I’m Back?

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

I am the indistinctive writer. I figured that I should introduce myself again since it has been a long, LONG time since I last wrote a blog.

You might recall me dropping comments on your blog, or writing about my random day to day life, and I also did a blog series.

Today, I woke up a completely different person. Actually, someone reminded me about this blog and felt compelled to write.

Honestly, I don’t want to… I’ve neglected this blog for the longest time. I probably lost most of my followers and blogger friends. I don’t even know how or where to start again.

I suppose explaining why I haven’t blogged would be the most I can do.

It all started last February when my boyfriend of 7 years proposed to me.

He opted for the traditional way of asking for my hand in marriage by April .

I also went through work issues and finally quit my employment and bid my crew/staff goodbye for a home-based job by May.

July of this year, my fiancé and I were offered a house (a big wreck actually) for sale.

 

We had the thing fixed and the construction wore us down physically, financially, emotionally throughout the months that followed. We were also slowly preparing for our wedding.

 

September came and we needed to get our act together because our wedding was just weeks away.

October was the busiest of months with overlapping concerns on the house papers and construction as well as wedding preparations.

Pre-Nup Photo

By November, I dropped all worries over the house and focused my attention on the wedding.

We were wed on the 10th.

We flew to Palawan the day after and vacationed for a week.

When we got back, it was again crazy busy as we finally opened our wedding gifts and moved into this little matchbox of a house.

And here I am, this 1st of December, dumbfounded at how I lost track of my blog. Still busy but coping with my new life, new name, new home…

I’ll try to tell you more about the things I’ve mentioned in this blog… But this is all I can offer you as of now.

See you on my next blog! ^_^

How to Get Married: Legal Requirements

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

NOTE: Please be informed that this blog is based on Cagayan de Oro City requirements. The process for other places may vary and is beyond my jurisdiction. @_@

For a marriage to be called valid or legally binding; it must be registered/recorded at the government branch called Civil Registrar. It is basically the logbook of our government. The legality of a marriage has many purposes such as civil, financial,  health benefits, and many more.

Below are the steps to get your “Marriage License”.

STEP 1

Find someone who is willing to marry you. This someone must not be currently within a marriage or ‘free to marry’. Note that there is no divorce in the Phils. Even if that person has been living separately from his/her spouse for longer than 10 years he/she is still considered married by law unless his/her wife/husband is already dead. This person must also be of legal age (18 years old and above). If either of you are within 18-21 years old; you are required to present an “Affidavit of Parental Consent”. Other additional requirements will be necessary for non Filipino nationals.

STEP 2

Go to the City Hall’s “Civil Registrar’s Office” located at the 2nd level of the ‘new building’. You will see flow chart for marriage license application on the window. Go inside the office and find the the table for “marriage registration”. Ask for the application for marriage form. (you will be required to present both your cedula) Fill up the form accordingly.

STEP 3

Return the form to the person in-charge and present your cedula. The person in charge will then give you a list of requirements to comply enable to claim your marriage license 2-3 weeks after application.

Requirements:

2 Photo Copies each of your NSO Birth Certificate

2 Photo Copies each of your CENOMAR (bring original copy)

Certificate of attendance to Family Planning Seminar to be attended at the City Health Office.

Note: You can get your NSO Birth Certificate and CENOMAR (within 1 day) at the NSO office at Pride Rock, Gusa. You can also opt for a more convenient way by getting it at SM CDO. You can go to the ‘SM Business Service Center’ booth at the 2nd level of the mall. Fill out the form and you will be able to claim the documents after 7-14 working days. There is only a 20 peso difference between the payment at NSO office and SM.

(white form for B.C. and green for CENOMAR)

STEP 4

Family Planning Seminar are held every Wednesday at the City Health Office located near Xavier University campus or Hall of Justice. It is a whole-day seminar so it would be best to bring snacks or water. It is a must that both of the couple will attend the seminar. You will be sent home if you come without your partner. This is a free seminar; all you need to do is register your names. The certificate will be given at the end of the seminar.

STEP 5

Once you have complied all your requirements you may now claim your Marriage License. Payment will be made to claim the license for documentation purposes. Remember that this license is valid for 6 months only. You can now opt for a “Civil Wedding”. For “Church Wedding” another set of requirements will be necessary.

