Saying goodbye is never an easy thing…

 

Last night, while having coffee at the best local coffee shop in this sleepy town, I bought a Marie Claire (Philippines) magazine. The first thing I read on the front cover says that MC is saying adieu. Whaat?

 

I mean, surely, it couldn’t be that “MC” is Marie Claire and it is bidding me farewell this early, right? For a while, I thought MC might have been Mariah Carey or some other person I wasn’t acquainted with, whose departure from my life would not be truly missed. But I had a nagging feeling I might be wrong.

So, I eagerly ripped open the plastic and flipped to the editorial. Alas, it is true! Marie Claire (Philippines) is leaving the building. It has kicked the bucket on a summer, no less. It feels somewhat ill-timed. I feel like I’ve just been dumped by a boyfriend who both had good looks and good brains. Why? Did I do something wrong? Can’t we talk about this? I mean, this can’t be the end. I’ve done everything I can! Meanwhile, I plop on the floor, tears running down my cheek, pondering on ways how I could have been a better girlfriend.

 

I first learned of Marie Claire from a friend in my previous workplace around two years ago. I used to buy Cosmopolitan (Philippines). But I had grown tired of its repetetive features: fashion, dating and sex. It seemed to me that people who read that mag were interested only in those things. I was on the road to somewhere else by that time, getting ready to be married and moving on to another place. I was looking for more substantial things, considering that I would no longer fall under the category of dating. Marie Claire has proven to be that magazine I was looking for. Sure it had features on fashion, dating and sex, but there was so much more. It covered every aspect of a woman’s life.

 

Marie Claire has only been in circulation for three years. It appears from the Editor’s Note that the sales of the magazine hasn’t been enough to sustain it through. So now, it doesn’t have any choice but to bid us farewell. I have been a loyal fan, though. So, I can proudly say that my conscience is clear.  Still, I feel like I’ve been abandoned. Where can I turn to now?

 

But say goodbye, I must. Marie Claire, it’s been fun while it lasted. You were the best (well, one of the best) I ever had.

 

 

 

Salvation is his

With just one save in this season’s American Idol, is Matt Giraud really worth saving? Can he actually bring it?

I must admit, when I saw the auditions for this season’s Idol, Matt Giraud caught my eye. Aside from his uncanny resemblance to Josh Lucas (which automatically makes me think of Sweet Home Alabama along with Reese Witherspoon), he’s got a Justin Timberlake vibe that has been missing in the history of American Idol. I thought that he could actually be the next winner. After all, the show has spawned pop stars and a rock star. Giraud’s RNB and Soul vibe should be what Idol needs at this point. I mean, how many pop stars can you really stand?

Unfortunately, however, Matt has only shown so much of his artistic talent. Sure he can sing — so could the others who auditioned for the show. Well, most of them, probably. But the point is, at this stage of the show, when we’ve almost seen all, the contestants need to show more than just their voice. They’ve got to show creativity. Matt has, however, almost failed in this aspect. I say ‘almost’ becuase he’s had sporadic magical moments. Like I said, he’s shown just a little of his creativity. He’s not really consistent. So, how can we be sure that he’s really gonna bring it after having been saved by the Idol judges?

I have nothing against Matt. In fact, I actually like him. I know he’s got it in him. But at this point, faith in the unseen is not really enough. This is the time where we say “to see is to believe.” Or in case of American Idol, ‘to hear is to believe.’ I would really love to prove Simon Cowell wrong: that Matt Giraud could possibly be the next American Idol. But with his song choices and performance, the way I see it, Simon Cowell could be right. If Matt doesn’t up his ante, he’s definitely not going to go far with the show.

 

Investigations Schminvestigations

I’ve just arrived from my long weekend vacation. As I was taking a late lunch, my father-in-law decided to open the TV and watch the news. And of course, the sound that greets me is Sen. Santiago’s annoying incessant rage. Against whom and about what? I don’t really know… and I don’t really care.

Is just me or are these senate investigations becoming tiresome? Doesn’t it seem like the senate is launching investigations left, right and center? I suppose if the First Gentleman farts in public and causes a fainting spell within a five-meter radius, sen. Lacson would outright declare that probing into it would be necessary. I mean, I’m not paying them part of my hard-earned money (which I could have devoted to buying magnificent shoes and/or bags) just so they could shout themselves hoarse on tv.

Furthermore, aren’t these investigations supposed to be in aid of legislation? That is the mandate of the Constitution. These so-called senators are not granted a wide leeway; they cannot just investigate anything their hearts desire at the expense of some of my cash. Has anybody actually asked what piece of enligtening law they are planning to propose after these investigations? I would suppose that they don’t even intend to do anything about whatever they find out. The way things are looking, I would think that the only reason they’re launching these investigations is so that they can yell and take a piece of some officials in the executive department, just because they don’t really like the president or her husband.

