National Jolographic

National Jolographic is now SIGNING OFF

2006-01-20T15:59:00.000+08:00

Alright guys... National Jolographic is ending it's webcast today. To all those who have hopped into, read and shared their thoughts with me... thank you very much. You've made my 2005 something brighter because of your love and attention.
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Kaya, tuloy ang ligaya sa bago kong BLOG!

Livejournal is my new home! And please DO drop by and get your mix fix at OrangeBananaPop!

I'll be waiting for you to pop in!!!

Ciao for now!

New Year na?

2006-01-06T19:14:00.000+08:00

Too Sexy Sig. Adobe Photoshop 7.0
For Kellee

Hindi ko namalayan.

Ahihihi... honestly, there was nothing grand or extravagant about my New Year so I didn't feel the need to write about it. Thing is, when I opened my blog today I realized I haven't posted anything yet for January (and it's already the 6th).

Let me start by saying Happy Birthday to some people who matter...

Kuya Vhong (January 4), Happy Birthday Kuya mahal ko! Gift ko? Heeheehee. Sana magaling ka na... di ka kasi sumasagot sa tawag ko, nakakainis.

Pero sana masaya ang birthday mo. *wink* I love you, and I miss you super!

Sis Kellee (January 5), Saengil chukhahamnida, chinguya! I hope your dreams will come true soon! Love yah!!!

Okay now that that's taken care of, let's move on to my New Year's resolution.

Do I have a New Year's resolution?

Hahaha... actually wala. It's not my habit to make resolutions, because I freakin' know that I will break them sooner or later. I'm not very good at following my own promises to myself. Hahaha.

I do, however, have a Goal List which I've been doing for around two years now. Most of the time, my goal list is short term, spanning two to six months only. I haven't tried a long term goal list yet, although I'm quite sure it will include Find a boyfriend in it.

So far I only have ten in my Goal List... which ends on my 23rd birthday. (What? I'm 23? Shit man!)

Before (or by) my 23rd birthday, I should:

1. have bought myself a new guitar.
2. have started a new fan fic to post at soompi.
3. have learned new software skills.
4. be able to re-launch Mike's website.
5. have started collecting DVDs of my fave flicks (old and new).
6. have bought a new PC monitor.
7. be able to watch more movies in the big screen.
8. be able to meet up with old friends (for coffee, lunch, whatever).
9. be able to go back to a size 25 waistline.
10. have lost all my zits!!!

Okay, not exactly a really fulfilling Goal List, huh? But don't worry... I'm getting there. Give me another 2 months and maybe I'll be making another (better) list.

Oh by the way, my alaga JC Cuadrado is in the latest Juday-Piolo movie Don't Give Up On Us. I hope you guys can watch. I'm not really a Juday-Piolo fan, but yeah, I'm gonna watch it to see JC's first big screen appearance.

I hope it's great.

And JC, if you're reading this... no, I haven't forgiven you yet for standing me up last Christmas. Yun lang.

Annyong!

What Holiday?

2005-12-30T14:43:00.000+08:00

Okay, so Christmas just breezed past me, and I didn't even feel it.

I was working on the 24th, still... from 2-6pm. Damn. There is seriously something wrong with sitting in front of the PC for 4 hours, on Christmas Eve, NOT for greeting relatives and friends overseas but for work. Okay, so I worked on the 24th of December last year as well... but that's a different story.

It was a good thing though, that I met up with Michael and the gang (Doris, Rocky and Mitzi) on the 23rd. It was brief, but it was a break I kinda needed. Not to mention I haven't seen Mike since we watched My Sassy Girl, which was like 2 months ago.

26th was a holiday, and I was STILL working! Waaaaaaahhhh!!! (From home, that is... just like on the 24th... BUT STILL!!!)

Sigh. When will I ever get a job that will allow me to have legal holidays? And I mean REAL holidays!!!

** Birthday Greetings **

Happy Birthday to my good friend and former workmate Allan... este belated Happy Birthday pala! Hahaha! I hope you had a fun inuman with your friends last night, and I'm sorry I couldn't come. 'Lam mo na... busy-busyhan.

Happy New Year sa iyo... and Happy New Year to everyone reading this as well!!!

Okay. Back to work.

A reunion of sorts...

2005-12-23T20:07:00.000+08:00

December 21 was my off-day. And thank God it fell on a Wednesday.

I just dropped by the office that day to pick up my client bonus and 13th month pay (Ehem, kahit walang pasok --- kaperahan yun kaya kailangang puntahan!) bringing along a paper bag full of gifts for the Wazzup cast. After picking up some cold cash I proceeded to 7-11 to buy some greeting cards, and then I signed them inside Starbucks Equitable PCI branch.

(SM/N: Naubusan pa nga ako ng tinta sa Starbucks in the middle of writing on Tin's greeting card, so thank you kay Manong Guard for letting me borrow his pen!)

I got to Starbucks ABS-CBN at around 6:30pm, and I was met by Allan (former Wazzup SP) who came from the Pinoy Big Brother House to secure some materials. Sabi ko pupunta ako ng Wazzup studio, and he was more than willing to take me there so...

Archie was the first one to see me. He was inside the studio waiting for his cue to do the News Advisory, and we talked a bit while I heard our utilitymen saying, "Ang taba mo na," and other taba-related comments. Oo na nga. Mataba na ako. Shet.

Archie was very happy to show me cellphone pictures of his baby with Mickey (Baby Brent Marcus), and I must say, the baby looked exceptionally adorable!!! Congratulations to both of you guys, I'm really really happy for you. Enjoy the holidays with your special Christmas present!

A few minutes later, Archie asked me to come with him to the dressing room. Kuya Vhong and Tin (Toni) saw me immediately and told me to come in. I was quite uncomfortable at first to hang out with them again inside the dressing room so it took awhile before I decided to come in.

Kuya Vhong's started talking like his mouth was an armalite. As in, super bilis! It seemed like he was saying a lot of things but I managed to only hear two coherent sentences. After a chaotic exchange of hi's and hello's, Kuya turned to me with open arms and said, "Tara ha, we miss you na!" and hugged me. Awww. How sweet. It was the night's first present to me. I really missed my Kuya.

Of course, my apparent weight-gain did NOT escape the cast's eyes. They constantly said "Ang taba mo na," and asked why I gained weight and all. It was kind of the staple "icebreaker" sentences that night. Even Tin didn't believe me when I said I was always sitting down at work kaya ako tumaba. Hahaha. They must've really had this mental picture of me looking like one of those impoverished children in God-knows-where.

I spoke to the crew while the show aired. Ate Ara (make-up artist), Kuya Nelson (utility man), Kuya Andrew (wardrobe coordinator) and Kuya James (Kuya Vhong's driver) kept me busy for a good thirty minutes at the stairway (to heaven?) outside the studio. We talked about things I missed while I was gone, and this question about me getting married just popped up.

"WTH? Do I look like I'm married now?" I asked Kuya Nelson, who immediately said no, and made an excuse that he thought I got married because I gained weight. That's it. I'm really, really getting serious about dieting now. Thank you, Kuya Nel. Ikaw ang isa sa mga driving force ko. Hahaha.

Close to the show's end, I went into the dressing room with Ate Ara to distribute the gifts I have for the cast. After which I called JC up to ask him if he were around. And that's a different story altogether. Let's leave it at that.

When I got back to the dressing room again, the cast was already there, dressing up for their taped episode. They thanked me for the gifts and Kuya Vhong told me he had a gift for me as well, sabay bigay ng Don Romantiko na shirt which I wore to work yesterday. (Swabe! Hahaha!) I also left Drew's gift to Kuya Vhong cos Drew told me to. Nakakatawa, ginawang messenger si Kuya Vhong! Sorry Kuya, love you!

In the middle of all the dressing up, talagang nang-abala pa ako dahil pinapirmahan ko yung Don Romantiko cd ko kay Kuya Vhong, on which he wrote something that nearly made me cry:

Tara,
I miss you na grabe.
Ingat lagi!
Love,
Vhong Navarro

Pero siyempre hindi ako nagpahalata.

Isa pa 'tong si Archie, na-touch talaga ako. He opened my gift to him as soon as he got hold of it, and he wore it for that night's taping! Hindi pa magkandaugaga magsuot ng bracelet, nagpatulong pa kay Tin at sa akin! Hay... nakakatuwa. Love ko talaga 'tong si Archie. Tunay.

I left the guys before they started taping the Thursday episode because my beb, Sheiden was waiting for me at Starbucks. When I got there, I also met her boyfriend Almel (who really looked like an artista) and Allan (again, hahaha!). We all trooped to Sheiden's boarding house afterwards to drop off their Christmas goodies and then we proceeded to Greenhills.

On our way there, Sheiden told me "horror" stories that made me really sad. I wanna go back to ABS-CBN right that moment and hug each and every one of the cast members and remaining staff I know. The world can be cruel to good people sometimes, and it makes me upset.

So to end my mood swing, we decided to eat first when we got to Greenhills. Teriyaki Boy was the choice, and even though Almel had to wait almost an hour for his food, everyone was full when we left to shop. Beb and I had our favorite California Maki and Asupara Bacon Maki (asparagus wrapped in bacon, yum) while Allan and Almel had rice meals.

We went shopping at the Night Market afterwards, and though I felt really sleepy already (it was past 11), I managed to buy several new stuff like 3 nice blouses, 2 bullcaps (one for me and one for my auntie), a pair of shorts (for my lolo) and a cool hip-hoppy jacket (which I'm wearing right now). Gawd. I spent quite a lot that night, but it was okay... since it was a fun night anyway.

To top it all off, I had been able to claim my Starbucks planner that night as well! Woot! Love it!

Went home at around 3am already, with Sheiden, Almel and Allan waving me goodbye. It was a happy and sad feeling, and I wanna feel that again. Tsk. I love December 21. My kinda day.

Make my wish come true...

2005-12-19T21:33:00.000+08:00

... all I want for Christmas is YOU.

Pero siyempre hindi mangyayari yan.
Paano ko nalaman?
Kayo nga alam niyo eh. (Hehehe. O diba, ang galing ko!)

I've been doing massive Christmas shopping lately, and it might just be really minor compared to some of you guys out there. The big deal about it is, this is the FIRST time I'm ever shopping for Christmas gifts for people who matter. (Yes! I listed this in my "Before December 2005 Goal List" and I made it!)

Of course priority went to my inaanaks, then my cute nieces and nephews, workmates, my cousin, the Wazzup cast and all. (My parents? Wala pa yung bonus eh. Dun ko kukunin. Wag kayong mag-alala. Hindi naman ako ingratang anak. Hehe.) I'm actually planning to buy a DVD player for the house. That's my gift to my Dad and myself because we both LOVE watching movies. Actually, bumili na nga ako ng Korean DVDs eh. Funny. The DVDs came first before the player. Si unni kasi. (Hahaha! Nanisi?)

I was in Divisoria on the 16th. Man. Kala ko ba walang pera ang mga tao? Bakit andaming tao??? I wanted to curse hell and high waters while I shopped, but then again, may baon naman akong pasensiya so I just kept my cool. I was supposed to drop by Wazzup that day also, but I got home at 6:30 pm all pooped and sweaty, and my gifts weren't even wrapped yet!

So there, I spent the whole Friday night wrapping gifts, drinking coffee and eatnig cake. As if talagang kailangan kong kumain.

Diet ako! Walang kokontra!

Yeap, you read it right. I AM on a diet.

Why, you ask? Cos 90% of my jeans don't fit me anymore, and it irks me big time. Not that I don't really need to put on weight, a lot of people tell me that me gaining weight was "bagay" cos it wasn't very good to see me so thin, but then again I feel uncomfortable na rin dahil sa tiyan kong may bilbil. (GASP! BILBIL!)

I didn't want to offend anyone... but for someone who's been stick thin all her life, this whole "putting-on-weight" issue is bothersome. My clothes don't freakin' fit me anymore! And buying a new set of wardrobe is NOT in my plans!!!

So yeah. Beginning today, I'm cutting down on rice intake.
Stay tuned.

Gifts under the tree

I AM getting old. I know that for certain now.

When we were kids we wanted all the gifts under the Christmas tree to be ours. We constantly shook them, peeked at the little holes on the wrappers (innocently made by us, of course) and bugged our parents to let us open them already.

Now, I take a look at the gifts under the tree and smile at the thought that I got most of them for the people I wanted to give them to, and that I got them with my own money. I am NOT expecting gifts this Christmas, because honestly, HE has given me more than enough this year. A handful of friends, and an ocean of happy memories. That's it. The biggest present of the year.

Right now, I'm looking forward to Christmas day to see my godchildren, nephews and nieces open their gifts with big smiles on their faces. I'm looking forward to Christmas because I will be getting to play with them and eat home-cooked meals. I'm looking forward to Christmas because it IS a day of rest, and most importantly, I'm looking forward to Christmas because, as with all Christmases, I will be spending it with my family.

Happy Holidays, everyone! (^_____^)

Pasko na?

2005-12-12T16:12:00.000+08:00

Tama ba yun?

And first post ko for the Christmas season eh December 12? Que horror!

Hay naku... na-busy lang talaga. So pasensiya na. (Ha? Kanino?) Sa fans ng blog ko! (Meron ba?) Malay natin! Charing!

Sneak Preview: Sidestreet Souls

Pansin niyo ba (sa mga bumibisita sa Love Me Until blog) na hindi na ako nag-uupdate? Ahihihi. Sorry sa mga nagbabasa, at nag-aabang, kung meron man. Nagkaroon kasi ng indefinite hiatus (o devah, ang term! Tali-talinuhan!) ang aming collaboration fiction sa Donggun Domain kaya hindi ko muna siya inu-update. Medyo nawala nga ang aking "komunikasyon" with my characters from that fic, kasi may iba akong sinusulat ngayon. Oo, busy talaga ako. Chika lang.

The title of my latest fic is Sidestreet Souls. It is a dark fic (sa wakas, natuloy rin!) whose story revolves around two people who accidentally meet each other in the alleys of the Seoul Underworld. May pagka-violent and graphic siya, pero isa siyang love story at the same time. It's already webcasting over at Donggun Domain and Soompi, and I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to make a blog fic again. Medyo busy nga kasi, hindi ako makapag-design ng layout graphics.

But anyway, here are some graphics I made for the fic, which are "character sketches" for my two leads. Check them out.

I really wanted these graphics dark and a bit cold-blooded, and a bit tragic. Do tell me if I had successfully done so by posting your comments. *wink*

PINOY BIG BROTHER BIG WINNER: NENE!

Okay, so I'm one of those people who really jumped for joy and clapped my hands till they hurt when Nene was announced Pinoy Big Brother Big Winner --- and it's because i feel she really deserved it.

She's one of those housemates that you didn't quite notice at first, but one who was working her way slowly into the viewers' hearts. Paano mo ba naman mahuhuli ang kiliti ng masa at makakaipon ng mahigit 500 thousand text votes? Well, nagawa ni Nene yun... at actually si Mother dear eh talagang mega-vote din siya for Nene. Eh hindi naman interesado yun sa mga voting eklavu.

Anyway, congratulations Nene for being the first Pinoy Big Brother Big Winner!
Sana magpatuloy ka sa iyong pagiging astig at modernong Filipina! Saludo ako sa iyo Kumander Nene!!!

Saving the world takes rhythm.

2005-11-30T13:55:00.000+08:00

I couldn't agree more.

Showing na ang Chicken Little!!! Wah!
"Fish! Fish!"

^ Ehem. Adik?

Random kagaguhan quote:
One night, the moon saw me crying in bed,
and asked me...
"Why don't you leave that person
who made you cry?"
I looked at it with teary eyes and said...

"Lupeeeeet...
Nagsasalitayung moon!"

quote c/o Tsikoi.

Ang saya kaya...

2005-11-29T18:37:00.000+08:00

Goddamn! I feel like all the negative energy in my body just left me today! Thank YouTube.com for several videos I found that really, really (as in, really) made me happy. I can't stop watching these videos, and if you were a genuine 80's kid like I, you would agree with me too! Cos if you were an 80's kid, you would've been old enough to enjoy this (Please wait for a few moments to download. Works best on DSL connection):

View in external player.

Now do you remember?

*jumping for joy while clapping hands* I have this idiotic smile in my face right now looking at the computer screen, which I thought only Lee Dong Gun could cause. But NO! My original Japanese superheroes way back when I was in Grade School has made a comeback in my life! Hahaha!!!

And what great timing! For the past few weeks I've been so grumpy at work because of certain unavoidable circumstances, and now the internet has given me a really nice surprise! Maskman rocks!!! Shet my gulay... naaalala ko pa ang walang kamatayang sigawan:

"Rio!!!"
"Michael Joe!!!"
"Rio!!!"
"Michael Joe!!!"

At saan napunta ang kawawang si Rio? Nakulong sa bloke ng yelo dahil 404 forbidden ang love affair nila ni Michael Joe... wawa man si Michael Joe. Cutie pa naman siya. Harharhar.

Siyempre hindi ko rin makakalimutan si Adrian. Cute din yun. Pasaway nga lang na bata.

My God, ang daming memories na pumapasok sa utak ko! Naaalala ko pang naglalaro kami ng Maskman sa school bus habang pauwi. Ako kunwari si Yellow Mask. Well kasi ayoko ng pink. Nakalimutan ko na nga lang ang pangalan niya, pero ako si Yellow Mask. AKO!!! (Praning?)

Hay. Thank God for YouTube talaga.

O siya. At dahil nagsimula ako sa opening theme ng Maskman... kailangan ko ring magtapos in the most appropriate way, hindi ba? Till next. May surprise ako sa mga Maskman fans. Swear abangan niyo yun. Magkahalong lufet at bangis! For now... cue Maskman ending theme.

View in external player.

We'll pause for a commercial break...

2005-11-28T18:32:00.000+08:00

Man, all this work is making me tired! I'm opting for a commercial break!!!

Ladies and gentlemen...
The most handsome cellphone endorser ever. With the handsomest voice too. *growl*
Never mind that you don't understand a word he's saying.
Just freakin' listen to his voice! (Hahaha!!! I'm a freakin' psycho.)

Man. I wanna have that. (Not the cellphone, dammit! The endorser!)
Video brought to you by YouTube.

Let Franzen go.

2005-11-16T19:04:00.000+08:00

So now my PBB bets are down to two: Jason and Nene.

I initially liked Franzen to win Pinoy Big Brother, but his attitude really irked me. He has been reprimanded countless times because of his rule-breaking spree, but he doesn't seem to realize the gravity of his offenses. In one time, his offense cost the housemates their meager weekly income, and now he has involved fellow housemate Cass in his "kabulastugan."

I would like to give Franzen the benefit of the doubt and think that he must be committing all these mistakes because he's already very pressured from being cooped up in the Big Brother House. His unconscious must have been pushing him to do things he doesn't really want to (because he knows the rules already) so that he could be taken out of the house.

So I say... Let Franzen go. Don't wait for Saturday. Don't wait for text votes. Endemol (the Holland-based company responsible for Big Brother) itself had released a statement requesting Franzen's automatic eviction, so why the wait? Was Cass' drama of sacrificing herself that bothering to Big Brother? If he wanted Franzen out, none of the housemates will be able to do anything. Franzen has been such a "pasaway" anyway. Ang utos ni Big Brother, hindi nababali.

The automatic nomination, and not eviction, of Franzen and Cass irritated me. It's not that I don't want to give Franzen a chance. It just that the people have already spent millions of pesos to save him from eviction, and he's not doing anything to prove himself worthy of the people's support. Is constant rule-breaking a way of thanking the people who burn money and thumbs texting for him to stay inside the house? I don't think so.

If it's not too late, please let Franzen go. Wag niyo na siyang pagkakitaan by letting people text like hell again. It is high time for him to be with his family and lead a normal life. And if Cass wants to go too, then let her go as well. Somehow it would be good to get rid of doubts that Cass and Uma are the ones "destined" to win the Pinoy Big Brother Grand Prize (Yes, I did get that email too).

Random Stuff:
Happy Birthday!!! To my good friend & highschool barkada, Belle!!! Muacks!!!
Currently feeling: One-half crappy. One-half okay.
on Lovers in Paris: Hindi ko matapos-tapos! I'm stuck on oppa's HOT shaving scene!
on the Hallyu wave: Hey... posters are everywhere. I've seen My Little Bride, April Snow and MY BOYFRIEND IS TYPE B!!! Woot!
Ang Panday: Waaaaaahhhhh! Haven't seen a single episode, and I'm hearing it's good!!! *sobbing*
on going abroad to work: Man... I might have to. It's killing me.

Hallyu!!!

