The day that 'The Perfect Storm' met 'The Day After Tomorrow'

Okay... that might be an exaggeration. I probably have just seen too many disaster movies. But hearing the wind howl like a monster and seeing objects flying at unknown speed from the top of our office building made me think that.

Like any good law-abiding citizen, we all went to work yesterday, September 28 despite the threat of the storm Milenyo. However at 11am when the wind started picking up, we were suddenly asked to go home. At first, Con and I planned to go to the mall and hang out first but our boss offered her driver to bring us all home so we settled.

We couldn't leave at once because (1)we were waiting for the driver to arrive; and (2)we were sort of waiting for the wind to slow down, even a little. But since it didn't show any signs of doing that, around 12.30pm, we all decided to just brave the weather and drive on home.

Ortigas was a complete wasteland.



When I say wasteland, it wasn't just that it was deserted. There were waste and debris everywhere.







We had great difficulty seeing where we were going as visibility has been reduced to nothing with the downpour.





Trees were uprooted and lay along the stretch of both Ortigas and Katipunan. (And God knows whereelse...)













Some people braved the storm with their bikes. Probably on their way home to their families, like us. Just like this man.



At one point, we had a split second to decide whether to pass through this road with a tree that's about to fall.



Lucky for us, we made that split second decision in time. Because just as we passed, the tree fell down.



More trees blocked our path.





Even billboard signs were not spared by the storm.







The flooded streets were not a fun sight either.







Close to home, this is what greeted me...











More and more uprooted trees blocking our way.



Kuya Fernan (our driver) even had to move some branches aside just so we could pass.





Soon after, I found myself home. My dogs lost the roof over their pseud-dog house. And they were wet, dripping and shaking. Poor doggies =(

Since there was no electricity, I had nothing better to do. Even my Gameboy had no batteries as I forgot to charge it. Darn!

So I slept. And woke up to a Buffy marathon at 10pm.

My New Super Email Address

Okay... not that it really matters but I just got myself an absolutely kewl and super new email address! It's jaymsterbean@supernoypi.com

Yahu!

Astig!

Buffy-isms Part 1

Finally got hold of the whole seven seasons of Buffy on DVD and I'm on a roll! Hehe. Have been doing a Buffy marathon for three days straight now and I'm now two episodes away from Season 4. Re-watching Buffy after ten years (it piloted in 1996) is quite refreshing. Ooohhh... and seeing Oz and Spike again?!!??! :::sigh:::

Oh well.

Hehe.

Anyhoo, although it never really rated much (in the US nor here), Buffy had a cult following. Yeah, people like me. Hah! I got depressed for a week after the series folded. For real. Boo hoo.

One thing that made Buffy stand out were its lines. They were to die for (pun intended)! Especially that of Xander's. And Cordelia's. And Willow's. And... errr... Buffy's. Heck! They were all astoundingly witty! Well, of course, the writers were responsible for that. But the actors can be commended too for actually making it work. But I digress.

As a tribute of sorts to one of the most inspiring TV series I've encountered in my life, here are a couple of heart-wrenching lines -- otherwise known as Buffy-isms -- from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It sure feels like having a stake drive through your heart (pun intended again).

Read 'em and weep.

We are defined by the things we fear...
But fear is in the mind. Like pain.
It can be controlled.
If I can face my fear, it cannot master me. - The Master

† † † † †

I can be surrounded by people but feel completely alone. - Cordelia

† † † † †

People don't fall in love with what's right in front of them. People want to dream of what they can't have. The more unattainable, the more attractive. - Xander

† † † † †

Buffy: Love makes people do crazy things
Angel: Like a 241-year old man getting jealous of a high school boy?
Buffy: I don't love Xander
Angel: But he's in your life

† † † † †

There are times lies are necessary. Sometimes the truth is worse. - Angel

† † † † †

It's simple if I could just hate him. I think he wanted me to. It made it easier for him to be the villain in the picture. - Buffy

† † † † †

Nothing's ever simple anymore. I'm constantly trying to work it out. Who to love or hate... Who to trust... It's just like the more I know, the more confused I get. - Buffy

