project 100: the change-up

Now it really really looks like I do nothing except watch TV series and movies all day, everyday. But who cares, ya? What is important is that I get to enjoy my series and movies and still get things done. Malapit na bazaar and I think I really need to speed things up a bit, double-time in other words. Anyway, since yesterday we were supposed to meet up with a cousin who was going to do a cooking demo around lunch time, I hitched a ride with AD at 7am. I could have followed later but I was thinking if I had to be by lunchtime, I had to leave home around 10 so better that I go with her then I'll find some place to pass the time away. So I was there in Starbucks for two whole hours munching on ham & cheese croissant and making my mocha frap last for my entire stay while reading The Help. Jologs, haha. Okay ang haba ng intro ko ha. Anyway, we went to Rockwell for my cousin's demo then back to my sister's office. Watched a movie (again, for free! thanks to the handy-dandy compli pass c/o my sister's office) while waiting for her get off work.

I originally wanted to watch The Other Woman but my compli hindi pa pwede for it. But it's okay because I really wanted to watch The Change-Up ever since I saw the trailer.

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Basically, it's Freaky Friday only PG-13 version (or is it R18 with cussing-overload and nude scenes) and much funnier. Close friends Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) and Dave (Jason Bateman) exchange bodies after they wished they had each other's lives. Of course you think how on earth could such a thing happen then realize that this is a movie where anything could happen and then sit there and just enjoy albeit it's absurdity. Well the premise is that they're both quasi tired of the lives they're living and then the exchange happened and they get to see their own lives from a different perspective. Seeing their lives from another perspective gave them a chance to re-evaluate their lives and try to improve on the areas that needs improvement. Ending: everybody happy.

Generally, it is a feel-good movie. I say generally because every time Olivia Wilde steps in the scene, I automatically don't feel good about myself haha. Kidding aside, Olivia Wilde is so so so beautiful. She is the only reason why I watch House. I swear the world is not fair. Why can't every girl have a waist that tiny? I want her perfect little eyebrows!

Do you think it's weird if I actually find Jason Bateman hotter than Ryan Reynolds? Jason Bateman was unknown to me before Hancock and even when I saw him on Hancock I didn't know who he was but that time I already liked what I saw ;) Ryan Reynolds I already find hot but after seeing Green Lantern, wis na. Maybe it's the wonky eye or maybe it's how he always wears tight-fit clothes. So ayun I ♥ Jason Bateman. Will download Horrible Bosses already because he is also in it ;)

But you know I think we all know that,

in life doesn't always turn out exactly how you planned it. 

Sometimes, just sometimes, turns out better.

So true. I just hope that what I am doing now is where I'm really meant to be.

houston, we have a problem

Now it would really seem that all I do is watch TV all day long. Well, sometimes yes but not ALL the time. Now I get to watch my series but since I have to download them, I get to watch them at night- right after I'm done with all the pertinent stuff. I treat my series as my rewards, something to look forward to at the end of the day.

2 Broke Girls 1.02: And the Break-up Scene
I am a Kat Dennings fan and I actually started watching this because of her but I like the other girl more now. Of course it is just the role that they play because I still think she is adorable on Twitter. It's just that Caroline's character is more lovable.

Max is having problems with Caroline, in terms of personal space. For Max, Caroline is too close for comfort, always invading her personal space, meddling with her personal affairs when in fact they're practically strangers. Caroline wants their plan to work, quick... so she does things quite fast-paced, which kinda scares Max. Max, aside from having issues with her privacy, apparently doesn't know her worth (or her cupcakes' worth).

although I would prefer that I identify with this body type more. asa.

Hart of Dixie 1.01: Pilot
Rachel Bilson in a series. Love. It. Well, first, I love love love Rachel Bilson. She is adorable. Plus, I love her personal style, not that I like everything she wears because sometimes they're weird but you see, she can get away with it. Anyway, the series is about Dr. Zoe Hart who dreams of becoming of a cardio-thoracic surgeon   in Manhattan but finds herself in Alabama as a general practitioner. Being from the city (New York, no less), she feels as if she doesn't belong in this Southern locale. She almost leaves for NY but she stays because she finds out who her real father was and I do feel because of the following:

hunky attorney but is already engaged to jaime king's character

the ex-NFL player who is currently bluebell's mayor who has some
kind of a thing with jaime king's character

and some dude who likes to party

If I were to choose, I'd go for #1. But if voice would be the criterion, the mayor would win. But it's only the first episode and order could still change.

