Willing Exile: Just Hangin'
If there's a way I can gift-wrap this message for a particular someone, I would. But then again, what I mean to reach one person may just end up being misinterpreted by someone else. I'd like to be known yet still unseen, not much unlike Lionel Richie in Hello, only not as creepy.
It gets tiresome to sweet-lemon the result when there is so much residual bitterness. Intellectually I am aware of this feeling of never fully letting go, but emotionally it is still there. And I don't like to pretend that the feeling isn't affecting me. It does. Because the feeling, because of the choices surrounding it, encompass my whole life as it stands right now.
No, no more positive spin for this right now. I'd like the feeling to sear into me and leave its mark. Only then can I let it go and try, as best as I can, to move on.
I'm not begging to be pitied. In fact, I don't even care for acceptance or understanding. I just want to say what I would like to say, and then I hope that will be the end of this.
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Friday, March 02, 2012
Homerism
Trade: ESPN Trade Machine
Sign of the times - March Madness is on its way, so my favorite TV show, "Fringe" takes a few weeks off so that the followers of the NCAA can get their annual bracket fix.
In the meantime, time to indulge in a little fantasy in the Association. As a Boston fan, I would love for this trade to go down. Boston rebuilds on the fly while maintaining its flexibility to either retain some of its key assets after contracts of said assets expire.
Orlando gets some pieces to keep itself competitive in the short-term and then they create cap flexibility to attract some new talent, while avoiding the quandary of losing Dwight Howard for nothing. Ray Allen becomes their designated shooter either as a starter or coming off the bench, while Big Al takes over the post scoring duties left by the void of Howard's departure. Allen comes off the books at the end of the season, while Jefferson during the next one. The Magic get a chance to bid for a legit star next year or save all of their cap space to make a splash in the summer of 2013.
For Utah, they shed their redundancy of talent at forward and in Rondo they get the point guard they have been coveting to run their offense since D-Will left. He would prove to be a great fit in Utah. J-Rich is a rent-a-shooter whom they can package later for to get other talent, while J.O.'s contract expires at the end of this season and saves them some cash.
And of course, the Celts make out like bandits in this one, with a strong starting four of Harris, Pierce, Garnett, and Howard. At the two-spot, they have an option of going small by starting Bradley or Dooling or going big with Daniels, Pietrus or Pavlovic. If they go big, Pierce can either be the shooter or the driver as the situation warrants and they can go interchangeable on offense/defense. I would personally prefer to give Bradley a little more burn, but the front office also has the option to manage his minutes by signing Free Agent X from the waiver wire or promoting another hopeful from the NBDL to be a reserve while the other veterans can soak up starter minutes.
Hey, it's free to dream, especially since I haven't slept much. Here's to an exciting NBA trade deadline.
Sign of the times - March Madness is on its way, so my favorite TV show, "Fringe" takes a few weeks off so that the followers of the NCAA can get their annual bracket fix.
In the meantime, time to indulge in a little fantasy in the Association. As a Boston fan, I would love for this trade to go down. Boston rebuilds on the fly while maintaining its flexibility to either retain some of its key assets after contracts of said assets expire.
Orlando gets some pieces to keep itself competitive in the short-term and then they create cap flexibility to attract some new talent, while avoiding the quandary of losing Dwight Howard for nothing. Ray Allen becomes their designated shooter either as a starter or coming off the bench, while Big Al takes over the post scoring duties left by the void of Howard's departure. Allen comes off the books at the end of the season, while Jefferson during the next one. The Magic get a chance to bid for a legit star next year or save all of their cap space to make a splash in the summer of 2013.
For Utah, they shed their redundancy of talent at forward and in Rondo they get the point guard they have been coveting to run their offense since D-Will left. He would prove to be a great fit in Utah. J-Rich is a rent-a-shooter whom they can package later for to get other talent, while J.O.'s contract expires at the end of this season and saves them some cash.
