Tuesday, December 30, 2003
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I knew it!


Which HP Kid Are You?

'Nuff said. :)

Monday, December 29, 2003
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So shinyyy... so beautifuuuullll.... myyyyy preciousssssss....

Thanks to Chaser Jesser (the one who looks like Rica Peralejo. Mweheheh. Peace, Jesser! :) ) and the Gripins' blog, as promised, here's a pic of the members of the GQT (with Head of House DADAProf) in their spiffy looking robes! It's a pity Mara and Nes are missing (wah!)



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Well, aren't his shades so shiny and so beautiful? Mwahaha! For those who don't recognize him, that's my fave F1 driver, Kimi Raikkonen, last season's runner-up to champion Michael Schumacher. Dang, the guy looks too cool. :) Thanks for the pic, Cai!

Sunday, December 28, 2003
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All that's missing is a Firebolt

Yesterday, at Hogwarts Philippines' Yule Ball, I finally got my Quidditch robes courtesy of Prefect Z! YIPPEEEE!!! Prefect Z did a great job! He is PHP's very own Monsieur Malkin, maker of robes for all occasions. :) Monsieur Malkin! My Padme costume! *wink wink*

Actually, no, I'm not a Quidditch player. Aside from my duties as Muggle Studies professor, I'm the Team Manager of the Gryffindor Gripins.

Here's a pic of my robes! Isn't it so shiny, so beautiful.... myyyyy precioussssss... *gollum, gollum*

It also comes with a lovely comfy wooly red "Weasley sweater" that you wear inside as an undershirt.



I'll wait for the pics from the Yule Ball, then that's the only time you can see me actually wearing the robes. Heheh. :)

Friday, December 26, 2003
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Published on TORn!

My "Return of the King" review is up! Yippeeee! You can find it here under my Elven name and Tolkien codename, Almeldiel. :)

Thursday, December 25, 2003
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...the crownless again shall be king.

If I were to watch only one movie this year, then, hands down, it would have to be "The Return of the King". Not being fond of comparing Peter Jackson's saga to that of my beloved Lucas, I decided that reading reviews written by other authors wouldn't really be advisable, so here's my own....

WARNING: Spoilers ahead! Some sections of the text have been hidden, just highlight the white spaces if you're okay with reading spoilers.

Probably picking up where "The Two Towers" was unceremoniously cut, the movie starts with a backstory on how Smeagol found the One Ring and how he turned into the creature now known as Gollum. For those who have not read the book, this is a welcome scene that demonstrates in yet another way just how evil the Ring truly is.

We then come to hobbit friends Frodo and Sam as they try to make their way into Mordor led by the treacherous Gollum. We see yet another of Smeagol/Gollum's "schizophrenic episodes" which would probably earn Andy Serkis an acting award if only he were technically qualified for one. :)

As expected, a lot of scenes from the book were either changed or cut out. I completely understand cinematic constraints and all, but from a fan's point of view, I wish they didn't edit out the scenes in the Houses of Healing. For one, it shows that Aragorn is the true King of prophecy without linking his kingship entirely to the War. It was said that the true King had healing hands, and his efforts to heal Eowyn, Merry, and Faramir, showed his true nature. Also, it would have been interesting to see how PJ would have pictured Eowyn and Faramir's story which took place almost entirely during that chapter of the book.

The whole Battle of Pelennor Fields sequence was a sight to behold, and one I certainly would not forget. Kudos to PJ and whoever did all the CG and designs, it was totally awesome, and just how I pictured it from reading. There was nothing sad about that whole sequence, but I found it so wonderful, I actually cried. :D And there's no substitute for the audience reaction when Eowyn was fighting the Witch King, and she took off her helm and cried, "I am no man.", then thrust the sword through the Witch King's head. Wow. Here's one for the women. :) And what about the arrival of the Mumakil and the army of the Dead?. That sure was one heck of an "i want to stand up and applaud if only the people at the back of the theater wouldn't shoot me with arrows" moment.

The coronation of Aragorn was another great sequence. Attended by virtually everyone in Gondor plus all the other important people in the epic, Aragorn is suddenly transformed from Ranger to King. There's a very noticeable change in Viggo Mortensen's appearance, manner, and voice, which certainly screamed "I am the true King of Gondor. I have returned."

