tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315874662024-03-13T22:41:41.690+08:00Sarcasm Asiderandom thoughts of a self-diagnosed neurotic with the attention span of a five-year old... a blog by AlternatiAlternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-23568385353537046002007-12-10T22:00:00.000+08:002007-12-10T22:02:58.974+08:00Moving Day<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />I broke my piggy bank and bought virtual estate.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I am now at:<br /><br /><a href="http://alternatii.com"><span style="font-size:180%;">alternatii.com</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-20670126191271635722007-08-25T21:41:00.000+08:002007-08-25T22:55:44.108+08:00golB eht dniheB ecaFThe fabulous <a href="http://moderately-confused.com/">cheH</a> tagged me with a... (drum roll please...)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_7Nlg3zoD_YQ/RtBCeXZEAEI/AAAAAAAAAAk/6a0r0YwJXy8/s1600-h/facebehindtheblog.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_7Nlg3zoD_YQ/RtBCeXZEAEI/AAAAAAAAAAk/6a0r0YwJXy8/s400/facebehindtheblog.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102651467253416002" border="0" /></a><br />Face Behind the blog meme.<br /><blockquote>Putting a face to the name of someone you haven’t met helps recognition and adds a more personal feel to your conversations.<br />What photograph shows you in a light we don’t often see through your blog?<br /></blockquote><br />I thought of a whole autobiographical account (in pictures) about me... but decided otherwise. (That would be a freakishly long post) So I settled with this one particular yellowish photo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_7Nlg3zoD_YQ/RtBCeHZEADI/AAAAAAAAAAc/J-HhAU3XOfY/s1600-h/Alternati_Beach.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_7Nlg3zoD_YQ/RtBCeHZEADI/AAAAAAAAAAc/J-HhAU3XOfY/s400/Alternati_Beach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102651462958448690" border="0" /></a><br />Look at me trying out for Baywatch. (I can't swim) I miss the good ole days when I can get away with a <span style="font-style: italic;">sando</span> (tank top)... and when baby oil was used instead of sun block (ouch!) and by this I mean, that youthful notion of invincibility. I miss that...<br /><br />We don't have beaches where I live. We have beeches (oooh, how original... a play on words). We actually have pine trees here in Baguio. Beeches just sounded (while I was typing it) wittier. I would have done the other homonym but I can't claim that my city is in any way special with regard the female dog populace. Anyhoo...<br /><br />The salty scent of a nearby beach can send tingles up the spine of anyone who has spent most of hisher life on a plateau and whose regular notion of "a lot of water" is the Santo Tomas reservoir. The sight of the sky blue on teal horizon line never fails to take my breath away (Just ignore the canoodling couple in the background of this particular photograph) The rhythmic sound of crashing waves is as foreign a sound to a Baguio citizen as the sneeze of an Emperor Penguin is to an outback aborigine.<br /><br />The largest amount of sand one sees in Baguio would be a 3 foot hill of gray sand outside a house being constructed. Enough to bury someone totally... but not enough to play beach volleyball on.<br />I love the beach. The sight, the smell, the sound and the feel of it all. (I'll add taste in this statement if and when I find myself crazy enough to taste sand)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------<br /></div><br /><br />I am tagging anyone who<br />a. reads this, and<br />b. hasn't done this yet.<br /><br />(And by that, I mean you... I have a counter that records IP addresses so you better do it... or else, you'll find me sometime next week knocking on your door with a shovel and a bucket of sand)<br /><br />Check <a href="http://www.davidairey.com/the-face-behind-the-blog-collection/">David Airey's blog</a> for details.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------<br /></div><br /><br /><br />Link-o-Rama<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.davidairey.com/the-face-behind-the-blog-collection" title="graphic designer" rel="tag"><strong>David Airey</strong> :: Graphic Designer</a><br /><a href="http://momgadget.com/the-face-behind-the-blog-collection/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Gayla</strong> at Mom Gadget</a><br /><a href="http://essentialkeystrokes.com/meet-the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Char</strong> at Essential Keystrokes</a><br /><a href="http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/11/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Paul</strong> at Reflections</a><br /><a href="http://www.2dolphins.com/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Rob</strong> at 2Dolphins</a><br /><a href="http://www.in-sect.com/article/635/the-face-behind-the-blog" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Zep</strong> at The In-Sect</a><br /><a href="http://stixster.blogspot.com/2007/05/das-gesicht-hinter-dem-blog.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Ingo</strong> at Stixster</a><br /><a href="http://www.ukstevieb.com/2007/05/11/getting-to-know-you/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Stevie</strong> at Lost In Cyberspace</a><br /><a href="http://thepaperbull.com/continuing-a-picture-meme-with-a-twist/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>The Paper Bull</strong> at (oddly enough) The Paper Bull</a><br /><a href="http://justagirlintheworld.com/2007/05/22/getting-to-know-you/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Lisa Sabin-Wilson</strong> at Just A Girl In The World</a><br /><a href="http://dmiracle.com/better-your-site/the-face-behind-my-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Dawud Miracle</strong> at dmiracle.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.emomsathome.com/blog/2007/05/25/the-emom-behind-the-scenes/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Wendy Piersall</strong> at eMoms at Home</a><br /><a href="http://www.thebetanews.com/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Dennis Bjørn Petersen</strong> at The Beta News</a><br /><a href="http://randaclay.com/2007/05/25/the-face-behind-my-blog" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Randa Clay</strong> at Randa Clay Design</a><br /><a href="http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/2007/05/seeing_the_othe.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Drew McLellan</strong> at The Marketing Minute</a><br /><a href="http://www.smallbizsurvival.com/2007/05/face-behind-blog.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Becky McCray</strong> at Small Biz Survival</a><br /><a href="http://makeitgreat.typepad.com/makeitgreat/2007/05/break_on_throug.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Phil Gerbyshak</strong> at Make it Great!</a><br /><a href="http://brandimpact.wordpress.com/2007/05/28/behind-the-curtain/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Steve Woodruff</strong> at StickyFigure</a><br /><a href="http://daveolson.ca/2007/05/28/the-face-behind-this-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Dave Olson</strong> at Live the GREAT life that you desire</a><br /><a href="http://www.sbishere.com/more-about-the-face-behind-this-blog/1054/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Greg</strong> at Become a Remote Control SEO</a><br /><a href="http://blog.neatandsimple.com/blog/2007/05/the_face_behind.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Ariane Benefit</strong> at Neat & Simple Living Blog</a><br /><a href="http://athomemomblog.com/?p=86" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Genesis</strong> at the At Home Mom Blog</a><br /><a href="http://iffect.net/2007/05/30/the-face-behind-this-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Armen</strong> at iFFECT.NET</a><br /><a href="http://www.ewriting.pamil-visions.com/2007/05/30/blogging-trends-the-multi-meme/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Mihaela Lica</strong> at Online Public Relations</a><br /><a href="http://www.graphicdesignblog.co.uk/face-behind-my-blog/" rel="tag"><strong>Tara</strong> at Graphic Design Blog</a><br /><a href="http://homeofficewomen.com/index.php/2007/05/31/the-face-behind-this-blog-doris-chua/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Doris Chua</strong> at Home Office Women</a><br /><a href="http://www.evolvingtimes.com/2007/05/the-face-behind-evolving-times.htm" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Edward Mills</strong> at Evolving Times</a><br /><a href="http://successfromthenest.com/content/not-just-a-drawing/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Tony D. Clark</strong> at Success from the Nest</a><br /><a href="http://smartwealthyrich.com/yep-this-is-me-the-face-behing-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Jonathan-C Phillips</strong> at SmartWealthyRich</a><br /><a href="http://putzworld.blogspot.com/2007/05/other-side-of.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Karen</strong> at A Deaf Mom Shares Her World</a><br /><a href="http://intrinsiclifedesign.squarespace.com/scaffolding/2007/6/1/the-face-behind-the-blog.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Lisa Gates</strong> at intrinsic life design</a><br /><a href="http://rammelfirdaus.com/archives/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Rammel Firdaus</strong> at rammelfirdaus.com</a><br /><a href="http://mywebduck.typepad.com/pentimento/2007/05/nine_months_alo.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Carol</strong> at Pentimento</a><br /><a href="http://monkatwork.com/2007/06/05/two-for-one-the-face-behind-the-glass/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Adam Kayce</strong> at Monk at Work</a><br /><a href="http://scissormonkey.wordpress.com/2007/06/06/the-face-behind-the-blog-collection/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Thomas</strong> at Technical Blogger</a><br /><a href="http://lenski.com/2007/06/the-tammy-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Tammy Lenski</strong> at I Can’t Say That!</a><br /><a href="http://brandandmarket.blogspot.com/2007/06/face-behind-blog.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Chris Brown</strong> at Branding & Marketing</a><br /><a href="http://hamelife.com/my-life-in-five-chapters/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Rory Sullivan</strong> at Hamelife</a><br /><a href="http://www.goingthewongway.com/2007/06/09/behind-the-words/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Derek Wong</strong> at Going The Wong Way</a><br /><a href="http://www.embuck.com/blog/tvar-za-blogom/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Embuck</strong> at embuck.com</a><br /><a href="http://qmusings.com/blog/2007/06/11/the-face-behind-qmusings/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Ms. Q</strong> at QMusings</a><br /><a href="http://thiseclecticlife.com/2007/06/12/the-face-behind-the-hands/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Shelly Tucker</strong> at This Eclectic Life</a><br /><a href="http://www.hmtk.com/archives/the-face-behind-the-blog.html" target="new"><strong>Steve</strong> at Ramblings from the Marginalized</a><br /><a href="http://troyworman.com/wordpress/2007/06/12/the-face-behind-the-blog-collection/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Troy Worman</strong> at on!blog</a><br /><a href="http://lilithsowlnest.blogspot.com/2007/06/tvr-za-blogom.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Lilith</strong> at Lilith’s Owl Nest</a><br /><a href="http://revo-over.blogspot.com/2007/06/fejs-bihajnd-revo.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Revov</strong> at REVO-OVER</a><br /><a href="http://woodyoulike.typepad.com/stopstart/2007/06/more_faces_behi.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Karin</strong> at Stop/Start</a><br /><a href="http://www.shamoneymaker.com/2007/06/20/meme/the-face-behind-the-blog-meme.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Sha</strong> at Sha Money Maker dot com</a><br /><a href="http://officiallifebydesign.com/2007/06/22/the-face-behind-the-blog-meme.aspx" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Derrick Sorles</strong> at Life By Design</a><br /><a href="http://blogs.mysites-advisor.com/index.php/2007/06/23/face-behind-the-blog-meme/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Ken Xu</strong> at Mysites Advisor dot com</a><br /><a href="http://www.robertaferguson.com/2007/06/24/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Roberta</strong> at Roberta Ferguson</a><br /><a href="http://blogthatoutside.com/2007/06/25/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Donovan</strong> at Blog That Outside</a><br /><a href="http://intricateart.com/blog/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Leanne Wildermuth</strong> at Artist by Nature</a><br /><a href="http://ingridspeak.blogspot.com/2007/06/more-than-my-eye.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Ingrid</strong> at Through My Eyes</a><br /><a href="http://www.affiliatewatcher.com/ive-been-tagged-and-bagged/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Don Lawson</strong> at Affiliate Watcher</a><br /><a href="http://giddytigers.com/2007/06/29/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>The Giddy Tiger</strong> at Giddy Tigers</a><br /><a href="http://www.twentysteps.com/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Mike Busson</strong> at Twenty Steps</a><br /><a href="http://ruhoffman.blogspot.com/2007/07/face-behind-voice.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Rosemarie</strong> at Miscellaneous Matters</a><br /><a href="http://designadaptations.com/notebook/8-quirks-and-the-face-behind-da/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Charity</strong> at Design Adaptations</a><br /><a href="http://heartofafamily.blogspot.com/2007/07/face-behind-blog.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Nancy</strong> at Erik Quinn: The Heart of a Family</a><br /><a href="http://brainbasedbiz.blogspot.com/2007/06/face-behind-brain-based-biz.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Robyn McMaster</strong> at Brain Based Biz</a><br /><a href="http://chrishoyt.com/just-for-fun/finally-my-meme-tag-post/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Chris</strong> at Chris Hoyt</a><br /><a href="http://www.fingersdontfing.com/2007/07/04/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Faddy</strong> at Girl Next Door</a><br /><a href="http://www.thesserie.com/?p=477" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Thess</strong> at In Nederland</a><br /><a href="http://agreatpleasure.blogspot.com/2007/07/face-behind-blog.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Jean</strong> at A Great Pleasure</a><br /><a href="http://suziesite.net/2007/08/01/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Suzie</strong> at 1Day@ATime</a><br /><a href="http://www.blisslogs.com/2007/07/17/the-face-behind-blisslogs/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Jason</strong> at Blisslogs</a><br /><a href="http://fuery.com/2007/07/14/the-face-behind-the-blog-johnny-fuery-at-a-glance/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Johnny</strong> at Really Smart Guy</a><br /><a href="http://bobmeetsworld.com/the-face-behind-the-blog-my-story/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Bob</strong> at BobMeetsWorld.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.demoments.net/blog/?p=637" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Chin Nee</strong> at De ‘moments</a><br /><a href="http://mylifestartsatfortytwo.com/?p=244" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Skipper</strong> at My Life Starts At Forty-Two</a><br /><a href="http://seiche-seiche.blogspot.com/2007/07/ouch-and-baton-pass.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Seiche</strong> at Seiche</a><br /><a href="http://leahschrader.com/2007/07/tag-the-person-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Leah</strong> at Leah’s Cafe</a><br /><a href="http://ironnie.com/2007/08/01/the-ironnie-behind-the-blog/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>iRonnie</strong> at I Set No Corner</a><br /><a href="http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/08/03/the-face-behind-the-blog-facibus-reviews/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Andrew Boyd</strong> at Facibus on Blogging</a><br /><a href="http://josie2shoes.blogspot.com/2007/08/face-behind-blog.html" target="new" rel="tag" title="Josie Two Shoes"><strong>Josie</strong> at Josie Two Shoes</a><br /><a href="http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2007/08/is_golf_brain_based.html" target="new" rel="tag" title="Brain Based Business"><strong>Dr Ellen Webber</strong> at Brain Based Business</a><br /><a href="http://www.textunli.com/2007/08/face-behind-blog-collection.html" target="new" title="Mika at Text Unlimited" rel="tag"><strong>Mika</strong> at Text Unlimited</a><br /><a href="http://sardonicnell.wordpress.com/2007/08/04/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" title="Tales of a Melodramatic Moron" rel="tag"><strong>Nell</strong> at Tales of a Melodramatic Moron</a><br /><a href="http://greengrassramblings.blogspot.com/2007/08/tag-youre-it-redeux.html" target="new" title="the pen is mightier than the sword" rel="tag"><strong>Pen</strong> at the pen is mightier than the sword</a><br /><a href="http://www.terinea.co.uk/blogs/terineatechtips/2007/08/06/adding-a-personal-touch-to-your-business-blog/" target="new" title="Jamie at Terinea" rel="tag"><strong>Jamie</strong> at Terinea Weblog</a><br /><a href="http://www.wanderlustsha.com/?p=222" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Orlanes</strong> at Wanderlust</a><br /><a href="http://moderately-confused.com/?p=358" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Cheh</strong> at Moderately confused Pinay in Deutschland</a><br /><a href="http://shenski.blogspot.com/2007/08/face-behind-blog.html" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>Mrs Pektus</strong> at Borrowed Heaven</a><br /><a href="http://knoizki.wordpress.com/2007/08/08/hello-is-it-me-youre-looking-for/" target="new" rel="tag"><strong>K</strong> at K, speaking!</a><br /><a href="http://www.queerchef.com/2007/08/09/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" title="Chase at Queer Chef"><strong>Chase</strong> at Queer Chef</a><br /><a href="http://lucidunreality.blogspot.com/2007/08/see-me.html" target="new" title="Lucid Unreality"><strong>Hanne</strong> at Lucid Unreality</a><br /><a href="http://gelb9.blogspot.com/2007/08/ive-been-tagged-and-i-dont-know-what-to.html" target="new" title="Jill at Gelb9"><strong>Jill</strong> at Gelb9</a><br /><a href="http://chattiekat.com/2007/08/10/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" title="The Kat House"><strong>Tish</strong> at The Kat House</a><br /><a href="http://lifeisrantastic.blogspot.com/2007/08/face-music.html" target="new" title="Jessica the Rock Chick"><strong>Jessica</strong> at Life is RANTastic!</a><br /><a href="http://blog.logtar.com/2007/08/17/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" title="Logtar's Blog"><strong>Logtar</strong> at Logtar’s Blog</a><br /><a href="http://teacherjulie.com/2007/08/19/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" title="Teacher Julie"><strong>Julie</strong> at TeacherJulie.com</a><br /><a href="http://wilstop.info/2007/08/24/the-face-behind-the-blog/" target="new" title="Get it Funk"><strong>Wilson</strong> at Get it Funk</a><br /><a href="http://www.doubledeckerbuses.org/urbanzoo/index.php/2007/08/24/the_face_behind_this_blog" target="new" title="Life in the Urban Zoo"><strong>Sue</strong> at Life in the Urban Zoo</a><br /><a href="http://tricotine.typepad.com/weblog/2007/08/the-face-behind.html" target="new" title="Tricotine"><strong>Isabelle</strong> at Tricotine</a></span>Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-3040147003469626482007-08-13T18:35:00.000+08:002007-08-13T21:51:12.865+08:00Read! Read! Read!(lashing a whip simultaneously)<br /><br />After being tormented by a friend of mine, who saw the movie several days before I did, with chants of "spider pig, spider pig...", I did what any self respecting Simpson fan would do... I saw the movie the moment free time peeked its elusive head.<br /><br />Nome and a dooohme, a scissor lift and cocoa, the actual geographic location of Springfield, Homer finally overcoming that canyon...<br />I was thoroughly satiated by the movie. *sigh*<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-----------<br /><br /></div><br />It's only proper to do a Simpsons 13th list. Here are...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:130%;" >13 Simpsonized Celebrities</span><br />(and then some...)<br /><br />The first celebrity to ever be credited "himself" in the show was Tony "I Left my Heart in San Francisco" Bennett. I couldn't find a yellowed image of him online... so I picked these guys instead.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8610/01georgebushsrhz5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8610/01georgebushsrhz5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >George Bush Senior</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;">- Ex- president / Dubya's Dad<br />- Mr. Wilson to Bart the Menace<br />- Special appearances too by Barbara Bush, Gerald Ford and Mikhail Gorbachev (and his red forehead mark too)<br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Don't understand lemonade myself... not my forte"</span><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">EDIT: Bush Sr. didn't actually "guest" in the show... </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Ok, The Real List....