Wednesday, March 31, 2004
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I took the quiz you linked in your blog. I took the quiz twice just to be sure. On the second try, I varied some of my answers based on my next best choice, but still got the same result.

What Form of Art Are You?

"You are Architecture. You are the most functional art form and rarely do anything without some practical purpose. Although you are capable of easilly outstaging the other arts, you usually prefer to go unnoticed."

See? The Universe strikes again. Jinkies.

 

The One About Chapter 12 and Favorite Things



Mace Windu is the most bad-ass Jedi ever. 'Nuff said. :) Chapter 13!!! Wheeeee!!!

===

Two filks in two days. Wonder why... :p

Since it's a short one, posting it here, and in Magical Melodies.

~~~~~~

Our Favorite Things
A parody of "My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music"

Two filks in two days. The idea machine is revving up again. Thank you. :)

**

Hermione:
twelve inch long homeworks and whiskers on kneazles
charms and thick textbooks and whizbees that fizzle
studying arithmancy on evenings
these are a few of my favorite things

Ron:
every flavor beans and chocolate frog cards
those lovely fellow chudley cannons diehards
dream of tying draco malfoy with strings
these are a few of my favorite things

Harry:
chasing gold snitches and defeating voldie
fast racing broomsticks, a pig's tail on dudley
werewolf professors and useful teachings
these are a few of my favorite things

Trio:
when snape's grouchy,
when dementors are up and about,
we simply remember our favorite things
and we will feel glad, no doubt.

===

Scabbers! I loves you, i loves you, i loves you! :D You never forget to bring me strawberries and strawberry jam. Two of my very favorite things. Lunch will be a lot of fun today. :)

===

You're a lot of fun, you know that? I think I'm really enjoying being in the castle even more now that you're there too. :)

Tuesday, March 30, 2004
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The One About Chapter 11 And Conspiracy Theories



"Star Wars: Clone Wars". Chapter 11. Wow.

This chapter picks up from the fabulous dogfight and space battle of Chapter 10. Here we discover that it was indeed Asajj Ventress that Anakin Skywalker is up against. After some aerial acrobatics, Anakin defies his Master's orders once again, and follows Ventress into hyperspace. Obi-Wan's cue to "have a bad feeling about this". Star Wars just wouldn't be Star Wars without that line. Bloody brilliant. On to Chapter 12! Yippeee!!! :D

===

When the universe decides to conspire it seems it does things on a grand scale. Food documentaries, radio contests, Josh Groban, chocolates, and... uh... even werewolves. Zoiks.
ootemrofdehsiwuoytahtsiuoyrofoslatubemrofylnotonseripsnoctiyhwnosaerehtebyam
===

Please don't let the title of Episode III be "The Creeping Fear". Argh.

===

The Leaky Cauldron has posted a great shot-by-shot of the second Prisoner of Azkaban trailer. Cool!

Monday, March 29, 2004
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The One About Light Shows and Unexpected Trips

We went driving around the Metro last night and made an unexpected trip to the Bay Area to catch the International Pyro Olympics Exhibitions. 2 weekends, 10 countries, 20 minutes each. 20 wonderful minutes of great great pyrotechnics displays. This weekend, I was able to catch the Japanese, Mexican, and Canadian exhibitions. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. I feel so much like a kid.

Wonder how they made those. It involves a lot of science, obviously. Do they have a college course for this? Heheheh. :)

The ones that explode to form stars and hearts are especially interesting. Those were from the Canadian exhibition, if I'm not mistaken.

The only sad thing about it all was that I wasn't able to bring Harry along with me. That means, no pics. :( I'm definitely getting Harry ready for next weekend's exhibitions. Wheeeee!!! :) I love light shows. :)

Here's next weekend's schedule:

Friday, 2 April 2004
2000H-2020H: Brazil
2100H-2120H: Australia

Saturday, 3 April 2004
2000H-2020H: China
2100H-2120H: Switzerland

Sunday, 4 April 2004
2000H-2020H: South Korea
2100H-2120H: Philippines

The International Pyro Olympics Exhibition is at the Bay City Promenade Area, near the site of SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, just off the new Diosdado Macapagal Highway. :)

===

Yesterday was one for unexpected trips. I made another one in the morning as a... surprise... for someone. :) Despite being too sleepy to even try getting up, I managed to finish my house elf chores, and determinedly set out to make the trip. But even with the best efforts of that sorta-crazy-but-probably-Force-sensitive bus driver who seemed to think he was racing in the Boonta Eve Classic, I still arrived late. Mission accomplished, nonetheless. :) The trip was well worth the sleepiness, the rush to finish chores for fear of having to shut my ears in the oven door later on, and the increased heart rate caused by the podracing bus driver. And who cares if I had to travel all the way there? I'm happy. Case closed.

===

"When you want something, the Universe conspires to make your dream come true." Dare I post this again? Paolo Coelho must be a genius. :)

===

You said you wished I was there, and I missed you too, so I decided to go the distance.

===

Congratulations, Marky! You made it where I couldn't, and you did a good job by yourself. I'm proud of you. Love you. :)

===

Since everyone else seems to be commenting on the costume changes... yeah, I like the new Gryffindor tie, and I love the new robes. Wow. :D

===

"Star Wars: Clone Wars" Chapter 11 premieres today, 7:25am and 8:00pm on Cartoon Network. *jump, skip, hop, bounce, run around the room screaming like mad...*

===

Here's one quiz I found... interesting. I almost thought I'd get "Jabberwocky", but apparently...

Which Poem Are You?

Sonnet 17 by Pablo Neruda. Aw, you're a romantic. You believe in true love and all that sort of stuff. How cute are you? To you, love is incredible and amazing.

Sonnet XVII by Pablo Neruda

I don't love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as certain dark things are loved,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom and carries
hidden within itself the light of those flowers,
and thanks to your love, darkly in my body
lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you simply, without complications or pride:
I love you in this way because I don't know any other way of loving

but this, in which there is no I or you,
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close

~~

At least that's one of the translations... Hrmmm...

Well, I had to find out, right? :D

That's me? Really? Hrmmmm... I could've sworn I was "Jabberwocky"....

===

An article on someone whose work I greatly admire. :)

===

Because of someone's encouragement and inspiration, I've managed to filk again after a long long time (since August 2003? Jinkies.). This song sat unfinished for months along with several others, but since "Prisoner of Azkaban" is coming soon, I figured it wouldn't hurt to have another "Chamber of Secrets" filk. Ginny Weasley sings about the time she discovered Tom Riddle's Diary. Do drop by Magical Melodies if you feel like singing. :)

Friday, March 26, 2004
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The One With That Lovely Lovely Boy...


Now *that's* Potter hair for you. Cuaron *finally* got the look.

The Harry Potter Official Website's new design is online and the new PoA trailer is also up. My connection is weird though (what's new), so I think I'll just wait to see the trailer in the big screen with "Scooby Doo 2"... if I even get to watch it. Sheep. The Fates are always interfering with my schedules. *sigh*

