arvTales

It's Sunday night and I'm at my most philosophical once again.

My day... spent the morning meditating of sorts. Woke up early, stared at the ceiling for a few moments and wondered what the next few months will bring. I thought I'd start with February.

With the aim of making 2008 the Best Year Ever, February was surprisingly easy to plan. A couple of visits, a couple of meetings, a couple of appointments and a lot of online research and some window shopping. Some work related stuff, business plans, and the month quickly filled. Seems not time for love in February though, save for sweets during mid-month.

A slew of birthdays next month also; budgeting will be tricky. All hope is that finances will be okay after February.

All that thinking before I got out of bed. All that thinking needed a meditation afterwards.

I'm unsure how much time passed, but after a few minutes of silent morning meditation, I felt fine.

The rest of the day was frittered away doing chores, reading the paper, and watching Rome. Got about half way through season two when hunger called. Then I watched season two, episode one of Dexter. Still a great show. Looks like they're giving Rita some balls this season, and Dexter's secret stash has been found.

After that, a little bit of weight training and a bit of online shenanigans and the day was done.

Lots of good television on a lazy Sunday. Not a bad way to cap off or begin the week.

Labels: telly

So I've been watching The Girl #2. She seems like a sad person when she's alone. When surrounded by others, she laughs a lot. A heckuva lot. The Laugh has always bothered me. My first conclusion pointed to a defense mechanism. Signs still point that way.

Case in point: her vmail greeting. She sounds sad. Not only that, she sounds morose when she leaves messages. Maybe that's just how she is on the phone. That could be problematic. If she wants to be in the business she thinks she wants to be in, she's going to have to liven up her phone persona.

When she's walking alone, she seems always pensive. When she's sitting alone, smiles don't seem to creep on her face. Ever.

Surround her with people and she's all laughs. It's a stark, almost eerie contrast.

I wonder if the laughter is real. It feels real. Maybe that's enough.

She's a very complicated portrait of a person. Come to think of it, I wouldn't be interested if she weren't.

Labels: ideas

Rogers Horoscope

In order to get more romance in your life, you should go back in time. Old fashioned ideas are not all keepers, but some of them are lost treasures you should try to regain. Instead of rushing into a new relationship because you're eager to get something going, opt for courtship. Take things slowlya and really get to know this person. If you are in a relationship currently, integrate courtship rituals into it. Go on a date with your sweetie and pretend you just met.

Northrop Frye's definition of romance is much more interesting. True classical romance (the genre) is lacking today, I think. There's more focus on the "Hollywood" version.

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, except to say that romance and chivalry is not dead.

It feels like it's been too long since I thought about courtship. How could I have ever forgotten. Ah, memories.

Now I just feel all kinds of happy happy.

Labels: horoscope, ideas, love

I'm nervous. I'm hopeful. I'm nervous and I'm hopeful and now I'm kinda hungry.

My job performance review is on Friday and even though I've done this many times before I'm still fuckin' nervous. But only when I think about it.

And I know that I shouldn't be nervous because I'm totally awesome and everyone at work loves me (with the exception of two notable people. You know who you are.), I'm still a little apprehensive.

Why?

There really is no reason to be. My boss is great. He's the smartest guy I know. My boss' boss is also smart. They're two guys I want to be like. Mentally and bank-statemently. Now, my boss' boss' boss is a scary guy who's a real Machiavellian hard ass. Easy to get inside his head though because he's the type who loves to be feared. There's some suspicion that the histrionics are for show. Might could be it's upbringning. Though it's most likely for leverage. I try to avoid him as per George Washington's advice about being alone vis-a-vis being in bad company. But this is a tangent.

I'm somewhat prepared with my SWOT, and some other things I might want to talk about. Things I can't recall but was smart enough to write down. Somewhere.

But there's still some anxiety. It'll pass. Just like the hunger did.

Labels: work

Rogers Horoscope

Try to avoid having any virtual or pseudo experiences today -- you need to live in the here and now, rooted in reality. This means that if you are going shopping, stop at the bank first. Use cash as your method of payment, because plastic is just too easy to max out right now. Real currency will remind you that there's an exchange involved -- the more things you want to buy, the more you have to sacrifice. This tactic a great way to stay on your budget!