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/6641/01simoncowellrx2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/6641/01simoncowellrx2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Simon Cowell</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>(Smart and Smarter)<br /><br /></div>Lisa: <span style="font-style: italic;">So, Maggie's not a genius?</span><br />Cowell: <span style="font-style: italic;">She could be, at sweeping up hair.</span> <laughs><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Homer gets angry.</span><br />Homer: <span style="font-style: italic;">That's my baby jerk</span>.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Homer punches Simon.</span><br />Cowell:<span style="font-style: italic;"> Ow! You call that a punch? I felt it. But it was like so what!</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Homer punches him again.</span><br />Cowell:<span style="font-style: italic;"> Ooh! Again with the nose. I have a chin you know. </span><br /><br /><br /><br /></laughs><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/3820/02foxmuldermi0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/3820/02foxmuldermi0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Scully and Mulder</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(The Springfield Files)<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;">(Mulder and Scully watch Homer jogging on a treadmill)</span><br />Mulder: <span style="font-style: italic;">Wait a minute Scully, what's the point of this test?</span><br />Scully: <span style="font-style: italic;">No point. I just thought he could stand to lose a little weight.</span><br />Mulder: <span style="font-style: italic;">His jiggling is almost hypnotic!</span><br />Scully: <span style="font-style: italic;">Yes. It's like a lava lamp.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7412/03therollingstonesin5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7412/03therollingstonesin5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Mick Jagger and Keith Richards</span><br />(How I Spent my Strummer Vacation)<br /></div><br />Mick Jagger: <span style="font-style: italic;">Welcome to Rock n' Roll Fantasy Camp, where you'll experience the complete rock n' roll lifestyle, without the lawsuits and STDs.</span><br />Homer: <span style="font-style: italic;">Wooo! STDs!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/3851/04britsjf3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/3851/04britsjf3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >British Royalty and that Guy from Joe Millionaire</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">L to R: Queen Elizabeth II (not herself, duh), J.K. Rowling, Tony Blair,<br />Evan Marriott (Joe Millionaire), Sir Ian Mckellen, Edwina (Jane Leeves)<br />(The Regina Monologues)<br /></div><br />Lisa: <span style="font-style: italic;">Look! It's J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books! You've turned a generation of kids onto reading.</span><br />Rowling: <span style="font-style: italic;">Thank you, young muggle.</span><br />Lisa: <span style="font-style: italic;">Can you tell me what happens at the end of the series?</span><br />Rowling: <span style="font-style: italic;">He grows up and marries you. Is that what you want to hear?</span><br />Lisa: <span style="font-style: italic;">Yes…</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/5892/05smashingpumpkinslg7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/5892/05smashingpumpkinslg7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >The Smashing Pumpkins</span><br />(Homerpalooza)<br /></div><br />Corgan: <span style="font-style: italic;">Hey cannonball, I like your statement: when life takes a cheap shot at you, you stand your ground. Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins.</span><br />Homer: <span style="font-style: italic;">Homer Simpson, smiling politely</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/604/06stephenhawkinggh9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/604/06stephenhawkinggh9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Stephen Hawking</span><br />(They Saved Lisa's Brain)<br /></div><br />Hawking: <span style="font-style: italic;">Your theory of a donut shaped universe is intriguing Homer, I may have to steal it.</span><br />Homer: <span style="font-style: italic;">Wow, I can't believe someone I never heard of is hanging out with a guy like me.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/6831/07barrywhitebq3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/6831/07barrywhitebq3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Barry White</span><br />(Whacking Day)<br /></div><br />White: <span style="font-style: italic;">I love the sexy slither of a lady snake.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2092/08paullindayg4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2092/08paullindayg4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Paul and Linda McCartney</span><br />(Lisa the Vegetarian)<br /></div><br />Paul: <span style="font-style: italic;">Linda and I both feel strongly about animal rights. In fact, if you play "Maybe I'm Amazed" backwards, you'll hear a recipe for a really ripping lentil soup.</span><br />Lisa: <span style="font-style: italic;">When will all those fools learn that you can be perfectly healthy simply eating vegetables, fruits, grains and cheese.</span><br />Apu:<span style="font-style: italic;"> Oh, cheese!</span><br />Lisa: <span style="font-style: italic;">You don't eat cheese, Apu?</span><br />Apu: <span style="font-style: italic;">No I don't eat any food that comes from an animal.</span><br />Lisa: <span style="font-style: italic;">Ohh, then you must think I'm a monster!</span><br />Apu: <span style="font-style: italic;">Yes indeed I do think that. But, I learned long ago Lisa to tolerate others rather than forcing my beliefs on them. You know you can influence people without badgering them always. It's like Paul's song, "Live and Let Live".</span><br />Paul: <span style="font-style: italic;">Actually, it was "Live and Let Die".</span><br />Apu: <span style="font-style: italic;">Well, whatever, whatever. it had a good rhythm.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/4373/09tonyhawkak7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/4373/09tonyhawkak7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Tony Hawk</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Barting Over)<br /></div><br />Hawk: <span style="font-style: italic;">Homer, you're heading for parental face plant! Do a 180 emotional ollie.</span><br />Homer: <span style="font-style: italic;">Finally, someone explains it to me in words I can understand!</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/4144/10bobhopebo7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/4144/10bobhopebo7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Bob Hope</span><br />(Lisa the Beauty Queen)<br /><br /></div>Hope: (Entertaining troops) <span style="font-style: italic;">Hi I'm Bob "what the hell am I doing in Springfield" Hope. Hey, this mayor Quimby, he's some golfer. His ball spends more time underwater than Greg Louganis. </span><br /><br />(P.S. I don't get the joke either...)<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/962/11metallicafl2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/962/11metallicafl2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Metallica</span><br />(The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and her Homer)<br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />(On the way to school, Otto stops the bus and offers Metallica a ride; their tour bus has broken down.)</span><br />Otto: <span style="font-style: italic;">So what are you waiting for? Hop in.</span><br />James Hetfield: (Chuckles) <span style="font-style: italic;">Hop in what?</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(The school bus peels away with Bart at the wheel.)</span><br />Bart:<span style="font-style: italic;"> Look at me, I'm Otto! I'm a hundred years old and I drive a school bus!</span><br />Otto: <span style="font-style: italic;">Oh, man. Maybe me and Metallica can go splitsies on a cab.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Hans Moleman slowly drives by in a pickup truck, with Metallica and their gear in the bed of the truck.)</span><br />Kirk Hammett:<span style="font-style: italic;"> Hey, loser, we got a ride from a real fan!</span><br />Hans Moleman: <span style="font-style: italic;">I used to sleep with Lars' grandmother.</span><br />Robert Trujillo:<span style="font-style: italic;"> Never listen to our music again!</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Hans Moleman pulls away as Metallica plays an instrumental from the song, "Master of Puppets.")</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/9691/12leonardnimoylw9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/9691/12leonardnimoylw9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Leonard Nimoy</span><br />(Marge vs. The Monorail)<br /></div><br />Leonard Nimoy: (appraising the monorail) <span style="font-style: italic;">I'd say this vessel could do at least warp 5.</span><br />Mayor Quimby: <span style="font-style: italic;">Yes, and may I say, "May the Force be with you."</span><br />Leonard Nimoy: annoyed) <span style="font-style: italic;">Do you even know who I am?</span><br />Mayor Quimby: <span style="font-style: italic;">I think I do. Aren't you one of the Little Rascals? </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/622/13greendayvk2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/622/13greendayvk2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Green Day</span></span><br />(The Simpsons Movie)<br /></div><br />Billie Joe Armstrong: <span style="font-style: italic;">We've been playing for three and a half hours, and now we'd like to take a minute of you time to say something about the environment.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(The Springfieldians start booing & throwing garbage)</span><br /><br />(And then the stage is upended... sinks... and Green Day does that Titanic violin thing.... hilarious!!!)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">------------<br /></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Honorable Mentions</span><br />Let's see how many you can recognize...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2553/honorablementionssj4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2553/honorablementionssj4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Left to right, top to bottom:</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Conan O'Brien, The White Stripes, Alex Trebek, Bette Midler,<br />Luke Perry, Michell Kwan, Magic Johnson, U2,<br />Aerosmith, Kid Rock, N'sync, Elton John,<br />Yao Ming, Alec Baldwin, Barney, Richard Gere,<br />Venus and Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, Britney Spears, Big Bird,<br />The Ramones, Tom Jones, Tito Puente, Peter Frampton,<br />Kim Basinger, Andy Dick, James Brown, Spinal Tap,<br />Cypress Hill, Mel Gibson, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gerald Ford,<br />Jason Bateman, Lucy Lawless (Xena), Ron Howard, REM,<br />Ricky Gervais, The Who, The Grouch, Matt Groening.<br /></div><br /><br /><br />That was fun, no? Here's another one... Trying naming the album covers The Simpsons parodied.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/7619/rollingstonescoverqv9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/7619/rollingstonescoverqv9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Left: Nevermind (Nirvana)<br />Middle: Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen)<br />Right: Abbey Road (The Beatles)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------------<br /></div><br /><br />I dunno which confirmed guest appearance I'm more anxious to see... Amy Winehouse or Jon Stewart. Predicament... predicament...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-88353451912886742812007-08-08T20:49:00.000+08:002007-08-10T01:18:55.175+08:00Escapism<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/6614/scofieldtatib8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/6614/scofieldtatib8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Michael Scofield had to spend months studying and researching every single thing between a screw he can use as an Allen wrench to D.B. Cooper, had to tattoo about 50 percent of his body with things as vital as structural plans of Fox River Penitentiary to a thanks-for-tattooing-the-obvious "Christ in a Rose" (alluding to Christina Rose, his mom's and boat's names... Does one really need a tattoo to remember a huge boat christened with your mom's name?) Anyhoo... He also mastered folding paper cranes. He did this all to escape from one prison... and eventually end up in another one.<br /><br />(Post-Spoiler Alert)<br /><br />My mode of escape is far less taxing, not to mention friendlier (and non-permanent) to the skin. These are all I need...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5852/booksvs8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5852/booksvs8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------<br /></div><br />After catching an inch thick layer of dust on my movie backlog shelf, I finally got to see <span style="font-style: italic;">Pan's Labyrinth</span>. It is, visually, a very beautiful film. It shows the whimsical world of Princess Moanna filled with faeries and magical chalk... but also, doesn't shy away from showing the terrifying world of fascist Spain filled with death, torture and a sliced mouth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/3469/plposterfv7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/3469/plposterfv7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I always enjoy a well made film with not so well known actors. The absence of top-billed celebrities almost always lets the story and the craft stand out. A delight... as opposed to a mental montage of previous astounding roles flashing through one's head while watching a well known actor crash and burn, one suffers through in most well publicized films.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/5326/pl01vq2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/5326/pl01vq2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />There is much to be said about fantasy literature... and conversely fantasy films. The transient escape they offer, no matter how bizarre to students of cynicism, is priceless.<br /><br />Legendary authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis wrote escapist literature to the nth degree. Although probably not intentional, it seems they designed alternate realities to the Second World War. The fantasy worlds may have elves, dwarves, centaurs and a magical lamp post... but the terrors of war and death are real and wholly prevalent, but with a inkling that in the end, goodness will prevail.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1992/narniavg8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1992/narniavg8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Both put the fate of the world in the hands of seemingly atypical characters. Atypical in the sense that they are not a ripped Hercules or an Excalibur wielding King Arthur. Hobbits and children are the primary heroes in these tales... an empowering idea that anyone with a courageous heart can be epic worthy. They (as said poignantly by Blanche in <span style="font-style: italic;">A Streetcar Named Desire</span>) rely on the kindness of strangers. A faun with a red scarf, an emaciated hobbit with multiple personalites, talking beavers, talking trees... And they are under the guidance of someone "enlightened" in the Dalai Lama sense of the word... a white wizard and a lion with a soothing voice.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/5485/lotrnazguliw6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/5485/lotrnazguliw6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />They wage war against the most Goliath-esque of enemies with legions of ferocious pawns. Sauron with his Nazgul, orcs and Uruk-hai... Jadis with her wolves, dwarves and minotaurs.<br /><br />Contemporary works follow a similar trend. J.K. Rowling, especially so in her final books, had less than subtle metaphors about terrorism guised as deatheaters and dementors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/4551/harrypotteryq8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/4551/harrypotteryq8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Even the Wachowski brother's <span style="font-style: italic;">Matrix Trilogy</span>, has the elements of unlikely heroes and impossible enemies (not to mention insanely chic eyewear)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/708/thematrixrt7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/708/thematrixrt7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Escapism is underrated. Many brush it off as works of whimsy made by wishful authors or brothers on pot. Attempts at belittling reality. To the contrary, I believe these books and films capture the essence of the times they were made more than history books and CNN specials. The characters are ironically made more relateable (yes, even with hobbit feet and wands), the emotions on war more authentic. (yes, even with the dramatic speeches before engaging in battle) It captures the pre-war anxiety, the terrors of war, and the post-war oxymoron of, for lack of a better term, a bitter sweet ending.<br /><br />(Ok, even I puked a little in my mouth with all this sentimentality)<br /><br />Tolkien said it best...<br />"Escapism (has) an element of emancipation in its attempt to figure a different reality"<br /><br /><br /><br />It's kinda like bad news broken gently during bedtime.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-56398731194019265792007-07-26T17:44:00.000+08:002007-07-26T20:26:24.013+08:00PaperWhat do writer George Bernard Shaw, rock legend Mick "Lips" Jagger, and actors Kevin Spacey, Drew Barrymore, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Piven and Kate Beckinsale have in common?<br /><br />They share my little ole blog's birthday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/5964/oneblogsx7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/5964/oneblogsx7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Ok, I totally borrowed the first anniversary paper gift from wedding anniversaries... but humor me for a bit. Instead of giving me a "Happy Blogging Anniversary" comment on my comment box, How about giving me any of the following paper goodies as an anniversary gift... eh?<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >The World's Largest Paper Airplane</span><br />Ok, scratch this one... First of all, where will I put it... and second, it's made of steel and fiberglass, not really true to the whole "paper" theme.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7271/largestpaperairplaneez1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7271/largestpaperairplaneez1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.dillonworks.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Dillon Works, Inc.</span></span></a><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >A Lifetime Subscription of The New Yorker!</span><br />... plus all back issues since 1925! Yey! You will get me this? really? Shucks!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8742/thenewyorkerso0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8742/thenewyorkerso0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >The New Yorker</span></a><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Shoji Doors</span><br />I've always wanted a Japanese styled bedroom with dramatic lighting from translucent rice paper. It's like waking up to an Akira Kurosawa film every single day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9881/shojidoorsrc5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9881/shojidoorsrc5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />But for my room's night illumination, I'll need...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >A Frank Gehry Cloud Lamp</span><br />He's the infamous deconstructivist architect of The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA. He makes amazing lamps too!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5116/frankgehrycloudlamphs1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5116/frankgehrycloudlamphs1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.bonluxat.com/a/Frank_O._Gehry_Cloud_Lamp.html"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">www.bonluxat.com</span></span></a><br /></div><br />or<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >An Ogetti Onesti Lamp</span><br />This geodesic paper cup lamp (yes... paper cups and held with paper clips methinks) puts tasteful recycled art to a whole new level.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5578/papercuplampui6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5578/papercuplampui6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.tim-power.com/htm_objects/light_htm/1.htm"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >www.tim-power.com</span></a><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >A Peter Callesen Piece</span><br />This piece is <span style="font-style: italic;">Impenetrable Castle</span> from the A4 papercut collection. It's amazing what he can do with something as mundane as A4 coupon bond paper. The paper remains whole in a sense that the objects he creates remains attached to the paper and he doesn't use additional pieces of paper.