And of course, the Celts make out like bandits in this one, with a strong starting four of Harris, Pierce, Garnett, and Howard. At the two-spot, they have an option of going small by starting Bradley or Dooling or going big with Daniels, Pietrus or Pavlovic. If they go big, Pierce can either be the shooter or the driver as the situation warrants and they can go interchangeable on offense/defense. I would personally prefer to give Bradley a little more burn, but the front office also has the option to manage his minutes by signing Free Agent X from the waiver wire or promoting another hopeful from the NBDL to be a reserve while the other veterans can soak up starter minutes.
Hey, it's free to dream, especially since I haven't slept much. Here's to an exciting NBA trade deadline.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Oxygen Break
A sound is meaningless if there is no one around to hear it. In like way, no love can be called true unless it is shared.
(Sigh). All my brain can come up with right now is one-liners.
In other news, "Spartacus: Vengeance" is filling up my hours. Watched the first five episodes, and I figure they are milking the same themes from the two previous series. Crixus is the lover denied (as Spartacus was), while Glaber is the ambitious Roman (replacing Batiatus). Spartacus is no longer a human being; he is merely a force of nature. His already paper-thin character has even been sliced more finely from cardboard to wrapping paper. No inner conflicts there, just a quote machine on the nature of freedom.
Wouldn't want to ruin it for the fans who haven't started on the series, but one thing is for sure - the violence is gratuitous, excessive even. Designed for the lowest common denominator.
There goes my oxygen break.
(Sigh). All my brain can come up with right now is one-liners.
In other news, "Spartacus: Vengeance" is filling up my hours. Watched the first five episodes, and I figure they are milking the same themes from the two previous series. Crixus is the lover denied (as Spartacus was), while Glaber is the ambitious Roman (replacing Batiatus). Spartacus is no longer a human being; he is merely a force of nature. His already paper-thin character has even been sliced more finely from cardboard to wrapping paper. No inner conflicts there, just a quote machine on the nature of freedom.
Wouldn't want to ruin it for the fans who haven't started on the series, but one thing is for sure - the violence is gratuitous, excessive even. Designed for the lowest common denominator.
There goes my oxygen break.
Monday, February 27, 2012
No Reason Required
Just can't help it. I've hit a rut and I need to get my brain plodding along. Go back to what works. Rekindle that wonder. When all else fails, turn to Sesame Street.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Just Hangin'
I've already given up on "Glee" having any sense of plausibility or story content but I keep on watching because of the music performances. The Valentine's Day episode wasn't particularly great, but Damian McGinty's "Home" by Michael Buble and Amber Riley's rendition of cheeseball classic "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston were particular standouts.
Stevie is still the one for the chill factor. Buble did a version of this, which reminded me of the original. The vocal crescendo is unbelievable.
As for other things, Valentine's Day is still the same but I have a project in mind which I hope does not miscarry. If it does, well, there goes the usual. I usually crash and burn, anyhow. Ouch.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Of Firsts and of Truth
somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond - e.e. cummings
I was not really into the series "Beauty and the Beast" because, of course, it was the late '80s and I hadn't outgrown cartoons yet, and I wasn't a fan of romance on TV either.
By the time the show was cancelled I finally understood what it meant, what it means, to welcome the presence of love in one's life, and I also discovered the work of e.e. cummings. I bought a cassette tape of the the soundtrack, with my favorite track - (The First Time I Loved Forever) as the headliner. Ron Perlman was great as Vincent, the "Beast" and I probably watched a few episodes of the show only because of Linda Hamilton (on whom I had a crush since "The Terminator").
There will never be a replacement of the first love, of that first exciting moment - as things should be, when experienced for the first time.
It will not, however, replace, the eternal flame of the true love that forever kindles once found.
I was not really into the series "Beauty and the Beast" because, of course, it was the late '80s and I hadn't outgrown cartoons yet, and I wasn't a fan of romance on TV either.
By the time the show was cancelled I finally understood what it meant, what it means, to welcome the presence of love in one's life, and I also discovered the work of e.e. cummings. I bought a cassette tape of the the soundtrack, with my favorite track - (The First Time I Loved Forever) as the headliner. Ron Perlman was great as Vincent, the "Beast" and I probably watched a few episodes of the show only because of Linda Hamilton (on whom I had a crush since "The Terminator").
There will never be a replacement of the first love, of that first exciting moment - as things should be, when experienced for the first time.
