everyone urging me to read it, I finally did.
I'd say am halfway through the book, and really had a hard time putting the book down as I was at the most interesting part. What can I do, I NEED to prepare for work THIS early so as not to be late or anything. Early, since my shift does not start until 10:30, but we live in the Philippines, so I have to plan ahead, WAY ahead.
So the Minnesota Timberwolves finally succumbed to the Lakers, nonetheless, I was pretty surprised by their performance this year, best record in the Western Conference, first time to advance past the first round of the playoffs, and the MVP award for Kevin Garnett. Too bad they had to face the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. At least they did not blow a 2-0 lead and loose 4 straight games like the Spurs.
I actually took a break from reading while the game was on, watched all of the second half of it. The miserable thing is every time I watched the series, the T'Wolves lost. The two times I did not watch, the T'Wolves won. Sucks doesn't it.
Arrgghh. I really need to prepare for work now. It blows when you have to commute to work late at night.
I sincerely wish I had a few more hours to finish the book right now.
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