EDIT (1558H): Can't stop staring at the picture. Nice nice hair. Lovely. Hmmmm... (runs off to change workstation wallpaper)

Thursday, March 25, 2004
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The One With Even More Random Thoughts

So how many times do I have to swing to and fro between elation and insecurity? The stupid pendulum must stop. Throw all the disturbing thoughts out the window. What does your heart tell you?

===

What are you going to do about it?

===

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by little men who find it easier to live in the world they are given than to explore the power they have to change it."

===

Been re-reading "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". Now in the chapter on OWLs.

"Achievements in Charming". Cool title for a book. Wonder if it is a cool book. Wonder if it already chronicles the achievements of....

===

Heard on the radio...

DJ: "What would you say to a newborn child?"
Caller: "So you like milk now, huh? Wait 'til you try vodka."

Right.

See? Told you the universe is conspiring to throw them my way. Reminders of you. :)

===

Poll ongoing in Entertainment Weekly on who the next James Bond should be. Orlando Bloom leading the race. The Valar still haven't heard my prayers. Not him! *shudder*

===

Mome Raths. Hrmmm... Nice little creatures in Tulgey Wood, who seem to have a good sense of direction. Like living compasses. But they point you to where you want to go.

A compass will only always point north. It won't really tell you where you want to go. What if you don't know the location of your destination in relation to the north? Then lost you will be soon enough.

My compass only points towards one direction. Fortunately for me, I think that's exactly the direction I want to go. Now all I have to do is make sure I get there.

Wednesday, March 24, 2004
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Another One About Viggo

So you're sick and tired of reading about Viggo. Sorry! Heheh. But I read an interesting report from TORn from a journalist who interviewed Viggo during his "Hidalgo" promotional stint in Munich.

Some "awwwww" excerpts:

"Okay. I admit that I was beginning to get a bit tired of all those stories that describe Viggo Mortensen as the proverbial Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes. But the thing is -- he _is_. "

"they were hopelessly behind schedule. One reason for that was that Viggo, who had a terrible cold, returned twenty minutes late from his probably much-needed lunch break. The other was that the guy lugged a carton of books with his photographies from interview room to interview room all day, in order to sign and personalize one for every journalist. Which wasn't only tremendously nice, it was also time-consuming. (I'm told he does that in every city -- he's making the rounds in Europe, Scandinavia and Spain last week, Rome today, London on Wednesday, then home. He _does_ have the books pre-sent to the hotels, though. )"

... and not only did he buy the two horses from LOTR, he also got one of the horses they used as Hidalgo (awwwww!).

And he might be moving to New Zealand permanently.

Woooo.

Where's the New Zealand embassy located again? :p

 

The One About Clone Wars and Some Random Thoughts

After alerting TheForce.Net regarding the schedule of Clone Wars season 2 here, I also chanced upon screencaps from Chapter 11 sent in by some Canadian viewers. Here's one of them:




===

Oh, and....



Cute, ain't he? Heheh.

Reviews for Season 2 of Clone Wars are encouraging.

No wait. They're raving.

I can't wait. :)

===

So why this insecurity?

Damn it. It's the sign. It has happened. Again. *sigh*

===

Why do I feel different when I'm with you?
Why is it that, even if I'm sick, I feel better when I talk to you?
Why does it feel like I'm missing you even if I've seen you or talked to you just minutes before?
Why is it that even the most alarming news becomes less fearful when I share it with you?

I don't have all the answers but right now, I really don't care. The only thing that matters is that you are there.

===

The hot seat. The Emperor just put me in the hot seat by appointing me to a very... shall we say... visible position in the Empire. It's a position that will make me responsible for a lot of important things here in the Death Star. I can't say I don't like it, but there is that hesitation... Oh well. I must trust the Emperor's judgment, I guess. But man, what do I have to do to impress him? And what the fudge do I have to do to get new furniture around here? Sheesh....

Tuesday, March 23, 2004
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The One About The Long Lost Phrase and the Country Song

It's been bothering me for ages, that phrase from my ex-padawan's blog: "where I end and you begin". I know I've heard that phrase before, but I couldn't figure out where. I couldn't even remember if it was in a song, a book, or a film.

A few minutes ago, I went walking across the office to borrow some stuff from the secretary when I heard an old song playing from someone's workstation. It's a country song I'm very fond of. Probably one of the very few that I actually appreciate. But it's more about the lyrics really, and the message of the song, the premise of which, is: love is a verb, not a noun. And just as I was reminiscing, it hit me. This is where that phrase came from. It was just said differently, but the message is the same. Here are excerpts from the song. Read on if you can't sing with me. :)

Something That We Do
by: Clint Black

....
Love is certain, love is kind
Love is yours and love is mine
But it isn't something that we find
It's something that we do

It's holding tight, lettin' go
It's flying high and laying low
Let your strongest feelings show
And your weakness, too

It's a little and a lot to ask
An endless and a welcome task
Love isn't something that we have
It's something that we do

We help to make each other all that we can be
Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently
The way we work together is what sets our love apart
So closely that you can't tell where I end and where you start

...

We're on a road that has no end
And each day we begin again
Love's not just something that we're in
It's something that we do

We help to make each other all that we can be
Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently
The way we work together is what sets our love apart
So closely that you can't tell where I end and where you start

....

There's no request too big or small
We give ourselves, we give our all
Love isn't someplace that we fall
It's something that we do

 

The One About the Star Wars OT DVD and PoA

If this doesn't entice me to go buy a DVD player, I don't know what will. Starwars.com has finally revealed the details of the Star Wars Original Trilogy DVD to non-Hyperspace members like me! The packaging is simple, but I like it. Cool cool cool. :) September 21, 2004. Yep. Just enough time to snag that player. :)

===

More Star Wars stuff.... I don't really know which chapters of "Star Wars: Clone Wars" I'm more excited to see. The chapters where Anakin will fight Asajj Ventress, the chapters where we see bad-ass Mace Windu in action, the chapters we see Padmé Skywalker in action, or seeing General Grievous in the very last chapter. I guess this means I'll have to go home as early as possibly to catch the chapters again. Thank the Force for Dad. :)

===

Found some really cool Prisoner of Azkaban pics from The Leaky Cauldron.



Buckbeak! Buckbeak! I want a close-up shot!



The Monster Book of Monsters. Oooooooohhhhh...



That's Emma Thompson? Yep. Exactly as I imagined Trelawney. :)


Wheeee! Can't wait! :)

===

Yup. You sure know how to render me speechless. :p

Monday, March 22, 2004
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The One About A Chocolate Dish and a Prayer to the Valar