It will not, however, replace, the eternal flame of the true love that forever kindles once found.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Islands
 |
| Manhattan, in a pond at Windows to the World Park in Shenzhen. |
The end of a workweek brings with it a certain kind of sadness. The finality of the day summons all the ghosts of Things Left Undone, with the prospect of Things To Do still peeking at the horizon.
For a lifer like me, the end of work for the day is a sudden deflation of my self. My raison d'etre, so to speak, has ceased and the Case of the Big Man can now conveniently go into the closet. Without a life to which I can look forward, the end of the work week can be maddening. This is amusing and a bit of a pain in the ass at the same time - there was a time when I was the acme of indolence, existing on the point of letting things be - and even then, the remarkable thing that defined me was my own indifference.
What am I without this job?
The romantic in me would go jump up and down and say gardemit, give the old F**k you to the Man and get back, yeeeaaahhhhh.... get back to where you once belong! Find the spaces within and nurture the bridges to fill those gaps. Find love. Find fulfillment in writing the fantasy novel to end all fantasy novels. Do something. (Cue in Dick Dastardly, snapping at his canine sidekick, "Muttley, do something!" "Muttley, HELP!) Be involved. Wallow in weltschmerz.
Smack myself in the head and find joy that work this week ends! (It doesn't really, I'm administering a training tomorrow).
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The What?
It's easy to be caught up in a wave of pessimism when things don't go one's way. The world is imperfect, and by following one train of logic, the world is filled with imperfect beings. From there, one can infer that the imperfect being is oneself.
Reviewed word today - saw a re-run of the "The Big Bang Theory" where Sheldon Cooper uses the word weltschmerz - the melancholy feeling that stems from seeing one's imperfections and the imperfections of the world as reflections of one another.
I am not about to be taken in by that kind of feeling. That's the sure way to failure and oblivion.
"The only unbearable thing is that nothing is unbearable.”
― Arthur Rimbaud
Reviewed word today - saw a re-run of the "The Big Bang Theory" where Sheldon Cooper uses the word weltschmerz - the melancholy feeling that stems from seeing one's imperfections and the imperfections of the world as reflections of one another.
I am not about to be taken in by that kind of feeling. That's the sure way to failure and oblivion.
"The only unbearable thing is that nothing is unbearable.”
― Arthur Rimbaud
Friday, September 02, 2011
Quasi-Quiet Time
The day is about to end though I have to say it ended much earlier.
Spent most of the day on the tube watching the last few episodes of "Game of Thrones." I've read the first four books and now working on the fifth of "Song of Ice and Fire" (the first novel of which is the source material of the HBO series), so I'm not really at all surprised at how it would go. The show is largely faithful to the source material, which is a good thing. I've seen the show twice over now and it's still good.
It's good to just unplug from all the work-related stress and kick back. Anyhow, trying to keep Monday from coming too soon, and work will be back in a fury.
Vacations like this one actually ruin the whole thing for me - it's long enough for one to get lazy, but not long enough for one to do something creative. I can't travel out of the country because my work documents aren't ready yet, which pisses me off. Out of my control though. Makes the prospect of working closer to the Philippines a lot better. Still a pipe dream at this stage, though.
One objective at a time. Inhale, say once, exhale. Only the passage of time teaches one the virtue of patience. Sure, I'd like my life to get somewhere else pretty darned fast, but there's always causality - one thing must be done before it leads to another, before I get to the desired goal.
I was about to get into some bit of gardening but I realize I am getting into a lot of unnecessary metaphors. The vision has been stated, just get it done.
All of a sudden, I'm excited for Monday to come. Bring it on.
Spent most of the day on the tube watching the last few episodes of "Game of Thrones." I've read the first four books and now working on the fifth of "Song of Ice and Fire" (the first novel of which is the source material of the HBO series), so I'm not really at all surprised at how it would go. The show is largely faithful to the source material, which is a good thing. I've seen the show twice over now and it's still good.
It's good to just unplug from all the work-related stress and kick back. Anyhow, trying to keep Monday from coming too soon, and work will be back in a fury.