† † † † †

You're the one freaky thing in my freaky world that makes sense to me. It just gets pretty messed up sometimes. - Buffy

† † † † †

I sometimes like things that are not good for me. - Xander

† † † † †

Don't you have an elsewhere you have to be? - Cordelia

† † † † †

You can't just bury stuff. It will come right back up to get you. - Xander

† † † † †

Sometimes even when two people seem right for each other, their lives just take different paths. - Joyce Summers

† † † † †

You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight and you'll shag and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brain, children. It's blood -- blood screaming inside you to work its will. - Spike

† † † † †

We're not friends. We never were. I can fool my friends, but I can't fool myself. What I want from you, I can never have. - Buffy

† † † † †

It bugs you doesn't it? You have all this pain, all these feelings and nobody is really paying attention. - Buffy

† † † † †

It's weird. You look at something and you think you know exactly what you're seeing and then you find out it's something else entirely. - Buffy

Crappy Crappy Day!

Damnit.

Had to redo my whole blog because for some apparent reason, my template got corrupted. F***er!

I couldn't find my old template design, so this one's 'quite' new. But I couldn't remember half of what was in my old blog. Argh!!!

Oh well... It was time for a change anyways.

Ho-friggin'-hum!

Baby G

Just received great news from Weng via YM (although I've known for two weeks now, it's just that she didn't want me to tell anyone yet then).

Anyhoo---I can now tell everyone about it... she's 6 weeks pregnant!

Woohoo!

And the baby has got a heartbeat now. :)

See that little thing that looks like a tadpole (sorry Weng, but that's how it looks like at this point hehehehe)? That's the one! He/She is going to be my godchild! =)

Kewlies!

Hmmm... I wonder if it's a boy or a girl. Congratulations Weng and Sam! :)


P.S. This calls for a celebration!!!


Is This For Real?

Was browsing the net when I stumbled upon this blog (via the Neopets site). Apparently, this guy Jason Cutler is a student who was allowed by Sony Pictures to film a documentary about the making of The Grudge 2 for his senior thesis. Barely, a month or so on the set, he disappeared and his roommate took up the chores of continuing his blog... and well, trying to find him.

Check out the interview with Amber Tamblyn. It totally creeped me out!

But then again, I wonder if this is for real or it's just some publicity stunt?

Don't get me wrong... if Jason Cutler really is missing, my sympathies go out to his family and friends and I hope they find him soon. But, I'm from a movie company and I know how publicities go. Remember The Blair Witch Project?

And... if it's for real, do you really think Sony Pictures will even host the blog on their site? I mean, aren't they scared of lawsuit or something? The guy disappeared on their set. Why aren't his parents doing anything about it?

Real or not, check out the video interview with Amber Tamblyn. It's the only video on the blog that totally creeped me out.

Somewhere I Don't Belong

"You were with them but not one of them" -
CSI Miami

Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you just don't belong.

Regardless of how much effort you put into something, you still don't measure up.

I guess when you don't fit in, you just don't. And trying hard to swing it only makes things more detrimental, not only to the people around you but to yourself as well.

I realize it now.

I simply don't fit in.

Ang Pinaka-astig na Pelikula ng 2006!

Wala ng iba kundi SUPER NOYPI.

To find out more about the movie, visit its official production blog. :)

Ayuz!

Rockin' New Toy

Yesterday, I got a YM from Sam (CIR) telling me about this Kurt Cobain action figure she saw at Toy Kingdom in Podium. So before I left for my meeting in QC, I hurriedly went to TK to get it.

A throng of salespeople greeted me as I entered TK, each one of them bearing a smile. I normally don't approach promo girls (and guys) when I go inside a store. I hate it moreso when they follow me everywhere I go, especially when I'm just browsing stuff. Normally when I go inside a store, I know exactly what I want. I rarely window shop.

Anyhoo, Sam wasn't able to tell me where to find the KC toy exactly so I walked round and round the store looking for it. One saleslady decided to put me out of my misery and approached me saying, "Ma'am ano po ang hinahanap nyo?"