Yeah, so I moonlight in the Food Channel and Travel and Adventure Channel at the weirdest hours. But at least I learn something new all the time. Like in that episode where Tyler Florence visits Mexico, I learned about an unusual dish. It turns out that Mexico's National Dish, Mole Pablano, is actually made with chocolate. Now how cool is that? Very very cool. Sounds appetizing? Yes! So I went to the Food Channel's website and found the recipe. Wheeee!

Mole Pablano

For the Mole:
6 medium dried mulato chiles
3 medium dried ancho chiles
4 medium dried pasilla chiles
1 chipotle chile
Vegetable oil or lard
1/2 cup coriander seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup almonds
1 1/2 ounces Mexican chocolate
4 tablespoons sugar
2 quarts chicken broth
Salt and pepper

For the meat:
2 large turkey breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Garnish:
1 large onion, sliced
2 radishes, sliced
1 handful sesame seeds
1 handful cilantro leaves

Method for the mole sauce (this should be done 1 day in advance):
Remove the seeds and stems from all of the chiles. Heat some lard or oil and quickly fry the chiles on both sides, taking care not to burn them. Put the chiles into a bowl, cover with water, and leave to stand for a few hours.

In a blender, puree the chiles with a few tablespoons of water until smooth. Place the chili puree in a saucepan and cook over a medium flame for 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a saute pan over medium heat, add the coriander seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon, and cloves and cook until their aroma is released. Transfer to a spice grinder and mix together. Add the garlic cloves and grind. Set aside.

Melt 3 tablespoons of lard in the same saute pan and fry the raisins briefly. In the same pan, fry the almonds and peanuts until browned. Transfer the raisins, nuts, and ground spices to a blender and puree together. They should form a smooth paste and may need a couple of tablespoons of chicken broth to blend effectively.

Add the blended mixture to the chile sauce and cook over a flame for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Break the Mexican chocolate into pieces and add it to the mixture. Continue cooking the mole for a further 15 minutes. Add the sugar and broth, and continue cooking the mole for around 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper, if necessary, and if desired some extra chocolate, to taste.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the turkey breasts with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan and sear the breasts skin side down first. Once the turkey is crisp and golden on both sides, remove from heat and place for 15 minutes in the oven to cook the meat through.

Slice the turkey and pour over the mole sauce. Garnish with sliced onions, radish, sesame seeds, and some sprigs of cilantro.

In the immortal words of the monster plant from The Little Shop of Horrors: Feed me! :p

===

Things finally turned for the better last Saturday. Whew. But man, I do not want to go through that ever again. Gawds. My world feels like it's being held together by glue which would tend to melt when the temperature gets too hot. Aaaaarrrrggghhh.... Nope. Definitely wouldn't want to go through that again. Things look like it's wanting to happen today again, though. Why oh why is this happening to meeeee????

===

Had fun with the PHP witches last Saturday also. They are the weirdest people ever, but they're loads of fun to be with. I completely forgot everything I was ranting about last Friday. You guys are the best. :)

===

My mind has been like a cauldron full of thoughts and ideas a-bubbling these days. And even more so today. Just what exactly am I getting myself into? Even though it goes against everything my instincts are telling me to do, I think I'd better employ some security measures. Better safe than sorry. But no, I'm not happy about it.

===

A prayer to the Valar: please please please please please..... please don't make Orlando Bloom the next James Bond. Pleeeeaaaaase.

Saturday, March 20, 2004
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The One Where She Is Still Stunned And Trying To Imagine A Trailer Playing

Is it possible to be really really happy and then really really sad at the same time?

Yes. I guess it is.

===

I found this transcript of the latest Prisoner of Azkaban trailer through my ultra reliable source. And since I'm too excited about it, it's now time to call up my imaginative powers to try to visualize how this all goes. It takes 1 minute and 54 seconds to view. How long will it take to read and imagine? :) :

Begins with Snape walking into DADA classroom and slamming all the window shutters with his wand
Cuts to Hermione and Harry sitting at a desk looking worried
Cuts to Draco smirking (what he does best, of course!)
Cuts back to Snape at the front of the class saying "turn to page 394"
The standard HP cloudy image comes on with "year three begins"
Cuts to the Knight Bus zooming recklessly through a neighborhood (also shows Harry inside the bus)
Cuts to Sirius in Azkaban and you hear Mr. Weasley telling Harry about him (someone else says "he's a murderer")
Cuts to Ron and Hermione – Hermione grabs Ron’s hand, Ron pulls away and looks at her like she’s crazy
Cuts to McGonagall (in the teacher’s lounge I THINK) saying "Sirius Black is the reason the Potters are dead")
Cuts to Harry looking at a NEW picture of his parents
You hear Arthur saying "swear to me you won't go looking for Black"
Cuts to Hogwarts Express - the trio is in the compartment with Lupin saying "it's a dementor - one of the guards of Azkaban looking for Sirius Black"
Cuts to Dumbledore saying "it's not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving"
The cloudy graphics come back with "this summer"
Cuts to a flying Buckbeak
Cuts to the trio and other students walking down the stairs
Cloudy image again with "Something wicked this way comes" text
Cuts to Sirius standing in the Shrieking Shack
Cuts to Harry standing in the doorway and you hear him saying "I hope he finds me -- when he does, I'm going to be ready"
Next is a bunch of images one after the other, including:
Harry with his boggart
Divination class with Trelawney saying "you must look beyond"
Aunt Marge floating away
Ron growling
Lupin as a werewolf (or what I assume is Lupin as a werewolf!)
Cuts to Malfoy out in the snow saying "filthy little mudblood"
Cuts to Hermione storming down from Hagrid's hut right at Malfoy, saying her oh so famous line "You evil, you..." and leaving a shocked and very amused Harry and Ron behind
Then she punches the CRAP out of Malfoy
She turns away and says "that felt good"
The cloudy image reappears with the PoA logo
THE END!

Bloody brilliant.

Friday, March 19, 2004
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The One Where She Survived And Was Stunned Speechless

Death Star Inspection is finally over.

Although things didn't work out as we planned and there were some disappointments along the way, I'm thankful that at least my work was appreciated and that I survived. I have a feeling though that there will soon be changes here and that I'm bound to be on the hot seat. It's a step up, sure. But I don't know if I'm actually up for it. I have too much on my hands already. Unless the Emperor has a different plan. Well. We'll see....

I survived. I did say that, right? Heheheh.

===

Some good things happen, and then the really bad things do. But that's life. The philosophy now is to just face life head-on because you will overcome all the obstacles. You're never given any challenges that you are not capable of accomplishing....

I just wish the accomplishing part was easier.

Don't fall apart on me, world. Not now. Please be fair to me.