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1568/petercallesensl2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1568/petercallesensl2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.petercallesen.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">www.petercallesen.com</span></span></a><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >An Ingrid Siliakus Piece</span><br />The female artist creates mobiles, framed pieces and installations from paper. This one is called "Innerrings". Great conversation piece, don't cha think?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7933/innerringsbc4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7933/innerringsbc4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://ingrid-siliakus.exto.nl/"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >ingrid-siliakus.exto.nl</span></a><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >A Souper Dress!</span><br />Hanging a Paper Campbell Soup dress in your room is as good as hanging the original one made by pop art icon Andy Warhol.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/2580/campbellsoupdressnq2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/2580/campbellsoupdressnq2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Or you can always just give me...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >A Paper Crane!</span><br />Not just any paper crane mind you, I want the actual ones Michael Scofield used in Prison Break. And watching CSI has taught me a thing or two about fingerprints and epithelials so don't bother with a replica...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/6281/prisonbreakcranetz9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/6281/prisonbreakcranetz9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >by: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hver/148798377/">Smart J</a></span><br /></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><br />The Dead Sea Scrolls!</span><br />My reasons are monetary... mwahahaha...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/7683/deadseascrollsbq5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/7683/deadseascrollsbq5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Shakespeare's First Folio!</span><br />Reading Shakespeare is one thing... Reading Shakespeare and knowing the original copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Comedies, Histories and Tragedies</span> you're holding is worth $5.1 million is another.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/6717/firstfoliomc6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/6717/firstfoliomc6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><br />A Marauder's Map!</span><br />Although I would want my version to show the entire planet. It's like GPS, without a satellite and all the fancy electronics. (The Seventh HP book was great, no?)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/2706/maraudersmapnq2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/2706/maraudersmapnq2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">------------<br /></div><br /><br />If you manage to give me any of the previous items, I will not only thank you profusely but I will most probably do an Anchorman Jump!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/2619/anchormanjumpbt0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/2619/anchormanjumpbt0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />My blog is growing up so fast... *sob*<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />P.S. It is also the birthday of <a href="http://www.moderately-confused.com/">CheH</a>, our moderately confused Pinay from Deutschland, this week. Happy Birthday CheH!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-91986232835147585822007-07-21T23:28:00.001+08:002007-07-22T01:03:14.010+08:00Dental Black?I spent about an hour in front of my computer thinking of something... anything... to blog about. A blogging dry spell. Everything I started only lasted a couple of sentences before the backspace button got a "woodpeckering" from my index finger. So, instead of forcing an entry out of my head, I spent two hours making the images that follow.<br /><br />Why induce a migraine squeezing out a blog idea when one can play...<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Wheel...<br /><br />of...<br /><br />Blogging Ideas!!!</span><br /><br /><br /><br />Pat Sajak: Good Evening everyone! Our defending <del>champion</del> blogger struggling with something to blog about is here tonight hoping to eke an entry. Alternati, please spin the wheel.<br /><br />Alternati: Thanks Pat. (Bends down and spins the wheel anxiously)... Big money! (clap clap clap)<br /><br />PS: Watch out for the "Hiatus"...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6632/wheelofbloggingideasweajt7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6632/wheelofbloggingideasweajt7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>PS: Quite an icebreaker... Alternati, Weather?<br /><br />A: The weather here in Baguio has been extraordinarily erratic. An indecisive La Nina is upon us. Mornings are usually bright and sunny... the sun can practically drag any nocturnal out of bed. Noons are excruciatingly hot. By 3 pm, like clockwork, the sky turns gray in a matter of minutes. Fog = Zero visibility, Rain = Zero dry spots on your pants. Mother Nature has gone psychotic.<br /><br />PS: Indeed she has. Spin it again... (motioning to the wheel)<br /><br />A: Duh... (gives the wheel a small nudge while muttering "Do I look retarded")<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/1739/wheelofbloggingideasmovnz9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/1739/wheelofbloggingideasmovnz9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>PS: Movies!<br /><br />A: Thanks Pat, I can read... I did a Woody Allen marathon yesternight.<br /><br />Appetizer: <span style="font-style: italic;">Play It Again, Sam</span><br />A movie inspired by Casablanca. I loved it when Allan Felix (Allen's character) talks to an imaginary Bogart.<br /><br />Main Course: <span style="font-style: italic;">Manhattan</span><br />Every single frame of this movie is art. I have a thing for black and white movies.<br /><br />Dessert: <span style="font-style: italic;">Mighty Aphrodite</span><br />(A rewatch) This one is inspired by the story of Oedipus. One of my favorite elements in this movie is the Greek chorus that does lines between chapters.<br /><br />Woody Allen's movies never fail to inspire me. The typical themes of insecurity, marriage, divorce and failure are divulged in witty screenplays dripping with subtle humor and in many cases a tablespoon of Diane Keaton.<br /><br /><br />PS: I guess Mighty Aphrodite was autobiographical, no?<br /><br />A: Really? ~Oh Pray, do tell~...<br /><br />PS: You mentioned Oedipus. Wasn't he the Greek character who killed his dad and married his mom?<br /><br />A: Yeah... (rolling eyes)<br /><br />PS: Woody Allen and Mia Farrow were an item who adopted Soon-yi. And except for the killing part, Soon-yi did marry Allen... a 35 year age difference...<br /><br />A: Can I just spin the wheel now?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8967/wheelofbloggingideasbooyn7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/8967/wheelofbloggingideasbooyn7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A: I just started reading a Woody Allen biography I bought from a thrift book store months ago. This one was written by Eric Lax and published in 1992.<br /><br />PS: Do you have a thing for ancient directors with receding hairlines and thick glasses?<br /><br />A: Maybe... (gnarling at the emcee)<br /><br />PS: On that note! A word from our sponsors...<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FZS3xOcalH0"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FZS3xOcalH0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />PS: Hahaha! The bunny and the... were... Hahaha...<br /><br />A: Oh grow up Pat.<br /><br />PS: Touchy. touchy. *ahem* Please, spin the wheel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3148/wheelofbloggingideasborxr6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3148/wheelofbloggingideasborxr6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>PS: I bet you wouldn't have a hard time with this one huh Alternati?<br /><br />A: (throws tacky name tag at the emcee)<br />The wheel disparages me.<br /><br />PS: Care to elaborate?<br /><br />A: (creates an "L" with thumb and index finger and places it on forehead)<br />Care to elaborate? (mocking the emcee's voice)<br /><br />PS: Nice... very mature. Just spin the wheel.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/3919/wheelofbloggingideasspill1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/3919/wheelofbloggingideasspill1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>PS: ... and spin it again...<br /><br />A: Since we've become such ~Greeaaattt~ friends Pat, can I give a shout out first?<br /><br />PS: If it can thaw your iciness... go right ahead.<br /><br />A: (Looks directly at camera 2) Thanks <a href="http://www.queerchef.com/">Chase</a>! I just got the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snus">snus</a>. I really appreciate it. (Smiles and waves at the camera hoping this show is aired in Bergen)<br /><br />PS: Awwwww... You are capable of sentiment.<br /><br />A: I am equally capable of homicide (giving the emcee an icy stare)<br /><br />PS: Brrrrrrr... Spin the wheel Jadis.<br /><br />A: A Narnia reference... you are capable of literacy (reaching down to spin the wheel)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/3671/wheelofbloggingideastvsbf9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/3671/wheelofbloggingideastvsbf9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>PS: Brace yourself audience, (mock whispering) This one can make your ears bleed with talk of TV.<br /><br />**Recorded audience laughter**<br /><br />A: (mock whispering) That one can make your ears bleed just by speaking.<br /><br />**Crickets**<br /><br />A: Anyhoo... I just started watching <span style="font-style: italic;">Brothers & Sisters</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Weeds</span>. And I am obsessing over them already. I'll save them for another post so I won't "bore" (making quotation marks with fingers) you guys.<br /><br />PS: Awwwww... So considerate. A commercial break!<br /><br />**Recorded audience applause**<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dye_ibjPY0g"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dye_ibjPY0g" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />PS: The ad was speaking to you Alternati. <br /><br />A: Shut up and do what "emcees" (making quotation marks with fingers) are supposed to do.<br /><br />PS: Welcome back to the Bonus Round! Our category for today... THING. We bring up our usual letters: R, S, T, L, N and E. And Alternati, give us three consonants.<br /><br />A: C, B and P<br /><br />PS: ... and one vowel..<br /><br />A: I<br /><br />PS: You have 15 seconds to solve the puzzle... go!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/4223/bonusboardzh5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/4223/bonusboardzh5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />A: Pent...<br />Rent... Rental?<br />Genital... Genital Black?<br />Dent... Dental Black... Dental Block?<br /><br />**Buzzer**<br /><br />PS: Seriously?!<br /><br />A: Bite Me...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-82148278583758028362007-07-15T00:58:00.000+08:002007-07-15T05:15:34.972+08:00Elementary, My Dear WatsonThere is one mystery that is more interesting than UFOs and crop circles. One mystery that has puzzled mankind more than Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza. A single mystery that makes Bigfoot a pathetic fur ball, the Abominable Snowman a freezing fur ball, and the Bermuda Triangle a mere polygon. One unexplained phenomena that makes the question "What is the purpose of our existence?" seem trite...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-size:130%;" >Where do missing socks go?</span><br />(Sung ala the cocaine diva)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">This enigma is the David Blaine of mysteries. Not that it supposedly lived in an igloo for a week, not that it was supposedly buried alive and not that it supposedly stood on some ginormous pillar for a couple of days. It's an in your face enigma unlike the David Copperfield (the magician) infamy of say the Loch Ness monster.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8343/theloughnesssockpuppetof4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8343/theloughnesssockpuppetof4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Art by: <a href="http://www.samgaw.co.uk/">SamGaw</a></span><br /></div></div><br /><br /><br />Abstract: No matter how cautious you are, a sock (or several socks) will, without an iota of doubt, get lost in laundry translation.<br /><br />With 20-something years of experience and a handy Google toolbar, several theories have shed some light on the question.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">ONE</span>: The Sock Burglar</span><br />Not as infamous as the hamburglar. The actual reason for his going all Ocean's <del>11</del> <del>12</del> 13 on our socks remains as big a mystery as how and when he performs his "looting". Some say it's a compulsion, others say it's a creepy collection. However, several distinguished missing sock theorists have narrowed the sock thievery down to the possibility of a future human society with socks as currency.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/2120/01sockburglarxu8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/2120/01sockburglarxu8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Art by: <a href="http://www.worth1000.com/stories/stats.asp?uid=4398&display=photoshop">Method</a> from <a href="http://www.worth1000.com/cache/contest/contestcache.asp?contest_id=1698">worth1000</a></span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">TWO</span>: The Sock Fairy</span><br />Not as infamous as the Tooth Fairy. Like the Tooth Fairy, the Sock Fairy enters human residences at night and collects socks... However, unlike the Tooth Fairy, the bastard is insanely cheap.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/9624/02sockfairyyt1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/9624/02sockfairyyt1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Art by: amazing cartoonist <a href="http://www.froghatstudios.com/portemp.html">Chris Appelhans</a></span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">THREE</span>: Abduction</span><br />This is a theory I have been working on. With the recent astronomers' mutiny against Pluto, irate Plutonians have resorted to abducting socks by bulk, transporting them and affixing the knitted footwear to their planets with super glue in the vain hope that an increase in the mass of their "dwarf" planet can make astronomers reconsider their reinstitution into planethood.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/8964/03abductionph5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/8964/03abductionph5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Art by: <a href="http://intricateart.com/category/other-paintings/">Leanne Wildermuth</a></span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">FOUR</span>: The Borrowers<br /></span>Mythical tiny people that borrow things from people. The extremely discreet race was first documented by <a href="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/n/mary-norton/">Mary Norton</a>. They probably use socks as sleeping bags or something.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/630/04theborrowerstz8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/630/04theborrowerstz8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">FIVE</span>: Puppethood</span><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamb_Chop_%28puppet%29">Lamb Chop</a> inspired socks to go to Hollywood or run for office.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2600/05sockpuppetsve2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2600/05sockpuppetsve2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Art from: <a href="http://outsidecat.com/">outsidecat</a></span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">SIX</span>: Washing Machine Vortex</span><br />With all that spinning inside the machine, some socks are bound to find a rip in the space-time continuum. Quantum Mechanics (*yawn*) has been used to explain the possibility of this phenomena. Read <a href="http://hogranch.com/mayer/qtl.html">here</a> (*yawn*) for more... including equations like:<br />N<sub>t </sub>=N<sub>0</sub>*exp(-pt) <sup><span style="font-size:12;"><span style="font-size:100%;">(1)<br />(wtf?)</span><br /></span></sup><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/3337/07vortextt8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/3337/07vortextt8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">SEVEN</span>: Evolution<br /></span>Where is Darwin when I need him...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3541/06evolutionio3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3541/06evolutionio3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo from: <a href="http://sockmonkeyfun.vox.com/">tamara</a></span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">EIGHT</span>: Animation</span><br />"On the eight day, man created socks out of his own image and likeness..."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/8963/08runawaysocksoh9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/8963/08runawaysocksoh9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Art from: <a href="http://laughingsquid.com/tag/church-of-the-subgenius/">Laughing Squid</a><br /></span></span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">NINE</span>: Backpacking</span><br />"... and once the socks had been given legs and a passport, they traveled to Paris, New York and the Bahamas"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/4488/09sockvacationdh3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/4488/09sockvacationdh3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Art by: <a href="http://www.worth1000.com/stories/stats.asp?uid=6064&display=photoshop">jaymeekae</a> from <a href="http://www.worth1000.com/cache/contest/contestcache.asp?contest_id=1698">worth1000</a></span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">TEN</span>: Cannibalism</span><br />In 9 out of 10 documented cases, only one sock goes missing. Sociologists have often theorized that socks are cannibalistic by nature. In every sock pairing, one is considered "dominant". Ergo, while in a hamper or while spinning inside a dryer, the dominant sock devours it's partner similar to a praying mantis after mating.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9168/11sockcannibalzp4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9168/11sockcannibalzp4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">ELEVEN</span>: Evaporation</span><br />It is a little known fact that socks evaporate. And once every 3.1415 years, they come back in the form of precipitation.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/6883/10sockrainzf7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/6883/10sockrainzf7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Art by: <a href="http://www.glasbergen.com/">Randy Glasbergen</a></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">TWELVE</span>: Like Homework...</span><br />"My dog ate it"<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/131/12dogeatssocksci7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/131/12dogeatssocksci7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Art from: <a href="http://www.heatherpreuss.com/">HeatherPreuss</a></span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">THIRTEEN</span>: Private Investigation</span><br />Missing socks need to be found, and the sock community has long been fed up by the futility of the human race. They have decided to put matters into their own hands. The emergence of Sock P.I.'s like Terrence M. Cotton has brought renewed hope in finding the missing socks.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2865/13sockpizg5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2865/13sockpizg5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Art by: <a href="http://www.sockholm.com/acclaim_2.htm">The Lady from Sockholm</a><br />(One of the funniest sock related sites I've seen)<br /></span></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"Never put a sock in a toaster."<br />- Eddie Izzard -<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~FIN~<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.<br /></div>Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-35355695271669425422007-07-10T22:51:00.000+08:002007-07-22T01:04:38.872+08:00Baby StepsIn an effort to gradually reintroduce blogging into my routine... I am taking it easy.<br /><br />Step One: Answering a Meme.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >15 of my Idiosyncrasies</span><br /><br />I was tagged by <a href="http://ideasnpink.i.ph/blogs/ideasnpink/2007/07/03/15-idiosyncracies-about-me/">Carey</a>, a blogger with ideas in pink. "I" is easily the easiest topic to blog about. Baby steps... and it's fun to indulge every now and then (as wonderfully depicted by Michaelangelo) in a little...