I looked at her and an internal battle with myself ensued. Should I tell her what it is? Or should I shrug and brush her off?

In a beat, I decided to just ask.

"San yung Kurt Cobain action figure?"

She stared back at me and asked, "Ano ho?"

"Yung Kurt Cobain toy", I insisted.

"Robot ho ba yon?", she asked me with a smile.

I wanted to slap her.

Instead, I smiled back and told her "Never mind" and decided to just look for the thing myself. Since I wasn't having any luck finding it, I called Sam. But she wasn't picking up. So I called Mo and a little while later Joey came to the phone and described where exactly I can find MY Kurt Cobain toy.

Lo and behold!







Yey! Yey! Yey!

What Boredom Can Do To A Person

Time does stand still when you're not doing anything.

After being immensely busy for the past couple of months, I find myself experiencing a very very laidback moment.

And it's as if time has stopped because it's taking ages to reach 6pm! Dang!

Anyhoo---I've been tinkering with stuff and I just felt like posting this song, which I have been obsessing about since I saw Closer.

Ho hum.

DVD Junkie

For the past couple of weeks, I have returned to being a DCD junkie, lapping up all the DVDs I can view in one seating.

Last month (or I think two months ago), I had a Lost Season 1 & 2 marathon followed soon after by a CSI Season 1-6 marathon. Last week until this weekend, I finished 4400 Season 1 & 2 plus CSI NY Season 1 & 2 and last night, I started My Name Is Earl Season 1. I presume that I'll finish it within the week, that is, if I get the chance to go home early this week. Hehe.

Oohh... I finally got to watch Love Actually too and Closer.

Yay!

Food Trip

Two weeks ago, Nathan celebrated his birthday at Bellini's in Cubao. Bellini's is a quaint Italian restaurant at the back of the Marikina Shoe Expo, owned and managed by... whoelse but Mr. Bellini! Hehe.

I remember how we discovered that place almost ten years ago while I was still working at BMG. How Trec, Jojo, Jojet and I had nowhere to go for lunch and while walking along the streets of Cubao, we happened along the little restaurant.

It has come a long way. Before we were the only patrons there. Then came the time when we brought our artists to dine there and by word of mouth, Bellini's became somehow the talk of the town when it came to satisfying one's palate.

And satisfy us it did... once again.





The birthday celebrant...



...with his birthday cake!



I didn't have the chance to take a lot of photos as I was low batt that night. But I was able to take this crazy photo of me and Weng after dinner.



Afterwards, we went for coffee (whatelse?) at Coffee Bean in Gateway and reminisced about old friends, old times and well... a lot of other stuff.

To Anna--you were there in spirit, my friend! :-)


It's A Small Small World

I got these photos from Weng via email:





It made me realize just how small the world is.

And it truly is!

You see, after the Eternity premiere night and cast party, I found myself going with Mikko and Gaby to Goodyear in Libis. I didn't know what to expect there really but I wasn't prepared to find a bar (and then some) inside.

The funniest thing is half of the people Gaby knows, I knew as well. I saw Franco (Mabanta) and Little Joey of Magic. And I got the shock of my life when I saw Cheska (Inigo)! Haha. We both just came from Eternity and we never thought we'd see each other again so soon.

A small digression... Cheska is actually the wife of my cousin Francis Tiu Laurel, Jr. But since I'm not really close to that part of my family, I didn't bother telling her that. Hehe.

Anyhoo---the other cast of Eternity with Direk Mark Reyes came trickling in soon after. Gasp! First was Bobby Andrews, then Dingdong, Iza, Arthur and Michael Roy. Gaby was playing pool with some guy I didn't know then and when Iza saw her, they apparently knew each other from school! Yikes! Is it just me or did the world get much smaller still?

I finally got to convince Mikko to get me out of there. Hehe. Not that I don't like these people... it's just that my world was getting too small for comfort and I just needed to breathe.

As if my world ain't small enough, one of the AD's for Super Noypi is a couple of batches above me in UP-CMC and he's now officemates with Nikki, a college batchmate and Russell, my friend.

Ack!