Best Wishes! ^_^

How to Get Married: Step 1

How to Get Married: Step 1

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

Wow! It has been a century since I’ve last posted a blog. My wedding is coming really soon and preparation has been a crazy roller-coaster! @_@
But I really am taking this time to write about the topic at the title because I’ve been getting inquiries from a number of my friends who recently got engaged! (Yey!) ^_^

So, he popped the question, she said “yes” and you are both in this giggling, smiling, in-love state. But what comes next? It is the gruesome, exhausting, frustrating, debate worthy, and financially depleting… wedding plan.

It may sound terrible but like the saying “to make a blade sharp, it must first go through fire” this is one of the best ways to test your relationship.

For this blog, I’ll be taking about the “First Things” that you (as a couple) need to consider.  But don’t worry, I’ll be writing a separate blog for other details about the wedding planning.

The “B”

Wedding planning revolves around a capital B, and it’s not the bride! It is the “BUDGET”.

 ₱₱₱    $$$    ₱₱₱

It is the most important thing to consider because you don’t want to be buried in debt or sleeping on the streets after your wedding.

It is the first thing the wedding organizer/planner will ask you; should you decide to hire one. It will be your basis when you canvas wedding packages; if you opt for one. And if you decide to go hands-on; it will be your best guide.

There are two major factors in your wedding budget one is  “Venue” and the other is “Guests”
Venue means the type of wedding that you’d like to have. It can either be Church (for Roman Catholics) or Civil wedding. Church wedding requires you to comply two sets of requirements (church and civil requirements) and it is important to consider that as well. It also means the actual place of the wedding. Your budget will depend on the venue of the ceremony and reception. Churches, like hotel establishments, have different basic charge amounts ranging from Php 3,000.00 to Php 25,000.00. Your choice will definitely affect your budget.

Guests means the number of expected people attending your wedding day. Don’t be lazy. “Make a list”. This is very important because other expenses will be based on your expected guests.

Here are some information that you might find useful:
1.) Entourage rental gowns usually come in 4 to 6 sets bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen wear and 4 set of flower-girls dress. Extra dresses/suits will have a different additional charge.
2.) Food is around Php 300.00 and up per pax (that means per head) on the average. That is exclusive of corkage charges.
3.) Wedding favors or giveaways cost around Php 20.00 or more per piece.
Now multiply those with the number of your expected guests and you’ll have a rough budget estimate.

And this is just the beginning….  I hope that you’ll find these information helpful.

More blogs on this soon… And congratulations once again! ^_^

Maksim Gabriel: The Angel of a Growing Family

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

I bring joyful news! An angel is born to our family… ^_^

Meet Maksim Gabriel. Born: August 1, 2012. The first grandchild of our family.

He is the first born son of my younger brother who is the second child of our family. Because I’m the eldest, that means ‘yes’ he had a baby before I did. And for some twist of fate my sister, the third child of the family is also expecting a child due this January 2013. That means my youngest brother and I are left childless. (He better not think of something crazy! LOL)

 

The baby got his name from this guy. Maksim Mrvica a contemporary pianist who plays classical music like rock&roll.

 

 

My brother used to play the keyboards in a band. The baby’s mom is a ballerina.  I guess music is their common denominator. They met way back in high school. They always hung-out at our house with other classmates to make projects or celebrate birthdays. They were really good friends then. I never figured they would end up together.

I’ll let you in on a secret. My brother had this huge crush on her in high school. He would say her name while he’s asleep. LOL! shhh~She’s a very nice girl, probably the nicest one among my brother’s girlfriends. And it’s great to have her part of our family.

Babies are truly bundles of joy. I could not help but smile when I saw my very first nephew. I just want to hug and kiss and spoil him! LOL (I’m an aunt!)

My parents were surely super duper excited to be grandparents. My mom even left me because she was in such a rush to get back to the hospital. LOL

It was truly awesome to see my brother carry his baby boy for the first time. ^_^

Oh how our family grows! I’m surely expecting a fun filled Christmas.

Movie Review: Ice Age 4 Continental Drift

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

Yes, another movie review… Which means that I watch movies A LOT. Seriously though July and November are the highlights of movie junkies. It is in these months that the best movies are released. I don’t really watch movies with poor review but being a franchise film or series sequel/prequel, can make a huge difference in terms of movie “must-sees”.

This movie in particular is one of those. It has performed poorly at movie review websites such as Rotten Tomato. But being a sequel to the famous Ice Age series, I had to see it.

Plot Description

The movie is another of the trio’s (Manny, Diego and Sid) unexpected adventures. This one in particular focused more on Manny the mammoth’s story. The storyline itself is superficial and predictable. But surprisingly it is still quite funny.

