Monday, March 31, 2003
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I was able to take some time out yesterday to put all the "All I Really Need To Know I Learned From Harry Potter" essays in one place. They have all been uploaded right here!. Wheeee!!!

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Caught "Dreamcatcher" with Peter Pan last Saturday. It's an intriguing movie. I was... surprised by the fact that it was actually about aliens. And the whole time, I was thinking.... this is an X-Files movie! Duh. Heehee. But the characters were presented in a very... unique manner. I must say, it's very Stephen King. Well, duh. :D But I liked the movie, it was very entertaining. I've read some reviews, and I know some people don't care for it, but I still say it was good enough. Rating: 4/5 stars. I'm so generous today. Teehee. :)

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Excerpts from GiNnY's Diary

Okay, I am now officially very... bothered. I know things have been weird but they have been getting weirder. This is not good for my sanity. I will stop thinking about it now. I'm letting go. I know that if I let go, I will fall. But hey, I've already fallen. What have I got to lose? I remember Oneal once said that if you let go you won't really fall, because that's what happy thoughts are there for. You will just... float... fly. But what if you fell for your happy thought? Sheep, this is getting all too confuddling and befusing. Yes, even more so than before....

Sunday, March 30, 2003
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Arta i Eleni

I had Master RashBold of TPTS translate this blog's name for me. :) He says:

"Across the Stars": Arta i Eleni (the arta is arbitrary, having got it from the "Qenya Lexicon").

Thus, the Quenya phrase you see up up there in the title. :)

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Things have been... err... well, funny everywhere lately. It's like the world turned all... sarcastic... humorous... queer. Like Aids said, if the Force had a sense of humor, then this is one big practical joke. LOL. I couldn't agree more.

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Excerpts from GiNnY's Diary

Lately, things have been... errr.... different. I sense a disturbance in the Force. I sense a distubance in me. A certain... confusion. There were times when I forgot him completely. Times when my mind did not turn to him when I needed a happy thought. And all this just when I thought I couldn't ever get any other happy thoughts. But I did. I did, and I'm thankful. This is so bizarre... and all too new. Once again I submit myself to the Force.

Thursday, March 27, 2003
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Be Aware of Magic
Part 4 of "All I Really Need To Know I Learned From Harry Potter (Magical Thoughts on Muggle Things)"

Magic. The encompassing aspect of the Harry Potter books, and most fantasy literature or films. It is mystical, mythical, more often than not, intangible. Somehow, these qualities make magic an alluring element of the fantasy genre.

In the Harry Potter world, magic follows certain rules. Casting spells entails being able to recite incantations and focusing power using a wand. Potions are made from ingredients with inherent magical qualities. Fantastical creatures abound. The use of magic is regulated, following certain moral standards, which allows for some sort of social responsibility for wizards. And Muggles do not have magic. Muggles? Muggles. The "non-magic folk" of J.K. Rowling's universe. Basically, people like you and me. Oh, don't go having delusions of grandeur. I sometimes pretend I am a witch too, but really, I'm actually only a Muggle. While they think magic and the wizarding world are totally separate from us Muggles, I personally think that magic exists in our world too. Not in the form one has come to expect of magic in the wizarding world, but a more subtle form. Magic that isn't necessarily spectacular, but works wonders in our Muggle lives.

I know what you're thinking. "How thickheaded can she be? That's why they're called muggles. Muggles! Non-magic folk! No magic! Sheesh!". Right. But I don't believe there is no magic in my world. It exists in the many big and little things that we sometimes take for granted....

What else would you call friendship? That indefinable spell cast upon two or more people who share the same interest, who hang out and have fun, who help each other through trying times? Don't you just feel blessed that you have a shoulder to cry on, someone to laugh with, someone to tell you that you are wrong, and someone to be scared with? I feel that in all the years that I've lived, I have had a charm that helps me to find good friends that I really care for and appreciate. And I do hope that charm doesn't lose its power.

Then what about compassion? The acts of kindness shown by a human being to those in need. I believe that in these trying times, it is the sympathy and care that we show to others that makes their lives bearable, and makes ours more fulfilling. And don't we feel like some magic is at work when the time comes when we are the ones in need, and people come to our rescue?

There's laughter. The wizards recognized it as that which can finally finish off a boggart. In the Muggle world, we are told that laughter is the best medicine. And that it certainly is. Laughter can wipe away the gloom, the sadness, even the pain. Its mere sound can bring out a smile in others.

Nature. It gives us life and sustains us. It is God's own magic at work in our world.

And love. Love is good and powerful ancient magic. It is unselfish, giving, an emotion that sweeps us all. It may bring joy and pain, we may try to resist it, but ultimately, it conquers all... even avada kedavra.

