We knew we had to do something else than curl up in bed before everyone starts school/work tomorrow. Yesterday’s swim at our suking resort in Padre Garcia, Batangas, with dearest cousins (from mum’s side) was totally fun despite the ice-cold breeze and frosty waters. Passed by the cemetery to pay Tito a weekly visit after the dip. Notice the epic weight gain I had throughout the Holiday break. Hoorah to obesity!

Inspired by one of my favorite INQUIRER columnists Michael Tan, en route my looking back post, I am writing my own list of things/places/persons/anything that rocked and made me smile this year (or grin).In  no particular ranking:

1. My literally big family. All five of us are plus size or near-plus, except Paolo At week’s end, they would give the needed energy to recharge and keep me going. There’s Paolo, our 3-year-old sprightly sib, who never ceases to  entertain me with his antics and innocent telling.  Mikko, younger sister, is doing good in school and graduating by next year. Time fuckin’ flies.
2. The momentous trip to the ASAP set weeks ago. Whereelse can one see legions of celebs in three hours? ASAP live rocks!
3. UP’s win in the annual cheerdance competition, with the ethnic garb to boot. Happy Centennial to UP!
4. Reunions, the cliched beso-beso and how-are yous. While 2008 saw less beach getaways for me, this year’s beaching included my elementary-grade friends’ reunion. Plus some office-related seminars, parties (Christmas parties, counted)  are the perfect time to know the people and expand one’s networking.
5. Hayden Kho and Vicky Belo’s parting. Haha. Me thinks it’s high time they separated and ended the May-December brouhaha. Come to me, Hayden!
6. I lost weight.
7. Purchases. Thank you Heavens.
8. Credit card cleanup. A couple of thousand bucks left and I am debt-free.
9. Friends, officemates, and bosses You know the cheesy lines, friends. Kiss to the moon and back, from my cholesterol-laden heart.
10. Eheads reunion concert, CD and DVD. Never mind the anticlimactic ultraelectromagnetic show that was cut short. Plus, the movies and shows like UP Samaskom’s “Isang pinggang pansit”. Haha.

Friends, make your own list.

I never mind waking up at 4 fuckin AM, the drive to Manila on a Sunday and feigning a sickness just to get to the set of ASAP Live last Sunday with dear friends from Batangas. I was overwhelmed, hands down starstruck, seeing and gushing over some 50 Kapamilya stars on the ASAP set.

Too bad the Coverboys didn’t go naked (as they always delectably do) while John Lloyd was also amiss. Jake Cuenca’s pelvic part is the sexiest thing on earth that day. Piolo Pascual, Sam Milby and Richard Poon would make for a great menage a trois. Haha. (Complete album on my multiply)

Spent the rest of the day at Megamall where we haggled for last-minute buying for the next day’s party gifts. Spent the night at the Richmonde Hotel.

Of late, I haven’t been much into the Internets, thanks to the deviltry that is the IT department who blocked all the social networking sites, even proxies, I frequent and keep my sanity at work–them Multiply, Friendster, Facebook. Can’t you give any niceties, can you?

The past weeks have been pretty loaded despite my week-long vacation leave and that thing (which shall not be revealed) that capped it all off. At least I’ve expended all the energies and prayers to it and I’ll let the good Lord to do his take on it.

Looking back, well, I spent all those rest days at home with relatives and kin who went home for uncle’s passing. For three days straight I was sleepless, gaudy and wasted, nay lightweight and drugged, manning uncle’s wake with cousins while playing all sorts of card game there is. The good thing about some kin’s passing is it’s the only time when folks come home, and gossip about the good ol days while introducing never-before seen cousins and affinities. It also makes for a good excuse to be a slugabed the next day and exempts one from doing errands. Hihi.

on the sidelines…

I feel Christmas-y already despite scrimping on budgets that needed to be stretched til the Holidays and beyond. If all things go as planned, nay God-willing, I would need to save up all the remaining pays and bonuses for next year.