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/4080/narcissusdl9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/4080/narcissusdl9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />1. I can't help myself from attaching images in my blog entries. (Case and point, Narcissus above) The visual aids aren't always entirely vital, but they do make things purtier...<br /><br />2. I need to answer my daily <a href="http://games.yahoo.com/games/cw.hf2k">Yahoo! crossword</a>. (Notice my verb use) I am pretty good at it but I cheat in the impossible Sunday editions.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9278/crossword071007cp0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9278/crossword071007cp0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />3. I have a frighteningly organized MP3s folder. I have an even more frighteningly organized folder of digital photographs.<br /><br />4. I can read books upside down (and do so just for the helluvit) That is as long as it is written in a non-italized simple font like Arial or Times New Roman.<br /><br />5. I am irked by words that have been "tagalogized". I do not mind written or verbal Taglish (Tagaolg+English), heck I am fully pledged endorser of the language hybrid. However, being visually raped by words like "teks" (text), "kyut" (cute) and "dyip" (jeep) can make me climb the nearest high-rise and plummet to my nan-eksistens (non-existence).<br /><br />6. I am almost always late. There is Filipino time... and there is Alternati time.<br /><br />7. (aka 6.a) I never wear a watch. I feel like being cuffed to time. I do own a chained timepiece that permanently reads 3 o'clock.<br /><br />8. I keep "memory shoe-boxes". Mementos range from a Turin shroud old "Most Creative" bookmark my kindergarten teacher gave me to wine corks and shot glasses.<br /><br />9. I know it's extremely inane, but words like "pianist" (properly pronounced) and "angina" make me mentally giggle.<br /><br />10. I, like Ernie, like rubber duckies... and I, unlike Bert, dislike pigeons.<br /><br />11. I personally believe ketchup is a major food group.<br /><br />12. I collect Playboy bags. Okay, so two doesn't necessarily comprise a "collection" but I plan to increase my supposed collection. The obsession isn't because of anything Hugh Hefner or Anna Nicole Smith (God bless her soul) related. While some people go gaga over the interlaced "L" and "V" logo of affluence, I am drawn to the bunny.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/8471/playboybagslw1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/8471/playboybagslw1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />13. I have triskaidekamania.<br /><br />14. My greatest pet peeve is being asked "<span style="font-style: italic;">Anong balita?</span>". I can't clearly translate it to english... literally it is "News?" or something to that effect. It's somewhere between "How are you doing?" and "Give me a 5 minute long summary of every single thing that has happened in your life since the last time we met". On a good day, I would humor the inquirer. On an extremely horrid day, I sass with a snappish "Last time I checked I am not a news anchor" or a withdrawn and predictable "Nothing much, You?" to turn the tables. I don't particularly enjoy giving a summarized autobiography via SMS or instant message.<br /><br />15. I have a thing for riddles and mind games. Here's a really cool one I just finished last weekend.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.addictinggames.com/bloxors.html">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Whew! another blog post...<br />One small step for man, One giant baby step for Alternati.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-4773116819249935752007-07-08T22:58:00.000+08:002007-07-09T03:57:41.650+08:00Sweeping Virtual Cobwebs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/2254/cobwebsio5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/2254/cobwebsio5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I ran my index finger across my blog. It left a horizontal line with inch thick settled dust on both sides... gray dust clung to the tip of my finger. It made my prints barely visible. I glanced across the blog, the blinking red light of my answering machine caught my eye. I pressed the button just above the light and a robotic voice announced "<span style="font-style: italic;">You have 43 unanswered comments</span>". I was startled from my thoughts by a rat that crept nonchalantly on my right sidebar. It started gnawing my "June 2007" archives. I clutched my mouse and with Babe Ruth precision, flung it at the disgusting creature. The mouse flew in a perfect arced trajectory. A sharp twang resonated as my mouse's cord reached it's full length. I acted on impulse and it never occurred to me to unplug it from my USB. The mouse recoiled and hit me on the shin as the rat scurried into a hole just beside the Google toolbar. The impact of the mouse on my shin made me stumble backwards, flailing my arms as I crashed helplessly on mildewed boxes of failed blog entry ideas. Although both my shin and my back were throbbing from my fall, the pain never registered on my brain... all my neurons were used up by my eyes as they stared upward to my banner... or what's left of my banner. Cobwebs have covered most of it up. I reach of my virtual broom and start sweeping.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------<br /></div><br /><br />Sorry for that paragraph long metaphor. I guess blogging isn't like riding a bike. I must've tried a million different ways to start this entry. I tried several versions of a staple highschool homework inspired "What I did on my Summer Blogging Vacation"...<br /><br />One went:<br />777 (July 7, 2007) is a monumental date. It won't happen again for another 70 years. I spent half the day in the Induction of Officers of my professional organization and the other half at the office training in a new 3d software the company was integrating... (backspace, backspace, backspace...)<br /><br />Another went:<br />So, work has been... (backspace, backspace, backspace...)<br /><br />I guess any blog entry involving work-related stuff made me cringe, spontaneously combust and hit the backspace key like a manic psychopath with a woodpecker for an index finger.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------<br /></div><br /><br />I missed blogging. I missed sitting in front of my laptop with a cup of brewed coffee and an ashtray on my left, my <del>baseball</del>... <del>rat deterrent</del>... mouse on my right. Happily typing away my thoughts during the day and reading other bloggers' thoughts during the day. Reading comments and commenting. My forced hiatus made me make a mental list of the reasons why I like blogging:<br /><br />1. It is therapeutic.<br />2. It helps you to purge thoughts. It is a productive way of releasing anxiety, glee, anger, wrath, etc. aka a saner version of "looking at the sky, beating your chest and screaming at the top of your lungs".<br />3. It is extremely enlightening and enriching because it gives you backstage passes into the brains of relatively anonymous people. Where else can you read the thoughts of a journalists, TV writers, people living abroad, filipinos living abroad, medical students, teenagers, moms, dads, single women, single men, tennis fanatics, TV buffs, and every other unique individual in between you would otherwise never get to know on a daily/ bi-weekly basis?<br />4. It is a global database of bloggers' thoughts, memories and rants.<br />5. It keeps you informed about current events... anything from the trivial to the momentous.<br />6. It sort of chronicles your life or at least thoughts about your life.<br />7. It is never boring.<br /><br />Absence does make the heart grow fonder.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------<br /></div><br /><br />I have yet to get my blogging mojo back... But one thing's for sure, I am (please, please forgive me for this <span style="font-style: italic;">Take That </span>reference) Back for Good.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-4300471857231567992007-07-01T21:23:00.001+08:002007-07-01T21:28:52.044+08:00We interrupt this show for a special update...<div style="text-align: center;">(Technically, there is nothing here to interrupt...)<br /><br /><br /><br />Yes, I am still alive and relatively well. Work and personal stuff have been keeping me from blogging, I miss my weekly (sometimes twice ((even thrice!)) a week) dose of blog reads.<br /><br /><br />We will return to our regular telecast the coming weekend.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />For the mean time, let us all sing...<br /><br />"Makulay! Ang buhay... sa sinabawang gulay"<br />(Life is colorful... with vegetable broth)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Things aren't as funny when translated...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.<br /></div>Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-35800339158552696482007-06-16T01:00:00.000+08:002007-06-16T04:25:06.444+08:0013 Fathers' Day Gift Ideas<div style="text-align: center;"><br />(This post, like a woman reaching for a pregnancy test, is 3 days late)<br /></div><br /><br /><br />I am always seriously flummoxed when it comes to giving my dad a gift. Hypercritical gift picking can be a pain. There is a nagging voice in my head that constantly says things like... "You gave him that three birthdays ago", "Sure... he can use ANOTHER (insert typical fathers' day gift here)", "A shirt in that color? Seriously?".<br /><br />I believe it is generally harder to think of a gift for a male recipient. This may be because a greater percentage of all advertising and marketing is focused on a female demographic. One can simply drop by a Bodyshop (against animal testing) or a bookstore or any department store, and the matter of picking a gift becomes a problem of picking which one?<br /><br />Giving a "masculine" gift is a painstaking task, giving a gift to one's dad may be easy at first, but once the "possible gifts for Dad" list runs out (and it will), the endeavor becomes near impossible.<br /><br />I've been contemplating what to give my dad, and as always, I turn to TV for ideas.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/2707/01homersimpsonkn6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/2707/01homersimpsonkn6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Homer Simpson</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Simpsons</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "anything edible" and it'll please this lovable white collar "d'oh!"-ing dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Doughnuts!</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />Duff beer, that hair grower on the cable shopping network, an electric shaver, collared shirts in technicolor, gift certificate for anger management classes, a gift certificate from West Coast Customs for a "pimped" car, a Bart tether so he can strangle Bart without getting calluses... all he gotta do is say "Why you little..."<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/4938/02keithmarsfr1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/4938/02keithmarsfr1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Keith Mars</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Veronica Mars</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "007" and it'll please this witty, street smart, a little bit overprotective dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">An Aston Martin!</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />A Batman utility belt, that hair grower on the cable shopping network, one year GPS subscription to track offspring, a certified private eye trench coat, the file cabinet I won 7 or so posts ago, an original copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Maltese Falcon</span>, a lifetime supply of fountain pens with bugs.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8523/03jackbristowwm4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8523/03jackbristowwm4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Jack Bristow</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Alias</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "anything non-Rimbaldi" and it'll please this emotionally retarded but extremely endearing dad<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">An Office Building half the size of the Pentagon!</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />More black suits, more ties to go with the black suits, a grand piano, a lifetime supply of multi-aliased passports, yoga classes, a torture chamber, a cabbage patch kid, a psychologist (preferably Tracy from <span style="font-style: italic;">Ally Mcbeal</span>)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/6715/04frankbaroneuj6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/6715/04frankbaroneuj6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Frank Barone</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody Loves Raymond</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "republican" and it'll please this crass yet at time surprisingly sweet dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">A Carribean Vacation (without Marie)</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />Vinyl jazz records, a turntable to play them, plaid shirts, an EZ chair, a TV (showing only sports) for his bedroom, a mini-fridge with mini-alcohol similar to those you see in a hotel,<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/8526/05darthvaderze2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/8526/05darthvaderze2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Darth Vader</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "cosmic destruction" and it'll please this patent leather clad, James Earl Jones-voiced dad<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">A Synthetic right hand!</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />Another death star, a yellow light saber (yellow looks good against black), a voice modulator with a range from a sexy low Barry White singing voice to a high Karen Walker shriek, ewok stew, roasted ewok, adobong ewok, etc.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/9891/06michaelbluthqa2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/9891/06michaelbluthqa2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Michael Bluth</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Arrested Development</span></span><br /><br />(I'd probably shake him to reality first... why oh why would you name your son George Michael?! anywho...)<br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "anything away from the other Bluths" and it'll please this responsible yet often insanely oblivious dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">A Banana-Stand business</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />Two one-way plane tickets to Timbuktu, massive amounts of therapy, a vehicle with stairs used for airplanes.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4234/07halwilkersonbg3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4234/07halwilkersonbg3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Hal Wilkerson</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Malcolm in the Middle</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "what would a five year old love" and it'll please this uniquely kooky dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">An Asphalt Roller!</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />A better job, pancakes, an Xbox, Marvel comic books, all the materials and machinery he needs to make his dream "killer robot", a plasma TV with all the channels in the entire known universe, a bedroom jacuzzi.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/1986/08atticusfinchpt9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/1986/08atticusfinchpt9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Atticus Finch</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">To Kill a Mockingbird</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "just and honorable" and it'll please my favorite father from literature.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Chance to witness the Emancipation</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />A state of the art hunting rifle, a lifetime babysitting service (no offense to Calpurnia), A kick-ass attache case (or whatever it was lawyers put their papers in in the 1930's) A sanctuary for mockingbirds (Blue jays optional)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3309/09marlinxk3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3309/09marlinxk3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Marlin</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Finding Nemo</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "marine" and it'll please this overprotective clownfish dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sea Anemone!</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />Opposable thumbs, a deluxe condo unit on prime soft coral real estate, a death sentence on all electric eels, a death sentence on all jellyfish, a death sentence on all sea gulls that say "mine, mine, mine", a no-fish policy on all dentist nieces.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/8280/10mrbennetfb9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/8280/10mrbennetfb9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Mr. (Noah) Bennet</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Heroes</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all (well I wouldn't be too fond of him). Think "Save the Cheerleader" and it'll please this cleft chinned adoptive dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">More Horn-Rimmed Glasses!</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />A sense of humor, his own Primatech Paper Company franchise, his own supernatural power like say the ability to get away with wearing horn-rimmed glasses!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/530/11martincranepp6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/530/11martincranepp6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Martin Crane</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Frasier</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "no psychiatry" and it'll please this wise and down-to-earth dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">A titanium cane!</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />Ballantine beer, A personal veterinarian for his dog Eddie, action movie DVDs of the Van Damme (ullk) and Steven Seagal (double ullk) variety. And never, ever, ever even entertain the slightest thought of replacing his favorite old recliner.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4300/12tonysopranokj8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4300/12tonysopranokj8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Tony Soprano</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sopranos</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all (Ok I'd be scared shitless). Think "Vito Corleone" and it'll please this really complex dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Resurrecting Pie-O-My</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />Confidentiality of his therapy sessions (offense means death by body of water and huge rock tied to ankles), A Pink Floyd version of Alabama 3's "Woke up this Morning", a DVD box set of all war documentaries ever made, A dream catcher.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2905/13jimsdadxq8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2905/13jimsdadxq8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If my dad was:<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Jim's Dad</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">American Pie</span></span><br /><br />...there'd probably be no problem at all. Think "home made apple pie" and it'll please this geeky but nonetheless lovable dad.<br /><br />#1 Gift: <span style="font-weight: bold;">A "Birds and the Bees" Guidebook</span><br /><br />Runners-up:<br />A head to toe makeover by Steven Cojocaru, an eyebrow tweezing, A date with Stifler's mom.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I am still no closer to a gift for my dad. *sigh*, All this gift thinking for fictional dads only left me frazzled. Oh well...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Happy Fathers' Day to all Dads!</span><br /><br />Mine is the best!<br />...hence, my obsession over the perfect gift.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-47156004024146184362007-06-11T16:42:00.000+08:002007-06-11T22:54:24.866+08:00All You Gotta Do Is Ask...Last Saturday, I had a fantabulous night with three of my closest college friends. It was a post-birthday celebration of sorts. It was our version of a typical <span style="font-style: italic;">Sex and the City</span> coffee shop scene... we weren't as thin and hair-perfect as Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda, we were nonetheless as chatty and animated as they were. Between the blues and "blue moons", douchebag exes and current trysts, the joys of motherhood and the joys of singlehood, the reminiscence of past outings and the planning of future ones... it was as if none of us were twenty-friggin-something.<br /><br />H.G. Wells had his time machine... I have my Teejay, my Fio and my Ems.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------<br /></div><br /><br /><br />I saw this interesting meme on Ann's blog <a href="http://fighting-gravity.org/" target="_blank">Fighting Gravity</a>. A meme you ask for.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />What's the most daring/interesting thing you've done (and are willing to divulge)?