Vacations like this one actually ruin the whole thing for me - it's long enough for one to get lazy, but not long enough for one to do something creative. I can't travel out of the country because my work documents aren't ready yet, which pisses me off. Out of my control though. Makes the prospect of working closer to the Philippines a lot better. Still a pipe dream at this stage, though.
One objective at a time. Inhale, say once, exhale. Only the passage of time teaches one the virtue of patience. Sure, I'd like my life to get somewhere else pretty darned fast, but there's always causality - one thing must be done before it leads to another, before I get to the desired goal.
I was about to get into some bit of gardening but I realize I am getting into a lot of unnecessary metaphors. The vision has been stated, just get it done.
All of a sudden, I'm excited for Monday to come. Bring it on.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Mr. Potatohead
I have lain back several times on my hotel bed in this short week. Being in control of the TV has been a bit of a new thing again, really. Mind you, I have been sort of a couch potato in Manila, though mostly not in front of the TV, but the PC. Watching the tube means I only get to watch what the others get to watch. That means anything my nephew was watching - Playhouse Disney (Disney Junior) Nickolodeon, Animal Planet, Disney Channel, or whatever educational DVD that is playing.
Watching TV here can get to be cloying, since local content is something I don't understand and international content is limited to movie re-runs or watching CNN, the latter of which isn't so bad but one can get heartburn from watching all the depressing news in the world. The hotel does not carry Filipino channels except some public announcement channel - either based in Kuwait or Dubai. Watching that kind of stuff felt quaint, like seeing the plays I produced (haha, even I would say that my work is less than satisfying, at least for me).
Getting back control of the TV? I was expecting to be wowed, as all couch potatoes would, even though secretly in the back of their minds they know they would be disappointed.
Yup, you guessed it. TV has officially become boring.
Now, if only the hotel could hook up wi-fi access in our rooms instead of just the lobby cafe...
Watching TV here can get to be cloying, since local content is something I don't understand and international content is limited to movie re-runs or watching CNN, the latter of which isn't so bad but one can get heartburn from watching all the depressing news in the world. The hotel does not carry Filipino channels except some public announcement channel - either based in Kuwait or Dubai. Watching that kind of stuff felt quaint, like seeing the plays I produced (haha, even I would say that my work is less than satisfying, at least for me).
Getting back control of the TV? I was expecting to be wowed, as all couch potatoes would, even though secretly in the back of their minds they know they would be disappointed.
Yup, you guessed it. TV has officially become boring.
Now, if only the hotel could hook up wi-fi access in our rooms instead of just the lobby cafe...
Friday, November 27, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Down in the Hole
When you walk through the garden
You gotta watch your back
Well I beg your pardon
Walk the straight and narrow track
Iff you walk with Jesus
He's gonna save your soul
You gotta keep the devil
Way down in the hole
He's got the fire and the fury
At His command
Well you don't have to worry
If you hold on to Jesus' hand
We'll all be safe from Satan
When the thunder rolls
Just gotta help me keep the devil
Way down in the hole
All the angels sing about Jesus' mighty sword
And they'll shield you with their wings
And keep you close to the Lord
Don't pay heed to temptation
For his hands are so cold
You gotta help me keep the devil
Way down in the hole
--- Tom Waits, "Way Down in the Hole"
I spent the better part of my downtime watching the complete five seasons of "The Wire" from HBO. It has been some three-odd years since I wanted to see the show, but of course it isn't available on Philippine TV (it took some time before local execs warmed up to "The Sopranos," and then again, still with heavy censorship), and I didn't have access to the DVDs. The show came highly recommended from some of my friends, though seriously I only picked up on it because two of my favorite sports bloggers, Bill Simmons and Jason Whitlock, dedicated an entire podcast to it in March 2008.
The show is gritty, grey, and heavy on realism. Policemen and criminals are treated humanly, i.e. the cops are not white knights and the crooks are not outright blackguards. The show started slowly because of the dense backstory and preparation for future events, but once things got together BAM! I was hooked. For several moments in the show I was waiting for some deus ex machina or some cheeseball endings or events (alright, I have to admit Omar Little's portrayal in Season Five was a bit of a stretch), but it never happened.