Similarities

The movie kind of reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean. In fact, the villain is kind of fashioned to a Pirates of the Caribbean character or something.

My favorite character in the movie were those hamsters! (SUPER CUTE)

Hypothesis

I guess the reason this movie got low ratings is because it seems like an African-American comedy movie. Most of the characters are dubbed by African-Americans. Some of the humor in the movie are those common in ‘black’ comedy movies. I don’t mean to offend anyone but I guess to some people this genre is just not that appealing.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching this movie.

 

So on the rate of 1 to 5; five being the highest, I give this movie

a THREE, got a good laugh and it’s quite child-friendly

Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

One of the major movies to hit the theater this 2012, “The Dark Knight Rises”, remained true to its dark version genre. Ironically, both on screen and off.

It appears that death has befallen the film once more as a madman open fired at the movie goers on the premier of the film in Denver Colorado. This was but the second death off screen. The last franchise installment was also known to be the last film of actor Heath Ledger who played “The Joker” in the said movie.

It was a sad day for the movie going community when the news broke and echoed throughout the web.I honestly had second thoughts on watching the film. But since this is one of the must-see movies of the year, I had to brave through it.

Despite the fact that my heart was racing during the shootout scenes (paranoia strikes), I felt like the movie did not quite meet my high expectations.

FLAWS

There were scenes that were plainly boring. I’m referring to some dialogs and fight scenes that lacked impact because for some reason the score had poor or no volume at all. The good use of sound effects or score definitely makes 80% difference in a scene and some scenes in the movie just lacked this quality.

Fight scenes were poorly choreographed. This installment lacked the spunk that made the franchise a hit. I noticed that Batman turn his back on Bane and climbed the steps so randomly like he wasn’t in a fight. Even the plot had some loose strings to it. For example; hundreds of cops get trapped underground for weeks and not a single one thought of finding a way to get out. Are cops really that lousy or stupid?

It also lacked the element of surprise. I just felt that the story was quite predictable and shallow. It didn’t have the depth of emotional torture that pushes a man/woman to darkness which was awesomely played in the last film with Joker and Two-Face’s characters.

HIGHLIGHTS

Still, it includes a power house of actors. Bale was Batman himself as usual. There were also cool fight scenes with Hathaway. Gordon-Levitt also did pretty well. In general, acting was good but the direction and plot just kind of pulled it down.

Batman’s gadgets and cutting edge mobile technology was also jaw-dropping cool.

So on the rate of 1 to 5; five being the highest, I give this movie

a THREE, it’s good enough to see at the theaters… but I recommend not to bring children, wear bullet-proof vest and drop to the ground at the sound of real gun fire.

 

My thoughts and prayers go to all the victims of the unfortunate event in Denver Colorado. ~_~

Marriage Explained: Prenuptial Church Interview

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

Part of the requirements of a church wedding is an interview with a priest. We certainly did not know what to expect in that interview. Luckily, the priest who interviewed us was very nice. He wasn’t intimidating at all. He asked practical questions and even made us laugh. We both got teary-eyed when he asked how we fell in-love. I never thought it would be so emotional to share our relationship’s story to another person.

He also explained what marriage is and this is how I understood it.

Marriage is Not a Proof of Love

Love for one person is not proved by a single occasion; it is something that a couple proves with daily effort. We love our parents, our friends but it doesn’t mean we have to marry them to prove it. Marriage has a specific function other than binding two people for the rest of their lives. Because all it takes to love someone forever is commitment and not necessarily a marriage.

Marriage needs Blessing and Guidance

When two people get married, it means that they have decided to build a family together. A family, according the priest, is the basic unit of the church; hence it is called “little church”. Which is why a marriage is considered sacred and thus it needs to be blessed.

If the couple who are to be married do not intend to have children, then it is not considered a real marriage. This is where the phrase “a marriage is not considered a binding contract until and unless it has been consummated” is rooted from. This is probably the main reason why the church does not marry gay/lesbian couples. Simply because they do not have the ability to create life or children.

Creation of life is the other most important gift that God has granted aside from free will. It is sacred which is why the church provides guidance along with your principal sponsors. We create the world, we create the future. And if couples are not guided, their children will not be guided and we could only hope for a good future.

Marriage is Not Easy

The priest said that the world is full of evils and trials. It will test us in different forms and ways. He said, “true love is the most powerful thing”. Sure, it sounds like something out of a fairytale story. But he continued that true love will be the only thing that can hold us together through the storm of trials. God will be there to guide us and give us hope.