</span><br /><br />I stole my first Van Gogh when I was 4. I published my first book "Lite years" when I was 5. Many found astrophysics coming from a five year old pretty ludicrous, but my book found readers. I won my first Olympic bronze medal for canoeing when I was 9 and a gold for the same event when I was 13. I stole my second (and final) Van Gogh when I was 15. I joined the Peace Corps soon after and resided in Sierra Leone for 6 years. Through some twist of fate, I found myself involved in the restoration and preservation of the marbled walls of <span style="font-style: italic;">Duomo di Milano</span>. This is where I found my calling. I am now Donatella's personal dog walker.<br /><br />My actual life is pretty bland. Between work and jet-setting, I am a normal run-o-the-mill homo sapien. I have dared to do some insane things for an acrophobic like rappelling and riding that Enchanted Kingdom seatbelt-less ferris wheel which seemed like it was gonna topple over and roll toward the plains because of the winds from the lake. But by far, this was the most daring thing I've done of the extreme-sports-ish-slash-carnival-ride variety...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/4287/maxsensationfe3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/4287/maxsensationfe3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Seven friends and I wrote that darn ride named "Maximum Sensation" until our insides were inverted.<br /><br />As for daring in the Samantha Jones sense, I have yet to join a buck naked anti-fur protest. As for interesting... I have yet to stage a coup.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What's the story behind your header?</span><br /><br />During my bum days post-college, I went through a kitschy, pop-art-ish phase. Given the free time then and a need to waste it on something, I covered a wall in my room with folded squares of magazine pages.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/9145/roomwallpaperzh3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/9145/roomwallpaperzh3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />That was my attempt at creating "order in chaos". The phrase was a second choice for my blog's name because it pretty much describes my brain and my life. Making the banner on Photoshop was a whooole lot easier though than the first time I voodooed my wall with tacks. The banner contains partial images of things I love; my niece, my nephew, Chris Martin, Mr. Law, the Mavs, rubber ducks, Daria, places I've been to, album covers of artists... etc.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What do you think is your contribution to the rest of humanity?</span><br /><br />Biologically, I believe how my body, and everyone else's, converts oxygen to carbon dioxide is my most relevant contibution. Being a part of the carbon cycle makes me feel relevant in maintaining balance in the global carbon budget.<br /><br />Truthfully, I think I am a pretty selfish person who takes more from humanity (whining in the process) than I contribute (also whining in the process). I wanna, but I'm a whina.<br /><br />The mere notion of comparing myself with significant people who have actually done something for humanity is just downright pretentious, but I'll do it anyway. Apple-munching Newton discovered gravity, bearded Darwin studied evolution, the perv Freud developed psychoanalysis. Lennon influenced the world with his music, Picasso with his paintings, Shakespeare with his writing, Scorsese with his movies, etc. etc.<br /><br />In all fairness to us living in the twenty first century, everything worth discovering and not requiring a degree in rocket science has already been discovered. And, nearly everything has been invented, sung, painted, written and put to the silver screen already. Plus, the amount of work the great people of our past has done would be enough to entertain us and keep us busy for two earthly lifetimes.<br /><br />My preemptive response to "it's the small things we contribute that matter" is yeah, there is consolation in that. I contribute to the population of pigs and cows by not devouring them. I contribute to the database of the net by blogging. I contribute to the fight against multi-million dollar company monopolies by supporting Jack Sparrows. I contribute to the betterment of Philippine cinema by not watching any of the crap they currently dish out. I contribute to the global warming movement by being scared to drive a car. The small things.<br /><br />I can't help but beat myself up every now and then though, for not contributing something that really matters. Perhaps I can create a perpetual motion machine or discover the missing link or something. Some things aren't entirely ridiculous.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What do you like best about yourself?</span><br /><br />The hollow below my neck. (Ok, I totally ripped that off <span style="font-style: italic;">The English Patient</span>) I'll stay away from anything physical and say, my resolve to never fully "grow up". Peter Pan syndrometer goes off the charts. I am anything BUT naive and I'm 95% jaded (ask my physician) There is a repressed but influential 5% of me though where unicorns and purty butterflies roam freely.<br /><br />But then again, I am one of the most likeable people in the world, no? I know you guys love me.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What do you plan to achieve in the next five years?</span><br /><br />*Passes out*... I'd be 30+ by then... *passes out again*... a whiff of NH3.<br /><br />I am not much of a planner. <span style="font-style: italic;">Dead Poets' Society</span> had that effect on me. Carpe diem!<br />If I am however forced to think of it at gunpoint, I'd probably say:<br /><ol><li>Total independence via geographic means</li><li>A mind-blowing job</li><li>Mastery of german, french and japanese<br /></li><li>The metabolism of a five year old<br /></li><li>Understanding the theory of relativity</li><li>to name a few...</li></ol><br /><br />If you're interested to let me put you on the hot seat...<br /><br />The Interview rules:<br /><ol><li>Leave me a comment saying “Interview me.”</li><li>I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.</li><li>You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.</li><li>You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.</li><li>When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.<br /></li></ol><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">---------<br /></div><br /><br />It's Independence Day tomorrow (technically) I know it should be a time to be proud of our quasi-independence... but I can't help feeling paranoid to discover a humongous disc like UFO in the sky over some landmarks.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-25608443402420286692007-06-05T23:05:00.000+08:002007-06-06T03:26:04.491+08:00Tantalizing...I know how Tantalus felt.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1299/tantaluskp4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 375px;" src="http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1299/tantaluskp4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />He, Tantalus, was a king in Greek mythology. In an Abraham like twist of fate, he offered his son to the gods. But unlike the biblical patriarch, no angel appeared to stop him... plus, his human sacrifice was premeditated, and that small detail that he served his son in a feast. The gods were apparently appalled by parricide and cannibalism. The boy was resurrected by Fate, the goddess, piecing his chopped body parts together like lego. Tantalus was punished.<br /><br />He was made to stand for all eternity in a pool of water that reached up to his neck. Whenever he bent down to drink the water, it would recede from his mouth's reach like a sadistic automated low tide. There are also fruit trees above him. Everytime he reached up to grab the fruit, the branches would raise them away from his grasp... like sadistic ents. That was his hell, temptation without satisfaction.<br /><br />Although I find this method of weight reduction tantalizing (pun 100% intended), satisfaction is something I thrive on.<br /><br />I am not a fan of Hannibal Lecter-ism and I am anti- of any form of -cide (homicide, genocide, insecticide) Plus I don't ever recall stealing ambrosia from the gods.<br /><br />Yet, I find myself, more and more so lately, in Tantalus' water soaked shoes. I am swimming in a pool of letter sized papers filled ad nauseam with plans, specifications, details, comments, etc. etc. et cetera. The temptations that are within reach yet unreachable are free time and 8 hours of sleep.<br /><br />While working on CAD drawings, the other half on my brain is busily doing three things simultaneously; planning ways to acquire the elusive free time, planning ways to spend it, and consoling itself that it will come sooner or later.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Devil Wears Prada</span> lies bookmarked, 3 quarters of the way, on my bedside table. Andy, when I left her, was flirting with the delectable Christian Colinsworth (who I've visualized as a more put together version of Ben Covington from <span style="font-style: italic;">Felicity</span>) The book lacks the New York like pace of the movie, and the book version of Miranda Priestly comes out a tad too whiny compared to the regal bitch Meryl Streep played to utter perfection. Getting sidetracked here... My point... I left, and can't wait to return to, all the drama of <span style="font-style: italic;">Runway</span> on my bedside table. I want free time!!! Arrrrrgggghhhhhhhh!!!!!<blockquote>I want free time in a box.<br />I want free time with a fox.<br />I want free time in a house.<br />I want free time with a mouse.<br />I want free time here or there.<br />I want free time anywhere.<br />I want free green eggs and ham.<br />I want free time, Altenati-I-am.<br /><br /><br /><br /></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;">-------------------------<br /></div><br /><br />Something I'm ecstatic to share...<br />I've blogged about the Tim Tang Test and last Friday I found some free time and spent it riddling. Check this <a href="http://www.timtang.com/ttt/halloffame.html" target="_blank">out</a>. Alas, It shows my initials and my last name, but heck it's soooo worth it. hehe<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------------------------<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks to all who sent me greetings last week. It was much appreciated. :)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2102/emptywordsch1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2102/emptywordsch1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/003343.html">Image from gapingvoid.com</a></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />That was meant to be funny. :P<br /><br />I really mean it.<br /><br />Thanks.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.<br /></div>Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-28256384404742832712007-05-31T00:00:00.000+08:002007-05-31T01:26:34.796+08:00Twenty-friggin-somethingI've been playing <span style="font-style: italic;">Parachutes</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Twentysomething</span> all night. Coldplay has always been my melancholy soundtrack, and Jamie Cullum... my crooner.<br /><br />My 364 days of unbirthdays are over... they all seem short and useless when THAT day arrives. I always get this mixed feeling on the eve of my birthday (Gawd! just <del>saying</del> typing that out loud makes me cringe) I simultaneously feel like a child on Christmas morning and a schizophrenic awaiting electroshock therapy. I could never pinpoint the cause of this antsy anticipation because I really dread each +1 candle cake. An anticipation for time travel? for oblivious bliss? for my own Aston Martin?<br /><br />I love those short tapered wax candles. Each supposedly represents a year of your life... irrelevant and burned into nothingness in a few minutes. They represent a year lost... a year where I should've read more books, a year where I would've seen the eerie monoliths of Easter Island, a year where I could've done this, could've done that... Shoulda Woulda Coulda Barracuda...<br /><br />I love the cake. That beautifully crafted confection that goes straight to your thighs... that chocolate filled temptation with the scrumptilicious frosting and your name in icing you cut up into slices... that sweet, sweet reminder that you don't have the same metabolism "x" years ago.<br /><br />I love that song. That happy happy four worded song that really drills the message "you ain't getting any younger" right into your right ventricle... that song which everybody knows, everybody claims to own, and everybody apparently commits a copyright infringement crime with whenever they sing it... that step above "for he's a jolly good fellow" that always necessitates your widest, most pseudo-genuine smile after it is sung to you and before you almost die of respiratory arrest from blowing out the candles.<br /><br />I love the expectation to be "happy" and to feel "special". This is after all a "happy birthday"... just as "theory" always has "conspiracy" tagging along with it, "birthday" is lonesome without "happy". I love the wholehearted attempt to really be happy that often ends with either a migraine or an aneurysm. I love teeth... I love dimples... I love crow's feet... I love smile lines... I love straining the muscles n my face.<br /><br />I love Brooke Shields and how she bashed Tom Cruise's skewed views on prescription drugs. I love Clint Eastwood and how he committed euthanasia on a <span style="font-style: italic;">Million Dollar Baby</span>. I love Chris Elliot's obsession induced rashes on <span style="font-style: italic;">There's Something About Mary</span>. I love Colin Farrell, just for being Irish. I may not know them personally, but we share a bond in birth.<br /><br /><br />I love (and I say this without an iota of sarcasm) my family and friends. They make this day bearable, sometimes even... dare I say it... may I not be struck by lightning... happy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8582/garfieldbdaypp2.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8582/garfieldbdaypp2.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />For the love of all things sacred... <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/12/fashion/sundaystyles/12age.html?ex=1297400400&en=34f151b1cdb0d572&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss" target="_blank">Don't Sing me that Song</a>... or if you do, sing me a "Sometimes Happy (But Never Required To Be) Birthday To You"...<br /><br />I'll be normal in June... well... like happy, normal is a relative term.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-55072505704918521362007-05-28T22:12:00.000+08:002007-05-28T23:33:38.750+08:00What Have I Got In My Pocket?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/9498/tesseractrf7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/9498/tesseractrf7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Cue flashback music.<br /><br />For as long as I can remember, I've always had an ardent interest in riddles. The first riddles, or semblance of riddles, ever presented to me came in the form of an IQ test. My parents were in the process of enrolling me in kindergarten. A couple of grey habited nuns led me and a dozen other kids into a library whose shelves have been moved to the walls to accomodate a grid of desks and chairs. Each desk had a long white folder and a #2 Mongol pencil. We were instructed to sit, open the folders and answer sheets of mimeograph paper with symbols on them. The questions were in the "What figure comes next" format and, although I didn't know then, they are supposed to measure mental capabilities like logic, spatial analysis, etc. I finished the test in record time. I dunno what my scores were then, but I got in to kindergarten.<br /><br />I've always felt my brain is tweaked, like my mom dropped me when I was an infant or something. I can commit a grade school friend's phone number to memory and still write it down now even if that friend has moved abroad and the line has been disconnected. I can absorb useless trivia and totally irrelevant information. I can generally grasp concepts easily. But for some obscure reason, I can't remember if a friend who I visit frequently lives in "old site" or "new site". I can't memorize which of the pin or the amount comes first when you pass cellphone load.<br /><br />In highschool, I met and became close with relatives from planet Nerdnia. It was a real comfort... not to know that I wasn't mentally imbalanced, but to know that many are mentally imbalanced as well. ( :P )<br /><br />Anyways... stop the flashback music.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/3431/notpronscreen1is5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/3431/notpronscreen1is5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I stumbled upon <a href="http://www.deathball.net/notpron/" target="_blank">Notpron</a> when I was random bloghopping. I haven't encountered anything resembling it online. It is an online riddle created by a smart (and I must add, cute) german named David Muennich. It basically presents you with a picture and some overt and hidden clues testing your skills in ciphering, logic, math, chemistry, music, programming, image manipulation, etc (and by etc, I mean your knowledge of german chocolate brands can also be tested... hehe) The aim is to get a password that you place in the URL which allows you to go to the next level. It can get extremely difficult especially in the later levels but it is also extremely addictive. I finished all the positive 86 levels and got as far as 34 in the minus levels (with the aid of help forums!), I haven't finished it cause the author decided to make players pay to play (rhyme?) the final levels... which I think sucks.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/897/tttlogoxv3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/897/tttlogoxv3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The current online riddle I'm working on is the <a href="http://www.timtang.com/ttt/" target="_blank">Tim Tang Test</a>. The creator of the riddle is Tim Nicolas Tang. He is intelligent, uber friendly, and can be the most annoying person in the world when he responds to your queries about a level with more cryptic answers. It takes on the format of Notpron, a pioneer of this type of game, but riddles of the TTT are usually more logical and more interesting.<br /><br />I am now on level 89 and eternally stuck! It is a level on music... I love listening to music, but I haven't the slightest idea about it's technical side... well until now that is. This puzzle makes you read up on things you wouldn't even consider picking up in a book store. I have learned a thing or two about astronomy and computer programming because of some of its levels.<br /><br />If interested you can start <a href="http://www.timtang.com/ttt/" target="_blank">here</a>. I must warn you however that there is a high risk of losing sleep and losing a chunk of your sanity. If you do wish to undertake the riddle, do not look for spoilers because as their name implies, it spoils the whole riddling experience. Tim however has set up a TTT account on Facebook with a forum for the discussion of these riddles when you're stuck. You can access it <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2322224163" target="_blank">here</a>, but I think you need to create an account before you can join the discussions. I am currently the PM Officer for levels 43-49. So if you ever get that far I'd be able to dish out hints.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The picture is of a tesseract I made in one of the Notpron levels. I know the craftsmanship is horrid but I did solve that level with that. hehehe<br /><br /><br />The title is the riddle of Bilbo Baggins which allowed him to "win" the One Ring from Gollum.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-57928123384707399202007-05-26T13:21:00.000+08:002007-05-26T15:32:28.363+08:00It Ain't Over 'Til...It has been an extremely busy work week. Between designing and drafting plans, going through a ream thick set of mark-ups and task designation, I am finding less and less free time. The work has slowly crept into my nights and my weekends practically displacing a chunk of my nocturnal outings and my time online. I won't mind working for hours on end on a project that both challenges me and is close to my design philosophies... The current major project I am handling IS challenging but I find myself totally against the designs of some of the senior architects. This makes the work twice as tedious and half as enjoyable. Whine... I am so in need of a glass (without the "h") right about now.<br /><br /><br />She has been Singing a lot Lately...