What I love about this series aside from Rachel Bilson are the soundtrack- Patsy Cline's Crazy with T-Pain's Best Love Song- and the scenery

Beautiful, diba? So with the beautiful scenery and the candy cuties, I'd definitely be back for episode 2 ☺

I super want to write about Awkward NOW but since I have to wake up early tomorrow, I'd do it tomorrow instead. So bye and I'll put myself to sleep over reruns of Awkward's season finale. Yes, it's that good.

hotelier

If a guy really, really likes you, he will move heaven and earth to be with you, that is the lesson I learned from this drama circa 2001. One of Bae Yong-jun's earlier projects, BYJ with less "enhancements."

The story revolves around the employees of Seoul Hotel, mainly focusing on the love triangle among Suh Jin-young, Han Tae-jun and outsider Shin Dong-hyuk (Bae). Suh and Han used to be an item before Han left for Nevada after a scandal orchestrated by a female guest who has her sights on him. The hotel was left in the management of President Choi but after his untimely death, his wife sent Jin-young to Nevada to look for Tae-jun. Jin-young met Dong-hyuk in Nevada and he was smitten by her and to his luck she was working in the hotel where he was contracted to do M&A (merger & acquisitions) work for.

In the beginning, Jin-young still liked Tae-jun and I believe Tae-jun liked her too, I'd like to believe until the very end. But Dong-hyuk was very persistent- he knew what he wanted: Jin-young. I was really rooting for Tae-jun and Jin-young so it was annoying for me that Dong-hyuk and Yun-hee (Song Hye-kyo) were in the picture. But eventually, with Dong-hyuk's persistence, he won Jin-young's affection. Throughout the drama Jin-young was actually confused whom to choose: the one she's very comfortable with and can lean on anytime (Han) or the one who looks very lonely and she'd want to erase his pains (Shin). I really believe that Han could have won her over if only he wasn't so passive. Hmph. Team Han pa rin ako.

I always thought their bickering was cute. Yun nga masyado lang siguro naging comfortable sila sa isa't-isa. In other words, they've lost that loving feeling. Haha, cheesy. But really, I wanted them to end up together. But this guy won:

Bae Yong-jun ca. 2001. Mas pogi ;)

How I wish someone would do what Shin Dong-hyuk did for Jin-young for me. Grabe, ang haba ng hair ko siguro nun. Well, anyway... not only did he rescind the contract for the M&A of Seoul Hotel but he used all of his money to save the hotel just because Jin-young asked him to. One of my favorite scenes was when Han asked Shin if he was doing all this because Jin-young begged him to. Shin answered she just asked him. That he would do anything for her, all she had to do was ask. If a guy wants you, nothing can keep him away. If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay. Amen.

But you see notwithstanding the fact that Dong-hyuk has done everything and has given his everything for the woman he loves, I still pick Han Tae-jun. I think I like Tae-jun because he is very much a gentleman and until the very end when he took part in surprising Jin-young. I feel he still has feelings for Jin-young. Wag na si Yun-hee, fallback lang siya, epal. Haha.

I was heartbroken when I saw that sad look on his face when Shin Don-hyuk came
back for Jin-young. Ang bagal mo kasi, p're.

Hotelier is a very good drama with a nice story and good actors. Too bad they don't make dramas like they used to. Well, sometimes there are also new, good dramas but mostly rom-coms. Not that I am complaining because I love rom-coms, it's just that once in a while I'd like to watch a good love story/drama such as this one, Winter Sonata or Phoenix/Firebird. 

i'm okay

Another week has passed. We're getting closer and closer to Christmas! Wee ♥ ♥ ♥ In fernez, I had a nice week. It was not all good, mind you, but I have learned to control my reactions to bad things. Still trying to balance my finances, dealing with warring employees, ranting about new nail spa (the 6th inside the village!) among other stuff, mainly existential crisis.

Reconnected with a friend yesterday. M and I were good friends when we were in 5th grade but the next school year when we weren't classmates anymore, we were reduced to mere acquaintances even if we lived in the same village. Last week, she and her mom went to the shop. We did a little catching up and it was always nice to talk to someone who was going through the same things I do. Basta to cut the story short, both of us are entrepreneurs figuring out how to make our businesses big and for these businesses to be able to support us. We agreed to participate in bazaars together, share booths. I'm glad I was able to talk to her because she's really determined to make it big and somehow her enthusiasm and determination is rubbing off on me. 

Yesterday we went to Rockwell, mag-mirón sa bazaar. We had to pay P100 each to get in. Bah. I'll treat it as my market research na lang. And I think it was for a good cause so okay na rin. There weren't much shops and I've conditioned myself not to buy anything but I had to make an exception

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I bought a mini journal ☺ I loved their designs. There were so many to choose from and I was having difficulty choosing just one. If I could, I would get EVERYTHING! I think the guy selling the notebooks noticed my excitement over the journals. My eyes must have been twinkling. I'd say it was love at first sight with those beautiful journals. 