There was so much more insight and wisdom that the priest had explained to us in the interview. But this blog is getting too long and I bet you’re getting crossed-eyed reading this.  LOL! I’m pretty sure a marriage interview is a different experience for each couple. Which is why it is something special. ^_^ Love3x!!!

Movie Review: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

Weird… to me that title is synonymous to “Santa Clause Lost Son of Adolf Hitler” or something… This concept seems like one of those that people get when they’re getting high with their friends.  (No Offense)

 

But seriously though, the concept is just a bad mash to me. For one thing, I’m not from America and I care less about whatever factual detail they’ve chosen to add vampirism into. Secondly, I’m still confused between the identities of Abraham Lincoln and Uncle Sam. So, for a non-American who just wants to see a good movie, I felt unsatisfied because it messed with my brain.

 

Ironically

The movie depicts “Abe Lincs” stand on racial discrimination ( between Caucasians and African-Americans). Yet it seemed to disregard the subliminal depiction of gender discrimination. You see, in the movie, if you were bitten by a vampire; you die of you’re “pure of heart” but you turn into a vampire if you’re not. Since there was only one lady vampire in the movie and most of those who died were women; Are you telling me that women are purer of heart than men?  I beg to disagree, because the woman who stepped on my feet like it was a rock is a total B*t@#. Just like the cashier who had no sense of empathy on the people waiting in line is a total B*t@#. Anyway, what I’m saying is that women are equally as evil as men. And that gender discrimination is equally as offensive as racial discrimination.

 

Some Originality?

The movie adopted the “slow and go” visual effects akin to that of the movies 300 and matrix. (which I admit was cool) The score is similar to that of Conception (where it’s like hearing a gong echoing in your ear). To add to the metaphor of a hurriedly done copied homework; you will notice an editing error. Notice that Abe’s face is a still mess while Henry shows him a slide show of Vampires. Yet the scene right before that he’d already healed his bruised face.

 

Well at the very least the actors did their part, given the very twisted storyline. It’s nice to see a new face, as the this movie could be the first leading role for the guy (who resembles Penn Badgely) who starred as Lincoln. The rest of the supporting cast however are familiar faces.

 

Favorite Line: (this isn’t verbatim)

Q: Why would you choose a guy with such a common face? A: Well, I think those with common faces are the best kind. That’s why God makes so many of them.

 

So on the rate of 1 to 5; five being the highest, I give this movie

a TWO, just wait for the DVD or HBO showing…

Movie Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

It’s time for another movie review! This time it’s “The Amazing Spider-Man”. I don’t know where they got the title but it actually tells a lot about the movie. It’s just like “Spider-Man” only… amazing?! LOL ^_^

Well, as a frequent movie-goer, I’m not the kind who can easily get ’amazed’. Which is why I couldn’t really say that I was ‘amazed’ by the movie. I would say however, that with a point of comparison (which is the 2002 version) this film is surely better.

Now  I’m not going to go to so much details on this because I wouldn’t want to spoil too much and make your eyes bleed reading (LOL). I’ll just go to a few points.

 

1. Spider Man Actors

Although, Tobey Maguire is what I would say handsome or beautiful man; Andrew Garfield had better acting than Tobey. This makes a big difference watching a movie. Maguire’s acting is like “I’m a beautiful man and beautiful droplets of tears will roll from my beautiful eyes”. Whereas Garfield’s acting says “I’m just a guy and my world is crashing… tears pour. This is very important because the lead role sets the mood of a superhero movie. The difference can go from shallow non-sense to believable.

2. Where the heck is Mary Jane?

There’s no Mary Jane in the movie which leads me to believe an ever cliché ‘love triangle’ might await the viewers in the next films. (Yes, there’s a cliffhanger before the credits so don’t leave the theater right away if you want to see)

3. Greatness is Not a One-Man Show

This is not outright said in the movie but I feel that it is something very important. For something to be great; it must always involve people coming together for a single cause. And this is what I saw, with the police letting Spider-Man go, the people who worked the cranes, the helicopter lighting his way, and the traffic enforcer clearing the road. For me, such is greatness. A hero or a superhero for that matter, could not symbolize heroism if the very people he is trying to protect dislikes him. This is one thing that makes this movie sensible. That the pieces of the story; Peters parents, his Uncle Ben’s death, contributed to him becoming a hero in a unified sensible way which was all a blur and non-sense in the last movie.

