Movie: Wolverine

Rating: 3 1/2 stars - ok. Good action sequences which I really liked. Too emo for my taste.

A mutant super hero moping, brooding or sulking is what he's like at the start of the movie. His protective instincts and his instinct for survival are eventually what brings back the Wolverine.

Action scenes: beautiful. I love the fight scenes of Yukio. Her character is the most interesting one.Adopted with a gift for seeing the future (very limited), she is a spunky character with a tragic background.

Seriously, nothing to dwell on. Just entertainment, action and more action. It was definitely not boring! Would I watch it again: maybe...but most likely on the small screen.

PS. Not digging the bone claws. I understand it was in the comics but I still preferred his adamantium blades.

Movie: Pacific Rim

Rating: 3 stars - ok not great but entertaining

Not the greatest film ever created but this is a movie to while away a few hours and numb the brain. Basic plot, robots were built to save the planet from invaders. No more funding/support for the Jaegers. They are the only true defense and they are on their own fighting creatures that have waited centuries for our home to become theirs. In this film, the scientists are equal parts help and idiots. Badly thought out action by the scientist who is also a kaiju fanatic equals more danger and action. Jaeger to the rescue. With romance too of course. Battle scenes, a dash of sadness here, a kiss there, a moment of life and death and hey presto, the movie is over!

Interesting: It takes 2 pilots to make one of these Jaegers move. Tough part, the 2 must sync - mind merge practically. That can be tough. Some get lost , overwhelmed by the memories. Would you want to be merged with anyone, even for short periods?

The Lone Ranger

Rating: 3 stars - ok not great but entertaining

I grew up watching the cartoon version of the same title. Knowing it was Johnny Depp, I was interested since he usually acts in films that I like. I appreciated that he was not over the top here. He was quirky but not impossible.

Though this was a Disney film, somehow it did not feel like the usual type they deliver. The action sequences did not have me jumping but there was a lot of laughter thanks to Tonto. Perhaps it is part of growing older but I left the cinema full of sorrow for the American Indians who had their lands and lives stolen from them. A treaty they were told they broke that they didn't, the wasted lives to serve other people's greed. Once you realize the truth, a choice must be made (as a number of characters in the movie had to do). Defining moments that sometimes we don't realize is what it is such as for Capt. Jay Fuller but the next step is/was a conscious choice.

Though the title of the film is the Lone Ranger, this film did not feel like any version of the Lone Ranger I've seen before. It did not feel like an adventure. The tragedy and the injustice just couldn't be shaken off and the  concept the Lone Ranger rides again did not feel as strong. The determination and resolution that characterizes him for me just wasn't there.

Character I love: Red! That leg is awesome!
Most memorable character: Silver! That is one strange horse. very smart though - no use arguing with a spirit horse.

Would I watch it again...maybe but definitely not on the big screen.

Animation Weekends Shared

It makes me happy that my children share the things I love. It gives us more common ground and makes for livelier conversations. I am looking forward to the days when I can stop being the one who disciplines them and more really just their friend. Common interests make it easier to build bridges and memories to keep the relationships strong, I hope, long after they are all older and have moved on to having their own families.

Some of the things we enjoy doing together is watching cartoons. Everything from Disney to Avatar. Hanna-Barbera, Looney Tunes, Power Puff Girls, Voltron,  Macross, Totally Spies, Amazing Spies, Bakugan,and the list is endless. Of course Asia has always had great animated work. All the robot shows- Voltes V, Mekanda Robot, Mazinger Z. Though not cartoons but still something we enjoy are the shows like Star Rangers, Bioman, Mask Rider Black and yes, the Power Rangers. The list would go on and on and on.

The kids introduce me to new anime all the time and I introduce them to the ones we enjoyed growing up. Though they have watched Voltes V and Daimos, these have not become their favorites. I introduced them to Vandread, Curious Play (Fushigi Yuugi), Ghost Fighter (Yu Yu Hakusho) and of course, my favorite, Detective Conan. Though none of us speak Nihongo, we all prefer to watch the original Japanese anime with English subtitles.

Recently we watched some Sailor Moon movies. I promised them that these would make them laugh. How could they not with titles like Sailor Moon and the Black Dream Hole? Gist: Sucking in the sweet (kids dreams) and using the resulting energy to open the black hole where badness will spill out. Hmmm....what does that sound like to you? We all agree that it's great to watch for laughs. Pretty Girl Sailor Moon (PGSM) the live action is still the best series of that show and OMG on the dialogue and the voice acting!

