Sunshine: A Review

Watched this movie about 2 weeks ago but I still feel that it warrants a blog. Since it is sci-fi, there are holes in the story but with films like this, you have to suspend disbelief while you are watching it or else your head explodes (or you don't enjoy the film at the very least).

I enjoyed it. Surprisingly, too. Other than certain parts of the ending (I won't go into detail due to spoilers) which I felt insulted the rest of the movie, it was an entertaining watch.

I have decided that I like Danny Boyle. 28 Days Later is one of the few zombie movies that I like (I know the sequel, 28 Weeks Later won't be as good but I'm still watching it). I even like The Beach, which was almost universally panned, just because of how it looked like. Now, I haven't watched Trainspotting (it's a subtitle movie for me and I have to be in the mood) other than a few glimpses here and there and I know it's the quintessential Boyle film. But the movies that I have watched, I enjoyed.

Cillian Murphy is brilliant, as always. Now, I don't really like like him but I think he's a very good actor. And that fire guy from Fantastic Four was surprisingly good as well.

This film sort of reminded me of the Alien series but without the Alien. I recommend watching it.

Adventures

We haven't had any exciting adventures in the recent past. Come to think of it, we haven't even had any not-so-exciting adventures to talk about either.

We do have the excuse of moving house but I think that excuse is well used up by now. I have to get started on a list again. Which reminds me, I should give an update on that list I had early this year to see how we did.

List posted initially in Jan 07 (updates in red):

1. Take Spanish classes with D (already enrolled. classes start Jan 18, Thursday evenings.) - Done! Not sure if we learned anything but we had fun taking the classes!
2. Watch the Australian Open (bought tickets for Jan 21, Sunday) - Went and truly enjoyed it. Hoping my dad comes back next year in time for us to go together.
3. Watch a film at the Moonlight Cinema (sometime in Feb, waiting for the screening of a movie we actually want to see) or the Rooftop Cinema (maybe next Friday to see Bright Young Things) - done and done. Saw Casino Royale at the Moonlight Cinema and Bright Young Things at the Rooftop one. Both were quite enjoyable.
4. Learn Yoga (I really need motivation for this) - i went to ONE class! i'm so bad. at least, D and I have enrolled in a gym. i'll check out the classes there.
5. Visit more museums or cultural centers (next stop is the Australian Center for Contemporary Art where Mike Nelson is exhibiting Lonely Planet at the moment) - went to the ACCA and got weirded out by Mike Nelson's art. i need to find another artsy alternative.
6. Explore Victoria through books (I'm actually doing this already through the reading program, Reading Victoria. Already gone through one, Stiff, and now reading through Picnic at Hanging Rock.) - read Stiff and didn't really like it. Picnic was a bit weird as well. Read another book which I liked - Nevil Shute's On the Beach.
7. Catch more concerts (D wants to see Tenacious D this month. I doubt we'll be organized enough to catch that one... Damien Rice is playing in Feb, Gomez in April) or go to music festivals (St Kilda Festival is on!) - haven't gone to any concerts but we did go to the St Kilda Festival. hmm, i think we should try to catch a concert soon.
8. Have picnics (if we end up going to the Moonlight Cinema, then that's 2 birds with one stone. If not, I want to go to Hanging Rock). - Cinema done, Hanging Rock still hanging. =)

Well, I don't think we did too badly with that list. Time for a new one!

Being Pinoy on Anzac Day

Today's a holiday here in Oz. It's Anzac Day.

What is ANZAC Day?

ANZAC Day - 25 April - is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.

Read more here.
_________

It's weird living in a country and not knowing any of its history.

Even weirder is I find that I can't be bothered to go out of my way to know more about it.

Okay, maybe not that weird, since I have, at times, been seen as apathetic. I am from UP CBA after all.