I totally loved the parts where Pippin and Aragorn sang. This shows how talented the actors truly were, and especially during Pippin's scene, it added a lot more heart to the whole sequence.

I wish we could have seen more of Eowyn and more of how Eomer eventually led the men of Rohan after the death of King Theoden.

As with all great movies, the musical score plays a big part in its overall effect, and I think Howard Shore did a masterful job for this one. That's a compliment coming from me, who worships only John Williams. Heheheh. :) But really, Shore's score is wonderful and the Annie Lennox song, "Into the West", is very very very cool and fitting.

The only real big complaint I have is the editing. I just didn't like how some scenes seemed suddenly cut off, or how certain scenes pre-empted certain scenes, etc. But you can't have it all, eh?

I knew they weren't gonna show the Scouring of the Shire but I was surprised to see a sequence where the Hobbits indeed return to the Shire. And although I know those last scenes where Sam gets married to Rosie and the Ringbearers sail off to the Undying Lands was very much a part of RotK's Epilogue, I just felt that it took away from much of the awe and excitement generated by the end of the War and the Return of the King. I really would have wanted the movie to end on that note. But again, that's just me. :)

Can't wait for January to see it again!

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not whither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadow shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king."

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I submitted this review to TheOneRing.Net's Ringer Reviews. Hopefully it gets published. :)

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Happy Christmas, one and all! May the birth of the true Chosen One bring harmony to our lives. As we enjoy the food and gifts and the fun, let us not forget the true reason for all the celebration. The true King has come. :)

More on the recently concluded 1st Philippine Star Wars Convention soon. :)



Sunday, December 21, 2003
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Tired, sleepy, sneezy, bashful, blushing, but missing Joran

It's the third day of the Star Wars Convention and so far, most of the things that can go wrong went wrong. But at least solutions also present themselves. The Force is still with us.

That's it for today, more tomorrow.

Wednesday, December 17, 2003
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Light Side, Dark Side, Balance

The Jedi Code
There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no chaos; there is harmony.
There is no death; there is the Force.

The Sith Code
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.

I wonder how the Code of Neutrality and Balance goes, though? I think it should go a little something like....

The Code of Neutrality and Balance
I believe in the Prophecy of the Chosen One who will bring Balance to the Force.

Heheheh.

 

What not to do while watching Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

1. Stand up halfway through the movie and yell loudly, "Wait...where the #&$* is Harry Potter?"

2. Block the entrance to the theater while screaming: "YOU.....SHALL NOT..... PASS!"

3. Play a drinking game where you have to take a sip every time someone says: "The Ring."

4. Point and laugh whenever someone dies.

5. Ask everyone around you if they think Gandalf went to Hogwarts.

6. Finish off every one of Elrond's lines with "Mr. Anderson."

7. When Aragorn is crowned king, stand up and at the top of your lungs sing, "And I did it.... MY way...!"

8. Every time someone kills an Orc, yell: "That's what I'm Tolkien about!" See how long it takes before you get kicked out of the theatre.

9. Talk loudly about how you heard that there is a single frame of a nude Elf hidden somewhere in the movie.

10. When they go in the paths of the dead, wait for a tense moment and shout, "I see dead people!"

11. After the movie, say "Lucas could have done it better. Just look at Episodes I and II."



I still resent that last one, but... *shrug*

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From StarWars.com's Ask The Jedi Council, a fan asks Stunt Coordinator, Nick Gillard:

Q: Who do you think has been Hollywood's best swordsman?

Nick answers: I think after Episode III, it will be Hayden Christensen.

'Nuff said. *grin*

Tuesday, December 16, 2003
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One Day To Go

... before the Star Wars Con! Click on the lovely banner designed by Joran to read the details.



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Had dinner with the goddesses tonight. 'Twas fun, as usual. :)

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I don't know what it is about Rudolph the red-nosed Bearista from Starbucks, but....





Darn it, I want one.

Monday, December 15, 2003
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More Light Shows

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the lights. And the mall has managed to top it off with fireworks too!

And since my brain can't really write anything coherent, I guess these pictures will have to do.