Thursday, March 18, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Of horses, house elves and panic attacks



I finally got my wish to see Viggo in "Hidalgo" last night thanks to... well, you know who you are. :D

Okay, so I wanted to see Viggo. But guess what? I ended up gushing about the horse. :D Can't help it, he's too cute. And a great actor too! Really! If CG Gollum is eligible for an acting award, why not the horse? Incidentally, we never really noticed the horse in the end credits. He's got the title role, but he doesn't appear in the cast listing. How unfair is that? :p

It's funny how I was able to see Viggo as Frank Hopkins in the movie and not as Aragorn... although my thoughts go back to Middle Earth or some other galaxy because someone felt like crossing-over to other worlds during certain scenes. :p

But really. Watch the horse.

===

Starting this week and for the next... oh, three to four weeks, I will have to be the family's house elf. Uh-huh. It's okay, really... except they can all be really picky about food. *melodramatic sigh* But washing dishes is therapy for me, so that ain't much of a problem. What to cook, what to cook.... hrmmmm....

===

Death Star Inspection definitely happens tomorrow. By the grace of the Valar and the will of the Force and the guidance of the Hogwarts Four, I will survive tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 17, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

When You Say You Love Me

Caught Josh Groban on Channel V last night! Finally! *jump jump jump* Come sing with me, then. :D

Like the sound of silence calling,
I hear your voice and suddenly
I'm falling, lost in a dream.
Like the echoes of our souls are meeting,
You say those words and my heart stops beating.
I wonder what it means.
What could it be that comes over me?
At times I can't move.
At times I can hardly breath.

When you say you love me,
The world goes still, so still and silent.
When you say you love me,
For a moment, there's no one else alive.

You're the one I've always thought of.
I don't know how, but I feel sheltered in your love.
You're where I belong.
And when you're with me if I close my eyes,
There are times I swear I feel like I can fly
For a moment in time.
Somewhere between the Heavens and Earth ,
And frozen in time, Oh when you say those words.

When you say you love me
The world goes still, so still and silent.
When you say you love me
For a moment there's no one else alive.

And this journey that we're on.
How far we've come and I celebrate every moment.
And when you say you love me,
That's all you have to say.
I'll always feel this way.

When you say you love me
The world goes still, so still and silent.
When you say you love me
In that moment I know why I'm alive.

When you say you love me.
When you say you love me.
Do you know how I love you?

 

Something Wicked This Way Comes!



Disclaimer: That is unofficial CD cover art. But hey! It's really... well... horror-movie like! :p

The John Williams Fan Network reports that the soundtrack for "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" will be released on May 17 in the UK and May 18 in the US. I guess we can count on at least getting the OST at the end of May, plenty of time for me to do my customary soundtrack review before catching the movie on June 4. :)

===

Something Wicked This Way Comes
Music by John Williams
Lyrics by William Shakespeare (From "Macbeth", Act IV, Scene I)

Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble double
Double, double, toil and trouble
Something wicked this way comes

Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing

Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Something wicked this way comes

~~

More on The Hogwarts Choir here.

===

On my way to work, I learned something interesting from this morning radio show's trivia segment. The human body can survive with only one kidney, one lung, 20% of its intestines, and 25% of its liver. One can even survive without all the organs below the pelvis. Hrmmmm.... Of course, this would be when the only ultimate goal is to survive. :p

===

This serendipity thing is really starting to bother me... Unexpected Fact Number 2 just popped up yesterday. Jinkies.

===

The notorious auditor will be back to wreak havoc on my placid work life come Friday. Duh. Of course, the ultra-nice auditor will also be back to at least make me smile. Weheheheheh.

Gaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!! I hope I don't get a panic attack today....

Tuesday, March 16, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Oooooohhh

The new "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" teaser. Why is it starting to look like a horror flick? :D But Dan does look cool. :)


Click on the pic to view the full-size poster.

 

Serendipity

Why is it that sometimes, you discover some important things at the most unexpected times, from the most unexpected people, just when you really aren't looking to discover them?

It hurts, though. Once again, I was misunderstood. And it hurts more finding out that everybody else knew and I didn't, because then, I never had any chance of defending myself. I never noticed they looked at me differently now, or thought differently of me. I would never balk at accepting their criticisms if they were valid. But they hit me through something I am passionate about, something that made me happy. Others have done worse. I, on the other hand, am not hurting anybody, compromising anybody, or doing anything wrong. I'm just doing what makes me happy. And for all the sacrifices I have had to make and am still making, for all the hardships I have had to go through and am still going through, I think I deserve at least some measure of happiness.

I feel like Harry Potter being talked down on by the Dursleys.

Darn it.

I need a happy thought.

Monday, March 15, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Deja vu

Yeah, there must be some weird glitch in the Matrix. I'm pretty sure I've seen this scenario before. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've heard that song playing before...

Oh dear. Blame it on being irredeemably cute and nice and nakakaaliw. Here we go again.

===

I received an e-mail from my aunt who's living in Canada (my Mom's twin sister) the other day. I was bracing myself for a loooong sermon for weeks now regarding some important papers I was supposed to look into, and whether I had made my decision regarding something very important. I knew it was coming. I had delayed deciding for so long because I was unsure and insecure and afraid. I still am....

Imagine my surprise when I received quite a short letter. When I got my first glimpse of the e-mail, I wanted to jump for joy. She forgot her sermon. But when I started reading, I discovered, my aunt has learned to give the most effective sermon in the history of my life.

So have you made your decision? You know, as Ron Weasley said, you've "got to sort out your priorities."

There you go. The loooong sermon I was dreading, handed out in two sentences. The woman has learned to use Harry Potter. I knew I shouldn't have started asking her to buy my Harry Potter books and videos for me! I'm doomed.

===

I've always dreaded some friends' reactions whenever they find out that my Mom had a twin sister. "Halaaaaaa. That means you might have twins too!" Okaaaaaaaaay. Fine. As long as I can name them Luke and Leia. :p

===

Well, I'm still distracted. Frighteningly distracted....

... and also pining after Viggo! Darn it! I told myself I was only waiting to see "The Passion". But no. Now I think I must go see "Hidalgo". *sigh*

Saturday, March 13, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Distracted. I am terrifyingly distracted. Zoiks.

Friday, March 12, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Adventures in Tolkien Linguistics: Episode V

