I've been waiting for this movie since December. Finally, its screening opened today! Of course, I watched it.
Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp in one scene at their Hotel room in Venice.
How much lovely Paris and Venice can be if you will see the most elegant gorgeous woman walking on its street, Angelina Jolie. I love the first several scenes where the camera just follows Angelina while walking, her stance, her stare, her elegant gestures and I should say, her EYES & LIPS. Then, you will have the impression that this movie is more of like a game, a cat and dog chasing the cheese of a mouse between Angelina Jolie who plays Elise, Johnny Depp who plays (I would rather not disclose this *SPOILER*) and the cops.
It is not much like of an action-suspense-romance film but it's more of like that, somehow. LOL Story starts with Angelina being chased by the police because she's the only contact person of this man who stole lotsa lotsa money. Angelina receives these letters giving her instructions where to go and how to mislead the cops. (You gotta watch it how Angelina plays like this effortlessly.)
Over-all, the movie got lots of twists in the story and how it was twisted is the BEST. Do not expect some huge explosion and car bombings and all because again this is NOT an action film. The only thing that will keep you watching it is when you keep on asking yourself "Who the hell is Alexander Pierce?" "Who the hell sends the letter?" "Oh, that might be him..." and all those cliff-hanging ideas or assumptions in your mind. There's no BED scene too because this is NOT Angelina Jolie's "Original Sin" movie. No, she did not show her butt.
About Johnny and Angie's chemistry, I must admit they lack on that corner. Although Johnny and Angie are at no doubt very brilliant actors that they can portray any role, there is still something missing between the two of them when they're in one scene.
Above all, the end part was awesomely the best. I have not thought that it would end like that. And, I'm sure if you will think about the end part deeply, you'll know what the real message of the movie is all about.
It's almost Christmas time! I can feel the coldness of the wind at night and the shopping rush of the people. Christmas season is the best time to be with family to celebrate the holidays seasons together. There's no other place in the world to best celebrate this joyful time than at home.
My Christmas used to be very fulfilling. I'm am very excited to go to malls with big sales, to Christmas bazaars and to any place where you can buy Christmas gifts and decorations at very lows prices. There's a feeling of fulfillment every time I was able to buy the item that I really like. After buying those stuffs I am still excited to go home to show it to my mom and to Grandma, and of course they will give compliments to the things that I bought. My mom and I used to shop together during this time of the year because we share same joy and feeling every time we buy some things for our family and relatives.
I am the one who sets up our Christmas Tree. Last 2008, mom and I went to the mall to buy Christmas decorations for our house and to replace the old stuffs hanging on the Tree. After setting up the Tree, I turned the Christmas Lights on, you can feel the lights reflecting on our eyes which makes it sparkle. My Grandma is my No. 2 fan, (Mom is of course the 1st) since the Tree was placed near at the front door, every time Grandma enters our house, she never fails to praise how beautiful it is and how she would like to have her own Christmas Tree too. This was 2008.
Year 2009, I set up the Christmas Tree alone, Mom was not with us anymore because she left last October 2009 and spent the Christmas holidays in OH. This time, my No. 2 fan becomes my No. 1 . Grandma visits our house more often than last year to check us out since mom is not around. She will visit us several times at different times in a day.
Now, year 2010. Christmas Tree was set-up, placed on the same area right after the front door. Same decorations, added some stuffs which Mom brought from the US. It is still beautiful. However, I never heard any compliments any more from Granmda. My No 1 fan will not be able to visit us and praise the how beautiful the Christmas Tree is. (Grandma passed away last April 13, 2010) Christmas lights do still sparkle but there some sorrow in it already, I cannot feel the same joy of Christmas which I have felt before. This Christmas is indeed, different.