Not to be forgotten of course, our company choir, the inCHOIRer, won second top honors at the recently concluded Hyundai Chorale Competition and we went home with 100grand. Hurrah to only six day of practice and deplorable budget.

The year that’s about to end was not exactly fruitful and jovial but God had his way all through it. i just hope He bless us more this coming year.

NB. I’ve been nine months single and happy. Yes.

Partying are the Democrats after Barack Obama had a resounding victory over Republican nominee John McCain in what is said to be the longest, most expensive, historic election in the Americas.

It wasn’t an easy tossup, as the two presidential candidates went through a grueling campaign expending their best effort, never-imagined campaign tacks and riveting messages of hope to the nearly distressed Americans.

Obama won, in solid coattails, recalling to mind the same landslide triumphs of Reagan and Nixon in the 80s and 70s.

While the win brings to the highest office the first black (shunning their storied racial issues), the whole campaign-election also changed the whole political landscape of the most powerful nation.

For one, there was the revival of volunteerism in the Americas throughout the campaign period with allegedly at least a million good-hearted peoples toward the last days of the campaign period. Two, it showed how active the Americans can get, with the largest crowds drawn and mobilized, even during the preliminaries. Three, it showed how people could shellout so much money for campaign contributions, with Obama pocketing some $600 million, sourced mostly through the Internets.

But the bottomline of Obama’s win is the repudiation of George W Bush—he who squandered America’s financial reserves, he who led their nation to the worst crisis since the Great Depression, he who incurred a the largest debt of the Americas, he who brought home body bags of boys killed in the Iraq war.

It was a long day.

Goodluck, Barack and don’t forget to thank Bush for your win.

Several political analysts and thinktanks the country over have recently forged a conjecture that an M&M tandem could throw some fire and add some flavor to the rather bland 2010 presidential elections. That’s Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Mar Roxas, no less.

In the recent euro generals fiasco, Santiago had swung to the highest respect by pinning down the whole Interpol delegation and the PNP chief before the national TV. But the the lady senator, with an all-feisty reputation and garrulous image to the media, hasn’t given out word yet on tractions to the higher offices.

Jumping into the presidential or VP foray isn’t on her to-do list as she is reportedly digging her teeth to win a seat at the International Court of Justice at the The Hague. Mr Palengke, on the other hand, is eyeing some partymates to ride with him to a possible trip to the Palace.

Anyways, if Miriam changes her mind, she will have my vote.

PNP ex-comptroller Eliseo de la Paz had gone home but the hubbub involving his carrying a valise of P6.9 million to an Interpol assembly in Moscow remained dubious.

For the sake of argument, I will be sold to his math appropriating the P2.3 million cash advance for a costly living in Moscow. But whatever he says about bringing P6.9M in cold cash for the alleged PNP contingency fund is grossly unacceptable. What was that for? And hey, didn’t the PNP man know international aviation SOPs? Fukc.

And why would a wife of the PNP chief be sent to the assembly in his behalf?

The trip is clearly a well-covered junket. Sana nagpulis nalang din ako noh?

* * * *

On the sidelines of the Interpol assembly, I heard the Philippine delegation tried to seek help of the Interpol in DNA testing of the MV Princess ship’s victims for the lack of funds and equipment.

The government brandished our sorrowed Third World state and yet a police general was caught with 105,000 euros. 

It is downright shameful, a national embarrassment, thank you.

Chris Martinez’s debut as a director comes to life in the film “100,” a story of Joyce, a cancer-stricken yuppie who keeps a list of simple to kookie things to do before she dies.

The list, written on yellow post-its and posted at her room, spans for almost three months and chronicles how Joyce wishes to spend her last days. Her post-its also encapsulate her personal book—childhood, love flames, and the notes remind her of ways to put closures to her own book.

Actress Mylene Dizon played the lead and not surprisingly delivered. She is ever ebullient yet snug as the ailing Joyce. Her acting speaks of versatility and audacity. I love her to hilt, as she is beauteous and gorgeous here amid the manifestations of the deadly C-cells.