With money on my mind lately, I could not help but be touched by this. It's good advice. Using cash is a great way to save money. And right now, my wallet is proof of that. I've curtailed my spending to less than two hundreds ducks (sic) a month. * joyous sigh*

Labels: horoscope

Right now, at the very second I am writing this, I have a major headache. It came out of nowhere half an hour ago and for no reason. Seems to be that's where most things come from, with usually the exact same reason.

So I want you to understand that I'm writing this under mental duress.

This is a reflection of my week.

Idea: Movie a Day.
Spend a couple of hours watching a movie. That's 365 movies in one year. That's a lot of movies. Hmm. This idea requires too much of a time commitment. It's still a good idea though, just needs a bit of tweaking. It might work quite well with just 2-3 movies a week. Yes, that's it. It cam be integrated to work out nights. Yes, yes, quite. This might could work.

Rules

• No more movies on the telly
  
• New release or old classic or old not-so-classic
• It doesn't matter what kinda flick, so long as it interests me
• Only on days I actually have time, like workout days
• Movies I've already seen are okay too, but they must be awesome to qualify

But Why?
That, I have no answer except to say that I do enjoy movies. From plot to character, to story, to good writing, cinematography, acting, and directing--I like it all. Heck, I even enjoy stupid, funny movies, action flicks, and tear jerkers. So long as it's entertaining.

Like Cloverfield. Most people are probably not going to like it, like the group of Asian twenty-somethings sitting behind us in the theatre. They found it boring, I found it quite entertaining, even if it was unbelievable at some points (think about it tough, a monster attacking NYC... how believable is that to begin with?). It was good entertainment which actually had me, literally, at the edge of my seat a couple of times. Okay, one of those times I was adjusting myself, but still.

Abrams marketed it well. Matt Reeves is a competent director who will probably grow. Drew Goddard wrote a good tale. When I read his name in the closing credits, I knew instantly why I enjoyed it so much. He's got a certain style to his writing and I found the dialoguing familiar. It was funny at the right times. He balances intensity with levity quite well. Plus the exploding person idea was so gross and so cool at the same time.

So what's next?

So far...
2008.01.01: I Am Legend
2008.01.05: Futurama: Bender's Big Score (repeat)
2008.01.12: The Man From Earth (repeat)
2008.01.19: Cloverfield
2008.01.20: Live Free or Die Hard (repeat)
2008.01.20: Sliding Doors

Scheduled:

• Serendipity (repeat)
• Taxi to the Dark Side
• Day Zero
• Juno
  
• Cassandra's Dream
• Beautiful Girls (repeat)
  
• How She Move
• Knocked Up
• Superbad (repeat)
  
• Rambo
• The Professional (repeat)
  
• 28 Days Later
• 28 Weeks Later
• Pan's Labyrinth
• Cars
• Sunshine
• Serenity (repeat)
• Transformers (repeat)
• His Girl Friday
  

Will update the list as appropriate.

Hey, my headache is gone.

Labels: ideas, movie

Some guy said that. Some old dead guy said that. You know, The Old Dead Guy, who was so smart he taught the guy who people think is the source of Western Philosophy. And that guy ended up teaching another guy and together they're the Three Old Dead Guys of Thought. Remember now? Thought so.

I'm supposed to be reflecting on my day, my work, my life. But I'm not. What I am doing is watching--okay, listening--to RvB, thinking about tomorrow's dinner and movie, and thinking about what I should wear.

Now I'm thinking about MS' wedding and how I have to tell her about the Total Wedding Show this weekend. And buffet next week with KM. Mmm, butter chicken.

The more I think about these things, the more I realize that that's my day! Thought about wedding, thought about setting appointments with KM and the doctor. Thought about the dinner and movie and where to go. That was pretty much...

My day...

A crazy lady called me today. Two of them, actually. The first one was a colleague.

ring ring
Me: Hi D!
DB: Hey! Who's this?
Me thinking: You called me and you don't know who I am? We sit not 10 metres away from each other. Is this a joke? I'll play.
Me: (in a very deep voice) It's MM.
DB: Oh, hey, hi. Is RR in?
Me: Nope.
DB: Okay. Can you connect me with MC?

A couple of minutes later.

ring ring
Me: Good afternoon, AC speaking
Crazy Lady: Hi. Did you dial me or did I dial you?
Me thinking: It's gonna be one of those days, huh? I'll play.
Me: My phone rang so I'm guessing you dialed me.
CL: Oh, okay. I'm trying to reach CODA.
Me: Okay. This is...., not CODA
CL: Oh. I don't know what that is. 'K, thanks. Bye.
Me: Okay then.