And as days pass by, my brother and lil sister will go to OH before Christmas too. So I will be left all alone at our house on that used to be a special day. Although my eldest sister is still here, I don't feel spending and celebrating Christmas with her because Christmas means "Family", "Care" and "Sharing" and I cannot feel it from her. On other hand, this loneliness is still bearable because my cousins, Uncle and Aunts are living next door so I will still be able to celebrate this wonderful season at the very least.
(I'm carrying my 2yr old niece. Picture was taken last Nov 14, 2010. I dont look good coz i've had flu for three days)
Oh! I almost forgot that I got a blogspot account. Well, I've been updating my wordpress account much often than here since I got a Wordpress app on my Blackberry. I just hope Blogspot or Blogger will develop a mobile app of course first for Blackbbery.
Sometimes, things don’t work out the way we want or plan it.
Most of us has plans how our day will pass, where will we go, what meeting to attend to, what will we eat or not. While some of us have assistants to tell them what would be their schedule for the whole week or worse for the whole month. However, above all, in our minds we have our own plans on what road we should take and how are we going to take it.
We also tell ourselves that life is so unfair because there’s at least one moment in our lives that we get frustrated because things didn’t work out the way we want them. Well it’s just life, in ourselves we know that we are doing or planning the right thing but we will realize that the thing that we are planning is not the right thing that God plans us to be. He’s just simply clever, that’s it.
I’m writing this because I just experienced the same scenario, that no matter how we plan our life so smoothly, it will never happen if it’s not meant for you. If you can read on my previous blogs, I’ve been working for over a year now, and I’m really honest that I’m not that so fulfilled about my job because in me I want, I need and I love to study not to work. So I told myself that I’ll just continue working, I’ll just let the day pass, perform the best way I can and so on. I planned my whole year on my mind, what should I do, what should I accomplish or what not. After thinking what could happen this year, I told myself that I’ll just work until May, I’ll render my resignation in May so that I could continue my studies this coming semester. I don’t have enough money to support my education but my spirit is tough to make this decision. Because when I’m in school the happiness that I’m feeling is unsurpassable by any amount of money. So I already planned. I’m ready.
Then, on our department, there’s an internal job opening that allows qualified call center agent’s to apply for a higher position, a Quality Coach to be specific. In the team that I belong we are 10 agents and a Team Manager, my manager actually asked my two teammates and me to submit our resumes to him so that he can endorse us, at first I told him that I will not pass because I’m only 1st year college and I don’t have that much experience this industry, he told me that I’m so pessimistic that’s why insisted. Eventually, I gave my resume but it was declined by the HR dept because of my attendance points, because one qualification is your attendance points should not go over that 3.5pts and mine is 4.5pts, so I just told myself that things are working the way I’m planned it to work. 3 days after the job posting, my manager told me that I should go on Rest Day Over-Time so my attendance points will lower down. Because 4hours of RDOT is equivalent to 2 points that will be deducted from your attendance points. So I went for RDOT for 4 hours, the following day my manager quickly submitted my resume once again on the deadline of the application. That day as well I took the exam and passed. There are more or less 17 applicants and there are 14people who passed the exams whom includes me and my two teammates. Then we were scheduled for the initial interview after 2 days. I prayed so hard the night before the initial interview.After the initial interview, only 5 people passed. My teammate and I passed including the other three applicants from another team. We were scheduled to have our final interview the next day. I prayed harder this time.
During this time, I’m talking to myself will I become a Quality Coach? Will my plans be changed? I’m so confused. My manager was actually coaching me and my teammate about the final interview. The interviewer is the Head of the Training and Quality of 4 accounts in the company that I’m working in. That’s why my manager is serious about the interview. I just told myself, “Let it be, Thy will be done.”
The day for the final interview was so tiring, because I haven’t got enough sleep. Our interview time was 4am but the interviewer cam at around 5:30a.m, we were interviewed each for about 20- 30mins each. The interview was not that easy and not that tough, because my manager coached us really well that’s why we already have an idea what will be asked. So at around 8a.m I left the office and went to my Tita’s house, at around 10 o’clock I got a message from the Quality supervisor congratulating me because I got the job. I did not reply because the message was not specific to me, my name was not on the text. I thought it was wrong sent. But of course, my fingers are really cold already because there might be a possibility that I passed. So, I forwarded the message to my manager and let him speak with the Quality Sup what the text message was all about.
