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I haven't checked on the Oscar list but I'm guessing Syriana's somewhere there basing on the critics' reviews. Maybe I haven't the intelligence for socio-political-economic world issues or I just can't appreciate bland tastes because I probably dozed off this movie for at least 3 times. That's "at least".

It is being pegged as "one of the best movies of the year" but I'm sorry, in my book, the good movies should be gripping, intriguing, interesting, moving and/or inspiring. Syriana, for me, is merely intriguing and it just takes too long to get interesting. I think it only did become that during the last 5 minutes of the movie. Or when George Clooney (who definitely gained weight for this movie) died. I don't even care if it's a spoiler since I feel no one else will either. There are just too many characters and storylines to follow with. It's like that movie "A Lot Like Love" where there are I think 6 storylines of people falling in or out of love or loving for the wrong reasons. That movie however is interesting and has what people usually call a "climax". If watching Syriana could be related to sex, you wouldn't have a clue when your partner climaxed or whether she (or he) was faking it.

Thankfully, Princess Leah and I watched Memoirs of a Geisha later that evening which would provide a more interesting review.

To be continued.

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Ok, interesting thing that happened last Friday. As I was commuting home via the MRT, this girl on my left suddenly started talking and asking me questions - interview style.

"Where are you going?”, “Where are you headed?", "What do you do?” I assumed she was just one of those who normally chatted with strangers. Didn't her parents tell her anything about talking with unknown potential psychopaths? Ok, I'm hardly a psychopath. I think I'm more of a vigilante.

I was just about to ask myself "am I that cute??" when she said "Kawawa ka naman mukhang puyat na puyat ka ah..." (You look so freakin' haggard).

"Thanks, I get that a lot. It's inborn", I managed. But I thought I might as well chat with her for a change anyway.

So there, by the time we got to the last stop, she knew about my work, where I live, my girlfriend and the play list on my mobile. As I walked home, I thought - if only people on the MRT where that congenial. Everyday you'll get to know fellow employees working on a plethora of business lines and entrepreneurs with great innovations. Imagine, everyday, there's a chance for networking services, trade and business ideas. Every ride on the MRT will be a business summit that companies like ours usually pay millions to participate in per year (specially for us since we cater to personal to business to government solutions). I realize then the tons and tons of opportunity lost and deals closed just by ignoring those you bump with while on transit.

I mean, everyday, while pushing and squeezing ourselves into the MRT train, we just bump into them, hit some of their - um, sensitive parts, some of them also hitting our crotches and we're all practically participating on a big group hug that we might as well get to know each other!

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When I read this a long time ago, I fell in love with it but I never knew the title so it was hard looking for a copy. Finally, I landed on a site a few months back that were taking requests for copies of written prose.

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Sonnet XVII
Pablo Neruda (1904 - 1973)


I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
Or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
In secret, between the shadow and the soul.


I love you as the plant that never blooms but carries in
Itself the light of hidden flowers;
Thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
Risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.


I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
So I love you because I know no other way
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
So I love you because I know no other way


That this: where I does not exist, nor you,
So close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
So close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.


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"To hide the key to your heart is to risk forgetting where
you placed it." - Timothy Childers

Then again, giving the key completely to someone is a graver risk. That someone may take that key, keep yourself out of your own being, and they may even come back knocking whenever they please so they could treat you like a doormat and then up and leave again.

No, on the contrary, I am not having a bitter day. I was looking for a good poem to post and I remembered that one by Childers. I love the month of February for a couple of reasons – 28 days means earlier payday and I was born in February (1980, since I’m not icky with my age). Oh and it is V-day month. The day where Sta. Mesa, Pasig, Roxas Blvd. and Monumento register a 6.5 – 7 on the Richter scale (that is because the motels spawn about those areas, and if you still didn’t get that, I dunno what I’d do with you).