I knew there was a reason I couldn't bring myself to unsubscribe from Elfling even if I constantly get intimidated by the tons of e-mail going through the group everyday. Honestly, I feel useless there, not contributing because my knowledge of Quenya is soooo basic, and not even daring to pose questions for fear of looking or sounding stupid. Nevertheless, I'm there, lurking in the shadows, reading every question, every answer, collecting information and filing them in the deep recesses of my brain. But there are moments when, after reading a post and seeing certain words and phrases, I hear a very audible cosmic "ping", and suddenly, I'm transported to Lothlorien and putting my thoughts into words...

~*~*~*~

This humble work is for someone who has come to mean a lot to me. :)


Elenyétar (Stargazer)

Yétan i eleninnar.

I look at the stars
Searching for answers
Searching for meaning
Chasing a dream.

Cendan i eleninnar.

I read the stars
But there were no answers
There was no meaning
My dream eludes me.

Then I looked in your eyes.

And there the stars shone
My questions were answered
The meaning is clear
I've found my dream.

 

So why suddenly am I feeling this....

melancholy....

 

Here are some very interesting excerpts from an interview with Jim Caviezel for "The Passion of the Christ":



SCOTT ROSS: How old were you when you played in the film?

JIM CAVIEZEL: I told Mel, 'It is eerie. My initials are J.C. and I am 33 years old.' That was it.

SCOTT ROSS: The whipping and the scourging are hard to watch because that goes on for so long. I was literally counting the lashes. I watched people in the theatre in front of me, a small viewing theatre, turn their faces away because they couldn't continue to look.

JIM CAVIEZEL: You said something very critical there: People turn their eyes away when they see it, and what they're seeing is their own sin. It is not wanting to deal, at times, with their own sin. It's that hard to look at. But this film forces you to see yourself, not the way you want to see yourself, but as God sees you. There are no passive onlookers here.

===

Yup, he's the new villain. Whoa.



===

I was finally able to go home early yesterday due to the postponement of Death Star Inspection. For someone who was falling asleep in front of her workstation earlier that afternoon, I expected that I would doze off as soon as my head hit the pillows. But no. I was awake for several hours. And boy, that doesn't help.

Note to self:

Don't
Think
Too
Much.
Keep
The
Faith.

Right. Good. Uhmmm... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Thursday, March 11, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

For some weird reason, the Javascript for my Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban countdown clock wouldn't run. Oh, well. Maybe I should bring out the old counter. Hrmmm.... Time to go archive-digging again....

===

Death Star Inspection was postponed for next week. I really don't know if I should be glad or not. After I got stressed out for 2 days unnecessarily? Man. I need a break. Sheesh.

 

Yesterday, I was stuck in the office for 15 hours with a pile of documents that will be needed for Death Star Inspection tomorrow. Yes. 15 hours. I think I was only able to sleep for... oh, just a little over 3 hours. Now I'm back here trying to get all these papers in order. Maybe I should take Anakin's advice and turn all these papers into origami? It sure would be more fun for me. Imagine a bunch of origami mobiles hanging from the dear Emperor's throne room ceiling. Cute. Unless he decides he doesn't like it, of course. Then I'll be in big big trouble and things won't be so cute. Damn. I can still feel my heart pounding. And everything is just so... fuzzyyyyyy. I think I'll need a break after tomorrow's inspection. Lord, help me survive tomorrow.

===

Ever since that day, I've been feeling different. I think I'll need these happy thoughts to get me through tomorrow. Tomorrow, tomorrow... I don't quite love you, tomorrow....

Just a thought. What would you do if you came face to face with someone who's irredeemably cute and nakakaaliw?

===





I love the guy. So sue me. :p

Wednesday, March 10, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

My doggie is sick again....

I think I want to cry....

 

That's my King you see before you

Viggo Mortensen is just too cool for words.



Dominic, Elijah, and Viggo at the premiere of "Hidalgo"

Awwww. Gawds, I so want to see him in a movie again....

Uhm... I'd better change topic before I go all mushy here. :D

===

"Star Wars: Clone Wars" creator Genndy Tartakovsky was recently interviewed about the micro series and I found this interesting:

Q: There are a lot of characters in the next batch of episodes that will be new to the casual Star Wars fan -- like Barriss Offee and Luminara Unduli. Why did you choose to bring them into the story at this point?

A: We briefly saw these characters in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones and thought they were really cool. So we decided to build a couple of episodes around them.

We always loved the idea of where the crystals that power the lightsabers come from. And of course, during war, someone would always sabotage the supplies, so that's where this story comes from. The Seperatists want to destroy the Jedi crystals so that the Jedi would not have powers. So that's where that story originates -- so we can see the Jedi Caverns on Ilum.

It's part of the classic Star Wars lore that we all kind of knew about. It was a mystery that we wanted to explore. All these stories have originated from things we've always wondered about. Everything flowed really easily. We didn't have to do much research. It was embedded in us.

Oh boy... when are they showing that here?!?!?!?!

===

I will take a page out of old Mad-Eye Moody's book to formulate this month's motto. Cautious Belief. Coupled with Constant Vigilance, it's guaranteed to keep me sane. I hope.

===

Zero quoted: "Everyone wants to be found." This reminded me of an essay from "All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten" by one of my favorite authors, Robert Fulghum. He said that there are some people who are ultimate hide-and-seek experts, they never get found at all. Some are too stubborn, they wouldn't even come out of hiding even if the game has already ended. Looking back, I noticed that there were times I hid too well, kept so silent, nobody even noticed I was there. But the prospect of hiding and eventually being left alone is just too sad to imagine. So while the Universe is being kind to me these days, I think I can safely try holding out for more? I want to get found.

===

Death Star Inspection Countdown: 2 days to go. Damn it. Be still my pounding heart.

Tuesday, March 09, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Lost In Translation

... must be one of the most amusing films I've seen in a while. The plot is deceptively simple and was destined to be boring. I guess that's why Sofia Coppola won that Oscar. The story actually works and it works really well. But what in the world is all that whispering at the end of the movie about? Dozens of theories come to mind... but I want to know the real answer. Ah, well....

===

Yesterday was idyllic but today, I have to face the reality that Death Star Inspection is happening in 3 days. I feel like I have to drink a hundred cups of coffee to be jolted awake. Oh wait. Coffee does not work on me much. Maybe an emergency meeting with the Emperor or the Emperor's Apprentice will do the trick.

Monday, March 08, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Really, now? Hrmmmmm..... Curiouser and curiouser....

Down the rabbit hole we go....

 

They say patience is a virtue. But it's something that I do not really possess in generous amounts. So this month's resolution? Be patient, the Universe is working on it.