After 30mins, my manager called me on my phone and yelled: “NJay!, ang galing mo! Congrats! You’re now a Quality Coach! Di ka na magko-calls later!” (NJay, you did a great job! Congratualtions! You’re now a Quality Coach! You’re not going to take call late anymore!)
I replied: “Weh, di nga? Ahaha! Talaga?!!! Thanks TM!, Thank you so much for the trust and support!” (Oh, really? Ahahah! ‘Thanks TM, Thank you so much for the trust and support!”). One message that marked my mind is this: “You did it, you’re just simply good.” This meassge cam from my manager.
I was so amazed and so grateful about what had just happened this past 2 weeks. I keep on telling to other people that I will not be promoted because I don’t have enough experience and education to compete. But now, I realized that it’s not just the experiences or the educational background that you’ll put on your resume that matters most. It’s your personality, attitude and your strong-willed spirit that will define you to go through the challenges in life. It’s on how you deliver yourself, it’s on how you show people what you can do not on what you have not done. It’s on how you manifest your abilities and showcase your talents. It’s on how you believe not only on yourself but on the people around you. It’s on how you believe what God wants you to be, He knows what’s best for us and He will never put you down ever. I believed and claimed in Him that I will become a QC, and now I am an Official Quality Coach. Prayer is so powerful that it can surpass any challenges you will be facing on the road of life. My challenges do not end after the final interview, life has no endings, it has only beginnings. There’s always tomorrow, I know that the road that I am taking now will be rougher and elevated.
This only reminds us that no matter what we plan, what we want in life, if it’s not for us it will never be. No one can tell you what you will be. You can never manipulate your life, God has the power to do so. If we disagree what His plans for us will be, expect that you’ll never have an easy life. Life is not simple, it’s not easy. Financially we are stressed, emotionally we are disheartened, physically we are sick, intellectually we are slow but what matters most is spiritually we are whole, in peace and fulfilled.
Our beloved "The Voice" received a standing ovation when she made a surprise appearance at the BET Honors Awards ceremony last January 17, 2009, held at the warner theater in DC. This was an annual ceremony that honors and pay tributes to the lives and accomplishments of "African American Luminaries". This event was hosted by Gabrielle Union honored like Mary J. Blige, Tyler Perry, Magic Johnson, and Congressman James E. Clyburn. Anita Baker gave the audience an emotional performance of "One" and "Caught up in the Rapture" while singer Monica sang "Not Gon Cry" to pay tribute to Mary J. Blige.
Whitney Houston took the stage to honor Tyler Perry with his award. She looked fabulous in her black/off white evening dress, she really maintained her true diva status.
According to the "New York Post" Whitney Houston was announced to perform at Clive Davis' "Pre-Grammy Party" on February 09, 2009 and was said to sing her 1st single from her newest album since 2002. The only female singer who holds the record of 7 consecutive number one hits will be launching her 1st album in 7 years, hopefully this March. It is said that it was supposed to be released last November 2008, but due to lack of marketing and promotional stuff they postponed it and set to release on the 1st quarter of this year.
Whitney Houston is truly a living legend in the Music Industry, she is indeed one of the most celebrated female singers of all time, and to see her being this gorgeous and stunning is really a great big thing for her million fans.
+++++ You can browse my photos page to see her fabulous photos during the ceremony.+++++
This was my first blog for this Year 2009. Before I write about the good things that happened last year, let me first tell you what just happened on this very fresh new year.
January 1, of course all of us really got up late, I woke up around 11am because we were still up until 2am or 3am. I re-heated all our foods so we can eat.