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1752/fatladysingssd3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1752/fatladysingssd3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Art from: <a href="http://paper-pencil-pixels.blogspot.com/2006/11/shows-not-over.html">Paper, Pencil, Pixels</a></span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1674/peterflightig0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1674/peterflightig0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-size:130%;" >I Believe HE can Fly</span><br /><br />I liked the <span style="font-style: italic;">Heroes </span>finale. I give it a 6 out of 10. It wasn't over the top, which is good. Many producers seem to think that the only way to do a memorable final is through explosions and car chases. The understated end to the show's first season (or should I say volume) showed enough for it to keep you glued to your screens but not too much for it to become totally ludicrous. That has always been the reason for my attraction to the show. It keep things real, in a they-don't-wear-leotards, have back stories and fairly relatable lives, kind of way. I would have given it a higher rating if they could explain why Peter Petrelli didn't just fly by himself? (I tried to say that as cryptic as I can to prevent spoilers) Explain that to me <span style="font-style: italic;">Heroes</span> writers? The first season as a whole I give a 7 out of 10. Although the story line isn't really original, it has enough oomf to last a couple more seasons, plus I love the fact that they recognize the fact that they have taken a lot of their inspiration from <span style="font-style: italic;">Marvel</span>, evident in many Hiro and Ando allusions and in the Stan Lee, bus driver cameo. And what really irks me about the show is the pacing. The first 10 episodes were the best written part of the season, after that, you get only a few great episodes scattered between slow and generally inconsequential ones. Tim Kring can learn a thing or two from JJ Abrams.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9093/greysanatomytitlecardaa1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9093/greysanatomytitlecardaa1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-size:130%;" >Heartbreak Hospital</span><br /><br />The<span style="font-style: italic;"> Grey's Anatomy</span> Season 3 finale was classic. Like both previous GA finales, heartbreak and failure are the palpable themes. The first season ended with: "I'm so sorry, Meredith"/ welcome to the dirty mistress club. The second season's finale, which I personally find to be the most depressing finale ever orchestrated by any TV show ever, was an Izzie rollercoaster (the writers made sure we rode that rollercoaster too) and Meredith love Bermuda triangle. The finale of the third season focused more on Christina, George and Dr. Webber. (Details stop there, I can't ruin it for other fans of the show) However, I just HAVE to say that Christina Yang saying "I'm free" when she did, was priceless. I love it.<br /><br />One of the great things about the show is their choice of soundtrack music. They have made popular then-upcoming bands like Snow Patrol (<span style="font-style: italic;">Chasing Cars</span>) and The Fray (<span style="font-style: italic;">How to Save a Life</span>) I've also discovered other amazing artists in their OSTs like Ivy (Edge of the Ocean) and Psapp (Cosy in the Rocket - the GA theme) The only other show I could think of that put this value on soundtracks was <span style="font-style: italic;">Ally Mcbeal</span> (anyone up for a Barry White montage?)<br /><br />Trivia: Did you know every episode of Grey's Anatomy is a song title? Below are the episode title of the three finales.<br /><br />Season 1: Who's Zoomin' Who? - Aretha Franklin<br />Season 2: Losing My Religion - REM<br />Season 3: Didn't We Almost Had It All? - Whitney Houston<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/2167/aslsixye0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/2167/aslsixye0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-size:130%;" >Six More...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">LOST Season 3's Greatest Hits</span> is the finale that I have really been anticipating. It is, in my opinion, the best written show on TV today.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Veronica Mars</span> will end soon, and like most members if its cult following (like moi and <a href="http://miltia.blogspot.com/2007/05/pfft.html">Talamasca</a>), we are bummed that the show, as a whole, got 86-ed... nixed.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Project Runway 3</span> finale airs next week on local cable. THAT's how delayed some shows here are. I know who the winner is, but I can't wait to see them on the runway.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Amazing Race 10</span> final was meh... anti-climactic for an all-star season. I am ecstatic however, that them beauty queens didn't win.<br /><br />Yau Man should have won <span style="font-style: italic;">Survivor: Fiji</span>, that Dreamz character was so naive. He has created his own niche of naivete that is defined by hilarity.<br /><br />I have yet to catch a replay of the <span style="font-style: italic;">American Idol</span> 6 Finale. THAT's how busy I was this week.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">~ Fin ~</span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-79281237084740876062007-05-17T21:06:00.000+08:002007-05-18T00:07:31.526+08:00Me- Ma- Mi-Mo-Muu<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me</span></span><br /><br /><br />I am so bummed Melinda didn't make it to the <span style="font-style: italic;">American Idol</span> finale. (Insert "but she was the obvious favorite from the onset" and "this is still a singing competition... right?" cliches here) I guess the shock value of Jordin's being 17 (really? she's 17? ahhh shut up, they've been emphasizing that ad nauseam) and the "oh, he's so original" beatboxing antics of Blake outweighed actual gritty talent. Both finalists are good (even great), but I just find not having Melinda there utterly idiotic.<br /><br />Oh well... I find comfort in the Chris Daughtrys (ies?), Jennifer Hudsons and Clay Gaykens of the "I sold more albums than my winning counterpart" club. I wonder if Melinda's <span style="font-style: italic;">Death Cheater</span> shirt was a message of some sort.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma</span></span><br /><br />That new Maroon 5 song they performed on tonight's elimination has been on my MP3 player for over a month now. And I've gone gaga over its fabulous and ultra-chic video... They should build a shrine for Adam Levine's eyebrows... and have to admit I'm a developing a thing for the substitute drummer... Matt Flynn...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/17/mattflynn2uo2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/17/mattflynn2uo2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I have a thing for drummers in general... they just have a certain je ne sais quois whenever they strike them tomtoms and cymbals. (Actual drummer Ryan Desick is recovering from some shoulder problems)<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sc5RHp6Tr6c"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sc5RHp6Tr6c" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder</span><br /></div><br />I am listening to the music like crazy cause when it gets as big as Maroon 5's other singles and everyone starts singing it in public, it becomes lame.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"I still don't have the reason... and you don't have the time</span><span style="font-style: italic;">..." (yeah b</span><span style="font-style: italic;">aby)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);">Mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mi</span></span><br /><br />First of all, I TOO wanted to be like Grace Kelly. I've always believed I was some obscure monarch from Monaco. I just had to get that off my chest.<br /><br />I love Mika.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/6315/mikaax8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/6315/mikaax8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />He has such a great voice reminiscent of Freddie Mercury and he is the ultimate falsettist, he can make Prince and that Robin Thicke newcomer ponder going all Farinelli Il Castrato just to contend with Mika. His musical style is very much like Beck... eclectic, idiosynchratic, experimental. Most of his songs are sarcastically perky (even campy) and very fitting to his debut album <span style="font-style: italic;">Life in Cartoon Motion</span>... these include his first single Grace Kelly which basically delves into the notion of changing oneself to fit the mold of the popular idea of popular.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/9683/lifeincartoonmotionum8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/9683/lifeincartoonmotionum8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Gotta love the psychedelic album art, done by Dawack, Mika's sis.</span><br /></div><br />With lyrics like "<span style="font-style: italic;">I tried to be like Grace Kelly, but all her looks were too sad. So I tried a little Freddie, I've gone identity mad</span>". This single is pretty much what triggered his international career and widespread rumors about his sexuality. My gaydar does go crazy when I see him, but he refuses to confirm or deny the rumors (ala Clay Gayken), which I respect, everyone entitled to hisher privacy. It is suicide to do so early in his career. The animated/ shake-your-groove-thing side of his music is also evident in other tracks like <span style="font-style: italic;">Lollipop</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Love Today</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Billy Brown</span> (which sounds like an 80's sitcom jingle) and <span style="font-style: italic;">Big Girl (You are Beautiful)</span> - a personal fave. He is equally great in his other tracks which are more mellow... I could describe it as music <span style="font-style: italic;">DeVotchka</span> might have done in collaboration with <span style="font-style: italic;">Queen</span>... but that would only be partially accurate.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Mo-mo-mo-mo-mo-mo-mo-mo-mo</span><br /><br />This is an Italian manufacturer of steering wheels. I have as much knowledge about car parts as I do the mating habits of european tree frogs... I just saw such a steering wheel in a friend's car.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/2817/momosteeringwheelfr2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px;" src="http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/2817/momosteeringwheelfr2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Mu-mu-mu-mu-mu-mu-mu-muu-muu<br /></span><br />Remember that episode when Homer decidedly gained weight in order to qualify for disability and in so doing be able to work at home?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/8767/homemuumuufa1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/8767/homemuumuufa1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Homer in a floral muumuu.</span><br /></div><br />I am so feeling like Homer like now. Burn-out! I wonder if there are any muumuu franchises in the country...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />(I have to admit that the mo- and mu- parts are lame... I just felt the compulsion to complete the M+vowel list)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-76436523348739663542007-05-13T02:14:00.000+08:002007-05-13T05:55:34.056+08:0013 On-Screen MatriarchsThe Abominable Snowman, Bigfoot, The Lochness Monster... these creatures are bland and unimaginative compared to that mysterious creature we've all come to know the moment we aren't in utero, held by our ankles and spanked like a fraternity initiate... our mothers. These lactating bipeds, who are also called "mama"s or "mom"s, have built-in inflatable incubators that allow us to grow from seed to weird black and white shapes on an ultrasound. Their mystery lies, based on initial studies, on their volatile and unpredicatable nature. Offspring, the author included, both adore the ground their mothers walk on AND simultaneously blame her for most of the things happening in one's life.<br /><br />Studies have always been inconclusive... the species evolves quite rapidly and has undergone incalculable metamorphoses that candidates in random samplings are often too different from each other.<br /><br />However, several common traits have proven useful in our studies:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/3040/01loiswilkersonxu6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/3040/01loiswilkersonxu6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 01: Lois Wilkerson</span><br />Known Aliases: Jane Kaczmarek<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">Malcolm in the Middle</span><br /><br />Every mom seems to have tendencies to control offspring via manipulation and will almost always win every single argument with either of the following:<br />1. cunning and inconspicuous reverse psychology<br />2. bargaining or blackmail<br />3. a cold shoulder<br />4. temporary sweetness and concern<br />5. sheer brute force<br />6. a threat to destroy the TV with a baseball bat<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3082/02lorelaigilmoregp5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3082/02lorelaigilmoregp5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 02: Lorelai Gilmore</span><br />Known Aliases: Lauren Graham<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">Gilmore Girls</span><br /><br />Every mom's survival is dependent on coffee. It has also been found out that mom's are capable of amazing repartee but is totally relient on the speaking companion and/or the skills of a certain Amy-Sherman Palladino. It is interesting to note that mothers share the same volatile relationship with their own mothers, known to offspring as "grandmother". They tend to regress to their rebellious and snappy nature when confronted by grandmothers. Ironically, most grandmother-grandchildren relationships are normal, in most cases even loving. Ergo, normal blood relations skip a generation.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/8702/03margesimpsonge9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/8702/03margesimpsonge9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 03: Marge Simpson (nee Bouvier)</span><br />Known Aliases: Julie Kavner<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">The Simpsons</span><br /><br />Every mom has perfected the art of nagging. They can control the amount of nagging they emit. It can be a simple but extremely difficult to master hoarse "mmmm" or an all out list of things you should do and when you should have done it. Most moms, when they reach a certain age, grab the blue dye. Mrs. Simpson has survived an adulthood wearing the same green dress and red faux pearl necklace.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5191/04kittyforemanor8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5191/04kittyforemanor8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 04: Kitty Forman</span><br />Known Aliases: Debra Jo Rupp<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">That 70's Show</span><br /><br />Every mom has the need to nurture. Most mothers dread the day when their offspring "leave the nest". Ironically, it is sometimes that overnurturing which hastens the coming of that day... and has mentally linked mothering with smothering. Some moms are skilled at faking cheerfulness and are skilled in appeasing the oddest and most awkward of situations, often done with a perky <a href="http://sarcasm-aside.blogspot.com/2006/08/13-iconic-laughs.html" target="_blank">laugh</a>. Also, it has been found out that most moms regret a hairdo they had in an earlier time of their life.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/7127/05catherinewillowsxl7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/7127/05catherinewillowsxl7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 05: Catherine Willows</span><br />Known Aliases: Muggs, Marg Helgenberger<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">CSI</span><br /><br />Every mom feels like they don't know their offpsring when they reach that hair-growing-in-the-neither-regions, hormonal stage of life known as "teenhood". Reactions of mom's with the discovery of "relics of growing up" (i.e. cigarettes, condoms, pornography) vary widely from denial to confrontation. Mothers are amazingly resilient creatures. They can juggle raising a child, dating, and catching serial killers... and still having shiny, bouncy Vidal Sassoon hair. It might be extremely difficult for children who have walking lie detectors for moms.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1187/06nikisandersbo1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1187/06nikisandersbo1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 06: Niki Sanders</span><br />Known Aliases: Jessica Sanders, Ali Larter<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">Heroes</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br />Every mom has a violent split personality with freakish strength... especially when it comes to their child's well being. The instinct to protect their offspring is a trait etched in every mother's genetic make-up (Well unless you're a gerbil or a prairie dog) In a save-the-world scenario, this maternal instinct is admirable, even heroic, but on a normal day, offspring find maternal overprotection suffocating. Some moms are often seen chasing a playing toddler with a towelette in one hand and baby powder and hand sanitizer in the other. A little bacteria is actually good for kids.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/4687/07ruthfisherjl6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/4687/07ruthfisherjl6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 07: Ruth Fisher</span><br />Known Aliases: Frances Conroy<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">Six Feet Under </span>(ok, that came out a little morbid)<br /><br />Every mom can bottle emotions, complete with a cork, a dainty adhesive label and a note saying "Do Not Touch" in cursive letters. During instances when these bottles are opened (read: alcohol) mothers are actually relatable and are capable of having fun and letting their hair down from the perpetual bun. Mothers are also extremely finicky when it comes to their children's (especially son's) potential mates. They have an invisible list of prerequisites which they mentally edit to include every potential mates' weaknesses.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/5003/08mirandahobbssw9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/5003/08mirandahobbssw9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 08: Miranda Hobbes</span><br />Known Aliases: Cynthia Nixon<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">Sex and the City</span><br /><br />Every mom can have the most amazing Irish red hair "given the right stylist". Most moms do not plan pregnancies and can get knocked up under the most inconvenient and improbable of circumstances (her partner had only one testes and she had a lazy ovary) Again, I point put the resilience of mothers. They can adapt to new life-changing situations and still have time to drink a couple of Cosmopolitans and sing "<span style="font-style: italic;">The Way We Were</span>" with girlfriends in a chic bar. Single moms have an inclination to cynicism and a tendency for misandry.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/667/09nancybotwinyf5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/667/09nancybotwinyf5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 09: Nancy Botwin</span><br />Known Aliases: Mary-Louise Parker (absolutely love her)<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">Weeds</span><br /><br />Every mom has a secret garden of marijuana. Whether they deal or not is variable. (I have yet to watch episodes of the show aside from the pilot... My friendly neighborhood Jack Sparrows have given me, again, the quizzical looks when I ask for it... and I can't find torrents, why are most interesting shows hard to acquire? Have you seen Spiderman 3? It was hilarious when it didn't mean to be and corn ball when it did! You just wanna give MJ antidepressants and Tobey was just downright irritating, plus... Why did the butler wait til part 3 to tell his story? Ridiculous! There, I filled up the space... tee hee )<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/8484/10carolbradygt1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/8484/10carolbradygt1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 10: Carol Brady</span><br />Known Aliases: Florence Henderson<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">The Brady Bunch</span><br /><br />Here's the story of a lovely lady, Who was bringing up three very lovely girls. All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, The youngest one in curls.<br /><br />Here's the story, of a man named Brady, Who was busy with three boys of his own. They were four men, living all together, Yet they were all alone.<br /><br />Till the one day when the lady met this fellow, And they knew that it was much more than a hunch. That this group would somehow form a family. That's the way we all became the Brady Bunch.<br /><br />Every mom can, every once in a while, make me vomit in my mouth.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/9903/10laurabennettgw7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/9903/10laurabennettgw7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 11: Laura Bennett</span><br />Known Aliases: "The Ice Queen"<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">Project Runway 3</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Every mom, even after the 1950's, can bear a sixth child. I was partial to her in the last season mainly because of her degree in Architecture (you get to see very few architects on TV, well outside of the Discovery Channel) Most moms, especially when talking to their spouses and/or children, can be brutally frank to the point of insensitivity. It must be real nifty to have a mom who can tailor clothes to your specifications. Every mom can get away with describing something as "serious ugly".