4. Some Minor Details

Thank god, uncle Ben is no longer a taxi driver! (LOL) My disappointment however was that I thought Spider-Man was going to be as chatty as the comic and animated version, which the trailer seems to lead, but it’s not like that in the movie, that was just the one and only scene he was chatty. But it’s good that those spider webs don’t shoot out of his wrists like the last version ‘coz that creeped me out!

 

So on the rate of 1 to 5; five being the highest, I give this movie

a FOUR, go watch and share your own opinion reader!

Healthy Living: My first Fun “Walk”

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

Sorry about my last blog… It was kind of emo. Well, it did make me feel better sharing my anxieties… I know they’re pretty lame… ~_~   Thanks so much to those who gave comments and advice. It really means a lot to me. ^_^

 

Anyway, on the lighter side of things, I did mention about getting fit and healthy on my last post. My fiancé had been encouraging me to stay fit and exercise. He is fond of joining “Fun Runs”.

**here’s the proof**

He encourages me to join, but I was too busy with work then. So now that I work from home; I had no reason to decline. ~_~

I’m asthmatic and lousy so I was really intimidated by it all. I said “Can I just walk instead of run?” And I did walk half or three fourths or the 3 kilometer distance.

OMG~ can I do this?

I honestly almost quit, especially when I walked past a McDonalds store! LOL ^_^ But I persevered after seeing 7 year-old kids running past me. LOL

Here we go~…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, I made the 3K run! My fiancé said he was proud of me, but I was really surprised at myself! ^_^

Yay! Finish Line!!

 

He ran 10 kilometers! ^_^

It was a nice experience for change. Even nicer to watch a whole family join the “Fun Run” There were a couple of familiar faces who joined the event too. It was a nice bonding moment. ^_^

 

 

 

Have you ever joined a Fun Run reader? I hope you had a nice time. ^_^

Wedding Jitters

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

Well, it’s 12:20am and I’m still wide awake. I haven’t been quite getting much sleep of late. A couple of times, I fell asleep at 4am. I don’t know really… I’ve just been such a mess lately. There was one day that I found myself grinding my teeth in anger and irritation; I snapped and stopped when I realized I didn’t know what I was angry about. It just felt mad. This must be what ‘matchbox 20’ meant about being unwell.

There’s just so many things on my mind right now; the wedding, the expenses, and my inevitable domestication which is consequence of the marriage.  I’ve always been a home buddy and in fact, if there’s one person I’d want to spend the rest of my life with, it would be my fiancé. Which is why I wonder so much about these feelings of anxiety.

At first, I was scared of being rejected. Since he said that I’d be moving in with him and his sister/s, I kind of had this fear of rejection. I picture myself like some new appliance that he brings home to them. That I’d have to shut myself off while his gone (face the wall or something) and turn back on when he’s home. I am very very shy around his family and a huge part of that is because I fear rejection.

Then I became anxious about expenses. I do have a bit of money that I was saving for a vintage car. But since we’re getting married it is only just and sensible that I share with the expenses. Besides, cars aren’t very good investments. When I computed the budget, I realized we’ll both eventually use up most of our savings for this one day. Recently we started spending and the more we spent the more anxious I’ve become. I started thinking… when we’re married, I probably won’t get to buy what I want without having to justify it to him. And if I bought some luxury for myself, people would think he bought it for me since he’s earning more than I am. I definitely don’t want people thinking that I’m some kind of gold digger or that I’ve benefitted from him or the marriage. I’ve been quite independent financially. I bought most, if not all, of whatever I owned from my own earnings. I’ve never been the type to ask from my parents either. Come to think of it, I may be anxious about my independence and not about the expenses after all.

Most of all I’m anxious about the responsibilities the marriage would require on me. Right now, I pretty much do whatever the heck I wanted to do. Sleep or wake up whenever I wanted; eat or not eat whatever I wanted; stay awake ‘till dawn playing kiddy online games (y8-fireboy & watergirl). When we’re married I’d have to do the chores, eat, sleep on a specific schedule to keep up with his. I’d have to keep fit to be a desirable and ‘fruitful’ wife, unlike the fat loser life-style that I have right now . I’m pretty sure there’s a list somewhere on what a good wife ought to be.What makes it worse is the fact that I don’t want to disappoint him.