But, no matter how f***ed up the Philippines gets and how I try to stay removed from the situation (I hardly even read any news from home. I've found that the news cycle and recycle anyway. We're having elections AGAIN. After the elections, I'm sure there'll be accusations of cheating. As what happened in the last election. And the election before that. Everything's the same.), I'm a born and bred Manileno (sorry, i can't find the "enye" in my comp). True blue Pinoy. My country is ingrained in me and always will be.

If I have been seen as apathetic, I've also been accused, at times, of being patriotic. Me? How strange. I never thought of myself as patriotic. Never that. I've had a number of heated arguments with my dad about my apparent lack of love for country.

But, if, insisting I'm Pinoy when people try to label me as half-Aussie (just because I can assimilate doesn't make me one of them) or not rushing towards a new citizenship just because it's available and will make traveling much easier or extolling the wonders of the Philippines (the beaches! the rum shakes! the massages on the sand!) to anyone who would listen, if all that make me a patriot, then I guess I am one. But see, I still don't see myself as a patriot. (I don't know if I would be willing to die for my country. We don't have that great a relationship.) I just see myself as Pinoy.

Driving is Stressful

Let me clarify that. Driving with D in the passenger seat is stressful.

I've started driving again.

I drove last Saturday by myself since we had to pick up D's old car from the boys' house. (I'll be using this car until I buy my own) I convoyed with D and even if it wasn't the best of conditions (rainy and getting dark) I thought I did pretty well. I didn't stall or put the car into the wrong gear. I didn't even accidentally drive on the wrong side of the road! I felt confident again about my driving.

Well, that confidence lasted until I drove with D the next day.

The distance from the boys' house to ours is about 30 mins away. In Melbourne terms, that's pretty far. The gym to our house takes 10 minutes. In that 10 minutes, I mis-geared twice and was tense the whole way. You do the math.

Anyway, I drove again today. I think I'm getting the hang of it but...

I can't believe I'm saying this but I miss driving in Manila.

Sorry

I have lots of things to blog about (a strange Oz tradition, Sunshine, the movie, Driving Again, Getting Fit, City Library, Work Meltdown, etc) but I just can't be bothered blogging as yet.

I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Domestic Drama

We had some domestic drama this morning.

D had the day off today but he was headed to the mechanic to get his car checked out. He was also going up to the boys' house as his niece was in town. I, on the other hand, had work.

I fully expected him to drop me off at work. I was in the process of dragging my sleepy ass out of bed when he, jokingly i presumed, says, "So, you're taking the tram to work today?"

I, of course, replied, "No, you're taking me to work, right? RIGHT?"

He continues on, "Well, we have to leave soon then as I want to get to the mechanic early to get the car fixed then go up and see S."

I got the point.

Apparently, he didn't think so, as during the course of me getting ready, we had the same conversation TWO more times.

The last conversation was the last straw and I just stared him down. He had the gall to again say his line of "We have to go soon then..." when he was still in bed, not dressed, to me, fully dressed and 2 minutes from ready.

I walked out. After I got my bag and things ready. Oh, also after I made my morning coffee mug. And since I was already making my coffee, I made his as well. Yes, even in the midst of drama, I need my coffee.

So, while he was in the bathroom brushing his teeth, I stormed out. He called out and ordered (ordered!) me to come back. I merely continued walking.

Now, the tram stop is about 7 minutes walk from our house. During the whole walk, I was fuming. I was also waiting for him to follow after me. I was already crossing to the stop, accepting the fact I would have to REALLY take the tram to work, when I hear honking. I turn, and lo and behold, D and his car were right behind me.

I held on to my pride for about 10 seconds before I gave in and got in. And before you judge me as easy, I really did not want to cause a scene. AND I was silent for the first 5 minutes of the trip.

I can be so dramatic sometimes.

New blog title

I don't think I can call myself a near-new bride anymore. We're already nearing the 7 month mark and so I've been thinking of renaming this blog to something else.

Suggestions?

Junk Food = Pick Me Up?

I gave in to temptation and went to McDonalds (Maccas, as it is called here. Don't quote me on the spelling.) for some takeaway junk food. My reasons? It's Monday, it's dreary and I feel unmotivated to work.