---

My work...

Well, as you can see from above, my work is pretty interesting. More next week after my performance review.

My life...

I feel like I'm in a good place even though I've effectively put parts of my life on hold till the summer. Like dancing, french, and the May marathon. And I'm okay with that. Things are changing and I think for the better. I think. I hope. I pray.

In the meantime, there are things to think about, things to reflect on.

The black RW shirt with narrow white stripes. Yeah, that one will look awesome for tomorrow.

Labels: life, quotation, work

Near nineteen days into January...

There were so many plans for this year:

• dancing... not group lessons... private instead... must thank The Babe for her help.
  
• French... have to move lessons to summer after I move to new place.
• Drums... can't purchase new kit. Dammit. Pa-dum-pum.
  
• Machu Picchu... could still happen depending on money situation at year's end. If not, there's Buffalo. It's sorta the same thing.
  
• Running. Teaching a clinic or joining one? Could use the discounts.
  
• Marathon. May Marathon not happening, but training with KM and KB will.
  
• Cardio and weight training... gotta keep doing it. Fourth month, seeing fantastic results... can't stop now!
  

Labels: ideas, life

It's Day Two of DJ&T's Jamaica, Mon Adventure. It's Day Two of Hell At The Office for Me. It's a cold, quiet type of hell where the phone rings every five minutes.

I now fully comprehend why T doesn't like to take her phone calls. I now fully understand why she once quipped, "If it weren't for clients or candidates, this job would be great."

Here's the deal: with T on vacation I've been handling her phone calls. She has some strange clients and even stranger candidates. One girl left a message to see if I could help her. She was recently let go (before the Christmas break, according to her CV) by a company she's worked for in the last 6 years. She was referred to us by a friend and given T's name. Her husband called in the afternoon to extoll her experience.

I would have called her. She didn't have to call in the troops.

That was just one, and it wasn't even the worst. A client called regarding $. That one was interesting. Remind me to tell you about it the next time I see you because it's not for here.

Labels: work

BG is on the phone with an Administrative Assistant of a company based in Washington, DC:

Asst.: So, are you international?
BG: What? Do you mean like my culinary tastes?
Asst.: When I dial you directly, are you considered international?

BG is trying to hold back laughter

BG's inner voice: You are a fucking moron.
BG: You are so close to us, you would be considered Canadian.

Asst: ha ha ha.

BG's inner voice: Idiot.

Update: The Admin Asst just sent the email confirmation of the conference call. She forgot to write that we're international!

Funnier with a heavy southern accent. Try it.

The day was a lot better when I thought it was the 14th. Sometimes that's just how things are: you think you've travelled through time a few days only to find out you haven't. It's a downer.

JR and I spent the day maintaining the household. From cleaning to repairing, to tracking down a phone off the hook. That last bit was the most interesting.

This is a pretty big house and with nine phones (that I know about). All of them had no dial tone. JR and I scoured the house for all the phones, trying to track down the problem. We spend a good thiry minutes lifting, listening, and ultimately not getting anywhere. So we gave it up. Father did the same thing when he arrived. So the issue must be with the provider.

Watching my father deal with vendors is a family sport. He has little patience, something I'm glad he did not pass unto me. While eating supper and watching some football, I could hear him talking to the computerized prompt of Bell's phone customer support system. At one point he yelled to the computer, "Look, I don't want to talk to you, I want to talk to a technician." I couldn't help but smile. He's never going to get help with his attitude.

Thirty minutes later he's still on hold. A live person finally answers (I was actually surprised he got someone), and he starts rambling on how he wants a technician to come over. In his defense, he did check out the phone connection and tracked the problem to Bell's end. He's a talented engineer. After a few minutes of coaxing and chosen angry words, he's satisfied. Almost. The technician is coming the day after tomorrow, which means no landline till then. Upon hearing this he asks the CSR for credit for his troubles. He's also a good haggler. Another thing he didn't pass unto me. That one I could use.

In the end, he's somewhat happy. I think he got two free months of service. Knowing him, he'll probably try and talk the tech for more free things.

Rogers Horoscope

People could get whiplash after watching you today! If you're not careful, you'll be running back and forth, working in so many different areas that you are not likely to get much done in any one. So to keep yourself from having to hurry back and forth, you should try to tune into your slower, more deliberate nature. Pick one thing, stick with it, and then see it to its completion -- or at least to a point where you can pass it off to someone else.