2005-11-12T16:08:00.000+08:00

I'm ill, and it's all oppa and Mitzi's fault. (Nandamay pa eh, noh? Barubal.)

First, it was Kdramas. Now it's KR movies. I've seen several really good Korean films, and I'm not about to stop there. Actually, right now I'm looking forward to several movies that have been shown and will be showing this year and early 2006. Here are (just) five on my most-awaited list.

[1] Sad Movie
Sad Movie Official Site

As the title suggests, Sad Movie is a film that promises to bring audiences to tears as it explores four different stories of love. It brags of a stellar cast including Jung Woo Sung (A Moment to Remember), Im Soo-Jung (I'm Sorry, I Love You), Cha Tae Hyun (My Sassy Girl) and Shin Mina (A Bittersweet Life), and has already been shown all over Korea on the last quarter of October.

The movie actually reminds me of Love Actually where several stories of love intertwine throughout the film. I've already seen the said film, and I was extremely pleased by it. I'm now looking forward to its Asian "counterpart" which is Sad Movie.

Incidentally, there is another film like Sad Movie which features a great cast and four love stories as well. It's entitled My Lovely Week, and it has already been shown in Korea also, if I'm not mistaken. I'm looking forward to that too, but Sad Movie comes first. (The reason? I'm a fan of Jung Woo Sung, Im Soo-Jung and Cha Tae Hyun. *wink*)

[2] Mean Streets

Jo In Sung (Memories of Bali) sheds off his pretty boy image in Mean Streets as he plays a streetsmart hoodlum who has to make a living to support his mother and two younger siblings. In Sung will act alongside Lee Bo Young (Save the Last Dance for Me) as his on-screen romantic interest. I've read on the news that In Sung ajussi was so into his character while filming that he injured his shoulder during one scene. (Oh, poor baby.)

I know Jo In Sung has played a meanie role before... I think in Piano or another film I still haven't seen, but I just got so used to the pretty boy that I got a bit shocked at his haircut. (See? It's too short!) Aside from that, I've also read that In Sung will be having a really big tattoo placed on his back for this film. Ehem. So I guess we'll be seeing his back, huh? I'm not one to complain.

Action films are aplenty lately, and some of the pretty boys like In Sung have chosen to take a leap from romantic comedies and dramas to action flicks. This also holds true for Kim Rae Won and Kwon Sang Woo. Both good-looking actors have their own action films also...

[3] Mr. Socrates
Mr. Socrates Official Site (English)

Now this is a surprise. Kim Rae Won (My Little Bride) is known to me as a funny, laid-back kind of guy who always (and never fails) to make me laugh with his quirky little facial expressions. In Mr. Socrates, he is a penniless street thug who is forced to train to become a homicide detective. Sound far-fetched? Well, that's what I like about KR movies... they surprise me.

My cousin Pearl is so looking forward to this film because she likes Rae Won a lot (her first Korean crush). I personally am looking forward to it too because this is a whole new side of Rae Won that we will be seeing. The film has premiered in Korea last Thursday, and it has been a great success, being number one in ticket sales. Rae Won rocked, I bet.

Oh... trivia. Just like In Sung, Kim Rae Won injured himself filming this movie. Now I can't remember... Ate Pearl? Is it his ear he injured? Kawawa naman si Cutie Rae Won. And oo nga pala, his earlier movie My Little Bride is gonna be shown in local theatres soon. I saw the theatrical poster in Glorietta 1 last Sunday. (If you haven't seen it yet, try niyo. It's really cute.)

[4] Wild Beast | Running Wild

Before everything else... a rockin' gif with Kwon Sang Woo. (Intermission number itoh?)

Okay Mitzi, what is freakin' wrong between you and Sang Woo ssi? Why is he doing this to himself? Ehem... I'm referring to his look in Running Wild --- he looks like a freakin' taong grasa!!! [ View pic here. ] Take note... mukha pa siyang matino diyan ha?

*stops emoting* Wild Beast or Running Wild is another action film which stars Kwon Sang Woo (Stairway to Heaven). Sang Woo plays a criminal investigator cracking a case involving an underworld leader. My cousin and I saw some outtakes from the filming, and man... was Sang Woo intense! He was "dodging" cars like a professional stuntman! No wonder he got injured too. Uso raw yun ngayon. Hee~!

Wild Beast | Running Wild will be showing in Korea sometime in December. By then people are really gonna see what a mess he did with his face! So now, I would like to remember him like this:

Mommy, I feel hot!

[5] Daisy

Daisy stars two of my favorite Korean actors, Jung Woo Sung and Jeon Ji Hyun (My Sassy Girl). It's an action film and a love story as well, with a police officer and a crime lord rooting for the same girl. (Lucky Ji Hyun unni!)

I don't know much about the film yet, but the fact that Woo Sung oppa and Ji Hyun unni are there are enough to keep me excited! These two guys look so good together in their Giordano pics (refer to You and I Will Travel Far wallie on the sidebar) that I fell in love with them. Good thing someone thought of making a movie for them. Their chemistry is just unbelievable.

***

So you're asking what about Lee Dong Gun? Is he making a movie too?

Yes, he's in the process of making a movie. *wink* But that's for me to know and for you to find out. Hahaha! Saan nanggaling yun? Just kidding. Everything's hush-hush about my oppa's new film, so we'll have to wait for further updates before I can proudly post it up here.

Woohoo!!! *raising fists up in the air* I wish these movies reach the Philippine shores soon! Meanwhile... I'll have to finish Lovers in Paris first. Hah!

Random stuff:
Tony is out of Search for a Star in a Million: Sa wakas!
Pinoy Big Brother eviction: Baka si Say na ang matanggal mamayang gabi. Hula lang.
Something new: Please visit my new fiction blog [ Love Me Until ] Thank you po!
Currently eating: Chowking Mantao bread.

Oo, okay na ako...

2005-11-11T17:33:00.000+08:00

For those who cared to ask, yeah... I'm okay now.
Well, not really really, completely and perfectly okay, but yeah I'm getting by.
Komawosoyo.

Okay, so moving on --- lots of things to take care of in this post. First of all, Happy Birthday to my good friend Lea who's celebrating her birthday today!!! Woot! *clapping* Saengil chukhahamnida... err, I mean Happy Birthday to you! Wishing you more success and happiness, and a boyfriend to share it with! Hahaha! Sabi ko naman sa iyo, sana man lang mauna ka na para susunod ako. (Saan?) Sa Bulacan!!!

Happy Birthday Lea! You're one of the best friends I've ever known... miss you lots!

Youth Comic

This is a movie starring Kwon Sang Woo (Stairway to Heaven) and Kim Ha Neul (Stained Glass), their second pairing in a motion picture since the really cute and funny My Tutor Friend. The film is still "under construction," but I found some interesting still photos of the couple as they shoot. The most interesting of which is found below:

(Special notice: Mitzi, please sit down before you view the pic... you might faint and break your neck. Hahaha!)

KSW: Yun! Yun ang lalaking gumupit sa akin!
KHN: Aba... buhay pa pala!

WTF? Is Sang Woo tired of his pretty face already? His upcoming (finished) movie Running Wild had him looking like a member of the Muchas Grasas family, and now he looks like a cross between a character pulled out from those old Chinese Martial Arts flicks and one of the members of The Beatles. Hahaha! If only for his hairstyle, I'm going to look forward to this film.

Mitzi... asawa mo nagwawala. Kaw naman kasi, puro ata Tropicana iniinom mo ngayon! *evil laugh* Puwede ko bang i-display dito yung wallie na ipapagawa mo sa akin? *louder evil laugh* Just kidding. Baka putulan mo ako ng "sustento" sa Koryan eklavu natin.

Ang Fanday

Hahaha, it's actually spelled with a "P" kaya lang nababakla talaga ako nang todo kay Jericho Rosales kaya ginawa kong "F." (Adik ka talaga, Tara!) I haven't seen an episode of this series, but the teasers I've seen *frothing in the mouth* ... my goodness... how did Echo's body turn out to be that trim? Choice cut! Kakaloka! And look at this:

(Special Notice Part 2: Mitzi... naghotlink ako sa photobucket mo ha? Tamad-tamaran lola mo eh.)

Sige fafa! Fandayin mo! Wahahahaha!!! (Sukdulan na ang kaadikan ko... f*tah!)

Omo... Biceps Buffet! Eat all you can!

Hahaha! Just kidding. Seriously, I hope this new ABS-CBN show will be a big hit. And it's not only because I'm a Kapamilya at heart, but also because I love Jericho Rosales. (I swear to God, I shed tears unknowingly one time I saw him in person.) Grabe lakas ng charisma ng taong ito... and he's also very nice too.

QTV Channel 11: Kuwento Natin 'To!

From Kapamilya to Kapuso. *wink* Honestly, now I'm impressed. GMA definitely HAS money. I've seen the teasers of the shows lined up for QTV 11 and most of them (I think 80%) are locally produced! My goodness! If that's not shelling out and risking a big amount of money, I don't know what is.

Okay, this is not to say I'm turning Kapuso, but I admire GMA-7 now for taking the risk and branching out, producing more shows and (hopefully) expanding the field as far as employment is concerned. I'd still be watching the Kapamilya Network when I get home (or Arirang, hahaha!) but I will be watching out for QTV. Especially because Drew (Arellano) has a new show there, at last... THANK GOD!

Friends are there...

Met Suzie last Sunday to give her unni's "birthday present." We didn't have that much time to talk, but as expected, wala nang lumabas sa mga bibig namin kundi Lee Dong Gun this, Lee Dong Gun that, Soo-Hyuk this, Soo-Hyuk that... and so on and so forth. I think we had a good thirty minutes chat until she had to leave because her family was waiting for her already so that they could go home. Well... not without a picture of course!!!

Mga tinamaan ng magaling. Nag-pictorial sa KFC? At naka-pink pa yung isa! (Ay... ako pala yun.)

Kadire, mukha akong basura sa pic. Sorry Suzie ha? My blotchy face ruined it. Kailangan ko na pala makipag-appointment kay Ninang Vicky (Belo) at Tita Pie (Calayan). LAKAS!!! Next time all the Dreamers should be together... at ang pictorial DAPAT NASA STUDIO NA TALAGA!!! Hahaha! Christmas Party na!

Me wanna say thankies to my bestfriend Jann (dami kong bestfriend, noh?) for cheering me up with this cute little blinkie:

Jann, I shared this to my sisters at the Domain, and they want to have their own design also!!! Hala! Masyado ka kasing magaling, ayan... gusto na tuloy magpagawa nung mga tao! Okay lang ba sa iyo? I'll email you the details... but for now, chongmal komawo for this blinkie. You really made me smile!

And with that I bid goodbye for now. EXIT STAGE LEFT. MUSIC FADE OUT.

May kapalit

2005-11-09T13:45:00.000+08:00

Sinasabi ko na nga ba eh.

Hindi ko alam kung instinct ko lang o ano, pero sa tuwing sumasaya ako, natatakot ako sa kapalit. Lagi kasing may kapalit. Hindi puwedeng wala. Parang ang "happiness" ko ay isang favor na kailangang suklian sa kung sinuman. Ngayon, sinisingil na naman ako.

Hay.

Sana ako na lang si Vivian na makakatagpo ng isang Carlo na mayaman (pero sana kamukha ni Carlo si Martin) na tutulong sa akin sa mga panahong ganito. Pero hindi Korean drama ang buhay ko. Hindi nga ako Koreano eh... nagfi-feeling Koreano lang.

Parang ayoko na tuloy maging masaya.

Tags and Random Things 2...

2005-11-02T15:49:00.000+08:00

For some reason I wanna answer these tags here cos I want lengthy answers, and my tagboard will not allow that. Hee~! ^__^

Ahvic: hey girl!kip up the gud work on your site...I can't still figure out how to put that haloscan thing on my site or am I just too busy to do so...help help po!!!

Hey gurl! First of all, get the code from haloscan... there are two. One should be pasted somewhere in your < head > tags (the actual head tags don't have spaces between the word "head" and the symbols). The < head > tags are where your blog title are written. Just paste the first code there (the shorter code). Easy.

The second code (the longer one) is a bit more tricky. You have to put the second code on the spot where you want the comment link to be seen. In my case, it's below the author "byline." Look for the block of text beginning with < Blogger > and ending with < /Blogger > (again, no spaces between the words and symbols) and then look for the text where it says "posted by..."

After you've seen that text, make a line break (click Enter key on keyboard) and type < br > (no spaces still!) afterwhich you can paste the second haloscan code already. Save the edits and that's it! *wink*

Oh... and for learning Korean online, here are some links I recommend:

Learn Korean
^ Very user-friendly. Includes 4 educational modules for learning how to speak the Korean language. Also has a mini-dictionary for Korean-English and English-Korean. You need to sign up to avail their services, but joining is really fast and easy.

Life in Korea
^ Same as Learn Korean, very user friendly. Provides useful Korean expressions and a wide dictionary of words in several categories. No need to sign up for this.

Mr. Oh's Learn Korean
^ No membership required. Provides lessons on grammar and the Korean alphabet. This is nice because you get to hear how the words are spoken when you click the corresponding icons.

KBS Learn Korean Site
^ This site is cool! It teaches conversational Korean and gives lots of examples! You guys should try this one. No membership required.

Hope those help... *wink*

suzie: halu!!!

Hello Juice! Nice of you to drop by!
See you at the Domain, araseo?

wella: hi! musta na?

I'm okay, gurl! Ikaw? I've been browsing your blog and you sound so overly in love! Grabe... hahaha! And I thought I was the only one who's acting crazily and posting love stuff in my blog! Hahaha!

I wish you well, gurl! Take care always. Muacks!

masterchoi: nga pala... paano gumawa ng blinkies?

masterchoi: ate tara! super pa rin ang blog mo...! kapamilya na nga ako sa blogspot, hehehe... haya sana paki-edit yung link. masterchoi.blogSPOT.com na po. salamat! mish!

Sorry dear, I don't know how to make blinkies. My bestfriend made that Pucca blinkie for me. Thank you nga pala for dropping by... and also, I changed your link na. *wink*

tsikoi shi: lola what happened to haloscan? was gonna comment on ur new entry. just be happy i say. just be happy ^^V

Yeah... just be happy. Na algessumnida. ^_________^

Chervalynz~

2005-10-31T15:29:00.000+08:00

Okay so yesterday was like a breeze. It was a lot of fun but it had to end really quick, like a snap. It's happy and sad at the same time, but I would like to remember it happily.

Mitzi, Doris, Mhel and I (with my cousin, Pearl and sister, Jill) met up yesterday at Cafe Bola Araneta for lunch. I was late -- as I usually was, haha -- but Michael came in much, much later. (Muntik na nga namin pagbayarin ng lahat ng kinain namin kasi tapos na kami, saka lang siya dumating. Bwahahaha!) Mitzi gave me this really cute cellphone accessory with two pictures of my oppa (as Soo-Hyuk & as Hyuk Joon), and, like tradition, we exchanged epektus right then and there. (I have two Korean series and at least six Korean movies at hand now. *clapping*)

After lunch and lively chika, we went to Shopwise because Michael was craving for cigarettes and none of us present smoked (kasi wala yung mga ka-jam ni Mike mag-suba! Wella and Rocky... NAKO!!!). He also bought a pack of Choc-Nut which we ate as we crossed the street back to Gateway Mall.

We were on our way to the Cineplex area when Mike suggested we drop by Rustan's to look at clothes. Okay, sabi ko... GO! We entered Rustan's na nagfi-feeling mayaman and went on looking at the nice (but-oh-so-expensive "wallet-killers") clothes. Michael and I looked at several dress shirts which really rocked, and he decided to fit one on, after which he told me, "Bakit kapag sinusuot na, pangit na?" Hahaha. (Doris... yung pics natin habang "nagsha-shopping" ha?)

Next stop was Cineplex where we bought tickets for My Sassy Girl (the tagalized version, yes). Nagkagulo pa sa pagbili ng popcorn and stuff... ang kukulit! Hindi makapag-decide! Buti na lang walang nakapila dun sa snacks kung hindi siguro binato na sila ng piso sa batok. Bwahahaha!!!

The tagalized version of My Sassy Girl was okay, although it could've been recorded better. The voices were alright, but the sound levels fluctuated every now and then... and goodness me... the film was so full of scratches already it must've been passed on to five different cinemas (by a lagarista, of course) in its five days of screening. Anyhoo, it was fun to see a really nice movie like that on the big screen. (Did you see the UFO? Hee~! ^o^) And what's more fun is I got to see it with some of my favorite people on earth. I love you guys! Sa uulitin ha?

Last Week: Music 21 Aftermath

Yeap. We went to Music 21 along Jupiter Street, Makati to have a good time since it was Jackie's birthday, and most of the TSMI people were there. Actually, it was only Macri, Shig, Jervin and I who came in late since most of the TSMI peeps there are from the Day Shift (leche!). Ergo... everyone (well, almost) was drunk by the time we came in.

There were certain "kaguluhans" that came about... but I won't talk about it in detail anymore. I have short-term memory loss for negative things. Basta, I remember very vividly our McDonald's sequence after we came out of Music 21. Hahaha. Here are some pics:

Music 21 Refugees. Inside McDo: (L-R) Shig, Jervin & Tara. Outside McDo: (L-R) Jeric, Dexter, KC and Brian. Photo taken by Rodjay.

Moral of the Story: Huwag tumambay sa McDo pag lasing. (Hahaha! Yun ba talaga yun?) Go figure, drunk-ass. Hahaha!

New Artwork

I've been slaving (slaving daw oh) all Saturday night and experimenting on new artwork, new brushes and images. So here... I'm gonna share them with you, cos I also promised Mitzi I'll show her my "pang-adik" design. (Mitz, it's the black one... check it out.)

Image Credits: Soompi Stock Thread, Getty Images, Lee Dong Gun Gallery, SBS Lovers in Paris
Brushes:http://rebel-heart.net

Har. I LOVE Photoshop. Big time.

Mike, Mitzi, Doris, Mhel... thanks for the fun time yesterday! Sana maulit muli (by Gary Valenciano?) sa December! Christmas party uli? Baka drowing lang mangyari uli... dinner na lang! Wahahaha!!!

Oh, and Mike... whatever you decide on with your career, trust that I and the Mikesterz will always be behind you. I hope this time will be IT. Kaya mo yan... andito lang kami para sumuporta. Guess what? I've decided to re-launch your site too! ABANGAN...

RANDOM STUFF:
on Search for a Star in a Million judges: Kris' R&B version of Hard to Say I'm Sorry is original? Excuse me? AzYet has done that way back when I was in High School, don't you know? Hay... *slapping head* 'nuff said.
on Pinoy Big Brother nominees: I think it's time for Sam to go. My vote is on Jayson.
Currently re-watching: Lovers in Paris. *woot* Soo-Hyuk to-kki is so cute! Dayum!
Discovery Channel: Jo Han Sun. I've seen him in New Nonstop 3 before... but dayum, last night he was so yummy in Romance of Their Own. Si Ate Pearl, biglang nagkasala kay Ji Sub!

Amoy Mall!

2005-10-29T16:54:00.000+08:00

Current song craving: Heaven Knows (This Angel Has Flown) by Orange & Lemons)
[ Download ]
:: Link expires November 06 ::

Hahaha! Just this morning I was able to enjoy mall air again when I met up with co-LDG lovers Quellie (with her niece Tin Tin) and Eva to give them their copies of My Boyfriend is Type B which Ashley unni sent over from Singapore a few weeks back. We met up at Wendy's Glorietta 4 and had nice chat with them about --- who else ---? Hahaha! (Seriously, if you still don't know ---)

Eion... I enjoyed walking around the mall earlier. It's strange how therapeutic it could be. (Oy, therapeutic! English?) For the past few months my itineraries for the day only included office, 7-11, home, and maybe ocassionally, Watson's or Mercury Drug. Even when Mhaeanne (my cousin) and I met up two weeks ago, we didn't have time to walk around the mall because we were so busy catching up while having dinner at Cafe Bola.

*sigh* I'm looking forward to tomorrow... it's Mikesterz Reunion Day! Woot! Woot! We're having lunch and then movie (watching My Sassy Girl!) afterwards. Gawsh. I so miss these guys: Mitzi, Wella, Rocky, Dorisa, Mhel (mga partners in crime sa pagtili!), and siyempre si Mike. (Puwede ba namang makalimutan ang magandang yan? Hahaha!)