Seriously, TV may be bad for us because it creates couch potatoes but it also helps create good memories and common bonds. To the creators, authors, producers, artists and people keeping the cartoon/animation industry alive, I say THANK YOU and I hope you never get tired of doing what you do. More please!

Nail-a-holics

I finally made time to check out nail-a-holics in Gateway Tower. The receptionist immediately advised me of their 10% discount as soon as I walked in. That was nice! She offered different services to help me choose though I had already said I just wanted a basic mani-pedi. Never hurts to listen since how else would you find out if there's something new to try, right? At the end though, I still settled for the basics.

The attendant, Sheila, led me to a comfy arm chair in the inner left hand section and offered tea or juice. (Naturally, I went for tea). There was only one other customer in that area so it was pretty quiet except for the background sound of sea / surf / beach inspired spa-like music. She quickly got to work on my toes. She had very gentle hands-I barely felt my feet being worked on.

Another girl worked on my hands. I found it a bit strange that she didn't know how to shape my nails into an oval cut. I finally re-cut and shaped them myself and she did the rest of the cleaning and painting. She was very nice though. She allowed me to test out the different colors since I couldn't decide on the color since almost everything appealed.

I was there for almost 2 hours. They didn't do my hands and feet at the same time and they redid my hands twice due to polish errors. But the result was good. I have pretty and happy hands and feet.

The cost of the service is pretty standard for having nails done in the mall. They charge extra if you choose an imported brand of nail polish. Interestingly, they are more expensive than my regular home service. That was a surprise to me. Would I go back to nail-a-holics? Yes but more as a once in a while treat than my regular service. I'll stick to my awesome home service.

Tips for Working At Home

Women are often torn between the need to be home and the need to contribute to the family financially. Not everyone is cut out or inclined to have their own business though it may offer more flexibility. A great alternative is to work from home.

Telecommuting is a great way to address both needs. For moms, this can be a real lifesaver. You are around all day so you can keep track of the things at home. You have work - of the nature you like - that allows you to earn and to the family coffers without any transportation costs.

Now raises the other head of the hydra. Your family appreciates the fact that you are now more accessible than ever. Since you are home, they tend to think they can ask you various stuff at anytime. You are trying to manage the household needs - cooking, cleaning, etc - and still get your job done. End of the day, you feel wrung out, dizzy and you wonder why you ever thought it was a good idea.

Here are some things I found helpful when starting out:

1. Discuss your decision to work from home with your family. Talk to them about your chosen work and what it's about. The more they know, the better they understand the situation.
2. Set your hours around your needs. Most work from home businesses ask you what hours you are available. Choose the ones that makes sense given all your tasks. This is good for both your family and your employer/clients.
3. Make sure to give yourself time off. What good is it to be home if you are too busy to spend time with your family still - even when they are standing right beside you?
4. Treat your working hours as working hours. This means that during those hours your mind should be on the job and not on the laundry. Let your family know the hours you work so they are aware that those hours are just like if you worked in an office in another part of the city. 
5. Comfort is good but working on one's bed can also be very conducive to falling asleep. It can also be bad for the back. It is best to find a spot for your home office and get it set up properly.
6. If there is space, set up your home office somewhere that has a door you can close. This may sound funny to some but try working in your living room and see how much you get done. Often various people come up and ask questions or talk to you not realizing you are working. The very act of being in the office - whether the door is open or closed - establishes that it is time to work. Most people will knock if they need you or just come back. 

Cup of Tea

I woke up and found that an important tool I use for work had stopped functioning. BUMMER! Just when I had 4 items on a deadline, I couldn't work. It's also one of those times were free online tools or software just wouldn't do.

So there I sat...sweating...praying that my boss would understand and allow the deadlines to get pushed back. I suddenly found myself in my kitchen making a pot of tea. Perhaps it was the need to do something-anything-with my hands other than fidget. Perhaps it was the lure of my first ever tea set. Of course it could simply be a need for a soothing cup of jasmine tea.

Tea is considered medicinal by some or just another source of caffeine by others. Some countries, such as Japan, even have tea ceremonies or rituals. Of course, tea isn't worshiped - that would just be silly. But tea is definitely a companion when chatting with friends - an alternative to coffee and definitely a healthier one than soda or liquor. There are so many kinds and brands of tea, it can be bewildering.