The Ayala Malls have weekend fireworks displays the whole month!





Cinderella's castle at the Disney Lantern Festival at Glorietta




Cinderelly's carriage




The animals all assemble to pay homage to....




...Simba, the Lion King, at the Disney Lantern Festival in Alabang Town Center




Yes, that's the Rustan's building looking like a huge gift box

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Congratulations to The Artist Society and Matrix Philippines for winning first place in the Culture Crash Comics Convention's Fan Film Competition for "The Juan"! Excellent job, folks! Isis is proud. :)

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Three days to go before the Star Wars Con. Press luncheon is later. Gotta write speech. Gotta sleep. Gotta stop thinking too much. Gotta hold the anger at bay. Gotta stop being too aliw. Gotta stop. Period.

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The Sith in me went a-whispering: "Check your email's inbox. You will find that having an official excuse to get information is the best excuse to get information."

I went a-scanning my email's inbox. And lookie what I found here.... Information!

Bwahahahaha!

Was that a sign?

Yes, I think the Force is with me these days.... Hope it lasts until the convention ends....

Thursday, December 11, 2003
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Busy and Sick

So all I can say is....

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that there are things more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all. You will be travelling the road between who you think you are and who you can be. The key is to allow yourself to make the journey."
--- from "The Princess Diaries"

And since the Gryffindor in me is being tempted by a certain Slytherin, I summed up all my courage, used the communicator, and sent out a friendly message. It was at least answered to my satisfaction, so.... aliw na naman ako.

But enough of that. On with the Star Wars Convention!




Monday, December 08, 2003
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This can't be happening to me now....

I have a sore throat, my cold is worse *cough cough*, and there's an increase in my temperature. Gah! I can't get sick now! Not when there's too much to do....

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I'm still disappointed with how things are looking. You would think people would be interested at the chance for a Star Wars Convention without worrying about venue and sponsors. Some of the members don't even need to worry about a thing. All they have to do is show up. But there is still a lack of volunteers and interest in the group. And people seem to be either disappearing, hiding in the shadows, or leaving me suspended in mid-event. Sometimes I ask myself if I should have accepted the offer? But I know I wouldn't really be able to forgive myself if I passed up on the opportunity. Consider it training for future events, especially the big one in 2005. Thank the Force for Joran and Az....

Now it's time to act like a Jedi. Take responsibility, stay focused, and trust in the Force.

Sometimes though, it's easier said than done....

Saturday, December 06, 2003
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Now, I definitely need that stress ball

Plans are now in full swing for the 1st Philippine Star Wars Convention. I couldn't be happier. Except... it's in 2 weeks, and there's TONS to do! Plus... I'm still scared of too much publicity. :D And I'm too scared there wouldn't be any volunteers. Three can't do it all, after all. *sigh*

Final dates are now December 18-21 at the Alabang Town Center.

Please support Star Wars Philippines. We'll need it. :D

I still sense much fear in me....

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Aurora said: "Haven't you ever heard of taking a risk? Do it. You never know."

Hrmmmm....

Well, last time I heeded that advice... errrr... I fell.

Oops.

Haha. Enough with the kilig, Aurora. Kilig is contagious. :p At nakakatakot ako maaliw. :p

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Another meeting with Dream TV today. Got Episode II promo poster. Mind trick working. Yahooooo! Will post pic soon. Getting sleepy....

Thursday, December 04, 2003
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I sense much fear in me

I am now at that stage where I fear everything is going to fall apart all around me. People leaving, people hesitating, people who shouldn't have problems having problems.... and they will all cause the delicate balance of my ecosystem to crumble. *sigh*

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We met with the Dream TV people again yesterday, this time with Alabang Town Center management. Free lunch! yahoo! Heheh.

We've finally settled on a venue although my instincts tell me that we should shift to Plan C. Will try to pitch that tomorrow....

Met with the merchandisers at Greenhills also and got their support for the Star Wars Con. Whew.

Yes, Joran, the stressballs are definitely harbingers of doom. Jinkies.