Anyhoo... Mikks posted these lovely scans of oppa's calendar over at the domain, and needless to say, I almost drooled to death and almost impulsively ordered my own copy. (But my wallet hindered me...) So here... I just made a simple graphic from one of the pics I liked:

Waiting for your love. Adobe Photoshop CS. [ Levels. Poster Edges. Film Grain. Lens Flare. Opacity. Font: Neverwinter ]

I have more wallies to share soon! *wink*

Random Stuff:
Heavenly Food: Segafredo's Mushroom Pizza with Pesto Sauce *clapping*
Missing: Ashley unni, who's in Seoul right now. Kainggit!
Pinoy Big Brother nominee: Say. I mean, WTF!? Gurl... it's just HAIR you know! Buti nga di ka pinagaya kay Franzen, or worse, Jayson!
on the Panday theme song: I really like Sugarfree... but... parang walang dating. Oh well.
on GMA-7 acquiring My Name is Kim Sam Soon: HUWATDA?!?! Nasa inyo na nga ang MISA! &%&@%#&%!!!

Ouch! My mouth hurts!

2005-10-24T00:45:00.000+08:00

If this had been Donggun Domain, my Banana Sister's would've asked:

OMO... what's Soo-Hyuk been up to now?

To which I will answer:

Soo-Hyuk wouldn't stop kissing me all night!

But this is NOT Donggun Domain, so I'd say:

I got my freakin' retainers again last Saturday!!! Argh! *slaps head* And now my mouth feels sore. I can only eat soft food now since my dentist advised me not to remove the retainers while I eat so that I'll get used to it. I can only remove them at night before going to bed, so that the "teeth-moving-process" would take a shorter time.

Damn. I feel like an idiot making faces because of these retainers. If you can only see me now, you'd say, "What the f*** are you doing to your face?" Hahaha. The price we have to pay for good-looking teeth eh? I chewed on two bags of marshmallows (but of course Sir Frank, Jervin and Nestor joined me in it too) last Saturday so that I could exercise my cramped mouth, and tomorrow I'm gonna buy two bags again.

*sigh* Okay, enough of that.
I've been experimenting with Photoshop again since I was so bored at the office the past week. I tried my hand at merging images (as you might have seen in the recent Lee Dong Gun wallie I made --- see previous post), and I played around with pictures of my favorite Korean actors and actresses.

You and I Will Travel Far Together
featuring: Jeon Ji Hyun (My Sassy Girl) & Jung Woo Sung (A Moment to Remember)

These pics are originally from the Giordano catalogue where Ji Hyun unni and Woo Sung oppa are endorsers. Like Kim Rae Won (My Little Bride) and Im Soo Jung (I'm Sorry, I Love You) who had chemistry oozing out of their photographs for another clothing catalogue, I found these two people so good looking together that I decided to play around with their summer catalogue.

I basically just put in all those images together, did a little tweaking with the opacity and merged them so that they'll look "uniform." Man, the eraser tool can do wonders, really.

Picture Perfect
featuring: Kim Rae Won (My Little Bride) & Im Soo Jung (I'm Sorry, I Love You)

What can I say? I love seeing this couple together, and this time I made a wallie out of the screencaps of their film ...ing. These are some memorable moments from the film, and my favorite pic among the ones I included in the wallie is... guess which!!! Hahaha! [It's the one on the upper right portion of the wallie. I like it because they look so happy together...]

As with the "You and I Will Travel Far Together" wallie, I had fun merging all these images together. I played with the layer modes though with the pics at the right side, aside from changing opacity.

There! Hee~! Isn't it obvious that I'm really turning into a freakin' geek now? Heeheehee. ^__^ The things that I do for love. (Ehem...)

***

Update on my fictional lovelife

Soo-Hyuk has been such a sweetheart today (oh... Monday na pala...), I mean yesterday, Sunday. Since he knew I couldn't eat really hard food, he made mashed potato for me and cooked the pork really well so it was tender and easy to chew.

Awww. My to-kki loves me!
And we even watched Stained Glass together! Heeheehee! ^__^

***

Okay, I need to sleep now. Hahaha!

Notty tots & Happy tots

2005-10-21T03:03:00.000+08:00

I'm feeling so happy right now that I'm scaring myself.

Truthfully. There's nothing really special going on with my life right now. I go to work 6 days a week, go online 8 hours a day, drink coffee at least two times a day and sleep at least 6-7 hours until I have to get back to work again. I don't have a lovelife (even though my Friendster account may say otherwise, hahaha!), I rarely go clubbing or nightlife-ing, and I don't have money to indulge myself in little pleasures I want.

So --- why am I feeling this way? (Hah! Over-analyzing again, Tara --- great, and then what?)

Actually, there are a lot of little things that keep my sanity afloat and my smiles constant these days. Let's name a few:

1. My *notty* donggundomain friends. (Keywords to get the party started: banana, licking, watermelons, ice cream, biceps, shower, pecs, biting, and so on...)
2. An unexpected phonecall from JC last Monday.
3. Deliveries from Yellow Cab Pizza & McDonald's.
4. The DongGun Dinnertime Gang! (Bring me my soju. Or die.)
5. Soompi forums.
6. Sleeping until 1130am (in which case I wake up with Rubi --- yes, the bida-kontrabida --- in front of me).
7. Being free to go on little trips. (To Cubao, to Makati. Ang layo!)
8. Saving money in my bank account.
9. Adobe Photoshop 7.0 (can you say, geek?)
10. Korean dramas/movies.
11. Jojo's flashdrive.
12. Lee Dong Gun oppa's videos. (HUM ROCKS!)
13. Thinksmart Marketing peeps (Love stinks, pare! Swabe!).
14. My client bonus!
15. Old Wazzup family pictures.
16. A parcel from Singapore. (Thank you unni!)
17. The prospect of shopping in Divisoria again.
18. Having money to shop in Divisoria again.
19. Connecting with old friends via the Internet.
20. Gaining new friends via the Internet.

Hahaha! So I am a full-fledged netizen now, am I? Blame it on my job. I'm becoming a geek now. I swear to God if Adobe Photoshop were a man I would really ask him to marry me! I'm so in love with Photoshop right now! I can do whatever I wanna do with my stock pics!

Wanna see a new artwork I did?
Hee~! ^__^ Here... fresh from the slate!

These are wallpapers inspired by the song She's Out of My Life originally done by Michael Jackson and then revived by 98degrees and Josh Groban. I saw Josh' (uy... close? First name basis!?) version on MYX earlier and decided to make a wallie out of it.

Who's featured in the wallie? Come on... you'd better ask a much deeper question than that. Hahaha!

*sigh* I'm so happy I'm really scaring myself. Either I'm going completely insane day by day... or there's just something ahead that will take all this happiness away. I sincerely hope I'm just going insane.

Random things:

Currently listening to: My Korean OST compilation (downloaded from soompi)
for Pinoy Big Brother eviction: Chx or Cass
on Shake's Search for a Star in a Million loss: Damn it! Tony should've been voted out from the beginning!
Goin' Bulilit: 2 weeks absent na ako! ARGH!
pissed about: The "tax" that the Makati Post Office put on unni's parcel! Damn it was expensive!

How to tell if you already need a real-life romance:

2005-10-15T16:19:00.000+08:00

(AKA Your boyfriend is a moviestar...)

1. You find foreign names scribbled all over your school/office notes, i.e. Brad Pitt, Tom Welling, Zhu Xiao Tian, Lee Dong Gun.

2. You keep gazillions of pictures of him in your PC, sometimes in your wallet (purchased in one of those stores in Divisoria or taft Avenue).

3. If you know how to do graphics design using any graphics software, chances are you've already tried merging your picture with his to create an illusion that the two of you have already met in the flesh... or have exchanged wedding vows.

4. If he's Chinese, Korean, Japanese... you try learning his language and use it everyday as if it were second nature to you.

5. Your head spins at the mere mention of: a) his oh-so-nice name, b) his movies/dramas, c) his movie/drama character names, and; d) his home country.

6. You name your pillow after him... and tell your friends about it.

7. You are an elite member (or even an administrator) of one of his e-groups, and you religiously log into it every single day.

8. You get sick or go crazy when you can't go online in his e-group in which you are a member of.

9. You are in the illusion that he (or one of his movie/drama alter egos) IS your boyfriend.

10. Even your mother knows that he (or one of his movie/drama alter egos) IS your boyfriend.

^___^ How do I know these? Trust me. I just know.

* * *

Oh, by the way... have I introduced you to my boyfriend, Yoon Soo-Hyuk? He's a real hottie. What does he do? Oh, he's a drummer for a local pub. He has this really sexy goatee that I adore, and sometimes becomes the butt of our arguments when he decides to shave it all off. He's also into designing cars, but he loves his music more. He drives a really sleek red Ducati, and he writes songs too! Perfect guy, you say??? Uhm... not really.

He's got a really violent temper, and he likes things done his way. He just came from a really bad relationship (Well... I'm not sure if I should call it a relationship because he and the girl never really got committed to each other --- the girl ended up with his brother who, he thought was his uncle all his life! --- so there.), and I'm kinda nervous that our relationship came from a "rebound" of sorts, you know.

Anyhoo, we're pretty okay now, Soo-Hyuk ssi and I. We get along most days. I hate it when he goes on an all-night gig and leaves his keys behind... and he ends up waking me in the wee hours of morning so he could get inside the house. I hate it when the house is a mess because of the music sheets he studies. I hate it when he gets really mad with someone and starts letting his anger out physically. Yeah... I hate that.

But I love it when we go grocery shopping together --- he pushes the cart, I ride it --- and sometimes I get to ride on his back on our way home. I love it when he's all touchy and protective when we're inside the pub he's playing in. I love it when he cooks breakfast and burns the eggs and ham but ends up eating them anyway. I love calling him my to-kki (bunny in Korean). I love watching him shave and smelling his cheeks afterwards. I love his smile that looks like a smirk. Oh, I love a lot of things about him... I can go on and on all day and night and never miss a beat telling you what I love about him.

Soo-Hyuk to-kki... mianhaeyo. I know we should keep this a secret, but I can't help it. Chongmal saranghanda... Tangsini man hangsang saranghae.

***

See what I mean? *wink, wink*

Random Stuff:
Currently listening to : Heaven Knows (The Angel Has Flown) by Orange & Lemons
Search for a Star in A Million bet : Jimmy and Shake
Pinoy Big Brother bet : Franzen, Jason or Nene
Guilty TV pleasure : Stained Glass Once Again
Favorite download for the week : Lee Dong Gun's Hum-Hum pictorial video

21 random facts about me...

2005-10-05T00:30:00.000+08:00

Okay, in the actual survey it's 20, but since I like the number 21...

1. I love music. I've always believed that without music, life would be hell. My faves right now are pop rock hits, Korean drama OST (they just make some great instrumentals), and danceable tunes.

2. Jigeum nanun aju haengbok hamnida. (Roughly: I am very happy right now.) I can't explain why, or how it happened... but I'm just feeling peachy everyday. There are some frustrating and unhappy moments, but generally, life has been good to me lately.

3. I like the color red. It's probably because my birthday falls on the love month, and because I am ALWAYS in love. With whom? We'll get to that later...

4. Sometimes my dreams become true. I swear. This is why sometimes when I dream of bad things I just really become upset (like last Monday, I had a really bad dream about JC) and pray that it doesn't happen at all.

5. I'm not into jewelry. Unlike most girls my age, I don't collect earrings, bracelets, necklaces and stuff. Right now, I only wear a ring on my left ring finger. Not even a pair of earrings. Nakasangla lahat eh. Harhar. No, seriously. I'm just not into jewelry that much.

6. I never let my nails grow too long. I just get irritated when my nails become long and dirty.

7. I like eating bananas with peanut butter. Think it's weird? Masarap kaya! Try niyo lang...

8. I am a TV addict. That was before though. I hardly watch TV nowadays because of my work hours, but when I get the chance I just laze in front of the TV and watch whatever's on.

9. I feel sad when Christmas comes near. I don't know why, but I always feel sad when Christmas comes. All those carols, Christmas lights and the air of Christmas... they make me feel lonely.

10. I love Photoshop! And I love it more because I can do lots of things with it. Wallies, movie posters, forum siggies and avatars... Hee!~

11. I am a coffee-holic. Those who have been reading my Jologs with Style blog last year might already know this. I can drink around 4 cups (mugs) of coffee everyday. Especially now that I am always in front of the PC at work, coffee should be a staple!!!

12. I can't sleep without a foot pillow. Ever since I was a kid, I would always have to have a coarse-feeling object at my feet so that I could rub my feet against it. Else, I cannot sleep at all. Unless of course I'm dead tired.

13. I love reading. I just don't have the time now. The last book I read was Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. There are a lot more books I wanna read... if only I had the time!!! Argh!

14. One of my dreams is to be able to play the drums. I have a pair of drumsticks at home that I try to fiddle with (it's from our drummer Bennii) but no drums to play! Wahahaha! Poor me.

15. I am an insomniac. I rarely sleep before 2am. Which explain my pimples... growing over old pimples. Argh.

16. I'm trying to learn Korean. And I'm getting pretty good at it too. Hee!~ Me wanna go to Korea soon!

17. I like shopping in ukays. Why? Because they have so many one-of-a-kind stuff!!! I have plenty of items in my closet that I bought from ukays here in Manila and in Baguio... and I just love them so much! Mura pa!

18. My current boyfriend's name is Yoon Soo-Hyuk. He's a drummer. He wears a sexy goatee, and has got a mean temper. But I love him so much! Soo-Hyuk ssi... tangsini naui yongwonhi sarang imnida...(Hee!~ Go figure.)

19. I believe in angels. And I firmly believe that my big brother, Kevin, is an angel now... and that he's watching over me all the time.

20. I get OC sometimes. Most especially with my written work. I like it written in a certain way, with a certain font, etc. If I don't like the first one, I create another version. I don't erase... never.

21. I am in love with Lee Dong Gun. Isn't it obvious? *shakes head* I practically filled this blog with my oppa's face, didn't I? Seriously, he's my inspiration right now. Haha! Baliw-baliwan! Dong Gun ui oppa, tangsini man hangsang sarang hae yo...

Something new about my "Kuya"

2005-10-01T15:33:00.000+08:00

Wacky Shot!,
originally uploaded by taraskye.

I must've posted this pic on the net for a million times already (Exaj!), but yeah, I don't get tired of this. I actually have this in my wallet pa. O... showbiz ko, diba? *wink* I just like this pic so much, kasi may isang taong nagpaunlak magpa-picture na mukhang gago. (At hindi ako yun!)

I checked my mail today and got a Google Alert for Vhong Navarro. (O sige nga, sino sa inyo ang may Google Alert sa kanya? Ako lang 'ata! Wahahaha!!!) I clicked on the link and read the article, tapos bigla kong naalala, na-miss ko pala siya!

Here's the article written by Danny Vibas (nicked this from ABS-CBN News). I posted some side comments also (in italics).

***

Dancer-turned-comedian Vhong Navarro is a fine guy. He's warm, articulate, chatty and yet almost soft-spoken. But he is not always an easy interviewee. He hedges a lot and does it with a lot of sense of humor. Which --- thankfully for him ---keeps the press from wringing his neck.

Here's an example: The fine guy has a new album from Star Records entitled Don Romantiko where he has a duet with his one-time leading lady, Toni Gonzaga, rumored to be his real-love interest. The song is called "Kasama Kang Tumanda." A colleague then asked Vhong if he ever told Toni, "I love you"?

Vhong answered in Pilipino: "Have I told her 'I love you'? Not straight out --- yet. But I have had a crush on her ever since she did a commercial with Piolo Pascual. Now why hasn't a relationship developed yet? I haven't taken it to Kodak."

^^^ Kuya Vhong and Tin? Woah!

At first I thought this was just a promo thing for D' Anothers, but now he's actually saying he has this crush on Tin? *gasp* I didn't know that!!!

On set (Wazzup), Kuya Vhong's always been the "Kuya" to Tin. Alam ko ganun din ang turing ni Tin sa kanya. So medyo... shocked lang ako anoh, na may ganitong klaseng balita. Hahaha!

Well anyhoo, if it really comes to that (Kuya Vhong and Tin being an item), wow... hindi ko lang alam kung ano ang magiging reaksyon ko! Wahahaha!!! ^^^

Another show-biz scribe inquired if there was a chance he would get back with his ex-girlfriend, the sexy actress Diana Zubiri. Again, he responded in his roundabout way: "Don Romantiko is from ABS-CBN, Diana is from Encantadia. I hope she's happy."

^^^ This reply is so Vhong Navarro!!! Heeheehee! I've tried interviewing him twice already, and he's very fond of playing around with words and eventually escaping the question he doesn't want to answer. ^^^

But every so often, Vhong just says straight out that he would rather not talk about a certain topic. Such as his petition for annulment with his estranged wife, the actress Bianca Lapus, with whom he has a son.

"Yes, I was the one who filed it, not her. But, sorry, we're in the gag phase of the proceedings now, so I can't comment on it," he said, sounding sincerely apologetic.

Early this year, someone approached Vhong and presented to him a 9-year-old boy named Bruno, who is supposedly his son. When he learned who the boy's mother was, he acknowledged that he had indeed been with the girl when he was only 18 years old, and had no idea that their relationship bore a child. He had the boy DNA tested. The result was positive.

These days, talking about his two sons turn funny man Vhong serious. Dead serious. Sometimes, to the point of tears. When he appeared on ABS-CBN 2's "The Buzz" to promote a movie, he unabashedly cried when host Boy Abunda asked him to talk to his sons. Through his tears, he told them how much he loves them despite what happened between him and their mothers. He said they were his source of strength, his inspiration to do well in his career so he could go on to provide for them.

"When I talk about my two sons, I am touched deeply. I've been very busy and I know I haven’t given them a lot of attention. But now, I try to get them on weekends so we can go out together and they can get to know each other. They know they're brothers."

A product of a broken family himself, Vhong admits that a sense of humor always helped him cope.

^^^ I didn't see that The Buzz interview but my friend Cel texted me about it. Albeit sad that Kuya Vhong has to go through all this, I'm pretty damn sure he could surpass them. *wink* Diba, Kuya Vhong? ^^^

Ever the busy star, Vhong is set to shoot another film with Toni Gonzaga very soon. There is hardly any downtime when it comes to this guy's career.

^^^ Another movie with Tin? Naks!

I hope this time mas mahaba ang exposure ni Tin sa movie. D' Anothers had Tin only for about 45 minutes, I guess. But then again, she made an impact on the audience with her talent. Husay ni Tin! ^^^

When asked how he deals with fame, Vhong confessed that he works hard at letting it go to his head --- even when the fortune that comes with it has afforded him two houses and several cars.

"Before I sleep, I always pray, 'Lord, help me to stay the same and to remain disciplined.' I also keep real friends around me, to remind me to keep my feet on the ground and not to step on other people."

^^^ Now this is true. I haven't seen Kuya Vhong pray before going to bed, but I HAVE seen him pray before a live show. Kahit makalokohan 'tong taong 'to, it's good that he never forgets to ask for guidance from God. After all, HE is the one showering so many blessings on Kuya. ^^^

Vhong's real name is Ferdinand Bong Navarro. He was named after Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the only son of the late president. It was out of his youthful sense of humor that he changed the spelling of "Bong" to "Vhong." Apparently, every time he talks about the origin of his name, he always impishly reveals a funnier tidbit: "My mother's name is Imelda, which is probably why she named me Ferdinand Bong!"

^^^ Hindi pa pala laos ang joke na ito?!? Hehe. Peace tayo, Kuya!

***

Side Story: I texted Kuya Vhong after I read this article earlier, and I was surprised that he replied. (Hindi kasi siya pala-text.) He asked, "Ano nakasulat sa akin?" referring to the article I mentioned. Hahaha! Conscious sa write up!

I texted him back and assured him that no negative things were written about it, else I would've erupted into an angry fit before I texted him. At aba! Nag-reply uli!!! (Bored 'ata, walang magawa.)

He simply said, "Hehe. Tnx po. Ingat."

Miss you na, Kuya.

"I'll never go far away from you..."

2005-09-29T17:25:00.000+08:00

Stained Glass : Once Again,
originally uploaded by taraskye.

Seeing the Stained Glass : Once Again teaser at 1:30 in the morning made me want to scream, cry and faint. (Wag muna die, saka na yun!) I was one of the Pinay LDG Dreamers who first saw the teaser, and was online at the time so siyempre mega-balita ako sa Donggun Domain. Excited? Super.

Now, Stained Glass isn't really my favorite Lee Dong Gun drama, but the thought of seeing him again on Philippine TV made my heart really happy. I rarely watch Sweet 18 on GMA-7 kasi it's too early (puyatera kasi ako), and Sang-Doo Let's Go to School's (ano ba title nito sa GMA???) timeslot is within my workshift so I really don't see much of oppa these days unless I camp out in Donggun Domain nga.