As I was walking back to work, holding my McDonald's brown bag, I had this absurd guilty feeling. Guilty because I was giving in to temptation to load my body down with calories. Guilty as most of my officemates were health freaks and did not look too kindly on junk food for lunch.

I suddenly missed Manila. The anonymity I have as hordes of office workers flock to McDonalds (McDo, as it is called there) for their lunch everyday. McDo, where I can get a meal of chicken with rice and gravy (and this got me thinking off to another tangent and made me miss Jollibee as well). The myriad of malls and food stalls where you can get anything your tummy so desires. Good, old, chaotic Manila.

I walked back to my office with a heavy heart.

Postscript: I didn't even enjoy my meal of McChicken, fries and diet Coke. The burger was sloppily made and had too much mayo. The fries weren't crispy. And Coke is Coke. Argh.

I think I'm liking Feist

Listen to her here.

Borderline Personality

I always knew i had a tendency to be borderline. This confirms it.

You Are 43% Borderline

You have some symptoms of borderline personality disorder.If you feel like you're more than a little dramatic, you may want to investigate further.

Do You Have a Borderline Personality?

D's Travel Horoscope

Does this mean we have to travel separately??

Travel Horoscope for Aquarius

When you travel, you want to go someplace very few people have been. You want a vacation that's a very unique experience - and off the beaten path. You should travel to: New Zealand (especially the South Island) Russia Alaska Iceland Space

What's Your Travel Horoscope?

My Travel Horoscope

thanks to paula's blog, i too know now where i should go. =)

i've never been to any of these places!! i've been lax.

Travel Horoscope for Scorpio

When you travel, you want to be inspired and awed. You want a vacation that's challenging, exotic, and a once in a lifetime experience. You should travel to: Nepal South Africa China Antarctica Galapagos Islands

What's Your Travel Horoscope?

hmmm, i wonder what D's will say? what if he gets a completely different set of results? does that mean we have to travel separately?? wait, i have to check...

Moving Day

Got our connection sor-ed. Woohoo!

I've uploaded our Moving Day video. Watch it.

300: A Review

I loved this film. I didn't expect much from it, especially after Chrismiss blasted it. I just hoped it would be as pretty as it looked on the trailer.

I really liked it. It was bloody, gory and fun! Yes, the storyline was more fluff than anything else but what can you expect from a comic book? (Yes I know it's technically a graphic novel. Semantics.) I liked the cinematography and the CGI-ness of it. I read a review somewhere blasting the movie for being too faithful to Frank Miller's version. Um, yeah, that's what an adaptation is, right?

The half-naked men prancing about did help with the eye candy but, surprisingly, I got bored with them after a while. They sort of just blended with the scenery.

Another highlight was the Queen. She rocked! Especially the near-end bit. Won't spoil it for those who haven't watched it but that scene is worth looking out for.

However, I did get disappointed when I did more research on the history of the 300 Spartans (nothing to do with the movie at all). Turns out there were more than 300 that fought in the Battle of Thermopylae. Another 4,000 more that is. It would have been more impressive if there were really only 300.

Last note: I thought Xerxes was just a tad bit silly. Seriously, he looked more like a drag queen than a deluded demi-god.

I highly recommend watching this film on the big screen. Unless you have a really flash home entertainment system, the small screen would not do it justice.

We've moved!

I've been trying to upload the video I made of our moving day since yesterday but there's something wrong with our broadband connection. I am now sponging off someone else's account and it's not a very fast one.

I'll post the video once we get our connection sor-ed.

I'm Bored at Work

After weeks of hard working, I feel burnt out. We're working on this big new project but it's not in full swing yet. I feel out of sorts.

Instead of working, I've decided to update my 1001 books blog as a tribute to Jax [i've only just read your comments. shows how much i've been keeping that blog updated, hehe.]

We're moving!

Sometimes even I think I'm too silly.

I took videos and photos of our new place using my cam phone and played with iMovie on my mac. This is the result.