If I didn’t know better, I would think senate is trying to arrogate unto itself the power to hear and decide case, which properly belongs to the Judiciary. As if they didn’t have enough on their hands with law-making, they decide they want to prosecute and punish too! And there’s reason to think that it’s true. Have you heard the way they speak, purposely uttering words and/phrases that belong only before the trial court and which would not have any place in an investigative proceeding — if it were truly merely an investigative proceeding. They speak of burden of proof and evidence as if they were trying to prove something. In an investigation, I should think that the main purpose would only be to seek the truth and not to discredit the witnesses if they don’t come out saying what the senators want to hear. What has happened to the doctrine of separation of powers? From what authority do these senators derive the power to humiliate and harass other public officials? Granted, some of them may really be corrupt. But, in senate, who isn’t? Even the most innocent-looking one is guilty of an act of corruption, even though the magnitude may not be as great as against the other. Nonetheless, he who comes to court must come with clean hands. They can’t all begin listing down what other officials have and have not done in accordance with their duty. After all, I wouldn’t think that they (well, I suppose most of them, rather than all) wouldn’t have the moral ascendancy for that. Who died and made them god?

 

Forgive me

I have a confession to make:

Yesterday, while I was at home, sick and absent from work, I watched the Twilight movie — for the third time!

Crap! Crap! Crap!

Let me explain:

The first time I saw the movie, it was at the prodding of my cousin D.  Like I said in my previous random rants, I didn’t really like it. I couldn’t understand all the madness, the gnashing of teeth and the shedding of tears. So, like I said, I read the book. To make what would be a long story short: I loved the story of the Twilight Sage. Even now, I think “love” is a fairly weak word to describe how I feel about the story. I mean, I could give an arm and a leg…perhaps even my husband? (teehee)… just to show my gratitude to Ms. Meyer for creating such wonderful novels and also to plead for the immediate publication of the complete Midnight Sun. In fact, I curse the person who leaked a copy of the manuscript of the Midnight Sun to the public! Thanks to you, whoever you are, the author has seen fit to halt the progress of that book. If it hadn’t been leaked, maybe I’d be in bed right now, reading the Midnight Sun, biting my nails and wondering why my life isn’t as exciting as fiction.

Anywaaaay… So after I’ve read the books, I saw the movie again. Just to understand why I didn’t fall in love with the movie as I did with the book. That’s when I realized that the movie failed to live up to the magic of the love story of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.

I suppose I should’ve stopped there, right? Like my grandma used to say, “One is enough. Two is too much!”

And yet…yesterday, for some reason, I felt the compulsion to watch the movie again.

The only justification for this that I could come up with is this:

I was sick, so I wasn’t in my normal state of mind — and I had to watch it for purposes of analysis.

Char! Whatever!

Nonetheless, I did learn some insightful things from watching that movie FOR THE THIRD TIME as to why it didn’t particularly blow my mind.

First: the reason why I didn’t like it is because the sequence of the movie (compared to the book) was a mess. For me, the one of the more exciting and thrilling part of the story was when Edward was driving Bella home from Port Angeles and he wanted to know what theory Bella had come up with. So, she was telling him what she’d researched about but in the end, deciding that it didn’t really matter whatever Edward was. It was one of those “awwwwww!!!!!” moments. And later, while still in the car, Edward said something to Bella to which she replied: “This is a mistake?” and then she sobbed. That was/is a heartbreaker! I mean, why did the writer/scriptwriter skip that? They could have cut the introduction instead. After all, the scene where Bella was leaving Pheonix could have been mentioned in as few lines as possible.

Second: actually, I think my second reason is still in relation to the first. I didn’t understand why the writers of the movie chose to introduce Jacob immediately as the movie started. I mean, they included the beach scene anyway, why not stay true to the story line and show how Bella flirted with Jacob to get the story of the Cold Ones from him?

Lastly: (although I could still think of a few other reasons why I didn’t feel so strongly about the movie, I’ll limit this to three) Robert Pattinson didn’t really deliver the emotions that was supposed to have been going through Edward. I could cite a couple but what really struck me the most was the fight scene at the ballet studio. Imagine it this way, Edward has been waiting for Bella his entire life (he said so himself). Naturally, he wouldn’t want any harm to happen to her in whatever way. And then, here comes James who wants to drink Bella’s blood and all Robert Pattinson could muster (as he jumped inside the ballet studio) is a somewhat “pa-cute” soulfull look in his eyes.He should have been growling instead! This was the perfect time to show the “monstrous side” of vampires. I mean, Edward was willing to kill for Bella’s sake, why can’t Robert Pattinson at least look angry?I mean, didn’t the director see that? I would’ve yelled “Cut!” right then and there and told Pattinson what his real motivation for the scene ought to be.

I recall one episode from FRIENDS where Joey was teaching a couple of people some acting techniques, based on his experience as Dr. Drake Remore from “The Days of Our Lives.” Joey was telling them that if they wanted to look like they were thinking of something, they should make the face of someone who’s just smelled fart and was trying to find out who did it.  I think Robert Pattinson could take a few lessons from him.