So... sige na nga. Kahit siniraan ng ABS-CBN Publishing si oppa sa The Buzz magazine last month, I'm happy pa rin because ABS-CBN's going to air Stained Glass again. Meaning, I will be able to see oppa's crooked ties, droopy eyes and one-sided smiles. Not to mention the kissing scene which took 6 hours to shoot! (Curse you, Ha Neul! Curse you! Hahaha! Jus' kidding!)

I'll never go far away from you...
even the sky will tell you that I need you so...

I can still remember one of the lines that Lee Dong Gun's character said in he series, which reflects the emotion I have right now (I might be paraphrasing, okay?):

Pakiramdam mo, hawak mo ang buong mundo habang hinihintay mo ang mahal mo...

And I definitely, I feel like I own the whole world waiting to see my Lee Dong Gun. <3

Stained Glass : Once Again airs over ABS-CBN 2 beginning this Sunday after ASAP Fanatic.

... ing

2005-09-28T17:56:00.000+08:00

My *beb* & Me.,
originally uploaded by taraskye.

I'm missing my *beb*.

Actually, I'm missing the rest of the Wazzup people I've been close to. Allow me to reminisce and remember my closest Wazzup friends... and what I miss about them.

THE STAFF

I miss Chaps and...
:: His impersonation of Mike Enriquez (Mga kapuso... ehem, ehem, excuse me po!).
:: His funny face even though he's not trying to be funny.
:: His "angry" disposition during Monday, kasi episode niya. Ngarasst siya.
:: His OC-ness with the newspaper rations. ("Pag ginulo niyo yang mga yan, papatayin ko kayo!)
:: His REALLY big hug and the words, "Tara, ipinahamak ba kita?"

I miss Jigs and...
:: His impression of the announcer in Flirt, a bar somewhere in Cubao. ("Allan get up on stage right now, Chappy get read-eh (ready)!)
:: His hilarious (but anonymous!) notes in the Wazzup logbook.
:: His impression of a photocopying machine when he writes his Reklamador scripts. (Sumusuka ng script is more like it!)
:: His very big and chubby tummy!

I miss Allan (bakz) and...
:: The way he walks around ABS-CBN. (According to Chaps, parang sawa na raw sa buhay niya.)
:: His impersonation of Ms. Noemi, with matching piyok!
:: The way he laughs when he makes kuwento of his gimik the night before.
:: His immortal line >> (Over the phone, at 2:00am: "Tara, ano'ng gagawin ko???)

I miss Ate Shey and...
:: Her extremely long notes in the Wazzup logbook. Minsan kalokohan, minsan kadramahan.
:: The fun times we had shooting Reklamador.
:: The agony of shooting Marinara. (Na-miss ko raw? Bwahahaha!)
:: Our kalandian when there are guwapo guys around the set.

I miss Ate Bebeth and...
:: Her kajologsan. (Wahaha! Mabuhay ka, Ate Bebeth!)
:: Making kulit about Tonioke.
:: Practicing Tonioke with her.
:: The stubborn way she makes pilit her lyrics para magkasya sa stanza.
:: Her sweetness and caring nature.

I miss Papa Eric and...
:: Our very GAY song games we played in North Harbor.
:: His mp3 player which has If I'm Not In Love With You and Like A Prayer.
:: His being very patient with me. As in.
:: Him calling me Mama when I call him Papa. (Kiligin daw ba?)

I miss Mark and...
:: Eating in Mr. Kabab with him!
:: The way he laughs, na parang wala nang bukas.
:: "Gusto mo yon..." -- Mark's staple lines.
:: His "innocent" kabastusan. Kabastusan pero feeling inosente! Asus!

I miss Red and...
:: His car! (Wahahaha!!!)
:: His cd player and headphones.
:: Yung pagka-feeling niya na asawa niya si Kitchie Nadal.
:: Our "bull" session in Gerardo's... without the "bull." (Anu kaya yun?)

I miss Sheiden and...
:: Our very intimate bonding moments. Usapang heart. Sa loob ng CR ng ELJ 2nd floor!!!
:: Calling her "beb."
:: Daydreaming of Drew with her. (Wahahaha! Bukuhan na!)
:: Eating adobo mushroom in MIP with her.
:: Listening to "I Can't Make You Love Me" and "Just Take My Heart" with her sa Wazzup office.

Hay... I'm missing a lot of people and a lot of things. Generally, I miss the Wazzup people because they're as insane as me... and sometimes even more! But, however insane they may be, they're still my first family in ABS-CBN!

Shout-outs to the original Wazzup gang! You know who you are!!! *wink, wink* Hope to meet you one of these days! Chongmal saranghanda... <3

My Sassy Girl

2005-09-28T15:16:00.000+08:00

mysassygirlposter,
originally uploaded by taraskye.

I know that this post is long overdue. As in LOOOONG OVERDUE.

I've seen My Sassy Girl quite a few times already, and it never fails to amuse me. It's not the first Korean movie I've seen, but it WAS the first Korean movie I've seen in FULL. Most of the movies I've seen in Arirang I started in the middle or towards the end already. So... technically, this is the first Korean movie I've seen. (Dami pang sinabi, ganun din naman pala ang kalalabasan. Shet!)

Anyhoo, I think it's cool that My Sassy Girl is gonna be shown in Philippine theaters soon (October 13, mark your calendars, people!). I haven't seen any other Korean film shown in local theaters other than those horror movies. I wished they show more romantic comedies, because Koreans really make good ones. I swear.

No "Sarang hae yo."

Some people say My Sassy Girl is a wonderful romantic movie. Some people say it's overrated and there's nothing really special about it.

I say, My Sassy Girl really amazed me.

Koreans have this knack for putting in little elements in their movies and serials that somehow don't make sense or don't seem to matter in the beginning. These elements continuously appear throughout the movie until we all realize in the end that they are really important plot points or themes. My Sassy Girl is no different. It has little elements scattered all over it that you might miss when you watch it for the first time, and then when you go watch it again, you'll be able to say, "Ah... oo nga noh!"

I liked My Sassy Girl because of its elements. (I'm not going to enumerate them one by one because not all of you might have seen it.) It made me watch the film with a keen eye and an open mind for symbolisms.

More than that, the movie also taught me that you CAN make a romantic movie without making the actors say "I love you" to one another. For those who've seen the film, did you notice that never once in the entire film that the lead actors said "I love you" to each other? And yet when we get to the end of the movie, we believe so earnestly that the two leads (played excellently by Jeon Ji Hyun and Cha Tae Hyun) are completely in love with each other. Hayop 'diba?

Just when we thought romance consisted of constant "I love you's," roses, kisses and embraces, here comes a movie that totally breaks through that stereotype and tells us that love can blossom from constant "Wanna die's," short futuristic stories, face slaps and shoe exchanges.

It's that good.

Hmmm...

Makapanood na nga sa October 13! Mitzi, magtawag na tayo ng mga ka-relihiyon natin!

My Sassy Girl (Korean) : Jeon Ji Hyun | Cha Tae Hyun
Channel Manager Rating : Five Taters popcorn buckets!!!

Busy ako!!!

2005-09-27T17:38:00.000+08:00

kunwari serious!,
originally uploaded by taraskye.

Wahahaha!!!

Actually, I'm just trying this Flickr function for blogs... kaya eto, text post. I don't remember when this picture was taken. Basta... I was in Wazzup pa then, and I think si Kapatid na Red ang kumuha nitong pic na ito.

Hahaha!
Busy-busyhan ang lola niyo!

"Kuya" Mania

2005-09-25T17:42:00.000+08:00

I haven't really been able to watch Pinoy Big Brother that much since it started because of my shift schedule, but I try to learn about the happenings in the show through their website and the Up Late episodes.

Yesterday was the second eviction night, and I'm quite contented that the person I wanted to get evicted was the one who got evicted. (Hahaha! JB-hater!) Personally, my bets are Franzen, Jayson, and Nene. I hope they all stay longer inside the house, and that one of them wins the Grand Prize.

Anyhoo... my friend Wella sent this over today, and I was really laughing my head off at this. Let me now direct you to the person beside me in the succeeding pic:

Click on the picture to view its original size.

It's UMA!!!

I got to meet Uma around this time last year in Starbucks ELJ Building. He was with my friend, Kuya Ruel, and another friend, Ayan. Wella and I were waiting for Michael to finish an interview, and they became our instant chatmates. Nakakatuwa lang, after losing contact with Uma and Ayan (I saw Ayan a couple of times after pa), bigla na lang nasa Pinoy Big Brother na siya! Hahaha!

Well... all I can say is good luck to Uma, although hindi ko siya bet! Wahahaha! Ang sama! It's still interesting to watch him in PBB everyday, marami akong natututunan sa kanya! Wahahaha!!!

*sings* Pinoy ikaw ay Pinoy, ipakita sa mundo...

Lee Dong Gun Film Festival!!!

2005-09-24T17:41:00.000+08:00

Wow... September 09 was my last post?
Jeez!

I'm so sorry to those who have been very patient with me, waiting for updates on my blog right here. It's just that nothing really THAT eventful is happening to me right now, that's why I have nothing to say. Hahaha!

Actually, the one thing that keeps me really kippeun (happy) these days is Dong Gun Domain. The people there are just so michoso like me, I love it!!!

So yeah... I've been hanging out there basically everyday, and I've been sharing my artworks with them. Quite frankly, it's the only facet of my existence (naks, lalim! Anu yun?) that's worth sharing right now, so... without further ado, here's my new collection of Lee Dong Gun fantasy movie posters.

Note: I've resized them so that those with slow connections could access my blog quickly (ehem, Peter!). Just click on the icons to see the original version. ;) Hope you like them!

Left: Out of Reach : Adobe Photoshop 7.0 [ Texturizer, Opacity Changes, Shadows ]
Right: Rebel Without a Cause : Adobe Photoshop 7.0 [ Poster Edges, Opacity Changes, Shadows ]

Music of my Heart : Adobe Photoshop 7.0 [ Luminosity, Free Transform, Healing Brush, Shadows ]

May I add that the Rebel Without a Cause poster was inspired by a conversation sparked among Dong Gun Dinnertime Gang members @shley, suz and yours truly? Thanks to my lovely sisters, I made a really strong-looking poster like that. Loving it!

ROMdotCOM: Love is online.

My Dreamer sisters and I recently started a collaboration fan fic collectively entitled ROMdotCOM. It stars seven different couples in seven separate but somehow interconnected stories. The funny thing about it is that all seven stories star Lee Dong Gun in his different soap and movie characters!

Currently, we are "webcasting" all the Chapter Fours of the fan fic in Dong Gun Domain, so if you guys wanna have a whiff of just how crazy we all are, do drop by at our domain and camp out with us!

Meanwhile, here are five (I just finished five) of the fantasy movie posters inspired by five of the seven fics under the ROMdotCOM fan fic umbrella. Have a look:

Left: Don't Let Go : Adobe Photoshop 7.0 [ Texturizer, Lighting Effects, Opacity Changes ]
Right: Talk To Me : Adobe Photoshop 7.0 [ Texturizer, Paintbrushes, Shadows ]

Left: A Paparazzi Love Affair : Adobe Photoshop 7.0 [ Luminosity, Shapes, Lines, Opacity Changes, Shadows ]
Right: Hate Me Not : Adobe Photoshop 7.0 [ Texturizer, Paintbrushes, Opacity Chages, Emboss Effects, Shadows ]

Someday Soon: Adobe Photoshop 7.0 [ Lighting Effects, Texturizer, Shadows ]

Whew!!!
That was quite a lot, wasn't it?

Well, that's what's occupying my time right now, besides work, of course! I hope you enjoyed my little Lee Dong Gun fantasy Film Festival!!!

Till next!

Tags and Random Things

2005-09-09T18:58:00.000+08:00

Darn.

Would you believe that I got sick (I'm asthmatic, hindi lang halata) and absented myself from work on my baby John's birthday??? (September 6, Tuesday) Ampangit ng timing, diba? Demmet.

Baby John and Eliza posing like Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa. Cuteness!

Anyway... I wanna greet my baby John a belated Happy Birthday! Sorry dear, wala pa yun gift ko sa iyo. Hayaan mo, magbe-belated visit na lang ako sa set niyo one Sunday para mabigay ko sa iyo ang gift ko. I hope you had a great one. Love you always!!!

Okay, moving on. Hay... I hate getting sick. You tend to just lie around the house and think of things that ahave passed. In my case, I was transported to my Wazzup days. Especially because my sister managed to "unearth" some Wazzup pictures I've forgotten were in my possession pala. So ayun, mega-reminisce naman ako.

Siyempre, uber-text rin ako to the Wazzup people I'm close to. Nakakatuwa. The best text message of all??? It's the one that came from Drew. Ahihi. Hindi pa rin nawawala yung pagka-crush ko sa kanya 'noh? Kainis lang, when he texted me back, I fell asleep that I didn't get to answer right away. So ayun... when I texted him again, hindi na siya nakasagot. Huhu. Babo.

*sigh* Ay tama na nga! Ayoko na munang mag-reminisce habang wala pang alak sa tabi ko. Hahaha! (As if!)

For the record, I don't drink. I have such low tolerance for alcohol, I swear.

Okay! Let me answer some people's tags first:

mtz: lola mukhang haggard ang kagandahan mo ah wala bang post jan? dont tell me ur still keeping long shifts? gah. mis ya lots ^_^

Hay naku, Mitz, when you get back I have lots of kuwento about work. Nakakaloka! I don't work overtime anymore... but I feel bad about it. I'm camping at the new forum of my oppa... pakana ni Quellie. Still remember her? Of course you do!!!

If you have time, visit our new domain... Lee Dong Gun Domain Philippines. Masaya, super! Daming eye-candy!!!

macy: you and my mom should get together, hahaha! she has like dozens of box sets of korean dramas. can you say addict!? i catch her up watching those dvds at three in the morning!

Naku, ang cool naman ng mommy mo! Mommy ko rin ganyan, pero for selected Korean actors lang. Magkakasundo nga kami ng Mommy mo. Reyna rin ako ng puyatan eh! Ngayon nga, nag-iipon na ako ng lakas kasi I have to finish two serials: Attic Cat tsaka MISA (rewatch lang naman).

Best regards, Macy! Ibalik niyo na Tonioke! Hahaha!

anna: yay! another k-addict like me^^ love your site. wazzup kid ka din? any chance you know shey?

Hello Anna! Thank you for dropping by. Yes, I know Ate Shey. She was my first SP for Reklamador, and then eventually my AP before I left. Siguro magka-batch kayo sa UP noh?

Oh, by the way... thank you for appreciating the site. ;)

pauline: Funny.. very funny.. sana he'll stay but i don't think he would na eh.. his character needs to go to Singapore. LOL. But i hope he could stay as long as he could! =D

pauline: ate tars! Andun pa pla sa IALSA si JC.. LOL.. ang ganda ng mga eksena nya dun! Heheh. =D

Hay naku... nag-absent ako ng isang araw, hindi ko naman napanood si JC! Azar! Oo nga pala... yang si JC may atraso sa akin. Hahaha! Ayoko na lang magkuwento, sa amin-amin na lang yun, pero naku! Wag mo na muna ipaalala sa akin yang si JC dahil naku, nalulukring ako!

Ahvic: Sorry kung ngaun lang me ulit nkadalaw..sobrang hectic kasi ng work ko e..6 to 6 ba nman..aniweiz d p rin nmn me nka2limot e,sana ikw din po!

Hello Ahvic! Okay lang... ako nga hindi nakakapagblog eh. ;) Okay lang po yun... galingan mo sa work mo ha? Wag masyadong magpaka-haggard. Also, I've updated my fiction blog... last three chapters na lang ang natitira!!! Waaahhh!

wella: ano na????

Wala naman masyado!!!

faye: don't wori ate..aalagaan ko sarili ko lagi.. magkikta pa tayo diba?..ahehe..ingat ka rin lagi.. loveu2!!

Mabuti naman! At oo... bilisan mong lumaki para magkita na tayo! Hahaha! Loveyou, bunso! Take care and God bless. :) Mwah!

Done! Hahaha! At last, nakasagot din ako ng tags ng mga tao!!! Hehehe...

And before I go, I'm gonna leave you with one of my most recent Lee Dong Gun fantasy movie posters. Go figure out why I thought of this theme altogether. Hahaha.

He's My Boss
Adobe Photoshop 7.0
Effects used: Pattern Fill, Opacity Changes, Shadows

Movie Posters Collection (Part 2)

2005-08-29T15:56:00.000+08:00

And here are posters of two people who really look good together in their pictorials. Man... if I didn't know about these two I'd immediately conclude that they're a couple! You'd be surprised at their chemistry in pictures... just amazing. By the way, they are Kim Rae Won (Attic Cat, Love Story in Harvard) and Im Soo Jung (I'm Sorry, I Love You).

Ride With Me

The title Ride With Me was inspired by the clothing line that this couple is endorsing: clride. It is in the clride pictorials that we discovered this couple's chemistry because they look so good together and comfortable with each other!

The main picture of the poster is from the fall/winter catalogue of clride, while he other pictures are from the spring/summer catalogue.

Ride With Me: Adobe Photoshop 6.0
(Effects used: Rough Pastels, Opacity Changes, Stroke for Images, Text Shadow)

Be With You

I was listening to Mr. Big's song, Be With You, the day I made this poster. I was just randomly checking out Rae Won's thread when I saw this adorable picture of them in the motion picture "...ing" and immediately, the song was stuck in my mind.

I'm the one who wants to be with you
deep inside I hope you feel it too...

Be With You: Adobe Photoshop 6.0
(Effects used: Texture Filter, Stroke for Images, Film Grain)

Coming Soon: More Lee Dong Gun movie posters!!!

Movie Posters Collection (Part 1)

2005-08-29T15:40:00.000+08:00

I've been having a blast creating movie posters in Adobe Photoshop lately, of course, starring my one and only oppa (the love of my life at this moment) and I've been sharing them in soompi for two weeks now, I think. Today I've decided to share it here in my blog too... for the whole world to see (and figure out how michoso (crazy) I am for Lee Dong Gun oppa.

Here are some of the posters I made:

Chasing Rainbows

Basing on a song entitled "A Million Miles Away" originally done by Joey Albert, I created this poster with a "Nottinghill" inspired storyline in mind, thus explaining the appearance of the picture and the supposed "glares" from cameras flashing. The phrase "chasing rainbows" is included in the song's chorus that says:

Just give it a try, though I'm not chasing rainbows in the sky
I wanna hold you in my dreams and make believe that it's true
although I know, I know that it's impossible to do
coz' you're a star, people love you as you are,
you're a million miles away from me...

Chasing Rainbows: Adobe Photoshop 6.0
(Effects used: Rough Pastels, Texture Filter, Lens Flare, Text Stroke)

Could You Be Loved

The blurbs I used for this poster starring Lee Dong Gun and his lady-love Han Ji Hye were taken from the song "Happy Together," while the main title is also a title of a song... although I don't know how to sing it or who sang the song. Hehe. Anyway, the picture is an outtake from a scene that was cut from the motion picture "My Boyfriend is Type B" starring these two beautiful people.

So there, I found the picture cute... so I decided to make a movie poster out of it. :)

Could You Be Loved: Adobe Photoshop 6.0
(Effects used: Texture Filter, Opacity Changes, Text Shadow)

Return To Me

Return To Me is the mother of all movie posters... it is where all the movie posters I've been churning out had started. It was inspired by the sad back shot of Dong Gun ui oppa which was taken from Lovers in Paris. I found myself just staring at the picture for a few minutes and felt really sad that I decided to make a really sad movie poster out of it. The other picture is a screencap from Lovers in Paris too. If you've seen the series, you might be able to figure that out by yourself, huh?

Return To Me: Adobe Photoshop 6.0
(Effects used: Opacity Changes, Rough Pastels, Cloning Stamp, Text Outer Glow)

More posters coming up!!!
See you at the movies!

Fan Fiction Advisory

2005-08-26T18:31:00.000+08:00

Hello My Cloudy Eyed Girl readers,

First of all, thank you for all your comments and good remarks about my first Lee Dong Gun inspired fan fic My Cloudy Eyed Girl. I appreciate all the love you've given this blog, and continuously inspire me to write and share what I write. Komapsuhmnida, everyone! You make me happy with every comment you post here... and with every show of support you give to my oppa. :)

Currently, I am writing a new fan fiction entitled Be Still, My Heart, also starring Lee Dong Gun and Kwon Sang Woo. I'm aiming for it to be a beautiful yet tragic love story of four souls who found love in each other but have to eventually let it go.

For that, I'm sharing with you a sample artwork I made for the next fan fic. I hope you guys like it.