===

We went to visit the Happy Little Imperial Family last Saturday afternoon. What would you do if you saw an adorable three-day old baby sleeping? Well, stare at her all day, of course! At least that was all we could do. It's fascinating seeing the child's changing facial expressions while she was sleeping. Funny, though, she sleeps to the tune of the soundtrack of "Gladiator". She's gonna grow up to be my kind of kid. Hehehheh. :D

===

The Universe is being kind to me these past two days.

I wanted so much to catch Josh Groban's video of "She's Out Of My Life"... and I caught it last night! Wheee!!!

Then someone gave me my ultimate favorite chocolates in the whole world (though I don't think he realized it). I'm happy now. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You know who you are. :)

===

I look up to everything you are
In my eyes you do no wrong
And I believe in you
Although you never asked me to
...
...
And in this cruel and lonely world
I found one love...
You're still you...

Saturday, March 06, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Too much introspection leads to uncertainty

At least in my case. Thinking too much doesn't really suit someone who can be super paranoid like me. So once again, I think I will use my Zen approach. It has worked for me before, and I'm crossing my fingers (and toes) that it will still work. It's seldom that certain things work out okay for me these days, and I sure will welcome any respite to that. Hopefully the Universe will be kind.

 

When you're lucky, you're really lucky.

Rumor has it that "The Da Vinci Code" (The Movie) is in the works, with Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman collaborating as director and writer.... with Kate Beckinsale and Russell Crowe as, I presume, Sophie Nevue and Robert Langdon. How lucky can I get? *sigh*

Thanks for the news, Lau! :)

 

World Book Day!

And what's World Book Day without a chat with JK Rowling! Wheeee! Full transcript here, but I'm pasting some very important snippets here in the blog.

Spoilers for all Harry Potter Books follow!

kylie: Thanks for writing such wonderful books, Ms Rowling :). Just one question: What are Ron, Hermione and Ginny's middle names? Thank you :)
JK Rowling replies -> My pleasure:) Middle names: Ginny is Molly, of course, Hermione 'Jane' and Ron, poor boy, is Bilius.
I comment -> Eh? Bilius? LOL. But I would have asked if Ginny is really "Ginny" or if it's short for some other name, like the oft-speculated "Virginia". Oh well....

Sirius Riddle: What houses were Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew in? Everyone tells me they were all Gryffindor, but I won't believe it unless I hear it from Ms. Rowling herself!
JK Rowling says: This is JK herself saying that they were indeed in Gryffindor!

hermione 3: Will Harry and Hermione will be together? *sigh*
JK Rowling replies -> lol Not saying... but you've had enough clues by now, surely?!

kylie: What does the "J" in Remus J Lupin stand for?
JK Rowling replies -> 'John'. Boring but true!

Rita: Whatever happend to Sirius' flying motorbike?
JK Rowling replies -> Ah, good question. You'll find out, but the real sleuths among you might be able to guess.

Rita: What about Wormtail? Is there hope for redemption?
JK Rowling replies -> There's always hope, of course. You'll find out more about our rat-like friend in book six.

Rita: What happend to Harry's grandparents? Will we ever learn about them?
JK Rowling replies -> They're all dead and not particularly important to the story, although you will find out a little bit more.

HPFreak7: How did Harry get the Marauder's Map back, when Crouch Jr. had it last?
JK Rowling replies -> Loads of people have asked me this, I knew I should have shown Harry nipping into Moody's empty office and getting it back, but I assumed you'd all know that's what he did. Sorry!

HG: What is Trelawney's middle name (the one with the P)?
JK Rowling replies -> Patricia.

Adele: Will poor Harry be stuck at the Dursleys' all next summer?
JK Rowling replies -> Not all summer, no. In fact, he has the shortest stay in Privet Drive so far.

Echo: Was Percy acting entirely of his own accord in Order of the Phoenix?
JK Rowling replies -> I'm afraid so.

kelly_holland: When you turn into an Animagus, can you choose what animal you become? Or does this get "assigned" to you?
JK Rowling replies -> No, you can't choose. You become the animal that suits you best. Imagine the humiliation when you finally transform after years of study and find that you most closely resemble a warthog.

Josh from Cottenham Village College: Right at the beginning, when Voldermort tried to kill Harry, how did Voldermort and Harry both survive?
JK Rowling replies -> That is the crucial and central question and if I answered it there would be hardly any point writing books six and seven... so I won't!
I comment -> Oooooooohhhh.....

Chibimono: Do you have any future plans in particular for Draco Malfoy?
JK Rowling replies -> I've got plans for all my characters. Actually, this is a really good place to answer a question about Draco and Hermione, which a certain Ms. Radcliffe is desperate to have answered. Will they end up together in book six/seven? NO! The trouble is, of course, that girls fancy Tom Felton, but Draco is NOT Tom Felton!
I comment -> So much for the D/Herm shippers. :) Go R/Herm! :)

SiriuslyLovinSirius: If we ever see Sirius again, what form will he be in?
JK Rowling replies -> I couldn't possibly answer that for fear of incriminating myself.
I comment -> Oh, please, do incriminate yourself! Heheheh.

HPFreak7: How are muggle parents convinced to let their kids go to Hogwarts, a strange place they never heard of before; and wouldn't they think it was a practical joke?
JK Rowling replies -> In the case of Muggle parents, special messengers are sent to explain everything to them. But don't forget that they will have noticed that there's something strange about their child for the previous ten years, so it won't come as a complete bolt from the blue.

renata: What happened between hermione and viktor krum during the summer?
JK Rowling replies -> Ron would like to know that, too.

Field: Do you plan for Ginny to take on a major character role in the next two books?
JK Rowling replies -> Well, now that Ginny has stopped being mute in Harry's presence I think you can see that she is a fairly forceful personality (and she always has been, remember Ron saying that she 'never shuts up' in Chamber of Secrets)?

Luisa: How old are Charlie and Bill Weasley in relation to their other siblings?
JK Rowling replies -> Oh dear, maths. Let me think. Bill is two years older than Charlie, who is two years older than Percy.

kai: Where do wizarding children go to school before Hogwarts?
JK Rowling replies -> They can either go to a Muggle primary school or they are educated at home. The Weasleys were taught by Mrs. Weasley.
I comment -> I was right! Wheeee!!!!

book: why did voldemort pick harry and not neville
JK Rowling replies -> Dumbledore explains this in 'Order of the Phoenix'. Voldemort identified more with the half-blood boy and therefore decided he must be the greater risk.

Harry: Has Voldermort any children
JK Rowling replies -> No. Voldemort as a father... now that's not a nice thought.
I comment -> Hahaaaa! There we go. There will be no "I am your father" lines coming from Voldie! Hehehh.

eastbrook4: why did Harry have to split up with Cho Chang?
JK Rowling replies -> That's life, I'm afraid. They were never going to be happy, it was better that it ended early!
I comment -> Wheeeeeeeeeee!!! Oops. *sheepish grin*

miggs: Is there going to be a new minister of magic in the next books?
JK Rowling replies -> Yes. Ha! Finally, a concrete bit of information, I hear you cry!