A brand new day in a brand new year.I can feel the cold air running through my nose down to my lungs and through my whole body, a fresh new air that my body just felt. January 1 passed, I woke up on January 2 at around 11am again, I got up, I grabbed my two cellphones downstairs, I noticed that one of my phones was turned off, it won't turn on because the battery doesn't have a charge, so I plugged it in the charger, then when it was fully charged, I turned it on, then a message came in. This message came from my cousin and it was sent 8:45 in the morning on that day as well. The message says that my our grandmother just passed away. I was shocked, because if only my phone turns on from the moment I woke up, I will able to read the message earlier. I can't cry, I don't know why, but I felt a deep sorrow in my heart.
My grandmother who just passed away is the sister of my immediate grandmother, she completed 80 years here on earth. Biblically speaking, we are supposed to live here on earth minimum of 70years, so if we went beyond 70years, those additional years are great bonus to us from above.
Again, time will never tell us what will happen, we never knew, and I myself didn't even realize that this would happen on the very second day of the new year.
So, live each day to the fullest. Do not take things too seriously. Live a life with serenity, not a life of regrets.
No one really knows what will happen next. Next hour, tomorrow, the next day or even now, there’s no person in the world who can tell you exactly what will happen to you. People who has the ability to predict the future in some way are lets say in some way believable, but still it’s not accurate. Their predictions are not 100% true that it will really happen. Only the Lord knows what will our future will be. He is the only one who can tell if we will still wake up tomorrow or not.
Although we know that our life here on earth is not permanent. That we just borrowed this human life from the heavens, and we know that any moment, and the powerful God above can just easily take this away from our earthly body in a blink of an eye. Some of us still don’t realize how great life is.
I’m writing this topic because of a scenario that just happened with my family last week. My Uncle (Dad’s bro) just passed away last Monday. His death was unexpected; he’s 62 yrs. He spent almost all of his lifetime serving his duty to his fellowmen on his community as a “kagawad”. According to my grandma whom now is 88 yrs old and who’s memory is still vivid. My Uncle had a good reputation on his community, of course by being a public servant all he wanted was a peaceful environment. He had never been in any big row or fight to anyone. Then one night, there’s a man who’s drunk out in the streets making some noise and some things a drunk man was able to do. By his will to make a peaceful night & sleep to his neighborhood, he initiated to approach the drunk man to go home and take a rest because he’s really loud and annoying. Of course, a drunk man didn’t obey him, instead he bellowed that my uncle was boastful and was trying to prove something which was not true. So, this drunk man grabbed my uncle’s arms and tried to punch him out but my uncle lost his balance and fell of the ground, his head hit the gutter on the left side making him unconscious instantly. That moment, people went out, called ambulance and they hurried my uncle to the nearest hospital, at the hospital my uncle was in “comatose” for a short period of time, and by the hard impact that was incurred on his head and a lot of blood inside his skull (internal hemorrhages). He was declared dead. Although I and my uncle were not that close, I feel so sad of his loss, being an immediate family member it’s natural to feel this way. There are many people who will really miss him so much. Being a second born child in the family, his opinions and advices are seeked and respected. Grandma also told me that the day before my uncle passed away he told her that he had a dream about my dad, the he and my dad are talking somewhere and he saw their father (grandpa) as well.
Therefore, we are not the one who makes the world go round. God above indeed is the one responsible for all the things that’s happening. It’s unbelievable because He’s only one and he manages to run billions of lives here on earth. So much power that no one can have than Him. Impossible for us, but in Him all things are possible.
This made me realize more that, nothing is more fun than enjoying every minute of your life, cherish each and every blessing you receive. Helping others in the way you can, Showing love in your own means, and being grateful for every second you had in this planet.