Edited as of August 26, 2005

I am hoping that you will welcome Be Still, My Heart in the manner that you have embraced My Cloudy Eyed Girl. Hopefully also, I can finish the story as soon as possible so that you will not miss the fictional but still lovable Lee Dong Gun filling in a new role.

Again, thank you very much for the time you have given My Cloudy Eyed Girl. Heaven bless your hearts!

~tara
author, My Cloudy Eyed Girl (MCEG)

P.S. (8.26.05) Here's an icon I made for My Cloudy Eyed Girl. If you wanna link me up to your blog, site or whatever, please use the smaller version. Click the smaller version of the icon to be able to access it from Photobucket and save it on your PC. Thanks so much!

Tama ba 'to?

2005-08-25T12:27:00.000+08:00

Just logged in to soompi and stationed myself in my oppa's thread when I saw these animated gifs of him in Stained Glass posted by cometgao... she posted four gifs, but only one really caught my friggin' attention!!!

It's this one!

Waaaahhh! Tama ba namang lagyan pa ng arrow yung dibdib ni oppa... eh kahit hindi niya lagyan dun talaga ako napapatingin! Parang may subtitle na: "Katawan ko lang ba ang habol mo?" Waaaahhhh!!!

*dies*

Animated gif originally from www.loveleedonggun.com.

Stage Mother Syndrome itoh?

2005-08-25T11:45:00.000+08:00

Daym! It's Thursday today and I haven't even seen an episode of Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin! Nakakainis! It's just good that Pauline gave me these beautiful screencaps:

JC Cuadrado as Stephen Cheng in the ABS-CBN teleserye Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin.

Shet!!!

Pa-rant lang ako ha?

Ang guwapo naman ni JC dito! He looks very matured for his age, which is ONLY 19! And I heard from some people I trust that he delivered his lines well in the show! Grabe... hindi na talaga ako makapaniwala na artista na ang anak ko! Hahaha! Parang kailan lang eh magkasama kami sa isang dressing room at naglalabas ng mga angst sa buhay, pumupunta ako sa mga guesting niya, nili-link kami ni Kuya Vhong sa isa't isa, binibigyan niya ako ng cotton candy galing sa set ng Showbiz #1 pag may taping... tapos ngayon, huhuhu... isa na siyang STAR (in a Million?)!!! Hahaha!!!

Shet... ito na ata ang nagagawa ng sobrang pago-overtime.

I miss you JC... and I'm so friggin' proud of you!

My "baby" is now an... actor???

2005-08-22T20:48:00.000+08:00

I just got off the phone with my big "baby" JC Cuadrado (I call him "baby" despite his relatively huge built because I called my TadJock Questionables my "anaks" back then and he was the closest to me), and my hands are friggin' shaking!

Why?

Well, his first guesting episode in Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin aired tonight, and as I read this news passed on to me by my friend Mitzi, my head suddenly started spinning. JC is an actor now? I can hardly believe it. Not that I don't believe JC's abilities and talents... it's just surreal to think that someone I've grown that close to is now beginning to really make his mark on TV through a TV drama.

JC told me it was just a "guesting" thing... that his episodes might just run for a week or so... but it's thrilling to know that he was considered for a role in that production. Just this moment, I forgot the issues I had been wanting to talk to JC about and just congratulated him for being in that TV drama. I'm just so proud I was actually teary-eyed when I talked to him over the phone.

Jace... "baby"... Sobrang proud si Mammi Tara sa iyo. Swear. Like I always say, don't be afraid to explore all the possibilities and opportunities that are served to you. I know you have your own dreams and you're aiming for something in your life, but enjoy all the stops while you're at it. Be real... be yourself, don't forget where you came from, and most especially, don't forget the people who are always, always praying for your success and will be doubly happy to see you succeed.

I love you, "baby JC!"

If you wanna catch JC's acting debut, watch Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin every weeknight (this week) on ABS-CBN's Primetime Bida.

Life is Cool

2005-08-19T19:50:00.000+08:00

I'm sharing this really cool song by Sweetbox called Life is Cool. It's a song that tells you that we might be experiencing bad moments in our lives every once in a while, but if we look at our own lives through the eyes of other people, we might just say that "Man, my life is so cool."

Further backstory: I first heard this song the night I was in Dusit Hotel, hoping to catch a glimpse of my oppa Lee Dong Gun. I met up with fellow soompiers who were there: Quellie, moshimoss and lalyn. Unfortunately, because we came in late already (around 11pm), we were unable to see oppa. However, I was delighted to get to know my fellow soompiers, and Quellie introduced me to this little video of oppa created by his Japanese official site members (Donggunazooms).

The video featured Dong Gun ui oppa in lots of little takes where he was smiling or laughing, and I swear if you watch it you will smile and laugh yourself. In the said video, Sweetbox' Life is Cool is playing in the background, and the song was stuck in my mind ever since.

So here... I'd like you guys to listen to it too. Just click on oppa's picture to download. Please wait patiently as it may take some time. :) (Link expires on August 25.)

"My life is so cool from a different point of view."

Enjoy!

Artwork: Don't mess with Lee

2005-08-18T14:55:00.000+08:00

Here's something I made out of my oppa's sexy picture for a clothing brand in Korea. Wah!!! I'm going ga-ga over him... really! All I do nowadays is bask in his glory over at soompi and create movie posters for him!!!

Don't mess with Lee. Created in Adobe Photoshop 6.0. August 18, 2005.

Dayum! My oppa is so sexy!!!

Sharing is cool!

2005-08-12T18:11:00.000+08:00

Lately I've been having a blast spending time in my second home on the net: The Soompi Forums! Not only do they have the widest forums for Kdrama-holics like me, they also "house" some of the nicest people on the planet!!!

I've been getting to know people from several threads I'm frequenting, namely, The Lee Dong Gun thread, All Things Kim Rae Won thread, Jung Woo Sung thread, So Ji Sub thread, and many more... and one thing I noticed with the people there is that they're very nice and generous for Kdrama-holics like me who hunger for information and wonderful photos of my Korean hunks.

As you might have noticed, this blog of mine has already been invaded by Korean faces... and most of the pictures I've posted here are from the soompi forums. If you're a Kdrama-holic like me, and you want to get to know your K-hunk better... you might want to try joining in.

My cousin just joined soompi two weeks ago and didn't start posting until last week, but she's been getting so many warm welcomes already. The people on the thread she's frequenting (Kim Rae Won, Im Soo Jung threads, etc.) have been very generous providing her with info and a humongous amount of pictures we've been planning to make wallies out of.

I just wanna give you examples of the marvelous photos I've gotten from soompi. Here we go... First off are pictures of Kim Rae Won (Attic Cat, Love Story in Harvard). My cousin likes him so much... and I liked him also when I saw My Little Bride. He has a cute face which always seems to smile. The people in his thread refer to him as "Prince Rae Won." Cute, noh?

Found on the All Things Kim Rae Won thread.

Here are some pics of everyone's CHOLO! Hahaha! Kwon Sang Woo (Stairway to Heaven, Sad Sonata) is my bestfriend Macri's crush. I also like him because I think he's a very versatile actor. He can make me laugh, cry and fall in love... I especially like his dancing stint in Love, So Divine.

The people in his thread are divided into two groups: The Dreamers and the Droolers. The Dreamers are those who want him and Choi Ji Woo (Stairway to Heaven, Beautiful Days) to end up together, while The Droolers are the ones who would like to keep Sang Woo for themselves!

Found on the Kwon Sang Woo thread.

So Ji Sub (I'm Sorry I Love You, Memories of Bali) might be known to most as Ryan Kang from ABS-CBN 2's Memories of Bali, but he will always be the one who made my cousin Pearl cry for nights on end while we watched his every agonizing moment in I'm Sorry, I Love You. People on his thread are so generous as to translate his DVD commentary for others to appreciate the package (the commentary didn't have subs, just the series). Sa'n ka pa???

Found on the So Ji Sub thread.

If So Ji Sub was Ryan Kang, meet Paolo Jung or Jo In Sung (Memories of Bali, Spring Days), my ajushi... hehe. (Mitzi and I just had to separate "oppa" from "ajushi") His thread is relatively inactive in soompi because he has his own forums, Sweet Insung. Mind you... the people there are very nice too! Majority of them are Filipinas, by the way!

Found on the Jo In Sung thread.

And finally... of course. My oppa. ;) I've been receiving lots of love lately from my oppa's thread. Heehee. The people are very nice and sweet. Actually, most of the people I've been interacting with in soompi are nice and sweet, but of course, iba magmahal ang kapamilya... and I consider my Lee Dong Gun sisters as family.

In oppa's thread, there's a big family called The Dreamers. The Dreamers are the ones who wish that Dong Gun oppa and Han Ji Hye would end up together. The Dreamers are divided into two more sub-groups, The Fainting Club and The Dying Club. ;) Go figure what their members do when they see oppa. Hehe. And guess which club I belong to!!!

Found on the Lee Dong Gun thread.

Really guys... I swear if you're Kdrama-holics you will enjoy posting, picture-collecting and bantering with other holics like you! So... join soompi now! Wag niyo kalimutang i-visit ang thread ng oppa ko ha??? ;) See you there!

Special shout outs to my friends at soompi: quellieph, Rafaelle, szne09, kellee, mikku, mirca, gracie_babe, moshimoss, luckycarrie, midnightblue, zekeshocks and the rest who make my everyday more Korean!!! Love you all!

No time to blog

2005-08-08T17:14:00.000+08:00

Great. I have an internet-based job which requires me to be in front of the PC for eight friggin' hours, and I DON'T have time to BLOG!!! How sad...

Hey, so anyway, I just want to answer these tags. Tinatamad akong sumagot sa tagboard. Maiksi kasi lang dapat.

Here we go:

marion: wait... paano ba naiiba yung comments na link dun sa haloscan???

Hi Marion! Just go to the Settings page of your Haloscan account and look for Comments Link Text. You can fill up your desired Comments Link there(in my case, it's kiss mo naman ako) and then save your updates. You might not see it agad sa blog mo, so I suggest you click the Force update link below the settings page so that the update you did will appear already.

Got me? Good. Thanks for dropping by. See you at Pex!

Rix: Waaah. Dapat surprise yung fic ko eh. LOL. Di pa kasi tapos, la time para tutukan e.

No problem with that, girl. Nakakatuwa nga yung ginawa mo eh. Siyempre... kasi inspired ni oppa. I do hope you could post new chapters soon. Para naman may mabasa rin akong iba bukod sa sinulat ko. Hahaha!

chris: ate tara, kamukha ni rustom padilla yung nasa taas na pic... hehe. ganda ng d anothers! =)

Linsyak ka! Hindi kamukha ni Rustom Padilla si In Sung ajushi ko noh? Azar. Minsan ka na nga lang pumupunta sa blog ko, mang-aasar ka pa.

Buti na lang, nanood ka ng D' Anothers. You're off the hook this time. Hahaha.

argh: astig naman ng layout nito..

Hi argh. Astig ng name ah. Hehe. Just kidding.

I visited your blog. I laughed my head off with the Job Predictor thingy. Thanks for tuning in to my blog! God bless.

faye: hi ate tara!!..how r u doing?

Hello, bunso! I'm fine, I'm getting by. I miss you na. Kayong dalawa ni Kuya actually. Sorry kung hindi ako makapagtext nang madalas ha? Alam mo naman...

Ingat ka always. Love you.

wella: kamustasa?

Wella! Heto... masaya naman. Medyo problemado nang kaunti. Meron akong gustong bitiwan pero hindi ko alam kung paano ko sasabihin sa kanya. Parang pang binitiwan ko siya, na-betray ko na yung trust niya. Alam mo na yun.

Nakakainis kasi eh. Hindi ako makaporma. Hindi ako makabuwelo sa gagawin ko. Try pa rin naman ako ng best ko, pero yung katawan ko iisa lang. Parang totoo yung kasabihan na "One cannot serve two masters at the same time."

Nalulungkot ako dahil doon. Seriously.

pauline: gands naman ng pic nyo ni kuya Vhong!! LOL. Hangkyut! Hehe.. tag me back naman oh ate Tars! TC!!

Hi Pauline! Mukhang nagiging suki kita ah! Maraming salamat! Hehe... matagal na yung pic namin ni Kuya. Last year pa yan... parang May ata. Teambuilding namin... nakakatuwa.

Ayan, na-miss ko tuloy siya.

This is all for now, guys. Love out! xxx

Channel 75 News Break

2005-07-28T15:48:00.000+08:00

Channel Manager's Note: Channel 75 in SkyCable is Arirang TV.

It's Jo In Sung's birthday today!!! Saengil chuk ha hamnida, In Sung-shi! Saranghaeyo!

If you're an In Sung fan like myself (thanks to Memories of Bali), check out his wonderful forum full of very nice people! Go to Sweet Insung Forums and click on the banner to enter. There are lots of information there about In Sung, pictures, media files, and more! Here's a cute sample:

In Sung oppa with Ha Ji Won. Playing around... ain't that look on In Sung's face priceless? Teehee...

Violence! Mamatol raw ba ng babae? Eto talagang si In Sung oppa, oh!

Anyhoo... I just wanna greet (again) the second Korean guy who took my breath away. Jo In Sung oppa... have a great birthday, and may God bless you with all the love in the world! Mwah!

*Can't wait for Spring Days @ Channel 2! Hope I can catch it though... if not... then, there's always Mitzi. ;) Right, Mitzi?*

Yes, I know I promised a review for Mianhada, Saranghanda (MISA or I'm Sorry, I love you), but I'm still so blown away by everything that I couldn't even think of where to begin. Listening to the OST brings me to tears still. (See... the Kdrama is THAT good.)

So here... to make up for my delinquence, I'm gonna post up some cute little So Ji Sub animated gifs for those who love him too! I found these at soompi.. there are more of them there in his thread, but I chose the ones I like most. You can't right click to save, so click the gifs to be transported to my photobucket account where you can download the gifs. Ayt? Here we go:

Cute, aren't they! Enjoy the gifs, y'all!

Channel 75 out! ^___^ Till next time!

Movie Alert!

2005-07-28T15:10:00.000+08:00

I was supposed to post this yesterday, but work was crazy so I had to put it off. Anyway, my super-idol beloved Kuya Vhong's newest movie, D' Anothers is already showing in theaters nationwide! Yipee!!! (Amp! Last year pa namin hinihintay 'to... dapat March or April ipapalabas!)

And of course, Kuya Vhong's leading lady in this flick is the very talented and versatile Toni Gonzaga! What more can you ask for?

Do watch this promising movie this weekend, and tell me what you think about it... because I will! ^___^ Siyempre... ayokong may magtampo diyan sa akin. *coughs* Kuya Vhong! *coughs* Toni! *coughs* Archie! *coughs*

D' Anothers also stars (Kuya) Jhong Hilario, Archie Alemania, Joross Gamboa, Roxanne Guinoo, Michelle Madrigal, Neri Naig and much more. Directed by Bb. Joyce Bernal under Star Cinema.

~ Nae yongwon sarang ~

2005-07-26T16:48:00.000+08:00

I fell in love with him late last year.

He was wearing a well-worn shirt, unkempt hair and a cute smile on his face. Even with facial hair his charm shone through and swept me off my feet... without even a word.

I wasn't prepared to fall in love just yet. But he made me.

Every night I would fight my way out of work just to see him, and even though I could not promise him that I would come, he would be there --- every single night --- waiting for me. I loved him because he made me smile, and he made me cry. I loved him because he taught me how to love without asking for anything in return. I loved him because he made each day something to look forward too.

He left in February, and all of a sudden my world stood still. I'd wanted to see more of him, to say so much to him, but I was too late. I wasn't even able to see him leave. It was cruel.

Luckily, he came back in April, and I had all the time in the world to be with him. I enjoyed each moment, even if not all of those moments were happy. We laughed together, we cried together, we thought of lots of things together... and at the end, I felt like I know him and don't know him at the same time.

I guess that's what love is all about. To know the person well, and yet not know him too well as to not look forward to exploring everything about him.

Anyway... what I want to say is that I thank him for being an inspiration to me. His smile, his gentle ways, and his wonderful voice makes my heart thank God for all the happiness he brought me. He inspired me to write again, to learn new things, to sing with all my heart, to smile at the smallest of wonders, to live everyday with love.

He just takes my breath away. Photo courtesy of LDG Domain Philippines. (Hi Quellie!)

Nae yongwon sarang (My forever love), thank you for simply existing and finding a way to my heart. Sarang hae. I love you. Mahal kita. Happy Birthday, Dong Gun-shi!

Recent photo from his visit in Singapore. Looks tired but is still oh-so-HOT!

Currently: Daydreaming (even if it's already 6PM). Heehee. Kala niyo kung sino na, noh?

Jolographic Advisory

2005-07-23T17:43:00.000+08:00

COMING UP NEXT

I just finished watching Mianhada, Saranghanda (MISA) two nights ago, and re-viewed the last episode last night (because I wanted to cry, no less), and I'm very excited to share with you what I think about this Kdrama's strengths in a lengthy review. One thing I can say for now, though: MISA will make you feel all the basic raw emotions that we may not be able to in our lifetime. It's a sensitive and thought-provoking drama that will never leave you even if you finish watching it.

Oh... and did I mention that So Ji Sub (of Memories of Bali) shone magnificently with his acting in this drama? He did. ^___^ You have to take my word for it.

Oh (for the second time around)... also, did I mention So Ji Sub looks good in nothing but a sando on top? Lookie here:

Moo Hyuk with girlfriend Ji Young in happier times. Doesn't Ji Sub look so HOT?

^ See that? ^ He wears those sandos so well in MISA, and he even tears one apart for one scene (you should look out for that, gurls!), thereby exposing half of his very flat abs and half of his lower back. Jeez!!! Talk about total hotness!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

NEWS FLASH: I'm still not over Lee Dong Gun oppa's overly short visit here in Manila last Thursday. No, I did not see him in person because I got to Dusit Hotel late... *sigh*

Nevertheless, I got to meet three friends from the soompi forums, namely, Quellie, moshimoss and lalyn. They were very nice and accommodating and even gave us a nice parting gift (I can't tell, it's a secret na malufet!) before we went home.

Although I didn't see oppa in Dusit that night (because he was already asleep, I suppose), the mere thought that we are in the same hotel together really lifted my spirits up... what more if I really saw him in the flesh? I might've gone to heaven and back.

Goodness, Lord! He looks good in everything, doesn't he? ^___^ I love you forever, oppa!

*sigh* Dong Gun oppa... yongwonhi saranghae!!!

GREETINGS!

Happy Birthday to my friend, OJ Mariano who is celebrating his birthday today! Thanks for being approachable and open, and a nice friend to both Michael and I. Maraming salamat... God bless and I hope you have a great one!

Also, Happy Birthday to Mikester Cherrie who is having her 18th birthday today! Yipee!!! Welcome to womanhood, gurl! Heehee... God bless you!

Cheers!

Currently listening to: Lovers in Paris OST, Lovers in Paris Forever and both OSTs of MISA (I love how Koreans score their dramas!)

Oh. My. Lord.

2005-07-21T14:52:00.000+08:00

For a giddy, head-over-heels Lee Dong Gun fan like myself, is there anything else more wonderful than knowing that he is stepping on the same soil as you? Or that he is breathing the same air as you do?

Lee Dong Gun oppa's arrival at the airport. Photo taken by a PAL employee.

A shot of oppa at the Dusit Hotel. Taken by aymie of the LDG thread at soompi.

Whew. My mind's all messed up just thinking of oppa! After work tonight I'm going to Dusit Hotel to hopefully catch a glimpse of him... and also, hopefully to greet him an advanced Happy Birthday on the 26th!

*breathe*

Oh my friggin' gosh.

Argh. This is killing me...

2005-07-20T16:39:00.000+08:00

Now I'm really pissed.

As you might already know, I am a Kapamilya (or someone who watches ABS-CBN Channel 2 shows like it is the only station on TV) and a fan of Lee Dong Gun oppa so you probably have an idea how I felt when I learned that GMA 7 will be exclusively documenting his arrival in Manila.

To add insult to injury, I saw GMA's teaser/plug of Dong Gun oppa's arrival, and also a rundown of the shows where he will be guesting during his stay. Startalk. A showbiz-oriented talkshow. Okay. S-Files. Another showbiz-oriented talkshow. Fine. Nuts Entertainment. A gag show. What the f*ck?

Excuse me while I roll my eyes (all the way into my head).

ARGH!

It's already enough insult to Dong Gun oppa that his drama Sweet 18 has been relegated mercilessly to a freakin' awful timeslot during the weekends, and now they're having him guest in Nuts Entertainment?