~~~

Wheee! Some pretty cool tidbits of info there. Can't wait to watch the movie! :)

======

This is probably the nicest comment I got last week during The Imperial Prom: "At the risk of eternal damnation, I must say you look pretty tonight."



Friday, March 05, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Viandante del Cielo

... is Italian for "walker of the skies", and the name of a series of wines produced by Francis Ford Coppola's winery (Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery) from grapes grown at George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch. Talk about a bestselling collaboration. :) Apparently, they've been collaborating on wine for years, but the 2002 Viandante del Cielo Chardonnay and Merlot are the first ones they're releasing commercially... and the Chardonnay are all sold out now. Zoiks. The Merlot will be available in June. Fun.

Here's a little more info from the website:

Niebaum-Coppola is proud to present the first public release of George Lucas' "Viandante del Cielo" Skywalker Ranch Chardonnay. Viandante del Cielo is Italian for walker of the skies. The grapes were sourced from a tiny vineyard on George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, CA.

They were harvested and delivered to our Niebaum-Coppola winemakers Scott McLeod and Corey Beck, they were then fermented in small French oak barrels, aged and bottled.

The Skywalker Ranch wines had previously only been available to George Lucas' family and friends.

The Lucas Viandante del Cielo Chardonnay is the first of the Skywalker Ranch wines to be offered and is exclusively sold through our online store and tasting room. With only 250 cases produced supplies are extremely limited and will not last long.

Tasting Notes:
The 2002 Lucas Chardonnay has aromas of crisp McIntosh apples and fresh cinnamon stick followed by lively flavors of pear, lemon, and toasty meringue on the palate. For an ideal food and wine pairing try it with shrimp scampi or scallops in a brown butter sauce.

WINEMAKING ANALYSIS:
Appellation: Skywalker Ranch (single vineyard); Marin County (not an AVA)
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol: 14.1% by volume
Total Acid: .68gm/100ml
pH: 3.4
Barrel Regimen: 12 months in French oak
Cases Produced: 250
Suggested Retail Price: $30

Hrmmm....

Wait a minute... why in the world am I talking about wine when I don't even drink anyway? Heheheh. :)

Thursday, March 04, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Happy Little Imperial Family

Congratulations, Grand Moff Patrick and Admiral Rachel on the birth of little Dana Catherine. :) I sense that the Force is strong in that one... :)

===

Speaking of Dana...

Here's a relevant quote from the original Dana... Dana Scully. :) :

"Well it seems to me the best relationships, the ones that last are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know one day you look at a person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere and the person who was just a friend is suddenly the only person you could ever imagine yourself with."

 

My name is...

... MacGyver.

Yep. MacGyver.

For some weird reason, while my Dad and I were driving to the office this morning. I started thinking of The Da Vinci Code (DVC) again, and how the legend of the true Holy Grail and the "rose" are all around us, in art, music, books... then suddenly, a thought popped into my head. It's in television too.

I suddenly remembered a MacGyver episode called "The Legend of the Holy Rose". Being an archeology buff and a big Indiana Jones fan, it figures that Mac's little forays into history and archeology would become my favorite episodes. And so I consulted a friend (his name is Google) and found this helpful MacGyver fan site.

I will never forget that two part episode, because it dealt with a quest to find the Holy Grail. And the "rose" being something that figured heavily as symbolism relating to the Grail in DVC, I went in search of an episode guide to "The Legend of the Holy Rose" just to confirm that this was indeed the Grail episode. I was right!

MacGyver: "Just tell me what you want me to do!"
Zoe Ryan: "Help me find the Holy Grail."
MacGyver: "Indiana Jones already did that. I saw the movie."

In this episode, Mac and Zoe, an archeologist and member of that sisterhood called "Mac's girlfriends", went in search of clues and artifacts that will lead them to the Holy Rose. The Holy Rose turned out to be a huge ruby, which, when aligned with the other artifacts (if I remember correctly, 3 scepters and a golden disc), will act like a laser and blast the doorway that leads to the chamber where the Holy Grail is kept.

So what's the point of hunting down this episode? Nothing much. Just that the Rose symbolism played heavily again on something involving the Grail. It seems that theme is more universal than I previously imagined.

Darn it, now I really know I took the wrong course in College. But I liked my course anyway. Maybe I should study again....

===

And while we're on the subject of MacGyver, the website I went to also listed some famous MacGyver quotes. I'll list down some of my favorites:

Barbara: "I'd kiss you MacGyver, but I've got this cold.... "
MacGyver: "So what's a little cold between friends, huh?...."

"Typical. Just when you're getting ahead, someone changes the odds."

"I've been here and there, in this and that place. But actually I wanted to find out, how the world works, I wanted to meet
people, find out how different they are and yet always the same!"

"I've found from past experiences that the tighter your plan, the more likely you are to run into something unpredictable."

"I'm not perfect... yet."

"I'll wish for you. You wish for me."

"You guys are missing out on a good deal if you kill me. See, I'm kind of an expert with just about everything."

"If you let yourself be afraid of dying, you're just gonna end up being afraid of living."