</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/818/12irinaderevkogh1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/818/12irinaderevkogh1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 12: Irina Derevko</span><br />Known Aliases: Laura Bristow, The Man, Lena Olin<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">Alias</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br />Every mom has hired a hitman to kill her offspring... well maybe at least in her thoughts when all her kid does is whine and complain and blame everything, even typhoons, on her. Irina is the quintessential example of the undecipherable mother. She can plant verbal landmines to catch you off guard. She can manipulate you into doing for your own good. She can withhold information from you if she thinks you're not ready to handle it. One just can't get what she is thinking of. Every mom used to be a spy for the KGB, but only few have trusting relationships with their offspring and even fewer can pull off a black tank top.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/2229/13piperhalliwellcm2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/2229/13piperhalliwellcm2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102);font-size:130%;" >Test Subject 13: Piper Halliwell</span><br />Known Aliases: Holly Marie Combs<br />Last Seen: <span style="font-style: italic;">Charmed<br /><br /></span>Every mom can freeze time. Mothers can perpetually view their offspring as milk-bottle-wielding, diaper-pooping children, and they have the embarassing albums to remind you (and your guests) They also have a remarkable mental history of time... like the time you first came home drunk, or the time you cried during your first day of school, or the time when you forgot her birthday, etc etc. Every mom can also cast a lovespell on her children, making them utterly enamored by her and extremely guilty the moment they sass. The good thing about that spell is it works vice versa.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Happy Mothers' Day </span><br />to my mom who I love and absolutely adore.<br />and to all moms in the entire known universe.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Oh, and elections are tomorrow... Just remember everything your mom taught you when you pick which names to write down.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-91278136037628961602007-05-06T20:28:00.000+08:002007-05-07T00:20:32.119+08:00Mosquitoes - Love : Alternati - 40I have been intentionally leaving my window open for the past days just to practice my backhand. I am currently establishing my own ATP Tour (not Adenosine Triphosphate dummy... it's Alternati Torturing Pests)<br /><br />I personally believe that THE most useless, not to mention annoying, creature in the entire known universe is the mosquito (and I am saying this with finality AND an awareness of the existence of such creatures as the howling monkey and the idiotic lemmings) Pesky blood sucking creatures. And did you know only the females of the species bite humans? Apparently they need the protein to produce eggs. Damn male mosquitoes aren't getting off scot free... Sure, their mouths are incapable of sucking blood, but their peckers have been propagating the species for 170 million gazillion years.<br /><br />I am re-evaluating a previous <a href="http://sarcasm-aside.blogspot.com/2007/02/uppers.html">statement</a> I made that the paint roller is the best human invention... I haven't encountered this yet during the time...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/2259/electricswatterez9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/2259/electricswatterez9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This is the Portable Bug Zapper 3000... a.k.a. My Racket. My Dad brought it home a week ago and it has drastically improved my forehand and my footwork. I just imagine every mosquito I whack has Federer's face on it. Juan Carlos Ferrero would make an excellent spokesperson for the product don't cha think? Aside from the Spanish good looks, his court nick name is hilariously appropriate.<br /><br />The actual name of the product stenciled on it's plastic handle is "Electronic Mosquito Bat", I guess the chinese translators got baseball and tennis a little mixed up. It works like your typical suspended bug zapper, like so...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/6896/19990704ye7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/6896/19990704ye7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Basically electrocuting the damn winged Dengue carriers. The actual sound of the death of a mosquito when it touches the charged inner wire mesh of the racket is one of the most delightful sounds I will ever come to know (insert maniacal laugh here)<br /><br /><br /><br />I truly detest mosquitoes, so much so that I've contemplated owning a bat, or several bats. Not the baseball thingamajig dummy, the actual nocturnal "flying rodent". Cleaning up guano is a small price to pay for a mosquito free household. I've read online that "a single bat can eat 3,000 mosquitoes and other insects in a single evening"... marvelous creatures. Maybe I can build my own subterrenean cave and have West Coast Customs pimp me a chartreuse bat mobile... hmmmm...<br /><br />Pre-portable bug zapper, instead of lighting <a href="http://www.lion-tiger.com/products/mosquito_coils/index.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">katols</span></a>, I lit incense and/or cigarettes.<br /><br />I also came across <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9479-revealed-what-mosquitoes-hate-about-humans.html">this</a> article which explains (well... touches on, the researcher had some pending patents so all the useful info had been editted out) why some people (i.e. me) attract mosquitoes more than other people. It has something to do with the chemicals in our sweat.<br /><br />Back in highschool, we had an electronics class. We had to etch circuit boards and weld in resistors... yaddah yaddah... (I made a two-tone door bell that worked... hah!) Anyways, I remember a classmate making this sonic mosquito deterrent. He said the device emitted a below humanly audible sound which female mosquitoes couldn't stand... I tried looking for a write-up of the device online but only came up with <a href="http://www.compoundsecurity.co.uk/deterrent_news_1.html">this</a> (It is a similar device but works in reverse... a deterrent for humans using a high pitched mosquito sound) My electronics classmate could have made the whole thing up... I think he got an A in the subject.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9739/mosquitocartoonpq0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 355px;" src="http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9739/mosquitocartoonpq0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The average life span of a mosquito is 3 weeks to several months... in my room, it's a little over a nanosecond plus the amount of time I need to reach for my zapper.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-77115125708271044412007-05-01T21:12:00.000+08:002007-05-02T02:31:43.212+08:00The 4 o'clock habitGuess who came back unscathed from the torturing heat of sauna-esque Manila...<br /><br />I had a blast at the <a href="http://www.uapconex2007.co.nr/" target="_blank">33rd Annual United Architects of the Philippines Convention</a> (Link warning: shield your eyes from the tacky twinkling headline) Everything was fabulous... well maybe except for the fact that we were treated like meat. Meat, in a sense that we were moved (No <span style="font-style: italic;">I Know What You Did Last Summer</span> meat hooks involved) from one huge freezer to another transported using mobile refrigerators known as "air-conditioned vehicles". I am all for the movement against global warming but I don't think I could have survived 10 minutes in Manila without air conditioning... I have hyperactive sweat glands, we Baguio folk just ain't cut out for hot-humid lowland weather y'all.<br /><br />I am not a spell-freak, heck I don't even proof read my blog entries. But upon registering, I couldn't help my inner editor from cringing when I saw the convention ID.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/274/uapnatconidgv6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/274/uapnatconidgv6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Did you notice the unfortunate typo? And it's in all IDs... tsk tsk.<br /><br />Our three day weekend of debauchery was beyond my comprehension. I found an inner source of stamina I never knew I had. Just when I thought I couldn't possibly get dressed and go out anymore, a sponsored night out had me picking clothes from my trunk... I never refuse free booze... from friends and paint manufacturers alike.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/812/boozeboozedc9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/812/boozeboozedc9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Me, Dona and Tine in one of Malate's bars... Bars are Malate's mushrooms, they spring up everywhere regardless of the availability of sunlight or parking space. Smoking beside a gas dispenser was a first. I'd post more pics but they're pretty much predictable not to mention redundant. (Us eating a <span style="font-style: italic;">Cabalen's</span>... Us eating at <span style="font-style: italic;">Rai Rai Ken</span>... Us getting liquored up in <span style="font-style: italic;">Dencio's</span>... Us getting plastered in <span style="font-style: italic;">Tropezz</span>... Us getting smashed in a friend's condo... etc. etc... The dionysian life baby) We always found ourselves checking into our hotel rooms by 4 in the morning... like clockwork.<br /><br />Our days, or what's left of them, were spent at <span style="font-style: italic;">World Trade Center </span>attending (okay, sitting idly) seminars. Most of them appeared interesting on paper but between the inaudible sound system and the newspaper textured catered food, they didn't hold our interest very long. So the <span style="font-style: italic;">CONEX 2007</span> (Convention Exhibits) were a perfect diversion/ way to spend the remainder of the day. It is here we are introduced to new or improved construction materials and technology (and freebies to boot!) One particular exhibit that caused a stir was a stall that showed a 3d printer. I have seen the technology on TV but never in person... I was starstruck. Here's a "print-out" of a prototype rubber shoe sole.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/8670/shoesole3dpl0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/8670/shoesole3dpl0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />It uses powdered plaster and a solvent of some sort to bind the powder. It costs helluvalot but I want one!<br /><br />Our early evenings were spent at the <span style="font-style: italic;">Manila Hotel</span>. I couldn't help but strut like Sydney Bristow on a black ops heist whenever I walked the hotel's plush carpets, especially after I go through the metal detector. Being in a lobby of people clad in suits and <a href="http://www.barongatsaya.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=95"><span style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">sayas</span></a> has that effect on me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/2628/manilahotelyn6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/2628/manilahotelyn6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The last night in the Manila Hotel was particularly memorable. First, we saw a handful of distinguished architects wearing superhero costumes (a contest) They went all out with unflattering white leotards and red spandex. There was a flash and a "mini-me" flash, a mutated wolverine that looked like Winnie the pooh, and several incarnations of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/l/lastikmn.htm" target="_blank">Lastikman</a>. Second, Boysen (a major sponsor) showed this TV ad for a new antibacterial paint they were marketing. It's an interesting product, but the ad was frickin hilarious! It was a beyond miserable adaption of <span style="font-style: italic;">House, MD</span>. The main character is a pompous dufus named Dr. Home. That alone had me going stark laughing mad, add the ridiculous one-liners and the background music and I was sure I had lost my sanity.<br /><br />Lastly came the raffle. I have the worst luck with these things as I've previously blogged about. The grand prize was some something inch LCD TV, which someone from another chapter got. The first set of prizes they handed out were file cabinets. <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">YES, File Cabinets!!! </span> We were laughing our asses off when we heard about the prize. The instant communal image in our heads were those huge clunky metal file cabinets we all grew to detest. That was the first raffle I've ever participated in where everyone, in our table at least, prayed not to win. A couple of my friends kept saying "Mananalo ka! Promise!!!" (You will win) I just crossed my fingers went to my happy place. The raffle drawer announced that third one to win the prize came from our chapter, we were pointing at each other like deranged witch hunters... dramatic pause waiting for a drum roll... and irony of ironies... my name resounded from the speakers. My instant thought was "Fuck!"... and my second thought became "Fuck it!". I am not one to bow down to the humiliating powers of a file cabinet. So I rose with as much grace as I could muster and walked gingerly toward the stage to claim my prize. It wasn't the clunky metal file cabinet we thought it would be... It's a whole lot smaller and is made of plastic. It has found a home in my room now... a tangible manifestation of my abhorrence for raffles.<br /><br /><br /><br />And that was how I spent my weekend.<br /><br />FYI, my camel made it back to Baguio safe and sound as well.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-24732587336119490272007-04-30T00:28:00.000+08:002007-04-30T00:29:00.713+08:00One Day Blog Silence<p><a title="One Day Blog Silence" href="http://www.onedayblogsilence.com" target=""><img title="One Day Blog Silence" alt="One Day Blog Silence" hspace="0" src="http://www.onedayblogsilence.com/onedaysilence.jpg" align="baseline" border="0" style="“width:338px;" /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-17594044141150521182007-04-26T00:19:00.000+08:002007-04-26T00:35:50.391+08:00My Camel is Ready...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4906/uapos6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4906/uapos6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'm off. With T-square and an over-stuffed trunk of clothes, I am off to see the wizard... err... go to the national convention of architects. <br /><br />Magic eight ball, will I be able to survive the Saharian summer heat of Manila?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Reply hazy... Try again later</span><br /><br />I'll get back to your comments and return visits when I get back. Wish me luck!<br /><br />(Blogging architects... If we happen to run into each other, give me a holler!)Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-76881514557114423532007-04-22T14:19:00.000+08:002007-04-22T17:23:50.467+08:00Highschool Sweet ArtLast night, I met up with MJ, one of my closest highschool buddies, who I haven't seen for ten years, literally.<br /><br />Back in the days of uniforms, assignments and extremely thick textbooks, we had hours of fun just doodling on the edges of our notebooks. Give us a pencil, a black ballpen, a red ballpen and some relatively blank paper and we'd have a marvelous time engulfed in our twisted little daydream world filled with cliffs, steam rollers and cartoon versions of our classmates and professors. We had a twisted sense of humor even before pubescence.<br /><br />We liked defying the laws of physics...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5178/serteleponogh2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5178/serteleponogh2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />And the laws of anatomy...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/5660/nangangainem6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/5660/nangangainem6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Among other things, Disney characters were a staple in our doodles. That is the Little Mermaid amidst a chemistry computation.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/8655/chemlittlemermaidhf1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/8655/chemlittlemermaidhf1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This is an ad for a sequel we had in mind...<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/8979/101deaddalmatiansnd5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/8979/101deaddalmatiansnd5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />For some time we were obsessed with Pocahontas. We would re-write the script and make her Kenny-like, dying in every scene but magically resurrecting after a few cels. There was this serene moment when Captain John Smith and Pocahontas meet. A waterfall-induced misty atmosphere, orchestral music, a dramatic head turn with wind blowing in Pocahontas' hair, John Smith awed by her exotic beauty...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5961/johnsmithshootspocahonttq0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5961/johnsmithshootspocahonttq0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />We've always had a thing for cliffs...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9520/pocahontascliffbr5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9520/pocahontascliffbr5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />And for utter stupidity...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/6038/pocahontascanoefe5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/6038/pocahontascanoefe5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The best doodle MJ ever made in my opinion was this...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/989/marapushesclaraxi6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px;" src="http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/989/marapushesclaraxi6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Don't tell me you don't remember Mara Clara and the show's title card with the main character's pictures in frames with the squiggly letterings on top... this was his interpretation of the final breakdown of the martyr known as Mara.<br /><br />MJ now works as a segment writer for a hit noon-time show on local TV. It's funny how things work.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------------------<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I absolutely need to clean my room now. I turned it upside down just to find these ten plus year old artwork...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------------------<br /></div><br />I saw this on <a href="http://ideasnpink.i.ph/">Carey</a>'s blog and I'm all for it.<br /><br /></div></div><br /><P><A title="One Day Blog Silence" href="http://www.onedayblogsilence.com" target=""><IMG title="One Day Blog Silence" alt="One Day Blog Silence" hspace=0 src="http://www.onedayblogsilence.com/onedaysilence2.jpg" align=baseline border=0 style=“width:338px; height:203px“ ></A></P><br /><blockquote> Silence can say more than a thousand words.<br /><br />This day shall unite us all about this unbelievable painful & shocking event and show some respect and love to those who lost their loved ones.<br /><br />On April 30th 2007, the Blogosphere will hold a One-Day Blog Silence in honor of the victims at Virginia Tech. More than 30 died at the US college massacre.<br /><br />But it´s not only about them. Many bloggers have responded and asked about all the other victims of our world. All the people who die every day. What about them?<br /><br />This day can be a symbol of support to all the victims of our world!<br /><br />All you have to do is spread the word about it and post the graphic on your blog on 30th April 2007. No words and no comments. Just respect, reflect and empathy.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.<br /></blockquote>Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-47331991047650776452007-04-19T18:56:00.000+08:002007-04-20T01:51:23.933+08:00American I-doppelgangersIs anyone else ecstatic the world said "Sayonara Sanjaya"? Finally, the seemingly tone-deaf American audience voted off... err... that sounds wrong... anyways... voted off the multi-coifed AI finalist. I guess faux-hawks, minority representation and charisma (which I never got from him) can only take you so far. The folks at <a href="http://votefortheworst.com/">votefortheworst</a> aren't too pleased I presume, and they're looking for a replacement for their papaya Sanjaya.<br /><br />Kai's <a href="http://credless.blogspot.com/2007/04/coldfront-tantrums.html">post</a> on the show inspired this entry... (Oh and Kai... the Santino "Andrei" thing in your blog's new header is faaaabulous!) The following pic sums it up:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4576/sabmelindacardingkw1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4576/sabmelindacardingkw1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Melinda Doolittle and Carding</span><br /></div><br />The oh so talented Melinda Doolittle and her Filipino look-a-like. hehehehe... This is sort of an inside pinoy joke few people overseas (or born before the days of vinyl) can relate to. That is half of the Filipino singing sensation that was The Reycards. When I saw the show last Wednesday, all I could think of was "Heshe looks like..."