This is my first blog for the month of december. I haven't written anything for thw hwole month of november. I didn't know why so don't ask me. Last november, there's nothing interesting happened. All saint's day had passed but I was so sorry because I haven't got any chance to visit the grave of my daddy. Well, I just hope he understand me due to my work. November was fine, i did well enough at work. I was able to hit our monthly target and was able to take home some incentives(Thank God). I was on vacation leave for about five days. . . from November 27 - December 1. What did I do with those days. I just stayed at home, lying on the sofa, eating junk foods and fruits and all that. I just want to take a break and doesn't wanna hear any english words directly on my ears. . . I don't know if my work annoys me or something. . . During the last few days on my leave days, my mom and I together with mah li'l sistah went to greenhills to check what can we buy. . . I was surprised because it was my first time to see Greenhills again in 2years. . . That place really changed a lot... very much... I bought a couple of tees and a pair of shorts. . . My mom was carried away by the prices of the tees that why she bought I think half- a dozen, as well my li'l sistah. . . The prices of all the merchandise in Greenhills are reasonable, very affordable with a very elegant taste. People that are shopping there are also nice, mostly "crisp" people(is what me and my friends call people who looks like "sosyalen") bwahaha!.... I think this is enough...
Above all, I was glad and thankful to the Lord that another month had passed with full of blessings, He never failed us, He's there everytime, as always. And here ocmes the Christmas Season, another month with more blessings...
Last Sunday was October 12, this day was a special day not only for me but for the whole family. It was our Dad’s birthday. How old is he? Well I don’t know either, actually I’m looking for his birth certificate to look when he was born. My mom is not here also while I’m writing this blog. The only thing that I know is he already stopped aging since June 4, 2004, when he died of colon cancer. Oh, what a really sorrow past. I already published a blog about the longest day in my life, the day when my dad died, it’s titled “Eternal Memory”. Anyway I don’t want to write about that regretful past anymore.
In addition, I thought I will have a dream about him the night before his birthday but I never dreamt of anything, which was not a new thing for me because since his death I only got a few dreams about him. Dreams that I wish didn’t end, those were the longest nights that I really love in my whole life. To be with him again, with us, completely. I don’t know what’s the meaning of him not in our dreams during his birthday, because this is the day that I am expecting him to be there, I don’t expect him to visit me in my dreams on November 1 of course, I’m not sure if it will be really him then. Well maybe, the reason why is he doesn’t want us to miss him that much. I must say to you Daddy, that even though you’re not visiting me or every one of us in our dreams lately, we really miss you, badly.
My mom cooked the all-time favorite pansit and my eldest sister (Ate) bought a “Brazo de Mercedes” which is daddy’s favorite. We celebrated his birthday as if he’s with us while we were eating. Even if there weren’t lots of food we still enjoyed his birthday, and I know that he understands our situation financially. Along with he knows that our love for him is unconditional. The next day, I woke up early to go to the market to buy the ingredients of the viands that I’ll be cooking. I cooked “pinakbet” at lunch and cooked his favorite “Pininyahang Manok” for our dinner. When I was cooking, I remembered his favorite fish which is “Dalagang Bukid” which I regret because I forgot to buy that, I just recalled that it’s his partner to pinakbet. One thing that I also remembered while cooking is “tahong” it’s was also his favorite, he used to grill it and/or make it as a soup. I told it to Mom and she said that she’ll buy those things next week as an extension of Dad’s birthday. Of course, I’m the only one who’ll cook for him, because there’s no one in our household who can cook as delicious as mine (bwahaha!). I also recalled that during my childhood, when we wake up in the morning we ran down in the stairs and look for our parents or yayas to see what we have for breakfast, I remember every morning on the dining table there are 5 covered cups of “taho”, besides to our breakfast, I remember him telling me every morning that “it’s nutritious, it has a lot of calcium for your bones to become stronger and for you to grow taller”. And maybe that was the reason why “taho” became one of my favorites.