There's more. We only have to be aware of it. Magic may come in the form of those that are important to us, those things that affect our lives, things that make us grow and become better persons, things that make us happy, even the happy thoughts that make us fly. Peter Pan nailed that concept right. There is no need for fairy dust. :)

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Lying in the gloom of my lonely room
Thinking of how to reach you, dreaming of having you.
I believe in dreams, I believe in miracles
I believe that toy balloons can reach and touch the moon.
I don't have the courage and the will
To say the words but I can feel
That what's inside me is for real.
Oh, and I know someday,
I'll have the chance to prove and say
Three simple words will come your way
I know I'll have the chance someday....
--- "I Believe In Dreams" by Janno Gibbs



Monday, March 24, 2003
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Wheeeee!!! Since the supposed-nifty-javascript doesn't want to work, and thus, no lovely sparks, the stars in the background will have to do. Thanks, Oneal, for the suggestion and the background image. :)

It looks truly starwarsy now!. :)

Now, THIS is nifty. :)

 

No, the nifty script doesn't work. Gah! It is not so nifty after all....

And yes, the archive page is still based on the old layout. Waaaaah!

Sheeeeeeep.

 

Whew! Finally! After hours and hours of troubleshooting, "Across the Stars" Version 2.0 is up and running. :) Lau, you will need to make me a new banner for my comment box. *grin*. Thanks in advance. Heheheheh.

For the links to my friends's sites/blogs, I tried to associate the icons on the link with the person who owns the site. To those that I've linked, please take a look and tell me if you don't like your "avatar", and which one you prefer I use. :)

Now to work on the archive index page....

Sunday, March 23, 2003
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I finally got up the courage to change this template. Yippeeee! I'm not sure why I chose this one... I just adopted this from a template from Blogskins... I think I like it 'cause it reminds me of space, all that black and all those stars. Plus that nifty script that produces the sparks are cool too... if it ever shows up in Blogger, which I doubt. Sheeeeep.

With this layout though, I won't be able to put in all my cute little adoptees, so I'm going to make a separate page just for them. :) The plan is for me to actually create the rest of my website, with "Across the Stars" just being a part of it, so the links and other stuff that used to be in the previous layout are now all on-hold pending construction of the rest of the site. I just hope I have enough skill to push through with the project. I only know basic HTML, and can't even create graphics to spice up the site, so it will be quite an adventure. :) Time might be a problem too, since I'm trying to allot time for that secret personal project of mine that I only have around two months to finish. Sheep. I better stop procrastinating....

Meanwhile, at least "Across the Stars" gets a new look. Farewell to Potteresque purple and hello to Starwarsy spacey black, blue, and gray. I'll miss all the color, but I found this new one intriguing, so on to blogging with a new template! :)

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"Magical Melodies" also undergoes a long overdue update with the three new filks I've managed to squeeze out of my idea machine in the past three months. I'm working on moving that whole archive to Brinkster so I can ditch all the ads. :)

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SWP Assembly yesterday was great! Am so glad to have met quite a number of very interesting newbies. Some of the members are looking into the possibility of creating their own Stormtrooper armor. Very cool. :) I hope this project pushes through so that we can have our own batallion of troopers by the next Convention. :)

My boys had a live appearance at "Magandang Umaga Bayan" this morning. They got to show off their Star Wars collections and talked a little about SWP. :) Meanwhile, the Stormballs got mentioned in Rina Jimenez-David's column in the Inquirer today. At last! Someone from the media actually saw them. LOL.

The "Digital Tour" coverage of New Worlds aired tonight also. It was a good episode and managed to convey the fun atmosphere of the Convention. Once again, SWP had its little place in the spotlight with a feature on Star Wars collectibles and memorabilia. I wonder if any of the TV coverages managed to film the Stormballs and the Lightsabre Suicide Squad.... And again, Artoo was the star of the show! ;) Aside from little editing glitches (Harry Potter and Middle Earth crossovers) and Oneal's name being spelled wrong (he insists his official screenname is now Oneal Resoro, hehehehe), all in all that DTour episode was cool. Great script, U-l-a-n! :) "We are now ready to... engage!" *wink wink* Heehee. :)

I'm still overwhelmed by the number and calibre of members that we seem to be getting. Never did I dream that we will be able to gather these fans together this way. I'm so proud of everyone who has worked to put the group where it is now. I hope we can sustain all this. On to the Anniversary Party and SWP's second year! :)

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Excerpts from GiNnY's Diary

Foolishly happy because of my happy thought. I don't know why. It's like his mere presence is able to lift my spirits like no one and nothing else could. Well that's what happy thoughts are for. Ah, but I am fervently praying that I do not crash and burn. Heaven help me....