<br /><br />And so I'm doing the whole "separated at birth" thing...<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2408/sabchrissjackej3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2408/sabchrissjackej3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chris Sligh and Jack Osbourne</span><br /></div><br />Everyone already saw the resemblence even before Chris made the David Hasselhoff remark. Jack is the son of Black Sabbath's bat-head-devouring Ozzy Osbourne. This <a href="http://www.wildbluffmedia.com/2007/03/13/american-idol-separated-at-birth/">blog</a> thought Chris S looked like a topiary. lol<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/4869/sabjordinamericavv4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/4869/sabjordinamericavv4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jordin Sparks and America Ferrera</span><br /></div><br />I thought I was the first to see it but I was sadly mistaken when I came across <a href="http://www.idolz.net/52/idol-celebrity-look-alike/">this</a> blog.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7396/sabstephaniefantasiawv3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7396/sabstephaniefantasiawv3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stephanie Edwards and Fantasia</span><br /></div><br />Pretty obvious, don't cha think? Everyone says so. Stephanie got booted for her lack of originality in her singing (Beyonce, anyone?) and apparently, the image as well.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4157/sabhaleyirinagn2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4157/sabhaleyirinagn2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Haley Scarnato and Irina Derevko</span><br /></div><br />I've been rewatching earlier seasons of <span style="font-style: italic;">Alias</span> and I've always got a sense of deja vu whenever Haley performed... until it dawned on me... Irina (Lena Olin)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/845/sabchrisrwillco1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/845/sabchrisrwillco1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chris Richardson and Will Tippin</span><br /></div><br />Told you I've been watching too much <span style="font-style: italic;">Alias</span>. Everyone says Chris R. looks like Justin Timberlake... I say he looks like Tippin (Bradley Cooper)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/1787/sabblakestevebf6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/1787/sabblakestevebf6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blake Lewis and Steve Zahn</span><br /></div><br />Steve is one of those actors you see everywhere in supporting roles... most notably in <span style="font-style: italic;">Reality Bites</span>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3410/sabginacallieyi2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3410/sabginacallieyi2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gina Glocksen and Callie Torres a.k.a. Callie O'Malley </span><br />(note to self: don't marry someone whose surname rhymes with your first name)<br /></div><br />The smile, the eyebrow, the big bones, the strong voice...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4180/sablakishakenankk2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4180/sablakishakenankk2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lakisha Jones and Kenan Thompson</span><br /></div><br />This season's Mandisa and the SNL cast member could be fraternal twins. (I said this in Kai's comment box... I wonder if a Filipino ever came up to Lakisha and told her what her name translated to in Filipino... tee hee)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5673/sabbrandonvenuspe4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5673/sabbrandonvenuspe4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Brandon Rogers and Venus Williams</span><br /></div><br />Again, a set of fraternal twins...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3951/sabphilgollumsm0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3951/sabphilgollumsm0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Phil Stacey and Gollum/ Smeagol</span><br /></div><br />I even placed the bonnet on Gollum just to help you out.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/4282/sabsanjayaanimalsw0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px;" src="http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/4282/sabsanjayaanimalsw0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sanjaya Malakar and Animal</span><br /></div><br />Awwww... a muppet. My first look-a-like was Moses from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Prince of Egypt</span> mainly because of the hair and the svelte body but I couldn't find an image online so I nixed the idea. Then my next choice was one of Oprah's cocker spaniels... but that would be too harsh... Animal is perfect cause he too has lots of charisma and mediocre singing skills.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------------------------<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"I don't care what people think about it,<br />to the left or to the right.<br />There are too many guns in our society.<br />Too many children have lost their lives in this great country."<br />-- Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br />The tragedy in Columbine happened on this day eight years ago. George Santayana said:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Those who cannot learn from history are bound to repeat it."</span> <br /></div><br />My heart goes out to all the victims and the friends and families of the victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.<br /></div>Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31587466.post-43567667125017590622007-04-14T02:56:00.000+08:002007-04-14T05:43:07.918+08:0013 Comic ReliefsHistorically, April is one of the most catastrophic months. Insurrections, wars, natural disasters... notably, the war of the yankees and rednecks, the war of blue coats and red coats... the assassinations of Lincoln in a theater and Luther King at a motel... the Columbine highschool massacre... the sinking of RMS Titanic... the Bataan death march... the San Francisco earthquake... Chernobyl. <br /><br />Ironically though, the month starts off with hoaxes and practical jokes, and the tradition of april-fooling has extended well before these tragic events happened. <br /><br />It must be fate's preemptive permeation of comic relief into human tradition... or maybe the catastrophes were merely practical jokes gone awry. The Titanic engineer holding a couple of bolts in his hands saying... "Got yah!" as the ship sank all the passengers laughing as they met their watery death. <br /><br />Anyways, my 13th post for April is dedicated to our quirky, plucky comic reliefs. How can we appreciate all our dramas, our comedies and our dramedies without the characters who make us laugh at the moment when we are at the verge of crying or throwing a fit.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/8792/01hurleyreyesvp7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/8792/01hurleyreyesvp7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Hugo "Hurley" Reyes</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lost</span><br /><br />I personally find Hurley as the sweetest, most adorable plus sized actor on television to date. His surfer dude expression "Dude..." is so cool. The Actor: Jorge Garcia<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Quirks: </span><br />- Thinks he is cursed after he won a multi-million dollar lottery using the "bad numbers", manifestations of the bad luck included his grandpa's stroke, his new house catching fire and a meteor falling on his newly purchased Mr. Cluck's franchise.<br />- Plays ping-pong like Forrest Gump<br />- Had an imaginary friend named "Dave"<br />- Had for some time a working CD player on the island which eventually ran out of batteries midway through Damien Rice's "Delicate"<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >Comic Relief:</span><br />(Artz, the island scientist/ gradeschool teacher, explodes as he tries to handle dynamite from a pirate ship)<br />Hurley: (looking at Locke) "<span style="font-style: italic;">Dude... You've got some Artz on you."</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/5572/02hironakamurahz9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/5572/02hironakamurahz9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Hiro Nakamura</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Heroes</span><br /><br />Everyone's favorite Japanese actor... even more than the always oh so serious Ken Watanabe. He is anime personified. The Actor: Masi Oka. (I was thrilled to see him in The Sarah Silverman Program Batteries episode... thanks to <a href="http://fighting-gravity.org/">Ann</a> for the comedienne referral. hehe)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Quirks:</span><br />- "<span style="font-style: italic;">Herro New York!!!</span>" (need I say more?)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>(After getting stranded in a diner in the middle of the desert, Hiro meets "Flying man" and asks him...)<br />Hiro: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Give me ride-o?</span> (imitates car horn) <span style="font-style: italic;">Boo-boo!"</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/8952/03jackmcfarlandkh0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/8952/03jackmcfarlandkh0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Jack McFarland</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Will and Grace</span><br /><br />One of the most flambuoyant gay guys to grace the television. "Just Jack" (with jazz fingers please) is an inspiration for all fairies and people with theatrical aspirations. The Brilliant Actor: Sean Hayes. <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Quirks:</span><br />- Has a Cher barbie doll (as seen)<br />- Collects celebrity hair<br />- Laughs everytime "ball" is uttered<br />- Was married to Rosario<br />- Has a son with a recurring lesbian role done by Rosie O'Donnell<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:</span><br />(Jack consoling Will...)<br />Jack: "<span style="font-style: italic;">You're caring and loving..."</span><br />Will: <span style="font-style: italic;">"You're just saying that to make me feel better."</span><br />Jack: "<span style="font-style: italic;">No I'm not. I mean, what would I get out of that?" </span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/736/04karenwalkersc5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/736/04karenwalkersc5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Karen Walker</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Will and Grace</span><br /><br />My favorite fabulous politically incorrect socialite. She is so morally and socially retarded, you can't help but worship the ground she walks on. The Actress: Megan Mullally. A comic relief in a comedy is pretty much redundant but Jack and Karen push the humor to a whole new level making Will and Grace depressing people by comparison.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Quirks:</span><br />- Has an alter ego named Anastasia Beaverhausen<br />- Has a Pharmacist and a Back-up pharmacist in her personal staff<br />- Drinks more alcohol than H20<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>Grace: <span style="font-style: italic;">"What you're feeling are pangs of guilt."</span><br />Karen: "<span style="font-style: italic;">What?"</span><br />Grace: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Guilt. Oh, boy. Ok. How am I gonna explain this one? Uh... guilt is an emotion that - Ok. Jumping ahead. An emotion is something that..."</span><br />Karen: "<span style="font-style: italic;">Hey, hey, hey. Come on. I know what guilt is. It's one of those touchy-feely words that people throw around that don't really mean anything... You know, like "maternal" or "addiction." </span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3411/05marshallflinkmanhb3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3411/05marshallflinkmanhb3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Marshall Flinkman</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Alias</span><br /><br />He is the inhouse CIA "Q". Marshall is a mumbling, rambling, babbling tech guy who never fails to impress me with how he speaks the way he does. The Actor: Kevin Weisman<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Quirks:</span><br />- Has photographic memory<br />- Almost always adds inconsequential factoids in his presentations<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>(Marshall talks hysterically to guard to get past security and succeeded)<br />Sydney: <span style="font-style: italic;">"What did you say to him?"</span><br />Marshall: (nervous) <span style="font-style: italic;">"I don't know. I think it was "Go away I can smell you from here" in Ewok. "</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2456/06gregsanderszv5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2456/06gregsanderszv5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Greg Sanders</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">CSI: Crime Scene Investigation</span><br /><br />If he isn't fictional proof that not all scientists are boring and dreary then I don't know... He has, what I think is, dorky sex appeal. He has, however, become less comical in the current season... Hodges is taking his place as comic relief. The Actor: Eric Szmanda. <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Quirks:</span><br />- Likes listening to heavy metal while working in the lab<br />- Has an evolving hairstyle<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>Sara Sidle:<span style="font-style: italic;"> "So relax and lie down on your back"</span><br />Greg Sanders: <span style="font-style: italic;">"You know, this is exactly like a dream I had once, except it wasn't in a garage and Grissom wasn't watching."</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5549/07debbienovotnycy8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/5549/07debbienovotnycy8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Debbie Novotny</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Queer as Folk</span><br /><br />Outspoken, stubborn, nagging, red-haired... the physical TV representation of my mom. The Actress: Sharon Gless<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Quirks:</span><br />- Is almost always chewing gum<br />- Has hilarious shirts. The one in the pic says "Got Lube?"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>Debbie: <span style="font-style: italic;">"If I have to watch Martha Stewart make one more goddamn thing out of goat cheese, I'm going to kill myself."</span><br />Vic: <span style="font-style: italic;">"AMC has a Joan Crawford festival all week."</span><br />Debbie: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Nobody's THAT gay." </span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/6938/08stanfordblatchkn1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/6938/08stanfordblatchkn1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Stanford Blatch</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sex and the City</span><br /><br />SATC's "Fifth Lady". The shirt, tie and matching cap says it all. The Actor: Willie Garson<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Quirks:</span><br />- Did I mention the outfit?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>(Convincing Carrie she can pull off a short-lived modelling career)<br />Stanford: <span style="font-style: italic;">“Okay, so you're not Heidi Klum, but you're the 'modeliest' of the real people.”</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7630/09philstubbsjx9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7630/09philstubbsjx9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Phil Stubbs</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ed</span><br /><br />The head honcho of the Stuckeybowl staff. Stuckeybowl, to the un-ED-ucated is a bowling alley/ law office. Phil holds fort in the shoe counter. He has this obsession with fame and devises numerous ridiculous schemes to achieve it that always go awry. The Ingenious Actor: Michael Ian Black (a great poker player too)<br /><br />Quirks:<br />- Poses as a MENSA member smoking a pipe<br />- His catch phrase is <span style="font-style: italic;">"Shave my Poodle"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>Phil:<span style="font-style: italic;"> "I never liked kids. They're like small drunk adults."</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6875/10phoebebuffaylt5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/6875/10phoebebuffaylt5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">F.R.I.E.N.D.S.</span><br /><br />A flaky, eccentric, New-agey bohemian/vegetarian. She can be totally innocent one second and completely psycho the next. I love "Smelly Cat". The Actress: Lisa Kudrow<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Quirks:</span><br />- Still believes Santa Claus is real<br />- Has an alter ego named Regina Phalange<br />- Has a twin sister, Ursula, a pornstar whose most notable film was "Buffay, the Vampire Layer"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>Ross: (leaning over and talking to Rachel's womb) <span style="font-style: italic;">"I can't wait to play with you all day, and to hear your first words."</span><br />Phoebe: (wide eyed) <span style="font-style: italic;">"Why are you letting him talk to your crotch that way?"</span><br />Rachel: <span style="font-style: italic;">"He's talking to the baby."</span><br />Phoebe: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Oh, that's good. Because when I heard, "I can't wait to hear your first words" I thought, "Boy that's some trick!" </span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/812/11bettinalg8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/812/11bettinalg8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Bettina</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Six Feet Under</span><br /><br />Bettina is a recurring role in SFU. She is the most subtle comic relief in this list, but compared to all the gloomy main characters, she might as well be Karen-freakin-Walker. The Actress: the marvelous Kathy Bates<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Quirks:</span><br />- Manages Vicodin withdrawals<br />- Her daughter is alluded to as a "nut job"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>Bettina: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Lucky, unlucky, I don't know. I'm unlucky I ran through three husbands. I'm lucky I got to retire early off the insurance. I'm unlucky my son set fire to the house. I'm lucky I've never had a urinary tract infection. I don't even care if it works out fair in the end. I'm sure it doesn't. I still have to haul my own ass out of bed in the morning." </span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1175/12elainevassalts6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1175/12elainevassalts6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Elaine Vassal</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ally Mcbeal</span><br /><br />Ally's secretary/ assistant/ friend/ spontaneous Broadway singer/ limelight stealer/ homeshopping fanatic. The Actress: Jane Krakowski (Now <span style="font-style: italic;">30 Rock</span>'s Jenna)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Quirks:</span><br />- <<< That is a face bra... and yes people ACTUALLY produce them in real life<br />- She also had a bra that has a remote and jiggles to <span style="font-style: italic;">Jingle Bells</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>Ally: "<span style="font-style: italic;">I mean, with all due respect, you sort of walk around with uppity breasts, and the hair flips aren't the most subtle. And your perfume - you could be flammable. Now what if somebody shut you down as a safety hazard, how would you feel then?"</span><br />Elaine: "<span style="font-style: italic;">That was with all due respect?"</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7405/13janitorhd7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7405/13janitorhd7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);font-size:130%;" >Janitor</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Scrubs</span><br /><br />He is the Janitor. He makes it a point to sadistically terrorize JD and habitually teleports whenever he's the last person JD wants to see grinning his sarcastic grin. The Actor: Neil Flynn<br /><br />Quirks:<br />- He often pretends to be Dr. Jan Itor (Jan as in the German name)<br />- He's unfoundedly clever<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comic Relief:<br /></span>(JD is at the reception desk, sad)<br />Janitor: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Girl problems?"</span><br />J.D.:<span style="font-style: italic;"> "How did you know?"</span><br />Janitor: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Well, you look like you've got problems, you're a girl. Hence, girl problems. Watch your nails."</span><br />(Slams down hinged door)<br />(FYI, J.D. is a straight guy)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">--------------------<br /></div><br />Sorry for torturing you with two extremely long posts back to back... It's April after all, a month of tragic, tragic events... Au Revoir!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Alternatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134028920026127202noreply@blogger.com0