I’m not being cruel here. My point is just this: maybe next time, in the New Moon movie, Robert Pattinson ought to take better acting lessons and internalize his character more.

There is one good thing I can say about Robert Pattinson, though. He’s good at looking handsome. If I’ve said something to the contrary in my previous random rants, then I take it back. Insofar as looks are concerned, Pattinson is a good match.

*This is just MY OPINION!

But…whatever, right?! So long as nobody else goes out and makes a better Twilight movie, I’m afraid I might have to watch the same movie again for who knows how many more times. Hey, I’m still sick, remember?! =P

 

Seriously.

“Hi I’m “City Girl” and I’m an addict.”

At least that’s how I think I ought to introduce myself. But before I get arrested, I must explain the kind of addict that I am.

I don’t do drugs, if that’s what immediately gets into your head. I can easily get a high from the most mundane things in my so ordinary life. I wouldn’t need to spend money on drugs. But let me tell you, whatever it is that’s making me deliriously happy, I can never get enough of it… At least while it still tickles me. After that, it’s off to the next.

So what am I binging on today? Books — that darn Twilight Saga, to be specific. I know — it’s a bit too late to join the bandwagon. For some (if not most or even all), Twilight is soo last year. Normal people would have gotten over that movie and moved on to their real life. But not me.

To tell the truth, the movie Twilight didn’t really appeal that much to me. All I knew about vampires were those I learned from Brad Pitt in “An Interview With A Vampire.” It pretty much summed up everything I needed to know about them — they suck blood, they all look painfully beautiful (if they really looked anything like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas), and they turn into dust when hit by sunlight. That was probably the first and last movie about vampires that I’d seen. When I look back on it, I wouldn’t have bothered if Brad Pitt weren’t there.

So when I saw the news in some other website about the then upcoming movie Twilight, I didn’t even bother to read about it except to learn that the movie soundtrack had already hit number 1 before the movie even got released. It didn’t really interest me. After all, just because the music was good didn’t really mean that the movie is up to par. I just dismissed it.

My cousins though kept pestering me about it, not to mention the office staff. They got all hyped up about the movie, about how it was so much better than Harry Potter. But I wasn’t going to get sucked into that. I drew the line at Harry Potter. After all, what could be so wonderful about vampires, right? But my cousin D insisted that I should see it. Since I believed in the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” I went and saw what the hype was all about.

I must be honest. The first time I saw “Twilight,” I wasn’t really jumping up and down my seat or peeing all over myself in excitement and “kilig.” Edward Cullen — the actor — looked better when he was Cedric Diggory. But I suppose if one already looked perfect at a very young age, it would be downhill from there (this one I got from the movie “The Happening.” That is an altogether different story.) Anyway, like I said, I wasn’t particularly blown away by the movie. So I still couldn’t understand what the hoopla was all about.

Maybe it was fate that my sister-in-law had asked me (and my husband) to buy the books of the Twilight saga. I hadn’t really thought of reading them. But I was bored and was curious enough. So I read them. That’s when my addiction started.

The minute I started reading, I was hooked. I completely tuned out everybody else around me and got mad if they got too  loud, disturbing me while reading. I would lock myself up in my room, ignoring hunger, thirst, frequent calls of nature, including the need to sleep at night, just so I could go on reading. It was a different high.

I felt kind of stupid about how the book had affected me emotionally. I’ve just been turned into a gibbering and drooling idiot of a teenager because of the love story between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen to them — whether they’ll actually end up together or one of them will die. I really though hard about that one and preffered the latter. (What is it about tragic love affairs that makes them so appealing to me???!!!) I thought that would be more poetic and more realistic (as if a love affair with a vampire could ever become realistic!?!). But, of course, being the ever romantic that I am, I hoped for the other. But you would already know how it ends, right? And if you haven’t read the saga yet, under what rock have you been hiding??!! I mean, really!?!

Anyway, it turns out I really, really loved the story of the Twilight Saga. Of course it will never happen in real life (I have trouble with stories that could not ever, ever happen in real life. I tend to judge them as intolerably stupid.), but what the heck!?! It’s fiction, for crying out loud. Seriously.  Just enjoy the ride, I thought to myself.

As it turns out, I was right in my judgment about the Twilight movie. It wasn’t anywhere near the vicinity of the book. But I suppose that’s the bane of all best selling novels. Turn it into a movie and it’s sure to wreck the story up thoroughly. I mean, just look at the Da Vinci Code movie or The Firm, right? If it were up to me, no best-selling novel ought to be turned into a movie, no matter what the price. But if there were any exception, I’d take the Twilight movie, replace all (or perhaps some) of the actors, the director and the writer, and re-do the movie all over. Seriously. It really deserves so much more than that Cedric Diggory guy (I know, he’s Robert Pattinson. I just like referring to him that way) saying “You’re my personal brand of heroin.” I mean, seriously, that is so grunge! And grunge is soo last decade.

I have to put an end to this ranting or I will never be able to stop. So, I’ll just end this with what I really wanted to say in the first place: Hate the movie. Loved the saga – seriously.