Saturday, March 22, 2003
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix US Edition Cover by Mary Grandpre





 

A Call For Peace....


poster design by Gary Mayoralgo

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix UK Edition Book Covers


Children's Edition cover


Adult Edition cover



Tuesday, March 18, 2003
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Watched "Star Trek: Nemesis" with U-l-a-n last Saturday. TNG is the only Trek series I've ever really watched in earnest. I grew up with it, actually. Knowing that, I felt sad that "Nemesis" is the last TNG film.

But the crew went out with a bang, I must say. Heehee. The plot is very simple but the presentation was good. Effects were great, soundtrack was smashing, and the villain was gorgeous, what more could you ask for? LOL! :) I only mourn the loss of my favorite character, though. To quote Anakin Skywalker: why'd he have to die? :) Admittedly, U-l-a-n and I were having fun trying to think of ways Star Wars characters will react in the situations presented. But I guess it's just part of that healthy competition and teasing between the Trekkers and StarWoids.

But for the record, the movie was good, I rate it: 4.3 / 5 stars. :)

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Excerpts from GiNnY's Diary

In the past 3 days I felt like I stepped through a portal and into another world, surreal and bleak. And amidst the throes of loneliness, something happened. I realized that what I wanted most at that very moment of solitude was my happy thought. To see his face and hear his voice, and to pull me back to the reality I know. I fought the urge to call him or send him a message, and succeeded. After a few minutes, I got encouraging messages from three other friends and felt much better. Somehow, my friends and my happy thought have become anchors to my reality, helping me to go back when I've strayed or wandered too far. I'm happy.

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You're the one thing I can't get enough of.
So I'll tell you something... this could be love.
Because I had the time of my life.
Though I never felt this way before.
Yes I swear, it's so true.
And I owe it all to you....
--- "Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes (OST - Dirty Dancing)

Friday, March 14, 2003
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Wheeeeee!!! Had a blast at New Worlds - The 1st Philippine Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention. I had no doubt it would be a success but I was a little wary of how the people will take it and how many people will even bother to attend. There were a lot of people and everyone had fun, so I am now relieved and can safely look forward to the second convention possibly later this year, in time for "The Return of the King"

2 days before the Con itself though, I didn't get to eat or sleep properly, continuously coordinating SWP stuff, our props and booth design and our "surprise" number and the Lightsabre Fight Demo. We only got 2 hours of sleep the morning of the Con. I was dead tired with all the planning but probably not as tired as my hardworking Jedi. But it was all a team effort and I am ever so thankful I had these people to work with. People who are true fans and who are dedicated to the group.

We got to the Convention late, actually. We came from U-l-a-n's Hobbit Hole where we worked on the supposed Booth Design the night before, along with the 2 hobbits who were doing TPTS's design also. I told U-l-a-n she must've felt like Bilbo Baggins when Gandalf and the dwarves started invading his hobbit hole when they went on their quest to hunt down Smaug the dragon.

If he had heard me, Master Yoda would have scolded me for not believing in the Force. See the moment we started loading all the stuff in the cab, things went wrong. 2 of the set pieces broke. Then we got stuck in pre-rush hour traffic (yes, there is such a thing), we ran out of paint, Moriondo was running late also and the Stormtrooper helmets were not yet painted. Good thing the Toy-darians arrived at the Convention area early enough and they were able to set up. We ended up abandoning putting up the supposed Death Star Throne Room backdrop. And it was funny. We actually tied for the X-Philes for best booth design until the representative from AEGIS broke the tie and voted for the X-Philes. They deserved it though, as it truly looked like Mulder's basement office complete with all the posters and books he had, a filing cabinet, and more.

Our first activity was the "Create Your Own Jedi" Art Contest which was participated in by surprisingly talented people. Two people actually ended up winning it. Wooooo. One drew a Kaminoan Jedi, and the other, a... hrmmm... I've forgotten what it was called, but it looked like... a horse....

Then there was the costume contest. I got to be the SWP representative in the judges' panel. There were 2 Jedi who came in robes escorting Queen Amidala. There was Louis, Lestat and Claudia from "Interview with the Vampire", and then there was Buffy, Arwen, Frodo, Hermione, Harry Potter, the X-Men, Eowyn, and most notably, a Borg and an Alien. Wow. The Alien won the contest by a unanimous decision. Cool stuff there.