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Got word that, yippeee! There's a venue for New Worlds! Finally! January 17-18 at Rockwell Parking Quad. May the Force be with us. :)

Wednesday, December 03, 2003
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The Seven Dwarfs in Me

Today I was Sneezy. Caught a cold after Mos Eisley Night which was aggravated by an allergic reaction to dust and my immune system's normal reaction to a drastic change in weather. I've been hatchooing all day, it's a good thing the other people here haven't caught the cold yet...

Today I was Sleepy. Yes. No matter how many hours I sleep, I really just can't catch up. "Tales From Mos Eisley Cantina" (specifically, The Hammerhead's Tale) held my attention long enough for me to finish the story. After that, I dozed. And now, I still feel like closing my eyes and sleeping right here in front of the PC which will soon disappear from my sight. But that's another story for another dwarf.

Today I was Grumpy. A few hours ago I was told my PC was gonna be pulled out. That left me little time to back up all my data and MP3s. It's now after office hours and guess what. My PC is still here. How's that for short notices and no-shows. Hrmmm. I've had too much of those today.

Today I was Bashful. For someone who claims to be a Gryffindor at heart, I sure can't get the courage to.... never mind.

Today I was Happy. The Christmas Tree and decors will soon be up at home. Why such a simple thing is a delight is another long and sad story. Suffice it to say the Christmas Tree is begging to be decorated, and I'm loving it.

Today I was Doc. I took responsibility of several matters here that I normally steer clear of. But they all had to be done. So there.

Today I was Dopey. Who cares what others may say? I'm deaf to it all. I will just go skipping and hopping along because that's what makes me happy. In a world where happiness likes to play hide and seek, I think I deserve to skip and hop and jump and play... even for just a little while....

Tomorrow I'll probably still be Sneezy, but I can't go to that meeting Sleepy and definitely not Grumpy. But I think I'll be Happy and will still do what Doc does. Tomorrow, I am still determined to be Dopey.

.... Oh, and why do they call 'em The Seven DWARFS?

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Ooooh! More cool Mos Eisley Night pics from Oneal's Imagestation Album. Yipppeeee!

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Light Show






Taken at sunset in Jordan, Guimaras - October 2003

Monday, December 01, 2003
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Fun at Mos Eisley

Though we started late and everything that can ever go wrong almost went wrong, we managed to pull it off, and... Mos Eisley Night was fun!

If you thought you've seen the best of the Stormballs, think again. Imagine them wearing Santa hats with blinking lights and red bowties. Christmasy? Yes. Boring? No. Lewd? Decide for yourself..... See if you can find pics of them from Gabe's stash of images.... One downside is that Harry decided he doesn't want to work for the night, so I don't have my own pics. Drat, drat, triple drat.

Watching CW on the big screen? WOW. Chapter 10!!!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!

The bands were great! Having Narda play has got to be one good SWP recruiting gimmick. :D

"Star Wars: Checkmate" trailer debut. For something that was rushed, that was pretty good work by the diva and the director. John Williams music still takes the cake, eh? :D

Episode 3 Documentary Part 1. Oh BOY. Cool clips from rehearsals of the fight scenes between Anakin and Obi-Wan (wow. Anakin with a red lightsaber!), Hayden still insisting on doing his own stunts (go Hayden!), Ewan looking more and more like Sir Alec Guinness... AND, concept art for how Anakin will look! Fabulous.

Now I can settle down and work on the Episode 2 event, and try and help the marketing folks for New Worlds 2....

Now I can sleep. This pounding headache feels like I've walked into the foundries of Moria with a thousand dwarves hammering steel into armor or axes. Ouch....

Now I can eat. Too much excitement makes me forget....

Now we can start the SWP library. Got 7 books or so, I think I'll become the temporary Jocasta Nu, draw up some library rules, cover books, and make library cards....

Now I can start thinking about that Padme costume.... Gabe, I'm talking about this costume....

Now I can stop worrying...

Now I should stop...... *sigh* Mahirap maaliw eh. Too risky. Besides, it's not as if.......

Bah, humbug!

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Special message for the Jedi Sociopath: Since I can't get your commenting feature to work, I just want to say that that 12 days of Christmas post has got to be one of the most hilarious things I've ever read for Christmas. :p Need bail money? I don't think I can help. :p But I know a good lawyer....