 

***sigh***    ***sigh***   ***sigh***  I sound miserable, don’t I?

 

If there is one consolation about my on going anxieties, worries and altogether madness; it’s him. I could tell him anything; even these embarrassing anxieties. That’s probably the main reason why I chose to marry him. Because with him, I can be completely honest with myself. I guess that matters more in a marriage than any silly anxieties.

 

How about you reader; have you had relationship fears or anxieties? What life changes made you anxious?

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

As you might have noticed (or not), I have placed ‘pages’ below my blog title. I figured it would be easier for you to browse through my blogs if they were categorized and  you can simply click on their links on the pages section.

Anyway, I’ve designated a page for “Poetry, Prose and Inspirations”. Since I am ‘an indistinctive writer’ it is only right to share with you the pieces that I have written or am working on. I’d also like to feature some of the literary pieces or maxims that have inspired me to write.

So here’s one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After watching the film I wiki searched about the book by Suzanne Collins like a good fan girl would do. Then, I went to probably 6 bookshops demanding for the book. Most of them were sold out; one store keeper did not know what the heck I was looking for.

A few weeks later, after loosing all hope of getting a copy, I saw a package deal of the 3 books at a bookshops window section(one that I went to and was sold out last time) . I ran inside, grabbed the books and headed for the teller without even checking if I had enough money. (LOL) Luckily they accepted debit cards and I got the books.

I read the entire trilogy in a week; literally. I started Saturday and ended Friday. And that’s crazy for me (a girl who hates reading).

Of the three books, I enjoyed ‘Catching Fire’ most although I felt like the pacing of the first few chapters was off. I least liked the last book, ‘Mockingjay’, because of how Katniss’ character evolved from strong and rational to petty and stupid.

I also did not like the idea that Katniss  was just settling for Peeta because she hated Gale.

Favorite Character: Finnick O’dair

Favorite Scene: Katniss shooting President Coin. (oops, spoilers!)

Book or Film: The movie was good but it did not live up to how good the books were.

 

By the way, I found this website of someone’s blog that featured the ‘Mockingjay’. The writer talks about each chapter of the book as well as writing down his reaction on them. It’s kind of funny so go check it out.

http://markreads.net/reviews/2011/03/mark-reads-mockingjay-chapter-24/

 

That’s all for now. Until the next post!

Have a nice day! ^____^

Movie Review: Snow White and the Huntsman

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

Alright, as promised I’m making a movie review on the latest movie that I’ve seen. But first; ‘rules’…

1. This is purely my opinion.    

2. This movie review blog may contain spoilers.

 

So now that that’s out of the way; lets move on to the review.

As an overall impression of the movie’s storyline, I would have to say that the movie was so superficial. I mean, the story was so vague that it somewhat came off as confusing. There were so many loopholes in the story; so many unnecessary scenes, unanswered questions, and lame justification of actions. It didn’t have one consistent message and scenes were so random and incoherent which lead to a poor and uninteresting story. For instance, Snow White prays the “Our Father” (is she Catholic?) then hails a buck? (Taoist?) WTF!? Then there’s irony that she is a princess locked in a tower for years and yet she happens to be wearing “jeggings” (jean-leggings). And what was with Snow White giving the huntsman a ‘sex-stare’ at the end of the movie?

I did however like the rustic setting. The architecture of the castle and the towns. I also liked the visual effects of the ‘Dark Forest’ scene. I particularly was amused by the dwarves. So little yet so brave. ^_^

I give my applause to Charlize Theron who did a fantastic job at portraying a psychotic, power hungry, evil queen. Chris Hemsworth did a pretty good job himself. He tried his best to deviate from his ‘Thor’ character by picking up an ‘Irish’ (I think) accent and portraying a more human-like sensitive character. However, the directors thought otherwise when they gave him an ‘axe’. His best scene in the movie for me was his monologue in front of Snow White’s corps.

But alas, the star of this review is Kristen Stewart. The actress who single handedly ruined the movie. S-word, how in the hell did she ever turn into an actress? In the movie,  she either looked like she badly needed to take a dumb or is high on some sort of drug. Oh! I could still recall the horror of her speech scene where it seemed as if she just learned to talk and is blabbering non-sense which even she did not understand for herself. Please stop casting her on movies for the sake of viewers’ sanity…

 

So on the rate of 1 to 5; five being the highest, I give this movie

a TWO 

 

Sorry folks, I don’t think it’s worth the bucks.