From the bazaar, we went around the mall. Bumped into a college classmate who was toting a green Cambridge satchel bag- I was envious! Oh well, even if I had the money I think I wouldn't splurge on a bag. I'm too stingy for that. Saw artistas- Vhong Navarro, Sam Pinto, Phoemela Barranda and one of the daughters of Albert Martinez. Ang showbiz ko talaga. 

Went back to Megamall where I was supposed to take an FX going home. But M insisted sabay na kami sa taxi, we'll drop her off her friend's house then home. Okay na sana but Manong Driver didn't hear (or ignored) my instruction to take the Libis route and passed by Rosario where it's traffic. Kainis. Instead of going home, stopped over at AD's house where bbq ribs and pizza were waiting for me. Yum ☺

Today wasn't as eventful. Just had lunch at Papa John's at Sta. Lucia. First time I tried it I found it really good but today it so-so. Their Pizza Margherita didn't taste like pizza margherita. Everyone else had plans so mommy and I just went home. I continued with my Hotelier marathon and The Help reading session. Ang hirap pala magbasa ng libro at manuod ng palabas na may subtitles nang sabay. 

Mass at 7pm all by myself. I feel lonely when I hear mass alone but at the same time I appreciate the alone-ness because I get to concentrate on the mass. I hope God will answer my prayers and continue to shower me with His blessings. I reckon I've been a good girl naman. 

Just received a text- nail spa drama again. Again, I have learned to control my reactions to things I don't have control over so I will not fuss over this. If it happens, I guess it happened for a reason. I'll continue praying for God to help me make the right decisions, find the right people, hire the right people. 

So ta-ta for now while I tend to my city(ville). Tomorrow is for nail polish shopping and bonding time with my godsister who's off to Qatar. Goodnight loves :)

P.S. I was having an okay day but Miss Wet Blanket is annoying me AGAIN. 

it's friday friday

Both happy and sad that I don't have Saturday Spanish classes anymore... Happy, because finally I get my Saturdays to myself (as if naman I'm too busy on weekdays); Sad, because I really like going to class on Saturday, a deviation from my usual bahay-bahay-nangangapit-bahay routine. But now it's time I get to business. In fernez I was able to create magic yesterday :) I ran out of materials so I will stay home today and try to bring order to our shambolic room, finish watching Scent of a Woman and start with The Help.

Actually ang post na ito ay wala lang... just want to share this video of Selena Gomez I'm totally digging right now

I kinda like "paos" singers.

So toodles because if I don't get off my sister's PC right this instant I will again get sucked into the Cityville vortex... will transfer the internet connection to my PC where Cityville takes a bazillion light years to load so there... Ciao ;)

book 2011-12: no strings attached

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For people who know: I would have not read the book had it not been recommended by my sister. She said I would enjoy it. Feeling ko, alam na. Oh well. Whatever.

Carla is 29 and still single. In spite of friends' her age successes in their careers, she enjoys her job as an admin assistant, a job her successful friends deem she's now overqualified for. Well, they just think she could do better.

I was in my late twenties, stuck in a cycle of

complacency about everything. It was like I was 

challenging the year to give me something (anything!)

to be excited about.

[Hmm, I think I can relate to Carla in that department- 29, single, complacent- Yup, that's me!] One day, she meets this good-looking guy who happens to be five years younger than her. Not knowing her worth, she thinks how on earth is it possible for her, an administrative assistant in her late twenties to land a good-looking, smart guy in his prime, if he's not only playing her.

Happy ending for everyone. How could a chick-lit not have a happy ending? Which I like, by the way. I do like my happy ending served anytime soon, thank you! :) And yes, year/universe/whatever, to give me something to be excited about this year- before I turn 3-0. Please! :) It was a nice, quick read. I am actually thinking of picking up other Summit chick-lit publications.

book 2011-11: belong to me

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Bought the book because it was from an author with some Filipino blood in her veins and I did hear good things about the book (or was it Love Walked In, her other novel?) and it was on sale.

I struggled through the first 10 chapters or so. The style the author used- each chapter being told through a particular character's point of view- wasn't new to me, but still I found it confusing. It wasn't clear to me who was talking in that particular chapter that I had to check whose name it is at the start of chapter. And it got pretty boring too.

Buti na lang I'm the type of reader who endures the entire book- through thick and thin- because I wouldn't have reached the better, more enjoyable chapters. This book is just a reminder how things aren't what they seem to be so don't take things at face value.

So eventually everyone kind of gets their happily-ever-afters in the end :)

An okay read but I am not so sure if I would pick up another book by the author again.