Someone’s passing away is heartache, especially when that someone is very close to you. When that someone has a living blood running through your veins. Your father, your dad, buddy, friend, and mentor. Dad, having you as my father is a gratitude. Being with you for only 15 years was a great and unforgettable experience. I could be better if you’re here. I will look up to you until my dying day. I love you and I’ll always will. We miss you sOoOooo much!
I told myself last year that I will save up money for me to be able to go back to school last June. Unfortunately June came and the 1st semester ended, without me being in school. I told myself again that, there’s always the second sem, you can still save more so you can enroll yourself on the next semester. A month from now, 2nd semester will start and I still haven’t got enough money to enroll myself and be back in school. Even though the salary in the industry that I’m working in is promising, the expenses you have is also high. You should really be a “money wise” person for you to be able to save much. I don’t know why I haven’t save that much, to think that I don’t give a big amount of my salary to my mom and I’m not the type of person that’ll buy new clothes or shoes every payday. Yes, of course I do spend a lot on food but I don’t think that it’s the main reason why my bank account hasn’t reached a hundred thousand. My anniversary of being a Call Center Ageny will be on November. Of course, I am really thankful because this is my first job and I got this far. Actually I remember those times that I’m looking for a job, I applied to a couple of Call Canters in Quezon City and I also submitted a couple of resumes to different fast-food chains & McDonald’s is the only one who called me in and scheduled me for an interview. I was guilty because I never showed up on that scheduled interview. Maybe because that’s not the job that the Lord want me to be in. I am already in training for two weeks in one Call center company when this much known and bigger Call Center Company called me in and asked me if I can come in the next day for the re-assessment (because they told me before that my application is still for evaluation) of my application, I said “of course”, even though I'm already in training. Apparently, I left the 1st company that I’m in training and went to this company that I’m currently working in, and after hours and hours of waiting, few exams and a coulple of interviews, I got the job. I signed the contract for 6months and agreed to the discussed salary. And until now, I am here, letting each day pass and waiting for a really much bigger blessing that will give me the opportunity to go back to school. Here I go again; I’m starting to complain about my current situation, as I have written on my other past blogs, my spirit wants me to be in a classroom.
I know for a fact that it will not happen this year, anymore. I’m trying to accept it because there’s nothing that I can do. I cannot have tens of thousands of pesos in a blink of an eye. I’m just motivating myself that this will be the real world that I will be in after I graduated, that I am more fortunate than my “batch mates” because I already experienced how competent I am and how hard the competition in real world. That I am privileged by my abilities that even though I’m only a 1st year college student, I was able to be in this really hard industry, where international standards should be met every second. That this is more of a learning environment than being inside the classroom. These thoughts are the only things that help me or keep me waking up at night, dressed up to go to work and let the day pass. But despite my sadness, I make it a point that I am performing well on my job, complying with those strict policies and speaking English for the whole 9-hours. Of course, I will not be here if I am not, I am making sure that I will bring my full game every night.
Furthermore, having a degree means a lot, really. It gives so much opportunity in this game we called life. You’ll have a much higher salary and your confidence will be boost more, you’ll be qualified if ever you want to be promoted. In fact, a degree holder person has bigger chances in achieving their dreams. That's why this is the main reason why parents keep on saying to their children that good education is the only thing that they will leave to them, and if we’ll combine it with the golden rule that “Education is the key to Success”. However, other people also say that having a good education is not the only key to success; you should combine it with perseverance and hard work.
This leads me to these questions, the reason why I wasn’t able to be in school is money. How can I have money? I have to work, you have the money but you should keep on working to continue earning money. How can you study if you’re working? Be a working student. I understand this, but how can I hit two birds if I only have one stone? You’re answer will be, that’s why you should have perseverance and hardwork.
Well, I’m still really confused, I will just let myself be good at my work and let just see what would be the Lord’s will for me. After all, He is the one who manages each and every one of us. So, I’m sure He has plans for me and for my family.
Fresh David & Goliath Tees from the US!
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