Top Favorite Movies

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

I’ve been thinking of writing movie reviews (since I love movies so much ^_^). Really, like, I probably watch more than 10 movies in a year at the movie theater. But since the last movie I saw didn’t quite meet my expectations (Men in Black 3), it will probably be best to talk about the movies that did.

Here are a few of my favorite movies. Well, I just picked one per genre, just to add variety.

1. Comedy – The Comebacks

LOL is probably the best way to describe this movie. I can watch this over and over again and still crack up. It’s just a collection of funny scenes tied together in an annoyingly senseless plot. It’s just nonsense hilarious.

2. Animation – Up

Interestingly enough, I cried watching this movie. A ‘cartoon’ movie making me cry should definitely earn something right? But it wasn’t just that. I laughed so hard, I felt thrilled, annoyed, and happy. I loved it! Adorable characters. It’s one of those movies where you leave the theater feeling happy. What are movies for really?

3. Romance – The Notebook

This Nicholas Sparks adaptation probably set the bar for my taste in romantic films. For instance, what all romantic movies have in common is the scene where the guy/girl has this sudden realization of love and decides to pursue love and chase after his/her beloved who always seems to be leaving for some reason. The movie ‘The Notebook’ perfected that scene for me. The acting was so realistic; a guy desperate for a girl, a girl who is torn between love and responsibility. And it wasn’t just the acting, it was everything about the scene. The score, the blocking, the video quality… It felt so real, that my heart felt like it broke into little pieces when Allie was reading Noah’s letter (haha I still know the characters names). To me that is what a romantic movie should be. Something that makes you feel what love feels.

4. Action Thriller – Fast Five

I particularly liked the pacing of action and dialogue scenes; so as there doesn’t seem to be a dull moment in the movie. One of the few fight scenes that I actually enjoyed watching. No guns whatsoever just plain bare hands ass-kicking. Cool car race scenes and mission plot too. One word for it; nice!

5. Fiction – Avatar

Aliens, futuristic setting, robots, explosions; Avatar has everything you’ll look for in a fiction film. (not to mention the epic wars and made up language) The movie turned me into a fiction geek for weeks that I literally tried to speak “Na’vi”.

 

So there you go 5 of my favorite movies. I’ll try to write movie reviews starting on the next movie I’ll see at the theaters. ^_^

Oh the Marry Marriages

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

How was your week? Mine was full of ‘marriages’ ; literally!

As days go by, I’m starting to get busy planning my own wedding. We (my fiancé and I) decided to be hands-on to this and we pretty much marched around the whole city checking out bridal stores, flower shops, invitation makers, etc.~ etc.~

But of course we’re not the only two people in love in this planet. Ours is just one of the 4 stories of marriage that happened this week.

A few weeks ago, my fiancé’s college friend surprised us with the news that she is also getting married. And last Wednesday we attended her beautiful and fun wedding. Kudos to them for the scrumptious food that filled our belly! The wedding was very well organized too. It was filled with fun presentations and dances. I loved how the couple seemed so happy and comfortable with each other. They seemed to be like the best of friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On damper state, the wife of my fiancé’s co-worker (both are nice friends to us), had fallen ill. The couple are just a year older than my fiancé  but they were married younger and now have 3 kids. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for their situation. I guess marriage doesn’t mean “a happy ending”. The challenges that await love in marriage is more complicated and would inflict a deeper sense of pain. Unlike the simple “lovers quarrel”, sadness is reflected not just between the couple’s eyes but on their children’s eyes too.

Since marriage is both a challenge and a prize. It is only right to celebrate it too. That was exactly what my parents did on Thursday. They celebrated their 26th Wedding Anniversary. We had food prepared, there was music and they invited friends  and relatives over.They were pretty happy. My mom said, when I told her we were getting married, that marriage is a never ending series of arguments and disagreements. Thinking about it gave me hope that people can still last and be happily married in this day and age; throughout all those arguments.

So those are the stories of marriages that filled my week. I and my fiancé who are about to be married, our newly wed friends, a husband and wife going through tough times and old folks celebrating the longevity of their marriage.

The Telenovela Effect

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

 

Have you ever watched a ‘Telenovela’?  It’s a strangely addictive TV series that invokes a thriving anger at every end of an episode.

You see, the hallmark of ‘telenovelas’ is how ultimate evil can get and that the protagonist seems to be so helpless with wave after wave of sheer bad luck and of course the ruthless mischiefs of the antagonists.