Anyway, not to get mushy (or naughty), I have this really wonderful Pablo Neruda poem which I’ll be posting in tomorrow. For the meantime, you might enjoy PEx-Blogger-Goddess Raven’s post here. I don’t know her but she’s someone who writes her heart out with every post. (http://ravencrows.blogspot.com/)

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A new reality show is airing on ETC (or was it Lifestyle). It’s called Project Runway. If Manhunt was a show in search for the next top male model, Project Runway is out to discover the next top fashion designer. Think Donna Karan, Gianni Versace and so on. Every week, the designer wanna-bees will face tasks that will challenge their creativity, innovation, workability and pressure-handling.

I think we caught the pilot episode last night and the designers’ first challenge was to create a sexy, unique dress for a night out in town. Ok simple enough, that is, until they were informed that the raw materials they could only use will have to come from a grocery store and with a limited budget of $50. Yeah – lemons, garbage bags, tools and a lot more organic stuff. That’s bound to challenge any person’s creativity. If I were on that challenge, I think I’d be looking quickly for shower curtains, ribbons, tissue paper and colored paper bags. Some of the contestants were obviously thinking of the same thing – quickly grabbing shower curtains, garbage bags, ribbons and other ‘wearable’ fabric.

Others were more original and daring – one bought a lounge chair with blue fabric, another bought lots of butcher paper and the most daring of all bought a heap of corn husk. I think he had to buy the corns first so he could strip the husks off.

The next day, their little projects will come to the runway where their chosen models will wear and display their works. The models were amazing. Anything they’ll wear on the runway will look glamorous just because of the way they walk and project themselves. I had to force myself to remember that these models aren’t wearing expensive fabric but merely cheap and virtually un-wearable stuff made from lounge chairs for example. There was even a dress made of pure pantyhose and another designer made a rather distasteful tin foil skirt.

I thought the designer who bought the corn husks made one of the better dresses but no one realized that by the time of the show which is the next day, the husks would dry out and browned. So there went the model on the runway wearing the skimpy and dried out corn husk dress that were falling off as the she bounced.

In the end, the corn guy got the highest rank and an immunity from the next elimination for his being unique and innovative (I think he was the only one who used organic matter).

Anyway, I think I’ll follow this one to the finals if only for the creative challenges. Oh, that and I forgot to mention that Heidi Klum hosts the show.

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Finally! I've been able to put Story Circle back up. For those who haven't visited yet it's located at: www.thestorycircle.net

For this entry, I'd like to just share the foreword I put on the site.

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Magic is real.
Whether it's an illusion or a natural miracle. It's the effect it leaves into people that makes magic so speacial. It inspires me to dream and be creative. It makes me believe that the impossible can be achieved.

This website my dedication to the magical world I live in. To the art of conjuring and illusions and to the tradition I have fallen in love with that is Wicca.

Magic is in everyday.
It's just that sometimes, people refer to it as coincidence, fate or chance. While we do make our own destiny, things happen that we never really planned for. Depending on the circumstances, we call it fate or blessing or a curse. And no matter how logical or practical a person is, there's still part of each and everyone of us that wishes for little miracles to happen or believe that somethings are more than just coincidences.

Tricks and Treats.
A good section of the site contains information on Wiccan tradition. As the Filipino Wiccan community increases in number and practitioners, the more important it is that proper information be disseminated. We already have enough Hollywood witches wannabees running around without really knowing anything.

You will also find here some practical tricks and effects from around the magical arts community that you may learn to amaze your friends and family. Feel free to look around the Magic Shop if you're looking for professional grade magic instructional videos or gadgets.

Souvenirs
A lot of free downloads are available on this site from ebooks to wallpapers. If anyone would like to share their stuff, then please do send them in for everybody.

I hope you enjoy your stay or at least appreciate the site. So, in the words of best-selling author Joan Kathleen Rowling: "Don't let the muggles bring you down!"

Without wax,
Lei

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PS. Thanks to the Wiccan moderators who are still there to yet again support and moderate the site forums.

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It's Oscar month this February with Brokeback Mountain and Walk The Line competing on cinemas here so far. I originally thought of watching Walk The Line but I haven't heard a good review about it so I might as well wait it out.