And then.... the STORMBALLS. Oh. My. Gosh. I'm still kinda speechless, but THEY ROCKED! They turned out to be THE Ultimate Sci-fi fantasy! Get get awwwwww!!! Hahahahaha!

And of course there was our Lightsabre Fight Demo. Emil, Gary, Rain and Jaybee did really really well considering they only had a few days to practice. But they made an impressive performance that the attendees received well. The great sound effects, music, and the Force-throwing probably did the trick also. Heeheeeeee....

We didn't expect much media attention also, but... my gosh. Several TV camera crews and newspaper and magazine people were there. I actually got interviewed myself. Hrmmmm... Will put up the link when it comes out on the Inquirer's website. :) Most of the shows focused on the merchandise that the Toy-darians brought in... especially Artoo and the Anakin FX Lightsabre. Cooooool.

So there. All in all, it was a great experience, and I thought it was a great way for SWP to do team building. At least after this, we've learned some lessons we can apply for future activities.

Photos and video clips may be found here:
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/starwarsphilippines
More photos will be added soon, so watch out for those. :)



Monday, March 10, 2003
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Two days to go until the Convention and I still feel as if there is so much left undone. By this time, we should all be relaxing and just trying to do some last minute stuff. But as usual, all the last minute stuff turned out to be the all important things... I should be scared about not finishing everything on time but I'm not. Somehow I have learned to adapt that Zen-like attitude of not making the effort to control things too much but of just doing what you can and letting things work out in their own way and in their own time. I have also learned to trust the other people in my group somehow, assessing their capabilities and knowing when and when not to panic and try to take over their part in the process. So far, even if we are behind schedule, things are moving and everything and everyone has exceeded my expectations. I feel that we will still pull through just like we always do and that whatever happens, this will be a successful event. I expect people will have a lot of fun. The only thing I am scared of now is that the attendees will have greater expectations than we can all live up to. I just hope that being fans ourselves, somehow, we have thought of what other fans will want to see and expect. 2 days to go. I'm excited, I'm scared, but one thing is for sure. I intended to have fun fun fun. :)

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Excerpts from GiNnY's Diary

Last week has been full of happy thoughts and surprising revelations. Somehow I am beginning to understand things and people better. Although I understand things and people better, that doesn't mean all my problems are solved. But it does help. Once again I revert to my new Jedi-like plan. Do not control things. Do what you have to do. Have fun in the process. Let all the pieces fall into place by themselves. It used to be that I lose hope with every little thing that seems to make my happy thoughts turn a little sad. But now I have learned to think before over-reacting. After that, things start to make more sense. And somehow, the days pass by happier this way. Maybe this is my current "happy medium". If I cannot have what I want just yet, then I will be content where I am and wait.

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Nothing but pennies in my pocket
And Nothing but faith to keep me warm
Baby, then I'll be broke without it
Tell me how much for your love?

You slipped my heart in your back pocket
All that I've got to keep you warm
Baby don't leave me here without it
Tell me how much for your love?

-- "In My Pocket" by Mandy Moore

Wednesday, March 05, 2003
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Module 1 of French class finally finished. Yippee! And just when that wrapped up... I finally found me a French dictionary. Talk about timing. But well, there's always Module 2. :)

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The counter to the Con is down to 7 days. I don't know how to stamp down this panicky sensation I've been feeling for days. It's not the best feeling in the world.... I hope I get through the week.... However, exerting a lot of effort to be all Zen about it. Calm down, don't think too much, don't be too willful. It seems to be working....

On a brighter note, my lightsabre demo group is doing well. At least they now have some sort of choreography. Just a little more practice, and they'll do fine doing the Con. :)

Got home very late (or should I say... early?) this morning because we worked on SWP's section of the Con's souvenir CD. Had to wake up early to watch the gang's appearance at "Breakfast". Cool. Ended up late for work. Not cool. But had fun anyways so... Cool. :)

7 days... I'm too excited. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! :)

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Finally finished "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe". It took me a while to finish the book mainly because most of the time, I'm just too tired to read. But lately I've taken to bringing the book when I go to work so that I can read it during the bus ride to and from the office. It turned out to be a fascinating read. The story is simple, but somehow there are underlying themes and ideas that make you think. I can see where the Christian aspects come in. Can't wait to read the next book. :)

Meanwhile, I've started with "The Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I've gone through a few chapters and I am now completely engrossed in the story. Bradley's style of writing is... poetic... lyrical... and it's very appropriate for the type of story that she is trying to tell. :) Read read read read....

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Excerpts from GiNnY's Diary

Had a happy though panicky weekend. Dreamed happy thoughts the other night. :) Have enough happy thoughts that I can probably fly for a week. Heehee. :)