Sure, others may say Nuts Entertainment rates more than its rival show (Yes, Yes Show) and have the country's best, although old, comedians casted in it, but can you actually imagine Dong Gun oppa in that show? I mean... what's he going to do there? Play their silly games? Be interviewed by the gay-acting cast for the Balakubak segment? Come on.

Lee Dong Gun is one of the most respected and popular actors in Korea, having several product endorsements and acting achievements under his belt. The least GMA 7 can do is treat him like they do their own big actors: WITH RESPECT AND IMPORTANCE. After all, isn't Dong Gun oppa's show Sweet 18 raking in some revenue for their station?

At least GMA could've prepared for a one-hour special for Lee Dong Gun, or at least a special interview with their most respected journalist. If ABS-CBN is handling him, I'm thinking along the lines of a Rated K interview akin to the Lovers in Paris special they aired earlier this year. I just could not picture Dong Gun oppa in a show like Nuts Entertainment. He'd stand out like a sore thumb. Sheesh. What was GMA 7 thinking?

Sure, I'm no expert on these things, but I am a fan by heart. TV stations thrive because of fans, loyal viewers who don't care if their friends call them JOLOGS or any other concocted word for BADUY just as long as they can see the people they idolize. Be that as it may, GMA 7 should've also thought about Lee Dong Gun's fans, what the fans like and which program they would want to see him in.

I know that there might be certain limitations to Lee Dong Gun's itinerary (which is understandable because of security purposes), but GMA 7 should've at least chosen well where they would have him appear as a guest. They owe that to the fans... especially because they'll be earning extra ratings with Lee Dong Gun this weekend because the Kapamilya fans will be switching to their network to watch his appearances.

Sheesh. Not even a fan meeting, and now this. I'm beginning to hope Dong Gun oppa's trip does not push through at all tonight, and he'll just come back when everything about his arrival is special and grand. But of course, most fans wouldn't agree with me. The thought of having Dong Gun oppa in our native soil is good enough, I guess. i just hope he'll be back "with a vengeance" next time.

Don't you just want to be hugged by those firm arms? *dreams*

Sarang hae, Dong Gun-ssi. Yong wonhi sarang hae.

Currently feeling: mad-worried-depressed (God, is there anything good today?)

D' Wikend Report

2005-07-18T17:45:00.000+08:00

*Insert news stinger here*

Mula sa Bulwagang Pambulaluhan ng National Jolographic, narito na ang D' Wikend Report!

At para sa ulo ng mga nagbabagang balita:

Mikesterz... gumi-Mike muli! Isang kasapi, sinapian!!!

Opo, mga kaibigan, muling nagsama-sama ang mga kasapi ng samahang Mikesterz, Incorporated kahapon nang hapon sa Cafe Bola, Cubao, Quezon City upang ipagdiwang ang unang taong anibersaryo ng Star in a Million 2 Grand Showdown!

Kabilang sa mga namataang kasaping nagsitungo sa maliit na pagdiriwang sina Mikester Mitzi, Mikester Rocky, Mikester Wella, Mikester Mhel, Mikester Allan at Mikester Tara, kasama ang kanyang pinsang si Pearl na isang honorary member ng samahan. Napabalitang nakasama rin nila ang kanilang pinuno at iniidolong si Michael Cruz.

Matapos ang pananghaliang salu-salo sa Cafe Bola, Cubao ay walang hiya at patumanggang nagkuhanan ng litrato ang mga kasapi ng samahan sa harapan ng nasabing establisimiyento sa pangunguna ni Mikester Allan na naunang umalis dahil sa isang natanguang usapan.

Tumanda ang araw at hindi pa rin nagpapigil ang mga magkakaibigan sa kanilang pag-giMike! Kapansin-pansing nagtitipid ang mga ito sa hirap ng buhay dahil hindi na sila natuloy sa panonood ng sine at nakuntento na lang sa pagtambay sa kasalukuyang itinatayong eatery ni Michael Cruz.

Sa gitna ng lahat ng usapan, napabalitang sinapian ng hindi pa matukoy na elemento si Mikester Mhel bago pa man magsimula ang inuman. Narito ang kanyang maikling pahayag:

"The Best Tapsi in Town!"

Dahil dito, nakatanggap ng matinding panlilibak si Mikester Mhel mula kina Mikester Wella at Rocky, at pati na rin kay Mikester Tara. Muntik nang humantong sa isang paligsahan ng pa-baduyan ng pangalang ibibigay sa itinatayong eatery ngunit mabuti na lamang at naagapan ito ng ilang bote ng San Miguel Beer at Coca-Cola bago pa maging mas masalimuot ang usapan ng magkakaibigan.

Bandang alas-singko ng hapon nang umuwi sina Mikester Tara at Mitzi kabilang si Pearl, ngunit hindi iyon ang naging katapusan ng pag-iinuman ng mga natitirang kasapi ng samahan. Para sa karagdagang ulat, maaaring puntahan ang weblogs nina Mikester Wella at Mikester Rocky.

At para naman sa Star News:

Koreanong actor na si So Ji Sub, pinagnanasaan ng National Jolographic Channel Manager! Pinsan ng Channel Manager, umalma!

Sa tulong ni Mikester Mitzi, natupad ang pangarap ng National Jolographic Channel Manager na si Tara at pinsang si Pearl na mapanood nang walang puknat at walang pasubali ang Korean dramang pinamagatang I'm Sorry, I Love You (MISA) na kinatatampukan ng guwapong si So Ji Sub.

Nagsimula ang private show ng magpinsan dakong alas-onse ng gabi matapos ang Search for the Star in a Million ng Channel 2. Ayon sa ulat, hindi napigilan ni Tara ang mapanganga at matulala sa tuwing nakikita si So Ji Sub sa naturang palabas. May mga nakapagsabing may mga sandali rin umanong hindi napigilan ni Tara ang kanyang nagpupuyos na damdamin at bigla na lamang nasabi ang mga katagang ito:

"HAYLABYU, SO JI SUB!"

Dahil dito, nai-ulat na nainis ang pinsan ni Tara na si Pearl dahil diumano'y nang-aagaw na naman ito ng kras. Madali namang inamo ni Tara ang kanyang pinsan sa pagsasabi nito:

"Mawalang-galang na... ang guwapo ni Ji Sub noh? HAYLABYU, JI SUB!"

Hinihintay pa rin ng D' Wikend Report ang pahayag at saloobin ni Pearl ukol sa isyung ito sapagkat bago pa man siya makapanayam ay nakaalis na ito patungo sa Korea sa kanyang panaginip.

Dito nagtatapos ang unang edisyon ng D' Wikend Report! Antabayanan ang mga umiinit pang mga balita ukol sa kahalingan ng National Jolographic Channel Manager sa mga susunod pang edisyon. Hanggang sa muli, magandang araw at salamat sa iyong pagbisita!

Mahal ko na si In Sung oppa!

2005-07-12T17:24:00.000+08:00

Okay, first of all, let me say that the title above does not, in any way, suggest that I'm two-timing my boyfriend, Lee Dong Gun. It's just a small gesture to express my initial reaction to the movie Madeleine, which starred Jo In Sung and Shin Min Ah.

Dong Gun nae sarang, don't worry sweetheart... In Sung oppa is just a friend. I still love you. I'm yours forever. ^___^ (Reader Reaction: Uh-huh... yeah, right. Give this girl some Valium, please.)

Now that it's all cleared up...

Last night, I was very excited to come home from work because I knew a bunch of CDs were waiting for me. (Special thanks to Mitzi, my official K-drama provider, haha!) As usual, my K-drama viewing partner went off to Dreamland already... so I had to begin watching by myself. Buti na nga lang gising pa si Mama at may kahuntahan ako. Heehee.

Because I missed Jo In Sung so much after Memories of Bali bowed out of ABS-CBN's primetime roster of shows, I decided to watch Madeleine, which Mitzi described to me as a beautiful light drama.

The film opened with two High School classmates, Kang Ji-Suk (Jo In Sung) and Park Hee-Jin (Shin Min Ah) meeting at Hee-Jin's beauty salon as she is closing for the night. Ji-Suk wanted to have a haircut, but Hee-Jin says they're closed. As Ji-Suk walks away with his bike, Hee-Jin calls him by name. She offers him a free haircut if, after her service is done, he remembers who she is.

As the story unfolds, we find Ji-Suk and Hee-Jin in tender moments such as riding bikes in the rain, delivering newspapers at dawn together, eating Madeleine and having tea. Of course, this is not after the aggressive Hee-Jin lures Ji-Suk into a month-long arranged romance.

Ji-Suk and Hee-Jin's clashing personalities proved essential to the forced relationship and also to the storyline. Being together resulted to new learnings and experiences for both, no matter how small they were. Hee-Jin, the simple and boy-crazed girl, started to read and appreciate books, while bookish Ji-Suk began to take interest in Hee-Jin's pastime which is playing a computer game named Fortress.

At the second half of the film, we find Ji-Suk and Hee-Jin in front of two different crossroads brought about by certain circumstances. They take the risk and make decisions, but will they find each other at the end of the road?

This is the first Jo In Sung film I've seen, and I must say that it was a relief to see him in such a light and refreshing role. It was painful to watch him as the repressed Jung Jae Min or Paolo Jung in Memories of Bali, so it was a welcome change. (Very welcome, in fact.)

While movie critic Anthony Leung raised pretty good points about why Madeleine wasn't such a good movie, I personally liked the way Madeleine was told. It was simple and heartwarming, and of course, the eye-candy that was In Sung was not very bad to watch either. He is a natural actor, in my opinion, and I just love his quirky little facial expressions. Min Ah was not so bad herself. I liked the way she played the assuming but charming Hee-Jin, who, like Jeon Ji-Hyun's character in My Sassy Girl, charmed her way into Ji-Suk's heart.

The movie had its kilig and poignant moments, beautifully mixed and succesfully executed, that made me (oo, selfish ako) really giddy at one in the morning. Some of the scenes I really swooned over are the following: (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!)

[ 1 ] Biking in the rain. Made me wanna go biking in the rain too. Unfortunately, I only have a stationary bike at home. Jeez.

[ 2 ] The beach scene. OMG. In Sung was a cutie in this one, especially when he slowly closed his eyes for Hee-Jin's kiss. *faints*

[ 3 ] Running to the hospital. Albeit a poignant scene, I couldn't help but feel overly kilig at the idea of Jo In Sung carrying me on his back in the rain... get my drift?
[ 4 ] Parting ways grandly. I just love that look on In Sung oppa's face when he tried to tell Hee-Jin what he felt. *faints again*

All in all, I would recommend this film to hopeless romantics like me. It's a light and touching film with a really interesting and funky soundtrack. But if only for In Sung oppa's smile, I would watch this movie a million times over!

Jolographic Rating: Five cups of steaming hot coffee! (Perfect for a cold and lonely night! Asus!)

Baby ko 'to!

2005-07-11T21:43:00.000+08:00

Hahaha! Mang-angkin ba?

Just wanna share this picture... because I find it very sweet of him to greet us, Johnatics, even with this simple gesture. Of course, very special thanks to Charap of Pinoyexchange for being kind enough to take this picture of baby John.

As a side note, there is a little story to this picture. According to Charap, John wanted to write the words on the whiteboard himself, probably for a personal touch, but when he smelled the scent of the pentel pen's felt tip... he felt dizzy.

Heehee. How cute. Here it is.

Thank you rin, baby John!

Makasagot nga...

2005-07-11T17:35:00.000+08:00

Got this survey from Rix' blog. (Hi Rix! *waves*) Makasagot nga muna habang medyo bored ako dito sa trabaho. (Uyy, bored!)

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Tara
2. Tars (si Drew tumatawag sa 'kin nito! Huhuhu!)
3. Tar-Tar (eww. Si Archie nagpauso nito)

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:
1. taraskye
2. tamiskye
3. princess_hayes

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. eyes
2. feet (matatag sa lakaran)
3. hands (maraming nagagawa)

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. feet (paa ng magsasaka eh)
2. lips (laging nagcha-chap at dumudugo)
3. skin (oily!)

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Chinese
2. Filipino
3. Bicolano

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. humongous trucks
2. big rats
3. freak accidents

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. coffee
2. pen
3. paper

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. Wazzup jacket
2. "I love her boyfriend" shirt
3. Converse shoes

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS OR MUSICAL ARTISTS:
1. Michael Cruz
2. Sugarfree
3. Hale

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS: (as of the moment)
1. Dahil Ikaw - Michael Cruz
2. Can't Help Falling In Love - Pearl Jam
3. Neo Hana Man - Jo Sung Mo

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
1. unconditional love
2. understanding
3. personal growth

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE (in no particular order):
1. Jologs ako.
2. I wanna marry Lee Dong Gun and have cute little kids with him.
3. Blogging means nothing to me.

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE PREFERRED SEX THAT APPEAL TO YOU:
1. eyes
2. lips
3. elbows

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. writing | blogging
2. reading
3. watching television

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. watch my KR dramas
2. go to Korea and meet Lee Dong Gun
3. hug John Manalo

THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING/YOU'VE CONSIDERED:
1. mass media
2. entertainment
3. publishing

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. Palawan
2. Korea
3. Beijing

THREE KIDS' NAMES YOU LIKE:
Boys:
1. Lee
2. Tristan
3. Angelo

Girls:
1. Skye
2. Venice
3. Tara

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. Publish my own book.
2. Find and marry the one I love.
3. Live with my family in a house near the beach.

THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY:
1. I know karate.
2. I deliver and laugh at green jokes.
3. I like to play arcade games.

THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A GIRL:
1. I cry a lot.
2. I like taking care of younger or weaker people, and the people I love.
3. I drool over Lee Dong Gun. So there.

THREE CELEB CRUSHES:
1. Lee Dong Gun
2. Drew Arellano
3. Jericho Rosales

Missing Drew

2005-07-09T19:23:00.000+08:00

If there is one thing I regret about being in Wazzup for 11 months, it's that I didn't take more pictures. Sure, I have some, but they're not enough. 11 months is quite a long time to collect a lot of memories, and photographs... but I just missed out on that one.

The other day, while I was sorting out my closet, I stumbled upon a photo album that had pictures of the Studio 23 party. I flipped the leaves over and found one of my pictures with Drew. Sigh. I miss Drew.

Sure I haven't been able to watch Wazzup on a regular basis since I left, especially now that I have a new job (my shift is from 2-10PM), but the thought that the original Boy Bulol of the show has left created a hole in my heart.

Drew is a sweetheart. Let's face it and surrender to the facts. The guy is one of the sweetest, kindest souls I've met, and that's rare in Philippine showbusiness. I guess it's also because Drew doesn't consider himself showbiz in the first place. He always acts like a regular guy... coming to work in slippers (green slippers, that is... Animo La Salle!), roaming around the premises looking for a companion to eat with before the show, hanging around with the staff and joking around with them, eating grilled chicken (from Brother's Burger)...

I don't remember every single "Drew Moment" I had, but I'm sure as hell can remember the most memorable ones. Like these:

Drew Moment 1: "Tama na'ng luha."

Really bad day. And when I say really bad day, I mean, for both Drew and I. I don't want to recount why it was bad... it was JUST bad, and you have to take my word for it.

At the end of the day, my ever-so unreliable lachrynal glands started malfunctioning, and no matter how I hard I tried not to cry, my tears just couldn't stop falling. The day ended late because of a pictorial I had assisted the cast and segment producer with, and I also was assigned to take care of the cast's costume and paraphernalia after the pictorial was done.

Inside the dressing room, while fixing the costumes, my SP asked me why I was crying. I didn't answer because I didn't want the cast to know I was crying. It was too embarrassing, but I went on working anyway.

Drew was the first one to leave the room, but before he left, he looked at me, patted my back and said, "Tama na'ng luha."

Drew Moment 2: Text component "sketches"

It was always funny and refreshing to see Drew think ever-so seriously about what he was going to say in reply to the silly questions in the text component part of the show. And it was always a privilege when he would consult me and ask me what he should say.

At one time, while we were playing around with possible answers to his question for the day, he just started getting all giggly and started tickling me and the other people around the table. It was really funny and "kilig", if you may, and i enjoyed that "hanging-around" kind of atmosphere with Drew that night.

Somehow, that kind of scenario would always happen, even if we were not talking about his answer to the text component. Drew is just very giggly at times, and oftentimes, he would make others giggle with him too.

Drew Moment 3: Unexpected Bear Hug

Taping's over, and I introduce some students from UST (if I remember it right) to the cast. Drew was the last one out of the studio, and he was also the last cast member I introduced to the students. He shook hands with them and exchanged some words, and when he got to me, he gave me a bear hug (and I mean BEAR HUG, because he even lifted me up!) out of nowhere!

When my feet touched the floor, I was like, "What was that for?" He just answered with a smile. Well, maybe that's just one of the ways he says "Thanks." Cool. :)

Drew Moment 4: Christmas Party at Sibil

Drew was sick when we had our Studio 23 Christmas party, but he was one of the earliest cast members to be there. We even asked him to participate in our dance performance for "star value." Surprisingly, he yielded to our request and did a short little dance when somebody from our group pulled him to the stage while we were busting out our moves.

After our performance, Drew came up to me and patted my back for a job well done (I did the choreography for our number). I appreciated that so much, especially because at that time I was already pondering on leaving the show because I felt nobody else cared.

As the night wore on, I was worried that Drew might get sicker if he stayed, and I reminded him that he had Unang Hirit that day. He just nodded and told me he would be leaving in a while. Turns out, we left earlier than he did, and he stayed probably an hour more to hang out with his Studio 23 buddies.

Oh, and by the way... that Christmas party I got myself the best picture I had with Drew. Thanks to Sheiden for that!!!

Drew Moment 5: Two farewells

I didn't tell the main cast that I was leaving, so they were surprised when they heard of the news. I remember Drew giving me a hug and wishing me good luck when he knew. It was so nice of him to do that gesture, which made me feel like I'm one of the luckiest girls in the world.

On my last day, which is also my birthday, I was sitting next to Toni when she greeted me on air. Sensing that the camera was going to point at me, I turned around, only to be half-strangled by Drew so that he could make me face the camera. I know it sounds like a morbid thing to do, but it felt "kilig" anyway.

Kuya Vhong told me they'd miss me, but something told me I'd miss them more. Two months after I left, I heard that the cast almost always referred to my replacement, Mel as Tara, which really touched me. They really missed me back there, and I appreciated that thought.

On Drew's last day, I was supposed to go to the studio, because Sheiden reminded me that it was his last day, and if I wanted to see him, I should come over. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to come because I had to fetch my sister from school, and I'd be too late to catch the show. I decided to watch the show on TV. I was already crying when Kuya Vhong started crying, and I was quite thanful that I wasn't there in the studio, else, I would've cried buckets.

When Drew suddenly mentioned my name on air, the waterworks just came full blast. Unbelievable. Drew Arellano remembered me. Sure, I texted him a few hours before, but he could've forgotten just the same. At that moment, I felt that all the things I've gone through for Wazzup are worth it.

Now I'm just missing Drew a whole lot more. *tears*

Thanks, Drew.

2005-07-06T16:38:00.000+08:00

"Si Tara! Hindi mawawala si Tara!" - Drew Arellano, in his farewell to Wazzup speech, July 1, 2005.

I couldn't have missed it for the world.

I still remember the first time I saw Drew. It was at the Wazzup presscon, where I instantly recognized him as "Pare" from the shampoo commercial. Somehow I felt that he was a nice guy, and I wondered how it is to be in his company.

A month after, I was given a chance, and boy, was it a chance of a lifetime!

To one of the sweetest, nicest, kindest hearts in the world --- Drew --- I've always missed you when you were not around, but I'll miss you more now. However, as they say, there are no permanent goodbyes. :)

Thanks, Drew... for remembering. It meant a lot to me.

Memories (light the corners of my mind...)

2005-06-25T00:51:00.000+08:00

Jolographer's note: This might be a tad too late to post, but I wanted to post this anyway just to express my delight upon Memories of Bali's finale which was aired over ABS-CBN 2 last June 17.

If there is one thing I dislike about a handful of Filipino soaps, it is that everything must end like the fairytales we read as kids: happily ever after. Memories of Bali is one of those K-dramas that really made an impact on me, basically because it was frank, dark and sometimes cruel.

As with most love stories, the characters get tangled up in a complicated web of relationships. In the beginning of the drama (set in Bali, Indonesia), Erika Lee (played by Ha Ji Won) is a tourist guide who chances upon couple Ryan Kang (played by So Ji Sup) and Nina Choi (played by Park Ye Jin), and rich guy Paolo Jung (played by Jo In Sung). Ryan and Nina's relationship were shaky at that point, because Nina's family wouldn't want a "common" person like Ryan to marry her, much less have a relationship with her.