I learned to drink tea at home. My father would bring out this tin of black tea or Jasmine Tea or gold tea. Out would come one of the beautiful tea sets of my mom and we would get to drink tea. I felt very grown up drinking from the delicate porcelain cup. Tea brings many fond memories of home. Perhaps this is why I am so happy to have my own tea set, at last, and sharing that love of  tea with my kids.

Tea is best when hot so..off to savor my tea.

BS'D

Someone sent me an email that started with this:

Now I had no idea what that mean so I looked it up:

I am choosing to believe the sender meant the latter but there is a big difference folks between an apostrophe and quotation marks.

Gelatissimo

It is always wonderful to discover a new favorite hangout for summer. With the scorching hat, a place that is cool and helps banish the heat is always welcome. Enter Gelatissimo - the real taste of Italia that came to us via Australia.

What is Gelatissimo? Primarily it is an ice cream place but they don't sell your local grocery available brands. Gelatissimo is an experience.

They create their own flavors- flavors that range from your vanilla to the richness of chocolate to lushness of fruit. Their menu shows premium dairy and premium sorbet. They have flavors we've seen elsewhere such as white chocolate or mango or Belgian Chocolate; but they have some flirty flavors that are uniquely theirs. I loved the names in their naughty or nice line:

• Will You Marry Me - white chocolate and macadamia
• Love is Blind - white chocolate and blueberry
• Stood Up - Chocolate Creme brulee
• Heart Broken - white chocolate and Honeycomb
• Falling for You - white chocolate and passion fruit
• Far Too Confused - chocolate macaron
• I'm Just Not ready - (sorry forgot the ingredients)
• You Had Me at Hello - white chocolate and raspberry
• No Strings Attached - (sorry forgot the ingredients)

After tasting almost all the flavors on display (yes, they actually encourage you to taste), I chose the lemon cheesecake - is that any surprise when I looove lemon squares? All I can say is YUM! The cleanness of the flavor was perfect. The lemon just right - not too sour. It was a toss up between this and the chili chocolate

Not surprisingly a scoop of ice cream here is way more expensive than a scoop of the stuff you would buy in a grocery but it is definitely worth the price.

There are 5 Gelatissimo branches here in Manila:

• Greenbelt 5
• Trinoma
• Serendra
• Shangrila
• Megamall

For those who's rather enjoy their treat in the comfort of their home, they also sell their gelato in half liter and 1 liter packages. Their staff said that you can have up to 3 flavors in the half liter and 4 flavors in the 1 liter package. The price is not dependent on the flavor you pick but on the size of the package you choose.

I will definitely go back soon.

Hair Free Options

A friend recently recommended a skin place. She seemed  to be very excited about it and she always looks great so it seemed like a great idea to check it out. Nothing to lose but hair :)

From the entrance, Skin Station is very brightly lit and seems very clean. They had a lot of brochures on the counter but nothing had a price.  The ladies at their reception though were very quick to respond to questions. Turns out, they do memberships + service fees. This basically means you don't walk in and pay only for a single treatment. Everything is in packages. You pay  PHP 1,500 for the elite membership (1year) and add the cost of the service you want done. For example, for underarm diode hair laser removal would cost PHP 3500 (that's for the entire year). Add the membership fee, you'd have to pay PHP 5000 to have no hairy pits for a year. The lady hurriedly added that diode laser hair removal is currently the gold standard in this kind of service. By the way, there is also a lifetime membership of 20K (as an option).

Personally, I wasn't sold. Though the place and the ladies were nice, It just seems too much to pay to be less hairy. There are many alternatives that are also pain free or with very little pain. For those who have never experience these services and are curious, here are some options:

• Wax it off - There are many spas that cater to this service. Normally fees begin at about PHP 250 going up based on body part (the hairier or more sensitive, the higher the fee). 
• Most places use hot wax which they sort of paint on you, stick a cloth too then take the whole mess off by yanking. Naturally, your hair goes with the gobblygook.
• You can do this at home with a store bought kit (usually a hot wax method) or you can make some at home following the recipe here: Ancient Egyptian Art of Body Sugaring
• I like going to Lay-bare. They use cold wax. NO heat sting and pain is almost non existent - unless you go full Brazilian of course. They are very thorough and gentle.
• Remove via IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) - almost painless but some do have a weird sensation as the hair is vaporized. The result is good but again, the price is steep if you do just walk in, usually in the thousands because they say the hair is reduced so you have to go less frequently and when it does grow back it is less unsightly. The good part is, many discounts are available via groupon and the like if you wish to try this method.
• Use a depilatory cream / gel - absolutely painless but does not always do the job as cleanly as other methods. You may still need to remove any unsightly strands manually. Make sure to follow the instructions or you just waste the product, your money and your time. Veet is an example of this. A tube will definitely be used for more than one instance so some find this a practical choice.
• Shave it off - simple and easily done at home. Best done with a brand new razor and after a warm bath or shower. If you aren't careful though, the skin can get irritated or you may cut yourself. Steady hand required and no rushing. Thankfully there are razors crafted for women to use - Gilette and Schick are the two that come to mind.
• Pluck it out - pain staking, tedious and old fashioned. It does get the job done but this is a slow process unless you get one of those gadgets that helps you pluck multiple strands at a time (and that is a major ouch!)

So choose the method that suits you. There is no reason to have you and your wallet get shorn.

The New Coliseum

A friend shared a video that he said was funny. I was curious so I watched it; and while a part of me found some of the reactions funny, I couldn't be helped but be thankful it wasn't me in the vid being shared. Maybe I'm just really different but I found little funny in watching some guy drop some papers that looked important because he slipped or got stuck on some stuff left on the path. 

Why is it funny that someone was tricked? Why is it funny that someone was embarrassed? What was funny about the damage to the personal property of the people tricked? How is it funny that this trick made people late for somewhere they were going to? Would it still be funny if it was you who got stuck or slipped or got wet or whatever else they did?

Since the people in these videos did not volunteer, does this not feel wrong to you? I can't believe people actually pay to watch pranks played on unsuspecting people and think that what they see is okay. Shades of the coliseum but no blood; at least not yet? By the way, you don't you dare get angry because that means you aren't a sport or lacking a sense of humor. But is it a lack of humor or a lack of compassion? Lose a few drops of your humanity for a few laughs at someone else's expense?

Which is faster: Bus or MRT?

I had to go to my old office and work on some stuff. I figured it would be faster to get there if I took the MRT rather than a bus since it was rush hour. Boy, was I wrong!

A bus takes an hour from where I was to where I wanted to go with the usual traffic. Add the necessary walk from where the bus drops off passengers, I would get to my final destination in about an hour and a half.

The walk to the MRT took 7 minutes. Waiting in line to get a ticket to board the train took a total of 30 minutes. Another 30 minutes waiting in line for the station to allow passenger entry - due to the sheer number of people already on the platforms, no additional passengers were allowed in until the area de-congested. The wait to get on the train was another 10 minutes but that wasn't so bad since I was at the front and I was sure I would be getting on the next train. The 15 minute rip passed in a blur. Getting out of the station was done in about 5 minutes and the walk to my final destination in less than 10. Total time: almost an hour and 45 minutes.

What actually made the experience a more frustrating one was the heat and having this girl in front of me who  kept leaving the line. She did ask politely if it would be okay if I held her place but she actually didn't wait for an answer. She did it twice. By the third time, I quietly told her that if she leaves, she'd better line up again at the end of the queue.

Lessons I learned:

• Leave much earlier. Allot more time to avoid delays caused by unexpected occurrences
• Rush hour means traffic, even for the MRT. Avoid travelling during these hours if at all possible.
• Always have a stored value card. It means having to queue for 1 less line so you get there faster.
• Avoid wearing high heels while travelling - standing room on a moving vehicle are hell on the feet!
• If there are people around who are annoying, don't let them get to you. It is not their fault no one taught them what they should have known.

I think I will go hunt up my copy of Don't Sweat The Small Stuff. 

New Home

It's been a while since I wrote online. I can't remember the last time I really posted. Thanks to my personal site getting hacked, my posts are gone (sob!) and in some ways good riddance!

It's 2013 already and it's time for a fresh start! No more looking back and no time for drama. It's past time to look forward and get moving because time isn't waiting for anyone. Not rushing but it's definitely not time to dwell or wallow on the things that went wrong.

As always, this is my online home so what I post will be personal opinions and will be about stuff that I like or dislike. Anyone is free to disagree but please do it on your own site - this place is mine. No bickering, debating, quarreling, arguing or any other synonyms please.

That said, welcome to my new home! Hope you keep reading.