Playing Joyce’s best friend Ruby is one of the industry’s best thespians Eugene Domingo who flies to perfection in her ever witty and naturally comic self. Eugene brings much joy to the film with her wisecracks that keep the overall feel light and jovial. She rightly deserved the Supporting honors in the Cinemalaya.

Tessie Tomas, the ever hoity-toity, as Joyce’s mother is at her best, no less.

The story is simple, nimble and yet almost perfect. Narration is, hands down, compelling, and not higgledy-piggledy patched. Script is well-thought out and sharp-witted. Camera work is as superb, shunning away from stereotyped nauseating-dizzy feel of indies.

Overall production design is equally beautifully done, with our own Mount Pinatubo to boot. The silence that runs through the film, with its original musical scoring by Ricci Chan, added much depth and profundity to the telling.

Where else could you see Tessie, Mylene and Eugene go skinny dipping? This particular scene on a cold moonlit night at the beach is the one of the most memorable and touching parts of the film as the three impudent women set aside the sorrows of passing and rightly enjoy the cold waters.

*Woot. Seeing Simon Ibarra playing Kuya Gilbert to Joyce added much to my own joy. I crush the guy since his ’90s stint in sexy films. Perv ako. Haha.*

Death had never felt this beautiful after watching Chris Martinez’s “100.”

* * *

As lovely was seeing Chris himself during the screening this morning at the INQUIRER office. Hands down, Chris!

The movie will have its commercial run in December and I fervently wish you all to watch it.

Asked of his latest project, Chris said he’s pursuing a sex comedy fare. Bridal Shower and Bikini Open were his screenplays. Last order sa Penguin, a short novel and a Palanca winner, I read in college was his too. Chris finished business administration from the State University. WTF. Swabe.

The Times Higher Education – QS World University Rankings recently released its annual university ranking for the year 2008. The Ateneo and the UP climbed notches higher from their shameful places the previous years.

This year’s UAAP ballgame champ Ateneo rose from number 451 in 2007 to number 254 this year, while UP rose from 398 last year to 276.

The hoopla is well celebrated by the Jesuit-run school while some members of the UP community are aghast, infuriated even, at the results. Annus horribilis. Dreadful year.

The THE-QS Rankings are based on data gathered in the following categories: peer academic review, recruiter review, international faculty ratio, international student ratio, student-faculty ratio, and research citations per faculty.

There is talk, threads even, debunking the results saying that most of the data are rehashed from the previous years as some schools didn’t submit their latest data to accurate their standings. Oh well bitter.

* * *
On a different and a lighter note, I stumbled upon this indie teaser on UPCAT, the state university’s admission exam. UPCAT the movie, is a coming-of-age story of two buddies from the province who believe that passing the UPCAT is the proverbial passport to their dreams.

The dream project stars Felix Roco (oh so hot! shit, I’m about to pee), Richard Quan and several local actors. The film, mostly shot at UP-Los Baños campus in Laguna, is directed by Roman Carlo Olivarez. OST by Raimund Marasigan of Sandwich.

The project is one of the grantees of Cinema One originals. They’ll be having a run at Galeria’s Indiesine on Dec 3-16. The trailer is now up, and it looks promising.

Let’s hope the film go beyond Mongol 2s and shaded circles. Let’s pray the guys the best.

Next month, she would have had the chance to redeem herself in the Ms Word pageant had she not bolted out and given up her much-ballyhoed crown.

Binibing Pilipinas-World winner and eventual Internet queen Janina San Miguel has quit the race, today’s papers said.

Reports quoted San Miguel citing as reason for her decision the recent death of his grandfather. Allegedly she has been under much stess, among other personal reasons, and it may stop her from performing duties.

As per Binibini’s rules and regulations, 1st Runner-Up Danielle Castaño will replace San Miguel as the official Philippine representative who will vie for the Ms. World 2008 plum in Johannesburg.

Let’s give the girl a much needed-break, people. Hindi siguro nga nakapraktis nang ayos dahil stressed. Buti na ‘yun kesa maulit ito.
Indeed, the country should see it as a blessing in disguise. Sabi nga ni papa Benj.