Bonus is that most of the guys are virtual unknowns outside of TV, though I recognized some guys like Dominic West (as the dickweed Theron in "300," playing Det. Jimmy McNulty), Larry Gilliard Jr. (as the sidekick to Sarah Michelle Gellar in "Simply Irresistible," playing D'Angelo Barksdale), Frankie Faison, Wood Harris (from "Remember the Titans," playing Avon Barksdale), and my personal favorite throughout the series, Idris Elba (various movies, but the one I remember best is "The Gospel"). Elba's Stringer Bell is, without doubt, one smooth mofo. I don't want to spoil the show for you, you've got to see it.
The haunting title track is amazing. I am seriously looking into starting a Tom Waits collection.
You gotta watch your back
Well I beg your pardon
Walk the straight and narrow track
Iff you walk with Jesus
He's gonna save your soul
You gotta keep the devil
Way down in the hole
He's got the fire and the fury
At His command
Well you don't have to worry
If you hold on to Jesus' hand
We'll all be safe from Satan
When the thunder rolls
Just gotta help me keep the devil
Way down in the hole
All the angels sing about Jesus' mighty sword
And they'll shield you with their wings
And keep you close to the Lord
Don't pay heed to temptation
For his hands are so cold
You gotta help me keep the devil
Way down in the hole
--- Tom Waits, "Way Down in the Hole"
I spent the better part of my downtime watching the complete five seasons of "The Wire" from HBO. It has been some three-odd years since I wanted to see the show, but of course it isn't available on Philippine TV (it took some time before local execs warmed up to "The Sopranos," and then again, still with heavy censorship), and I didn't have access to the DVDs. The show came highly recommended from some of my friends, though seriously I only picked up on it because two of my favorite sports bloggers, Bill Simmons and Jason Whitlock, dedicated an entire podcast to it in March 2008.
The show is gritty, grey, and heavy on realism. Policemen and criminals are treated humanly, i.e. the cops are not white knights and the crooks are not outright blackguards. The show started slowly because of the dense backstory and preparation for future events, but once things got together BAM! I was hooked. For several moments in the show I was waiting for some deus ex machina or some cheeseball endings or events (alright, I have to admit Omar Little's portrayal in Season Five was a bit of a stretch), but it never happened.
Bonus is that most of the guys are virtual unknowns outside of TV, though I recognized some guys like Dominic West (as the dickweed Theron in "300," playing Det. Jimmy McNulty), Larry Gilliard Jr. (as the sidekick to Sarah Michelle Gellar in "Simply Irresistible," playing D'Angelo Barksdale), Frankie Faison, Wood Harris (from "Remember the Titans," playing Avon Barksdale), and my personal favorite throughout the series, Idris Elba (various movies, but the one I remember best is "The Gospel"). Elba's Stringer Bell is, without doubt, one smooth mofo. I don't want to spoil the show for you, you've got to see it.
The haunting title track is amazing. I am seriously looking into starting a Tom Waits collection.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Wizard's First Rule
"People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they're afraid it might be true. People's heads are full of knowledge, facts and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true.
"People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool."
--- The wizard Zedd, in Terry Goodkind's "Wizard's First Rule"
Watched season one of "Legend of the Seeker" and while it was a departure from the original "Sword of Truth" books, I didn't mind because Bridget Regan, who plays Kahlan Amnell in the show, is SMOKING hot. A little of the milkmaid-type along the Celtic prototype (examples: Lucy Lawless, Katherine Heigl, Meg Foster) but with a bit more character to her face. At least I can get a new inspiration. There's only so much you can get out of porn.
"People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool."
--- The wizard Zedd, in Terry Goodkind's "Wizard's First Rule"
Watched season one of "Legend of the Seeker" and while it was a departure from the original "Sword of Truth" books, I didn't mind because Bridget Regan, who plays Kahlan Amnell in the show, is SMOKING hot. A little of the milkmaid-type along the Celtic prototype (examples: Lucy Lawless, Katherine Heigl, Meg Foster) but with a bit more character to her face. At least I can get a new inspiration. There's only so much you can get out of porn.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)