===

Yes, like the song says, I'm officially missing you.

Wednesday, March 03, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Speechless

I just finished the book, and.... wow. Uhm... I think I'll need some time to digest everything. One thing's for certain. I sure would like to take a trip to Le Louvre. :)

And I never noticed Leonardo's works are that weird. (Leonardo di ser Piero Da Vinci. Long name. Heheh.) Regardless of what they mean, he sure tends to portray people and things very very differently.

Take The Last Supper, for example. No wonder people are speculating that John, the supposed figure on Jesus' right side, is actually Mary Magdalene, or some other woman. I mean, he painted all the other figures as bearded, and obviously masculine. But the figure on the right is clean-shaven, and somewhat androgynous. Also, if you look at the painting closely, Leonardo seems to have captured an "action-packed" scene during the last supper. Was this when Jesus' announced that he would be betrayed? Hrmmm...

Anyways, I'm going to The Louvre. Au revoir. :)

===

I miss you.

Tuesday, March 02, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Online Codebreaking Adventure

Went to the website for The Da Vinci Code, out of curiosity, and found the site is actually a codebreaking game. It's pretty cool. Click here if you want to give it a try. :)

The original webquest can be found here but I got stuck at gate number 5 because it involved having to call an overseas number. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted....

Now I'll go on a chocolate hunting adventure. That's more fun! :D

 

What the fudge....

... is wrong with this picture? Another nationwide transport strike coming up next week??? Gaaaaah! This can't be happening to me!!!



===

I knew it. I keep seeing the signs, and the signs all point to the fact that my annual chocolate odyssey started earlier than usual. It's that time of the year when, for several months, I start hunting down different kinds of chocolate. It usually happens around summer time, but DADAProf's post at the Castle weeks ago must have triggered it earlier than expected. Don't ask me why it happens. It just does. Last year it lasted for about three months. Who knows what will happen now...

At least the Lindt phase is finished. That usually is one of the most difficult phases for me.

As I continued reading my book minutes ago (Chapter 46!!!), some obscure French word triggered Phase 2. Ferrero. Gah! Must run to the grocery later. Hopefully Daddy will cooperate. :D

===

Mos Eisley Night 3: The Imperial Prom

Pics from Oneal's Imagestation album.

Pics from Gabe's Website.

===

I was looking through my blog archives a while ago when I stumbled upon this quote from "The Alchemist" by Paolo Coelho: "When you want something, the Universe conspires to make your dream come true." Is it true? Who knows? But dreaming and wishing never hurt anyone, right? So with hopes that the Universe will indeed get into this conspiracy, I declare:

I wish for you.

 

I would like to thank the Academy....

... for honoring "The Return of the King" with those 11 awards. :D

... and for honoring Reneé Zellwegger with that Best Actress in a Supporting Role trophy. :)

Wheeee! :)

===

I feel like I've been reading the book almost the whole day. On the way to the office, at the office during lunch, on the way home, while watching TV, while surfing the Internet... I just can't put it down (well, except for that instance when the Fairy Godhamster sent a message which totally alarmed me, I couldn't understand a single word I was reading! ).

"The Da Vinci Code" is the kind of book that has always got me hooked. It's a cross between Michael Crichton's well-researched and intricately detailed work, and harks back to Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" in its mysterious and mystical twists. Certainly, I'll never look at the Mona Lisa the same way again. :)

I'm somewhere in Chapter 35 now, and so far, this is one of my favorite excerpts:

Langdon grinned again. "The Holy Grail is arguably the most sought-after treasure in human history. The Grail has spawned legends, wars, and lifelong quests. Does it make sense that it is merely a cup? If so, then certainly other relics should generate similar or greater interest - the Crown of Thorns, the True Cross of the Crucifixion, the Titulus - and yet, they do not. Throughout history, the Holy Grail has been the most special." Langdon grinned. "Now you know why."

Faukman was still shaking his head. "But with all these books written about it, why isn't this theory more widely known?"

"These books can't possibly compete with centuries of established history, especially when that history is endorsed by the ultimate bestseller of all time."

Faukman's eyes went wide. "Don't tell me Harry Potter is actually about the Holy Grail?"

"I was referring to the Bible."

Faukner cringed. "I knew that."



===

Oh boy oh boy oh boy. Now the book has got me Googling again. Lo and behold, an actual historical figure by the name of Saunière, like in the book! Cool. Just how much of the book is fiction, really? Hrmmm... It's gonna be fun finding out. :)

===

Today, this Skywalker is:

Monday, March 01, 2004
------------------------------------------------  

Two weeks after Valentine's Day....

... I'm so happy I finally got my chocolates (Thanks, Fairy Godpigeon and Fairy Godhamster! :) )

... but I still don't have you.

===

Had loads of fun at The Imperial Prom, even if my shoes were killing me.

Silmë and the Sugardrops, you guys were great! Fab debut! :) Go, ex-Padawan! :D

TJ, your rating won't change. Still 11 out of 10 on my scale even if you think I'm 15 out of 10. I still can't figure out if you were drunk that night. Heheheh. Kidding. :)

Joon: Idol! :D Jedi ka na rin? Oh, and, yung secret natin ha. Quiet ka lang. :D And thanks for the ride, neighbor. :)

Silmë: you rock! :) Great costume. Woohoo!

Az: tsk tsk tsk.... :p

Hay.

Fairy Godhamster: Many many many thanks. :) Formal attire with Star Wars twist pala, ha. :p Say thanks to your Mom for me! :)

Fairy Goddoctor: Thanks din. :)

Kwan of Rohan: Gabe!!! Armored Theoden! LOL. Only you would be able to pull that one off. Heheh. *hug!*

Adrian Skywalker: Great job. Don't worry, glitches are part of the whole shebang. You did good. :) And thanks. :)

Fairy Godpigeon: Thanks talaga for my chocolates! :) Oh, and I still don't want you near me when you're holding make-up and brush. :)

...

I felt more like Cinderlucilla that night, actually. So how was my costume, really? :D

Will post links pics once they're all available. For now, visit Gabe's lovely shrine to Theoden, King of Rohan. :D

Oh, and Commodus... thanks. :) May I say you looked dashing that night. :D Speechless ulit ako. :)

===

Good luck to all the Oscar nominees. And may the Force be with everyone I'm rooting for. :D Pity I can't watch. Have to be at the Death Star for work... despite the transport strike. Zoiks.

===

Finally found paperback edition of "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. Off to read! Yippeeeee!!! :)