I’ve always hated these shows which is why I praise the heavens for the creation of Youtube where I can find alternative, and more useful things to watch such as “29 ways to wear your underwear” O_o

Anyway, the reason for mentioning ‘telenovelas’ is because for the past weeks; I’ve felt like my life has been plagued with the “Telenovela Effect”

So dramatic! As my brother caught “dengue fever” and I desperately posted for help on Facebook.  Even more so, when and I ran through the pouring rain, clutching a piece of paper, begging the seemingly indifferent clerk at the Blood Bank to please give us blood so that my brother can have the transfusion. After 23 (imagine that!) bags were transfused, he recovered and is now okay.

But like I said, “telenovela effect”. I caught flu and was sick for a couple of days. Then, I had such a severe asthma attack (I haven’t had that kind for like 4 years!) I was stuck in bed and missed out on so many things that I wanted to do.

Both of those pre-mentioned events made me mess up my class schedule with my tutee which kind of pissed him off; I think…

Then I had an argument with my boyfriend over something stupid like “how fat is fat” and "’how fat is chubby” which we still can’t agree on ‘till now.

Well, bottom line is, I just told you why I haven’t blogged for a while. Ugrh! I wish I could get out of this “telenovela effect” rut! So if you are reading this last line, I’m passing it on to you! Ha! LOL~ 

Pamamanhikan: A Filipino Tradition

Hello Gorgeous Reader!

This is actually an over due blog post. I’ve written a previous draft on this weeks ago but for some reason my computer decided to delete all my drafts. Now I’m forced to rewrite this blog or technically write a new one.

Last April first my fiancé went to my residence to formally ask for my hand in marriage from my parents. This is a tradition among Filipinos called “Pamamanhikan”.

We’ve been talking about having each other’s parents meet after the engagement. Our first option was to take them out for dinner. But we kind of hesitated over the idea because it would be super awkward to talk about our marriage plans with other people eavesdropping on us at a restaurant.

Alas, it was my fiancé’s trusted league of merry-men (a.k.a his workmates) who convinced him to do it the traditional way. That is, to go to my house with his parents and family members bringing food. It was a great idea since it would be the best venue for our families to meet so that the wedding itself won’t be that awkward for them.

“In all things, success depends on previous preparation and without such previous preparation there is sure to be failure –Confucius”

And prepare we did! Like agents on a mission my fiancé and I met a couple of days before the actual Pamamanhikan. We discussed about our plans, how to answer questions they might ask and etc. We agreed pretty much on things except that he wanted to bring liquor. I went on a crazy speed talk rant. (LOL) I was afraid that our parents would get drunk, disagree and ruin everything. He just smiled at me and said he won’t bring some.

(but he still did … good thing neither of our parent drank)

On the day of the Pamamahikan, I was going nuts trying to get our house clean. Normally, it looked like a dumpsite, but when I was done… it looked like an “organized” dumpsite! ^_^ Seriously though, it was a mess. Our glass table broke a couple of weeks before and the glass that they ordered for the table wasn’t available within the day. We resorted to having 2 wooden tables covered with table cloth.

I had just finished cleaning when my fiancé called to say they were on their way. I hurriedly got dressed and probably put on one too many blush on and possibly looked like a clown when I went out to greet and welcome them to our humble abode.

When everyone was “settled in” (meaning all cramped and seated together cautiously waiting for something to happen in an awkward silence), his father said (very formally) that they were there to ask for my hand in marriage. My mom then replied (very formally) “well, which hand would you like to have; the right or the left?” LOL everyone chuckled…

Anyway, long story short; the evening went okay. All thanks to his uncle’s superb cooking (which really impressed my parents) and the fact that his father (and his father’s siblings) went to the same high school as my mom and her siblings. Our parents were able have some small-talk after dinner. Of course the Sendong Tragedy was ever present in the conversation. As for the rest of the family; well, there’s nothing more Filipino than “picture-picture” LOL ^_^

 

 

 

(I made dessert “with love~” )^_^

 

 

 

We were able to answer their questions (as rehearsed) or at least my fiancé answered while I nodded in agreement. Truthfully, I admired how he handled that situation. I watched as he answered with confidence while he firmly held my hand. That moment, I could feel how serious he was with his intention to marry me.

For me, the best part of the whole Pamamanhikan, was hearing each other’s family say “he/she is very well accepted as part of our family”. It was just so heart-warming. It was like sharing a part of who we are; our families.

By the end of the night, we were relieved to take another big step towards the aisle. All our anxiety turned into excitement. ^_^