That's exactly how I felt today running around trying to help people, cover for two folks out sick, and answering the phone.

The day is a little hazy and my mind is a tad tired. This is going to be short.

Labels: horoscope, work

Limits. I know them. I just ignore them.

Happy birthday to you both, you stubborn Januarites.

Hope you both enjoyed my rendition of the birthday song. JR, please delete from your cell's voicemail. I fear blackmail in the future. I mean, I would, if I didn't have such a melodic voice.

Michelle and I got to talking about romantic movies. It was born from her apparent lack of movie taste. She would argue that it's her boyfriend's lack of taste. Either way, they rent craptacular movies. Movies like Balls of Fury.

As with most conversations between a man and a woman, ours naturally went into romance and romantic movies. I gave her my faves, she gave me hers. We have different tastes.

That was the mentally I had going into this weekend when, after going through dozens of borrowed CDs containing hundreds of songs, my mind wanted some visual stimulation.

A quick search of new movies in the paper was disappointing. I did not want to see AVP 2, saw Legend last week, Beowulf was a definite no, and a pass to both One Missed Call and Walk Hard. Sweeney Todd sounded interesting but not this week. Bloor Cinema didn't have anything interesting either, which was a surprise.

Scanning the paper, my memory was tickled at the word "once." A positive online search and I was off.

It's always fun falling serendipitously for serious quality, even if it was a little bit planned.

Wow.

Once is a fantastic movie. It's a simple story about people living their lives and things happen as they have a habit of doing and their lives change a little bit for the better. It's character-driven with not a whole lot of plot. It's a music lover's movie. It's a love lover's movie.

Simply, it is one of the best movies I have seen in a good long while.

From the first duet, Falling Slowly, the movie and music will grab your heart and mind and not let go until you yearn for similar story in your short life.

There is so much more to tell but it's best to let you discover it all for yourself.

Enjoy a good story, for once.

Labels: love, movie

A guy at the office once called to ask, "Can you connect me to the operator?" Hilarity ensued.

Our little company is a weird place full of weird people.

Labels: quotation

I don't know what to write about so I'll write about what's bugging me right now. My condo. I keep going over the numbers and they're just so... it makes my head hurts.

There's this nervousness about me. I know I should go to bed so I can wake up early in the morning and get to work very early and finish off some stuff I need to finish off... like architecturing next week's meeting. Or writing agreements. Or filing.

But I can't sleep. This condo thing is in my mind right now. It's going to be in my mind for the rest of the week. The only solace I can take from this is that something has finally gotten the girl out of my head. She's been in there for what seems like forever.

Argh! CONDO!

Superman: Doomsday is playing in another window as I type. Family visited for the day and I'm exhausted so my brain suggested a little easy viewing.

Little K came to visit. He still amazes me with fully formed sentences both in English and Tagalog. He's not even two. His family and all the area families converged on our house for New Years lunch and dinner. It was fun, loud and very tiring.

We played with Hotwheels and he took two of them home.

Back to the movie.

The animation on this direct-to-video movie is very different from the televised animated Superman. This one sucks. Everyone's skinny, pretty, and it doesn't look right.

So I'm not really paying attention to the movie. Instead, my mind wandered and pondered on the stupidity of Lois Lane. After dating Supes for six months, she has yet to figure out his secret identity. She's been reporting on him for years and after they hook up, one would surmise that she'd figure things out. Nope. Not in this movie.

But how about Jimmy? Olsen is a smart kid and he sees everything. And he's got a shiny gold earring in this incarnation. Assuming he's not an idiot, Olsen must know who Supes is. He's been there enough times to see Clark run off and Superman swoop in just a second later. So here's the theory: he's keeping the secret. He's keeping it because he knows that if anyone every found out he knows something then he's fair game too. And after seeing all the unfortunate things that's happened to Lois, he's going to keep his mouth shut.

Good for him.

I much rather prefer to believe Jimmy is smart behind those telescopic lenses than a complete idiot who can't spell like Lois Lane.

2008.01.01
First Night was fun though it didn't snow as much as I had hoped. Downtown got a bit and Scarberia got nary at all.

My romantic side wants to watch dawn come. My pragmatic side wants rest. My violent side wants to kick the other two's asses. If it weren't his ass as well he'd have done so already.

Looking forward to First Day and a wonderful 2008.