One thing led to another, and the clueless foursome become involved in each others' lives even when they return to Seoul, Korea. Erika and Ryan become neighbors, Erika borrows money from Paolo when she gets swindled by a certain Mr. Cho, and Nina and Paolo become an item as their parents arrange their marriage.

I wasn't really able to tune in to Memories of Bali's first few episodes, so they are kind of a blur to me. My interest in the series came in when I saw the episode where Erika got employed in Paolo's company, and she invites Paolo to dinner as her way of saying thanks. As soon as Erika got a hold of the restaurant's menu, the expensive dishes killed her appetite. And while Paolo ordered a lot of food, Erika chose to order clam chowder.

Paolo was surprised at Erika's choice of food, but she said it was all she wanted to eat. But as soon as Paolo mentioned that dinner was on him, Erika called the waiter back and ordered some more food.

It was really funny, the way that scene was constructed. It was simple, but it made me laugh. Ever since then, I tried not to miss a single episode of Memories of Bali, and I even looked for its synopsis on the internet.

Two or three weeks before the finale aired over ABS-CBN, I had read the full synopsis of the drama. My initial reaction: I was floored. I don't know exactly why, but there is something in tragic endings that hit me and stay with me forever. My mom, who was as hooked into the show as I am, reacted violently when I told her the drama was going to end tragically. She said she didn't want to watch it anymore (but she did, by the way) since she already know how it will end.

For me, it wasn't the ending that mattered but how it was going to be executed on screen. I wanted to feel the tragedy of it all, and I wasn't a bit disappointed when I finally got to see how it ended. Yes, in the clutches of insane jealousy and passion, Paolo was able to pull the trigger and render Ryan and Erika's last breaths as they share the same bed in a beautiful hotel back in Bali. However, if he had come minutes earlier, he would've heard Erika's confession of her deepest, truest love which she awarded to Paolo, even if she tried to supress it.

Paolo must've lost his mind when Erika told him she loved him before she breathed her last, and in his desperation, he limply walked to the beach and ended his life as the sun set in the horizon. (This shot was magnificently set, in my opinion. Lovely!)

Again, as I saw those two consecutive scenes, my skin broke into goosebumps. I was floored yet again, and immediately I noted that Memories of Bali is my second favorite K-drama next to Sweet 18. I loved the cinematography of the "death scene" when the camera which was focused on Ryan and Erika (lying in bed) slowly tracked to the right and revealed that there was another person in the room, standing over them, holding a gun. I'm sure those K-drama addicts loved that shot too. It honestly made me scream.

But of course, aside from the cinematography, another factor that led to this drama's success is the superb acting of the whole cast, which also stemmed from the brilliant script.

Jo In Sung's portrayal of a rich, somewhat rude but controlled company heir was a sight to behold. He was appaling one minute and lovable in the next, and his intensity as an actor really shone through. I loved it when he cried for Erika but would suppress it the best way he can because he didn't want anyone to hear, especially his father. I loved it when he told Erika (a bit too late) that he was going to fight against his family for her. And I loved it when he cried, holding Erika's lifeless hand. In Sung oppa really fit the bill. He deserved that Best Actor award he got from Baek Sang.

I've already seen Ha Ji Won in two different roles in the KR movies Love so Divine and 100 Days with Mr. Arrogant, and it is safe to say that her role in Memories of Bali was really a big leap. What I liked about her character as Erika was that she was genuinely confused with her feelings for Paolo and Ryan, which was in turn, confusing for a viewer like me. If she hadn't expressed her feelings clearly at the end of the drama, you wouldn't really know whom she picked. And in that way, I found her effective.

When Memories of Bali was just beginning, we at home tended to give So Ji Sup a nickname: Garfield. It was because his eyelids were always drooping, and he looked sleepy all the time. I would always laugh at his character because he would say his lines with a poker face, and I was thinking, "When would he ever smile in this drama?" However, his lack of facial expression proved instrumental to this drama, because, as it was with Ha Ji Won's character, he misled the viewers to his character's true intentions. He preserved the mystery of his character so well that until the very end you would wonder if he really had schemed everything.

All in all, I loved Memories of Bali because it was honest and real, and because it shows us that love, no matter what kind it is, can really motivate people of any age, class and social standing to do even the insane and the unthinkable.

GOODIE: Here's a Memories of Bali wallie from SBS Korea website. I love this picture... and I want you Memories of Bali fans to have it too, if you don't have it yet! :) (Just click the image to download. Thankies!)

On another quest

2005-06-08T23:34:00.000+08:00

In March of last year, I was impressed by the pilot episode of ABS-CBN's docu-drama horror show entitled Nginiiig. What set it apart from the other shows I've seen so far was the texture and quality of the shots. It seemed to me like they used a different kind of camera for Nginiiig because the scenes looked more real and detailed than the scenes of the other ABS-CBN soaps and television dramas. From then on, I became a fan of Nginiiig and saluted the rest of their cast and crew, including their director, newcomer Luigi Santiago.

Early this morning, my dad woke me up and told me that Direk Luigi got killed in a shooting incident in the Glorietta area. Though I was never close to Direk Luigi and never got to talk to him even when our shows shared the same office space, I was saddened by the news. He was, in my opinion, one of the best young directors of his time, and it was sad that his contribution to the Philippine television industry has come to a very abrupt end.

It was surreal for me to hear of the news of his death over TV Patrol earlier. The news conveyed that there had been a brawl at the Venezia Bar in Glorietta (near Luk Yuen and the Glorietta 2 entrance) that ended up in an indiscriminate shooting incident. Direk Luigi was one of the casualties, and the only one to have not survived so far. No suspects have been named nor identified, although the authorities released a certain plate number which was seen by witnesses on the getaway vehicle.

There's a great feeling of panghihinayang in my heart for Direk Luigi. Sayang talaga. I remember gushing over his work in Nginiiig, and now I'm wondering who would take his place behind the camera after his last episode is aired.

Life. No matter how predictable you think it could be, sometimes it just jumps out in front of you to surprise you, and tell you that everything is not how it seems. Direk Luigi spent his last year with the best TV docu-drama horror show, directing, producing and spirit-questing with the Nginiiig staff and crew, but now it seems to me that he is on another quest.

May God bless your soul, Direk Luigi.

Madagas-Crazy!!!

2005-06-07T00:40:00.000+08:00

I went to watch Dreamworks' latest animated movie, Madagascar a few hours earlier with my little sister Jill, and boy did we LOVE it! (Oo nga pala, as a sidenote: Maganda ang mga sinehan sa Market, Market. Really clean, and relatively cheap at Php75.00-90.00) Really, the only expectations I had when I went into the moviehouse was to laugh and get entertained, and the film did not fail to meet those expectations.

Madagascar tells the story of four zoo animals, born and bred in captivity, who one day find themselves in the wild and discover how it is to live in their natural habitat. On his tenth birthday, Marty (the zebra, voiced by Chris Rock) wished to be able to go to the wild, but his friends Alex (the lion, voiced by Ben Stiller), Gloria (the hippopotamus, voiced by Jada Pinkett-Smith) and Melman (the giraffe, voiced by David Schwimmer) are horrified by this idea and try to make him wish otherwise.

One thing led to another, and soon, they found themselves in Madagascar, where they are welcomed by cute little party-loving lemurs whose king refer to them as the New York Giants (watch the movie to find out why). The four friends go through their share of mishaps and misunderstandings, but eventually, they realize that wherever they may be, the most important thing would always be their friendship.

I was laughing all throughout the movie. Call me mababaw, but that's just how I am. Special mention to the scenes where the psychotic penguins appear ("Cute and cuddly, boys! Cute and cuddly!"), and also the disco partying lemurs scene ("I like to move it, move it! I like to MOVE IT!").

My most favorite sequence though was the "What a Wonderful World" sequence, where Alex the Lion isolates himself from his friends for fear that he will hurt them with his natural instincts, while Marty, Gloria and Melman trek Madagascar alone and discover the cruel truth of nature: some get to eat, while some get eaten. It was funny, yet quite heartbreaking because it is the first time that their blinders have been removed from their eyes and they were shocked at the revelation of the world beyond what they grew up in.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who wants a good laugh, and to those who LOVE animals and nature. Dreamworks really did a great job on this one!!!

Jolographic Rating (out of five): Five big Holy Kettle Corn (the best-tasting popcorn ever!) bags

Hay...

2005-06-05T01:07:00.000+08:00

Grabe. Enjoy ang show ni Mike last Thursday night! Kahit ngarag at nanginginig pa ang mga tuhod at kalamnan ko kagabi before, during and after the show, masaya ako dahil nairaos namin ang show at mukhang nasiyahan naman ang lahat ng dumalo.

I really loved it when the people joined in singing some of the songs Mike sang. Feeling ko hindi lang basta show ang naganap kundi isang full-fledged concert! Kaya congratulations din siyempre kay Mike for a job well done! Next time, Araneta na ito! Yeyz! Hahaha!

Sa lahat ng nanood ng show ni Mike sa The Library last Thursday night, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart... para sa inyong suporta at pagmamahal kay Mike... super thanks! Na-touch ako kagabi sa dami ng taong dumating. Nakakatuwa kayong lahat! Thank you! God bless your hearts! :)

Pinahiram na naman ako ni Mitzi ng isang set ng "epektus" (tawag namin sa mga Korean/Chinese and what-have-you VCDs and CD) nung Thursday kaya naman mega Lovers in Paris sound tripping ako ngayon. I really love Neo Hana Man (Track 3) and Romantic Love (Track 5), plus y ung instrumental ng Neo Hana Man (Track 16)... nakakabasag ng puso. HAYLABIT!!!

Thanks to Mitzi para sa epektus! Iba ka, mare!

FINALLY!!!

I finally saw my Baby John kanina sa ABS when I visited the Goin' Bulilit taping! Well, I didn't get to talk to him kasi sobrang nadyahe ako, pero it was so nice to finally see him in person. Awww... how cute my Baby. Hehehe. Talagang kinarir ang pagiging "ina."

Sana next time makabigay ako sa inyo ng ebidensiya na talagang nakita ko siya. Baka hindi kayo maniwala eh. Haaayyy... basta. BASTA!!! Ang saya kasi nakita ko na siya in person, and he looks like a very nice kid. Hindi ko lang alam kung inaantok siya kanina or pagod kasi he seems quiet, just observing the people around him. Pero basta... okay na talaga sa akin na nakita ko siya.

Let me borrow a song from the Meteor Garden 2 soundtrack to convey my feelings. *Happy! Shalala... it's so nice to be happy! Shalala!*

I just updated my fan fic with Chapter Two!!! Please visit My Cloudy Eyed Girl! Thankies!

An invitation...

2005-06-01T12:45:00.000+08:00

Hey guys! I just finished writing my first Lee Dong Gun fan fiction, and I want to share it with my fellow Lee Dong Gun lovers! The fan fic is entitled "My Cloudy Eyed Girl" and has 29 chapters. I will be posting the chapters in installments, and the first chapter is already up!

Go to the My Cloudy Eyed Girl blogsite and read the first chapter! Enjoy!!!

*Sigh* I'm writing again! Thank God!

Happy na, burpday pa!

2005-05-28T01:03:00.000+08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEB!

It was my beb Sheiden's birthday yesterday, and she asked me to come to ABS-CBN so that we can have a simple dinner with the Wazzup gang. As it turned out, she had also convinced our former PA Red to come over, so I was very excited to go.

At around 6:45 pm last night, Red picked me up on his red convertible (Hahaha! Convertible daw oh! Convertible to cash!) and we drove to Mother Ignacia. Slice ma-traffic, pero okay lang. Madaldal naman ako eh. Feeling ko nga, nabingi si Red sa boses ko. Sumuko pa nga yung radyo niya sa kotse. Harhar.

Sobrang saya pagdating namin sa set. Kamustahan. Gulatan. Some people thought Red came back to ABS for work. Ako hindi na nila tinatanong, kasi pangatlong beses ko nang bumalik dun after I resigned. Nagsawa na sila kakatanong sa akin.

The cast taped the Friday episode muna, and then we left the studio. Nagkaka-asaran. As we walked outside the studio, bidding goodbye to the cast and crew, Red and I lashed out some familiar lines. Some of them went like this:

RED: Mark, yung batteries akin na. Iaakyat ko na.
--- Being a former PA, one of Red's jobs before was to take care of batteries that were used for the microphones. You can always see him walking around with a box of Energizer batteries everytime we had live episodes and taping.

TARA: Mga kuya! Thank you po!!! See you next week!
--- Always, always when the live episode or taping ends, I'm one of those people who leave last. Paano, laging hinihintay si Kuya Vhong lumabas so I can say goodbye. Afterwards, chikahan pa with the utility and set men, kaya ayun... lagi ko nang dialogue ito bago ako umalis sa set.

RED: Tara, favor naman, paki-akyat na muna 'tong mga gamit. Kukunin ko lang yung TOA sa tower.
--- TOA means Taped-On-Air. Pag sinabing TOA, yun ang tape ng isang episode ng show na magsisilbing record namin. Red was also the one assigned to get the TOA from the tower after each live episode, or kung taping naman, yung taped spiels.

PAGKAHABA-HABA MAN DAW NG PRUSISYON...

After taping, we went to the TV Production office first. Siyempre may mga trabaho pa rin naman ang mga tao... so Red and I went along. Konting picture-an, konting asaran uli. Hanggang sa nauwi na naman kami sa napakatagal na yayaan.

Discovery Channel: Kahit ilang buwan na kaming wala ni Red sa Wazzup, buhay pa rin ang tradisyon ng yayaan. This tradition is kinda similar to courtship. It takes persistence and patience. Paano ba naman, magsisimula kang magyaya, sasabihin sa iyo, "Andiyan na! Teka lang, sandali na lang, promise!"

You'll end up making small talk with the people around. And then you notice five, ten minutes passed by. Magyayaya ka uli. Ang sagot: "Super sandali na lang talaga. As in!"

Again, you wait. You even end up fixing all the things cluttered on the table, and writing your to-do list for the next day. Another ten, fifteen minutes pass by. Yaya ka uli. This time, the reply would be: "Sige na, mauna na kayo. Sunod na lang ako."

*Sigh*

That's how it was, and that's how it still is for our gang. And I'm thinking that this is how it's going to be for the rest of our lives. Yayaang walang humpay... na mauuwi sa inuman at puyatan.

MAALAALA MO KAYA?

We went to Mother Ignacia Place (MIP) for dinner (este... ako lang pala kumain!), and I ordered my favorite adobo mushroom. Si Sheiden dismayado kay Red kasi hindi na siya umiinom. Coke na lang ang tinira. Disappointed ang lola mo... kaya ayun, tumungga ng... este beb, ano bang ininom mo? Red horse o San Mig Light?

Red and I remembered the times when we went to MIP just to relax after a hard day's work. Natatawa kami kasi dati pag pumupunta kami roon, ang mga maririnig niyong dialogue sa amin ganito:

"Hindi ako magtatagal ah. May location pa ako bukas nang maaga. Si *toot* kasi, punyeta, ngayon lang nag-submit ng topic!"

"Sino nagtakbo ng tapes kanina? Bakit hindi umabot yung roll?"

"Inis na inis nga si *toot* kay *toot* eh... nakialam kasi ng trabaho nang may trabaho!"

"Mamatay na sana siya! Wala siyang kunsiderasyon! Akala ba niya madali yung pinagagawa niya?"

"Alam mo bang tumambling ako kanina ng mga lapel mic?"

"Shyet, sandali... kailangan pa natin ng isa pang service. Tawagan ko lang si *toot*."

"May topics ka na ba for Rekla next week?"

"Parang tanga si *toot* kanina! Alas kuwatro na, wala pa yung mga video punchline! Matutuyuan talaga ako ng dugo sa kanya!"

"Narinig mo yung upsound ni *toot* kanina? Kinaya mo yun?"

Those are just some of the lines you'll be hearing from us, especially if its a Wednesday or Thursday night (walang meeting). Impernez ha... nakaka-miss mangarag, pero ayoko na atang pagdaanan yun uli. It's already enough that it remains forever in my memory. Harharhar.

Si Sheiden, walang patumanggang picture-an ang pinasimuno, porke't may bagong digicam (bastos!). Baby niya raw yun... Alexis ang pangalan. Harhar. Shaider na Shaider talaga ang dating. Sayang wala si Annie.

I would've posted pictures, pero punchline ni Sheiden, hindi pa niya alam kung paano ie-email yung pictures sa akin. Sayang. May mga wacky pics pa naman dun (ex. Madagascar/National Geographic pose, Flow Virus pose, Drew's feet in slippers, Kissing Scene kuno, at kung anu-ano pa).

Umuwi kami ni Red ng 1:30 am. (HUWAAT? ANG AGA!) Eh kasi si Lolo Red, may pasok pa sa munisipyo. I would've loved to stay, pero nakikisabay lang ako kay Red. Mamasahe pa ba? Harhar.

All in all, it was a simple but fun celebration. It was nice to meet and be with old friends. I miss them all. Happy Birthday, beb! Hope you had fun! :) Nood tayo Madagascar ha?

Wallie sharing!

2005-05-25T16:37:00.000+08:00

For those of you who LURVE Lee Dong Gun oppa as much as I do, I've posted up three wallpapers on the net so that I can share it with you. Just scroll down this page and look for the sidebar heading that says Audience Share, and you'll find the links to the wallies I made!!!

Yun lang... just to let you know.

And yeah, NEWS FLASH, I cut my finger earlier while I was slicing pan de sal. Ang tanga, noh? Hehe. My left thumb is now an invalid.

I wanna burn GMA-7 down!

2005-05-24T02:31:00.000+08:00

Disclaimer: I wrote the title was just to get your attention. I do not have any intention of doing this literally in this lifetime or in any other, for that matter. So... if one of these days this DOES HAPPEN... count me out. I don't even work anywhere near there anymore. *ehem* And yeah... THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS POST!

One of the reasons why my heart is aching right now is GMA's "injustice" to my favorite K-drama Sweet 18. But before anything else, I'd like to tell you first what Sweet 18 is, in case you are not familiar with it.

[ 1 ] Sweet 18 is a NEW Koreanovela. By NEW, I mean, this is the first time that this Koreanovela will be shown for public consumption, on national television. Sure, there are a lot of K-drama addicts (like me) who have seen this over and over to their hearts' content, but there are thousands or millions more who haven't. And if I had it my way, I would love it if this wonderful series reached and touched as many people as possible.

LEFT: This, in his point of view, is how they first met. RIGHT: She asked her to marry him first, but he said he loved her first.

[ 2 ] Sweet 18 is one of the funniest and sweetest K-Dramas I've ever seen. It explores the lives of two people who have been arranged to marry each other. The story follows the couple through their ups and downs, making us, viewers fall in love with them as they discover their genuine feelings for each other as each episode unfolds. The characters are very endearing, and their experiences and the way they handle those experiences are both funny and touching at the same time.

LEFT: Jung-Sook shows husband Hyuk-Joon how to get rid of the blues... in one quick stroke! RIGHT: One of the sweetest on-screen kisses I've seen ever. This happens in Episode 7.

[ 3 ] Sweet 18 stars Lee Dong Gun For some K-drama addicts (like me, again), the name Lee Dong Gun on a label is enough to make us purchase or watch anything. In Sweet 18, Lee Dong Gun plays the role of a stiff, by-the-book but nice prosecutor who suddenly finds himself falling in love with a childish and immature 18-year old girl. In my opinion, this is Lee Dong Gun's cutest and most lovable role yet. (Not to mention, he really looks good if he's a little on the chubby side. Lovers in Paris and Stained Glass both star a very thin-looking Lee Dong Gun. Not that I don't adore him anymore... he just looks better when he's malaman.)

LEFT: Look at Dong Gun oppa's cheeks. Don't you just wanna kiss them!? RIGHT: I'm telling you... pajamas never looked this good.

Now that I've described (non-objectively? Who cares?) Sweet 18 for you, let me tell you why I was pushed to write that title above. (WARNING: Potentially incoherent rant will follow.)

GMA seems not to have seen the true potential of this series. Originally, GMA placed Sweet 18 on an afternoon slot (Mondays thru Fridays at 5:30 pm, to compete with the Meteor Garden re-run that was airing over ABS-CBN), and it outraged a lot of people who have seen this drama. It deserved a primetime slot because the show's target audience is supposed to be teenagers and young professionals.

Because it's summer, it is safe to say that most teenagers are home so they will be able to watch this series at the given time slot. What about the young professionals who get off work at 5:30 in the afternoon? I know a lot of yuppies who want to see this K-drama but are dismayed when they found out about the timeslot.