2006’ most profitable movie yet - Saw2 is also showing but I was with Princess Leah and my little sister at the time so as much as I love carnage, I had to choose a safer movie.

I don't think any movie that stars Anthony Hopkins could go wrong. While Proof, which also stars Gwyneth Paltrow and Jake Gyllenhaal, isn't the most exciting film this month, it's the equivalent to a book that you would regard to be a "good read".

The movie's almost all about my most hated subject - math and equations. I did enjoy it though. There's enough storyline to prevent you from dozing off and a somewhat twist that would keep viewers thinking and guessing.

An interesting point mentioned in the movie: A person reaches his/her creative peak when s/he reaches the age of 21. From then on, it's all downhill. I'm 25 going on 26 and that made me panic a bit. Perhaps I really should get my book published before I reach 30 otherwise I won't get anything published at all. Then again, Sophie Kinsella was on her early 30's when she started Shopaholic.

I'm actually in a panic/frustrated sort of state. I couldn't squeeze out any new ideas for Story Circle and I really need to get the site up and running again because the income it used to generate was really quite healthy. Now, I'm like a burnt-out spark-plug that needs repacking. Maybe I need to get some time out and get some creative inspirations to get those juices flowing.
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One of the upsides with my new gig at work is that now, I get the opportunity to go around the metro and do consultations with our clients. I enjoy that part because I get to meet new people, learn new business ideas and the chance of opening more doors. Not that I'd leave my work for another but I wouldn't mind new opportunities should they come knocking.

This morning, after concluding a meet with a client somewhere very (very) far from Manila, me and the two consultants I was with decided to play hooky and hang around window-shopping (we actually ended up buying items on sale) in this popular mall that none of us three have been into yet. We got a little carried away and forgot the time.

Thankfully, I still made it on time for another client meet this afternoon (talk about really going around). The Japanese Embassy would like to consult with us regarding the migration of their data to a new site. On the way there anyway, I met Rose before I boarded the MRT. Yup, the one I've been crushing on during Interior Design class back in college. Hmmm, actually, she might be reading this but who cares. Too late for her, I've my princess now ha-ha.

While at the Japanese Embassy, I realized how many beautiful women the Philippines is giving away every year to another country. It dawned on me that the Japan Embassy was THE place our eager talented ladies flock to to get their visas to Japan. There they were lined up in front of the gates - artists, singers, dancers, GROs etc. I wanted to call my single office-mate to tell him I found a place where he could meet women.

If my days would be as interesting as this one, I wouldn't mind the extra workload I'd have to face when I get back into the office.

P.S
I'm reviving www.thestorycircle.net (my magic shop which has been around for 3 years now but I had to temporarily close down last January). I'm excited I hope I get the time to update it.

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By the way, I'm sorry I wasn't able to update much last week. I was, yet again, out sick after recklessly eating loads of shrimp during our department dinner-meet.

I think I was quite productive at home nonetheless. I was able to finish Wei Hui's novel Shanghai Baby. Many thanks to Jeosa for shipping me a hard-bound copy supposedly for my birthday. I read an article about the book last year that it was banned in China and that copies of it were confiscated in bookstores by authorities. That actually just helped the book on its way to the international best-seller list.

After reading it, I need not wonder why it was banned for a while. It opens up China to the world as this new liberated country embracing western culture and lifestyle. It's a deliciously written erotic story of a budding novelist who got torn between her boyfriend and a married German lover. Wei Hui wrote as if she’s conjuring a spell - dizzying, intricate and personally hand-woven. Reviews say the novel's basically her autobiography which explains some real-time juxtaposition between Wei Hui's life and her lead character.

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P.S.

We're going crazy with The O.C.! There has never been such guilty pleasure since Dawson's Creek. The OC has been reaping awards lately and the producers, cast and writers just deserve it. I can't sell it to whoever's reading this more - just watch it from the beginning. Oh, by the way, it's pure mush. The kind you'd like to watch just to get goose bumps. They're on their second season now so you can't go wrong.

Calling Stephanie Penalosa: I'd like to get those OC seasons 1 & 2 CDs now!

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