Let me clear things pala. I'm not a Kapuso. Damn, I'm a die-hard Kapamilya. But if GMA had put Sweet 18 on the primetime slot, I will not hesitate switching channels or watching Sweet 18 inside my parents' room just so I can relive Jung-Sook and Hyuk-Joon moments again! The first week it aired, I honestly almost short-circuited our remote control because I switched channels like crazy!

Now tell me. Why didn't they put even ONE giant Sweet 18 billboard along EDSA? Is it because Lee Dong Gun was first introduced in ABS-CBN??? I think not.

GMA took this series for granted. And it makes me very, very mad. At the height of the K-drama Stairway to Heaven (which I loved, by the way), GMA spent on TV plugs, promos, radio plugs (a theme song was made for the show), and a gigantic billboard greeting you while you enter the GMA-Kamuning Station when you ride the MRT.

The same thing was done with Full House and All About Eve, both K-dramas shown on GMA's primetime block. While I have nothing against the three shows I've mentioned, I was kinda expecting the same treatment for Sweet 18. But did that happen? NO! Honestly, I think GMA just decided, in a spur of the moment, to air Sweet 18 without even promoting the show decently! And because of what? Because they got threatened by Meteor Garden? OH, COME ON!!!

I thought that because GMA is winning the ratings game since late last year, and because they've publicized their success all over the Philippines, they would at least have the sensibility to handle the Meteor Garden threat efficiently. In all actuality, I didn't like ABS-CBN airing Meteor Garden again because it had been shown and re-shown too many times already that I thought people were already tired of it. Surprisingly, the F4 magic was still there, and too bad for Sweet 18.

A sacrificial lamb. Yeah... that's what it was. Sweet 18 didn't win over Meteor Garden (maybe because it wasn't promoted appropriately), so it had to go. Go where? To a timeslot where almost all re-runs are placed. As I've said, Sweet 18 is a new show... not a re-run. Placing it in a weekend late-morning timeslot will not help maximize its potential as a wonderful, funny and endearing series.

Pardon me for being very, very affected. Sue me for saying negative things about GMA. Bash me if your head ached of my ranting. My point is that I love this show, and I want as many people possible to appreciate it like I did, but at the rate things are going, I highly doubt it. GMA should've saved this for a later season. They would've struck a gold mine with Sweet 18 just like they did with Stairway to Heaven and Full House, but they made a wrong move.

Sweet 18 for me, has turned sour, thanks to GMA. I wish it was ABS-CBN who had gotten the rights for this. Now it's too late. GMA is so unfair to Sweet 18. They should've given this show a chance.

P.S. This freaking post drained my energy. Better get some sleep.

*Sigh* And I hope that when I wake up I'll have someone like him beside me. Lucky Han Ji Hye.

Nothing really special.

2005-05-20T16:09:00.000+08:00

Had my first job interview (after I resigned from my previous job) today. Nothing much to say about that (except that I got four freaking blisters on my feet because of my killer shoes!), though, so never mind.

What's worth mentioning, though... is my guy buddy Tops' latest achievement! CPA (Certified Public Accountant) na siya! Yahoo!

Finally! After all those years of hard work, you have already reached your goal! Ang sarap ng feeling noh? Idagdag mo pa diyan na may girlfriend na siya! O diba! Double happiness talaga!

Tops, congratulations!!! Blow-out ha?

... si Drew Arellano!

I was in Wazzup yesterday because I accompanied Michael who guested in the show. Our PA, Mark, told me to surprise Drew (the earliest to arrive) by knocking on the door of their dressing room and show up with the script.

Of course, I agreed with much gusto, and knocked on the door with matching familiar dialogue, "Drew, dito na po yung script mo!" I opened the door and there he was, mouth agape, surprised to see me yet again. I handed him the script, and, instead of getting the script from my hands, he hugged me tightly and asked, "Bakit ka nandito?"

"Eh yung guest niyo, binabantayan ko."

"Sino'ng guest?"

"Si Michael Cruz."

"Yung singer?"

"Yup," I beamed.

"Talaga!?"

We went on blabbing about what-nots, and I swear he smelled so good na nakurot ko siya sa tiyan sa sobrang gigil! Sabi ko pa, "Ang bango mo!" :)

I excused myself for a while because I had to attend to Michael, and we saw each other again in the set. Again, another hug. Hayyy... he definitely gave me my daily hug dosage. Miss ko na talaga yun.

I LOVE DREW ARELLANO! Not ashamed to admit!!!

Here's my pet, Sausage!

2005-05-18T03:04:00.000+08:00

I have a new pet!!! Look at him! Isn't he cute?

adopt your own virtual pet!

Heeheehee. Kawawang aso, Sausage ang pangalan. I actually have been wanting a pet para mapangalanan kong Sausage. Wala lang. Cute kasi.

You can actually play with the dog by moving your mouse around. You can click on the puppy treats and then tease the dog with it. Pag clinick niyo yung maliit na bone on top of the puppy, Sausage will show you a trick!

Ang cute noh! Kuha rin kayo ng pet niyo!!!

Jet Li is, once again, unleashed.

2005-05-18T01:58:00.000+08:00

Before anything else, I would like to post two new articles I got from The Seattle Times and The Boston Herald.

Jet Li's dramatic skills "Unleashed"

By Rebecca Louie
New York Daily News

NEW YORK — All Jet Li wanted was to promote a message of nonviolence and to flex his acting skills in addition to his muscles.

But, the action actor says, fans have complained about his new movie "Unleashed."

Li plays Danny, a slave assassin groomed by a European thug (Bob Hoskins) who is treated like a dog and forced to wear a collar.

"They thought it was ... " and Li consults an interpreter for the precise word "... insulting because Jet Li is the hero for the Chinese. Why does he have a collar on? Why is he stepped on by white people?"

"I have made a lot of action films, and I always kick white people's butt, black people's butt, the Japanese," he says. "Nobody said anything. I try to tell them that I am a producer on this movie. Why would I insult myself?"

Seated on a couch in a midtown hotel, Li, a Buddhist, clutches a rope of blue prayer beads. "Unleashed" is not about racial tension, Li says, but the importance of family. As Danny tries to break from his past, he discovers the possibility of love and a life free of violence.

The chance to explore that lesson in a complicated role lured Li to the project. This same factor pushed studios away.

When the script, written by Luc Besson ("La Femme Nikita," "The Professional"), was shopped in Hollywood, it was turned down by major studios, forcing the team to make the movie in Glasgow with European funding.

"It's difficult for an action actor to change his career," says Li. "My English is not so good, it doesn't show Jet Li's brains in American movies."

It's possible, others suggest, that the reluctance was part of a larger tendency to keep male Asian actors confined to action films.

"Audiences will pay 10 dollars to see an Asian guy kicking ass, but won't pay a buck to see an Asian guy emoting or romancing," says Jeff Yang, author of "Once Upon a Time In China: A Guide to Hong Kong, Taiwanese, and Mainland Chinese Cinema."

Stateside action movies such as "Romeo Must Die" and "Cradle to the Grave" have partnered Li with hip-hop icons Aaliyah and DMX.

To play Danny, Li worked with an acting coach for the first time. To evoke Danny's primitive isolation, he observed dogs and spent nights alone on the sound stage eating bread and water.

"Sometimes I would cry, I was so sad and lonely," says Li of the long, cold nights on set. "I was like, 'Why am I doing this? You could have a five-star hotel and a lot of people around you, a very good life. But to play this character, I had to be in his world."

Born in Beijing, Li has long been an icon in China. As a youth, he mastered the wushu form of martial arts and toured the world as a national champion, performing for world leaders such as President Richard Nixon. He switched to films when he retired from his athletic career at 17. Last year his martial-arts epic "Hero" broke box-office records in China and the U.S.

Emotionally drained after wrapping "Unleashed," Li took a year off and traveled to Tibet, India and Taiwan. There, he read, meditated and studied with Buddhist masters.

In December, while vacationing in the Maldives with his family, he was trapped by the tsunami. The flooding reached his mouth level as he fled with his daughters and a nanny. Everyone survived.

"Being very close to death makes me see there are more things I have to do," says Li. "I want to tell the audience the meaning of martial arts, that if you use it to hurt people you are like an animal. It is more important to understand life, the family, friends and responsibility to the world."

The conviction is an outgrowth of his faith. Gripping his prayer beads tighter, he says: "I try to chant every day. In the beginning, you chant for yourself. Then you chant for your family. Then, you chant more and more for life, the world, people, whatever you see. I hope to give good things to all people."

Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company

Meet the new Li: Lover, not a fighter

By Stephen Schaefer
Sunday, May 15, 2005 (The Boston Herald)

Jet Li calls Unleashed "the hardest movie I've ever made, as well as one I didn't get zero pay for."

This unusual mix of ferocious, R-rated fighting and unvarnished sentiment wasn't a film made for love but for conviction.

Li, who carried his blue Buddhist prayer beads around his wrist when he sat down to talk, hopes that in the blistering violence of Luc Besson's tale (opening this weekend), moviegoers will exit understanding that violence is not the answer: Love is.

Li's Danny the Dog has been raised by his loan shark uncle (Bob Hoskins) as a pit bull enforcer. Whenever his uncle unleashes Danny's dog collar, Danny attacks - and the brutalized, nearly dead miscreants quickly cough up their debts.

But Danny, who is kept unwashed in a cage and is mentally 8 years old, meets a blind piano tuner (Million Dollar Baby Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman) whose music triggers a flood of long-repressed memories.

"The first time, through the music, Danny feels it, the love that is sweet, that is friendship. This is why I believe the movie is very violent in the beginning and the end is the message I want to say, which is violence is not the only solution," Li said.

But making Unleashed wasn't easy.

"Nobody wants to make this movie in the States because I never proved I could act. They say, 'Jet Li can do action.'"

Now 42, Li traces his desire to move beyond action films to his attempted retirement in 1997.

"I have good enough money to take care of my family, and I'm quite famous in Asia," he said of his decision to visit India, find a Buddhist master and meditate.

The master told him not to retire and to have plastic surgery on a mole on the tip of his nose. What happened?

"The phone rings and Warner Bros. sends a first-class ticket to come to the States. That day changed my life," he said.

"But I never stopped studying Buddhism, and between each movie, I travel to India to find out about the life. I learned more about Buddhism than English, which is why my English today is still bad," he said, smiling.

Li wants to be a positive role model.

"Young kids look at you. I hear people say, 'Jet Li, you kick ass! You're cool.' At the beginning, I'm happy, and then I think, 'Chinese people only know how to kick ass: Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, myself.' Action is good, but it must be done in a different way. That's why I do Hero and Unleashed. Now I'm making a movie in China taking my philosophy and going to the next level of life. Martial arts is cool, but love is cooler."

*** Insanity Proper ***

I first saw the Unleashed billboard when I was on my way to ABS-CBN two weeks ago, and I was pleasantly surprised. Why? Because I've waited for this damn movie for around two years at least, even forgot all about it, and now it's finally gonna get shown!

Okay, I must admit now... I AM A DIE-HARD JET LI FAN. Yes. Amidst all my ka-jologsan, I adore and worship Jet Li. I even wrote a four-part fan fiction about him while in college. I just love the guy ever since I laid eyes on him in 1995 in the movie Fist of Legend. There. Clear now?

And now, I'm going crazy over Unleashed because I finally get to watch him again in action! The last movie I saw of him was Hero, where he starred with Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung and Zhang Ziyi... and I must say, I miss his ass-kicking moves so much that I'm dying to see this new one!

Unleashed opens in Manila on May 25! I can't wait!

"Oh my John!"

2005-05-16T23:36:00.000+08:00

Bear with me because while I still haven't recovered from my Lee Dong Gun fever, the John Manalo fever had hit me also. If you've read my last few posts in Jologs with Style, sobrang hindi naman masyadong halata na kras na kras ko ang batang ito, ano? (SAGOT: HINDI HALATA!) --> Sarcastic!

Backtrack. The first time I recall having interest in John was when I saw him play the role of Martin in Goin' Bulilit's Lovers in Pares. Siyempre, crush ko si Martin that time, so I checked it out to see if he was going to do any justice to the role given to him. And boy, oh boy, WAS I FLOORED!

He played Martin with such finesse that it looked like he watched Lovers in Paris over and over to master of Lee Dong Gun's facial expressions and movements. Ang galing pa nung pagkaka-make-up at pagkaka-ayos sa kanya. Kuhang-kuha ang appeal ni Martin! Sometimes when I look at him I instantly connect him to Lee Dong Gun. Kita niyo ba, pati yung mata at eyebags gayang-gaya! Hindi ba, nakakatuwa?

Ayun. Ever since then, suki na ako ng Goin' Bulilit. And I was thankful he got a role in Mga Anghel na Walang Langit. Ngayon, araw-araw ko nang masisilayan ang baby John ko! :)

[ TRIVIA : I also had a crush on a child star named John before. I was in Grade Three then, I think. Batang X days. His name is John Pratts. He's now one of the most good-looking and talented ABS-CBN stars, IMO. I will not be surprised if John Manalo will soon be one, and follow in his uncle Jericho Rosales' footsteps. ]

I'm so glad I found some more pictures of him on the net, thanks to Pinoyexchange (Ang sisipag ng mga tao dun, impernezz!), and I'm very proud to share them with you! Here they come, the beautiful ones! (Duh... bangengs!)

Look at how cute the kids are! Nakakatuwa itsura ni Nikki rito! John is the one at the far right corner of the picture. He plays the role of Jeboy, Sharlene's older brother.

This is John in the show's pilot episode screen capture. Serious!?

This is the second version of the screen capture. Hay... ang cute ni baby John dito. Nakakabasag ng puso ang facial expression!

If I can remember it right, this is John and Sharlene's first scene in the pilot episode. Naghahanap sila ng pagkain dito... ang KYUT!

And this... this is the last scene of the pilot episode. Awww... umiiyak baby John ko!

Hehehe. Madalas dito sa bahay tinutukso na ako nina Mommy. Mag-apply na raw akong Production Assistant ng Goin' Bulilit para makita ko lagi si John. Hay naku, sabi ko, kung magiging PA ako ng show na yun, kawawa sa akin ang mga bata! Feeling ko lang ha? Malalamog sa kurot sa pisngi ang mga batang iyon sa akin... hindi lang si John, kundi pati si Sharlene, Nash, Miles, Nikki, Eliza, Carl John, atbp!

I love these kids. Sobra.

At ngayon napapa-"Oh my John!" ako dahil dito sa napaka-cute at multi-talented na batang ito! More caps when I get some more!!! :)

***

P.S. Watch Goin' Bulilit every Sunday, after The Buzz, and Mga Anghel na Walang Langit weeknights after TV Patrol World! Only on ABS-CBN Channel 2... Kapamilya 'to! SOLID!

They come in threes...

2005-05-16T02:34:00.000+08:00

I'm really an avid TV viewer, and I especially like watching singing competitions because I am a frustrated singer myself, and well, somehow I can see myself in some of the contestants. Sometimes I get so hooked that I spend my last money just to vote for my bet, just to help out kahit paano sa kanyang text votes, especially if my bet is way behind the rankings.

Tonight, the 1st season of Search for the Star in a Million ended, and, like the first two original Star in a Million seasons, I was again disappointed.

Backtrack. In Star in a Million (SIAM) season 1, I was rooting for now multi-platinum artist Christian Bautista. I found him cute and very, very talented... even if his hairstyle back then left much to be desired. Napanood ko siya, January batch pa lang sa ASAP. He was the first finalist who entered the Grand Finals. As time progressed, his looks got better. He dressed better, and he sounded oh-so-much-better also. I would always say that his voice fits in a stage play because of its clear, distinct sound.

Sorry for using this picture again. Heehee. Tinamad akong mag-search eh. Antok na slight. Pero guwapo naman si Papa Christian dito, divine?

During the 2nd to the last episode of the SIAM 1 Grand Finals, Christian got the bashing from the judges because unlike the other contestants, he was unable to dance and sing well at the same time. His inability to bust the moves became his downfall. Therefore, he was voted out of the competition and ranked number four among the contestants.

I was so disappointed then. My votes went to Sheryn Regis afterwards. Well... anyone who knows their SIAM 1 history would know that it was Erik Santos who won. So, double disappointment for me.

SIAM season 2 came, and I wasn't really very interested to watch the show anymore because I had myself a job early last year. My interest in the competition came in May, when I saw Michael Cruz performing as one of the May finalists. Michael was, to my cousins and I, a familiar face because we already watched him perform in Klownz Araneta twice. We liked him instantly then because of his style in singing and dressing up, so when I saw him in SIAM 2, I was curious about how he would fare. He did great. He even won the May Finals and went on to the Grand Showdown which was held in July.

That's Michael over there. Picture taken at Zirkoh in November last year. Bangenge ako dahil sa beer. Huwag niyo nang itanong kung ilang bote! Nakakahiya!

Unfortunately, like Christian Bautista, Michael was voted out on the second to the last episode of SIAM 2. The judges thought that his vocal range wasn't versatile enough, so they bade him goodbye. I was super disappointed. To think that it was the first time I actually showed my support like THAT (I went to the 3rd, 4th and 5th Grand Showdown episodes and screamed my lungs out for Michael). He also ranked number four among the contestants.

This season's Search for the Star in a Million (SFTSIAM) certainly got a lot of criticism from the viewers. Maraming nagsabing hindi masyadong talented ang mga nakasali. Walang star quality. Sana raw ni-retain yung dating format, dahil yung latest season parang naging masyadong pambata. This and lots more have been said (thanks to PinoyExchange and Peyups), but I still tried to catch the show every week.

My personal bet this season was Jona Lumbera. I was surprised at her vocal range when I first heard her sing "My Immortal" by Evanescence. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, siya na ang bet ko. I was worried though, when the Finals Showdown came because it seemed like all the other contestants didn't like her. Natatakot daw ang mga ito sa kanya dahil nakakatakot daw makatingin. (Wow... nakakaloka ang reason! Di ko kinaya!)

My bet in this season's Search for the Star in a Million, Jona Lumbera, who ranked fourth overall in the competition. I bet she'll soon be number one.

Tonight, she was the second one to be voted out. As it was with Christian and Michael, she ranked fourth among the contestants. I was, once more, really disappointed because I really liked her voice. It was very clear, and she could take on difficult songs like "The Way it Used to Be" which she sang with Bituin Escalante in their Cebu episode.

I didn't know where she went wrong. I actually feel stupid now because I keep on figuring out whyshe was voted out before Mabel Bacusmo was. No offense to Mabel's fans, but I didn't like the way she "gurgled" out her songs. She eats up her words like they were her dinner. Nakakainis pa, the scores were not consistently shown on-screen unlike the past SIAM seasons. Dati, once na makita mo ang scores ng judges, you'll have an idea kung ano ang mangyayari susunod, but now, you're left clueless.

Ang masama pa roon, sometimes the judges don't articulate their criticisms (I won't name names anymore.) that's why you're left hanging. I think it was better before na you could really see how the contestants fared for every challenge. Alam ng lahat how each judge scored for them. Ngayon... well... wala.

So anyway, all I want to say is that I'm disappointed that SIAM and SFTSIAM put me down thrice already. My trending is the same though. My bets always place fourth. Nevertheless, I feel confident for Jona's career. Why?

[1] Christian Bautista was the first from SIAM 1 who recorded a solo album. Michael Cruz was the first from SIAM 2 who released an album apart from the SIAM 2 collection.

[2] Christian's songs became famous around the country and in other countries like Indonesia, as well. Michael's first single Crazy for You is doing well in the charts right now also.

[3] Christian is becoming a staple in television shows. Heck, he even has his own soap coming soon! Michael is slowly making himself visible on TV with his guestings and appearances.

Things come in threes, alright! And if the trend follows, then Jona Lumbera might just have a crack at an album soon... and then everything else will follow. I just wish Jona the best. Her talent and her determination to succeed will bring her wherever she wants to be. And I'll probably just have the last laugh (once again) when she makes it to the top first before this year's Grand Champion does. Way to go, gurl!

National Jolographic signing on!

2005-05-15T02:16:00.000+08:00

It has been a year since I seriously started blogging, and I got the hang of it. Maybe because I'm really a frustrated writer, or maybe because I'm quite of a literary exhibitionist and just don't want to admit it. Either way, I've been hooked into blogging and blog-hopping, and I've been loving it.

To all the people who've been reading my very first blog, Jologs with Style, I'm inviting you to join me and my jologs side here in National Jolographic. I'm not saying this is an improved blog... I actually just played around with Photoshop and the old layout, but I will strive to post more, improved, and more importantly, jolographically-inclined entries here.

The best is yet to come. Or so I would like to believe.

This is National Jolographic, now signing on!