"Workin' 9-2-5...."

Last Saturday Dale Carnergie Class 925 had its last full day of sessions (6 weeks, 12 sessions) at the 6th and 7th floor of Robinson's Corporate Tower. Stories were shared, tears shed, awards broken through and performances were outstanding. After graduation ceremonies the class went bowling at Paeng's. To cap off the evening some of us (15) headed for Metrowalk for a BBQ dinner at Yahoo, then danced and drank the night away at R&B music bar.

Parang Beijinoys ba?

If You Buy This...

...for yourself, you have my sympathies.
...for a friend, I will say to you, "Interesting choice," while giggling from the inside.
...for me, I might bonk you on the head with it.

It's a DVD rewinder.

Health Update

After more or less 6 months since my last blood test, my latest results are (sort of) cause for celebration. My cholesterol and triglyceride levels are now at normal levels. Who would've thought cutting down on mashed potatoes and steak would do the trick?

On the downside the change in diet now resulted in high uric acid levels. From what I've researched online, uric acid comes from the breaking down of purines, w/ high levels of the latter found mostly in high-protein foods. Luckily I don't eat the ones w/ really high levels, like anchovies, brains(!), kidneys and sardines. Unluckily, the ones I do often eat are of the medium level (Beef, Chicken, Mushrooms, Oatmeal, Pork, and Tuna).

Worse case scenario is gout, a disease I've only read about in circa 1970s encyclopedias and heard of in Chris Rock's comedy routine. Bad case scenario is kidney stones, w/c I've had before.

Hmm, so I can either cut down on the protein or re-introduce more carbs in my diet. And as always, more fruits and water. As for low level purine foods there's gelatin, cream-based soups (high sodium naman!) and tea.

Rats Off

The family just got back from our Father's Day dinner at Shangri-La Makati. About 15 mins past midnight (we were all still awake) Boit tells me to help Pa in the kitchen. Seems he's trapped a rat and was trying to kill it. I peeked into the kitchen door window to assess the situation. My father is armed with a squeegee, saw and wooden backscratcher (ya take what ya can, and the tool shed's next to the kitchen, anyway), and breathing hard from having moved the fridge.

After I handed him the flashlight, we managed to scare the vermin from out under the fridge, where it scrurried left and right. Between Pa's toneful whacks of the saw and klacks from the backscratcher, I was going at it w/ the squeegee while my inner gay man has going filthy! filthy! I finally stepped on it, while my father whacked it w/ the backscratcher.

But not before hitting my foot. Twice.

Long story short: Dad kills rat, much to his satisfaction. My right toe hurts.

Ironic way to start Father's Day, seeing as how my Dad was born in the Year of the Rat.

Fit at 150

After months of exercise, diet and (lack of) proper sleep I finally achieved my ideal weight of 150 pounds. Still have a slight gut, though, but the crunches have made it easier to suck it in. Seems losing weight is a lot easier than losing body fat (stupid love handles...).

I'd like to thank Tae Bo, the treadmill, increased fibre and decreased rice intake in my diet, hi-cal low fat milk, and my self-conscious image for helping me achieve this goal. (insert applause)

I'd like to push for 145-140, but now all my pants are ill-fitting, and I'm too lazy to take them in for alterations. Hmm, whey protein, perhaps...?

And I've got to stop scarfing down Chef Tony's popcorn in the afternoons! It's my scooby snack!

Decent (Enough) Proposal

Several families were in attendance for Boit's birthday at Saisaki West Avenue, including his girlfriend Dionne's family, w/c will become more apparent in a while.

Everyone was just about done with their lunch buffet meals. Mini-cakes from Bizu (and a pie-sized one from Saisaki) were brought out. The kids sung and blew on the candles, as did Boit and Dionne.

And while they held hands under the table, Boit slowly brought them up and subtly placed an engagement ring on Dionne's finger. No shock nor awe from her part (and if there was it must have been internal since I couldn't capture it on the vidcam), but all smiles. My side of the family already knew what was planned, so all that was left was for her to show the ring to her side of the family (w/c she did).

Frankly I think my brother was expecting something more akin to a Hallmark Moment: tears, hugs, girly screaming, the works. I probably should've told him from experience that male fantasies hardly/never turn out the way you... fantasize about them. That, and subtle begets subtle. Wouldn't have hurt for him to actually get down on one knee (sticky floor notwithstanding) and/or actually pop the question.

But whadda I know? I'm single.

Hope They Don't Get Cellphones...

My 5-year-old niece Jasmine comes for a visit, looking all haggard. Her mom says it's because she stayed up late last night chatting on the phone w/ my other 5-year-old niece Mia.

Exactly what topics of discussion can be brought up by 5-year-old brains to turn them into telebabads at such a early age bewilders me.

10 Thoughts on X-Men: The Last Stand (Spoilers)

1. Digital make-up is just creepy. Creepy when they used it to make Tobey Maguire look lethargic in Spider-Man, still creepy now when they de-aged Prof. X and Magneto.
2. Now everyone's going to equate floating objects and gravity-defying water as residual TK energy...
   
3. So much death, so little blood. Seems adamantium claws are hemoglobin resistant, and molecular disintegration is a more hygienic way to snuff someone. "It's for the kids..."
4. Interesting to note that while we're supposed to see mutant henchmen, all I see are minorities playing the cannon fodder. Just goes to show that even as mutants, Latino and Asian characters can't catch a break in Hollywood.
   
5. I think they had Prof. X act like a dick so when Jean Grey killed him you wouldn't feel too bad about it. Not that it was a problem in the end (credits)...
6. Well, Angel's role was a waste of time. And to think he got so much face time in the marketing of this film. Kitty Pryde gets a nod for swearing in the film, unlike Logan (a first, I think). Storm loses the South African accent and just went for the Halle "all lightning and fog but for some reason no hailstorm to f**k things up" Berry accent.
   
7. Maybe it's just me, but any school with it's own cemetary for anything other than pets or strays is just f**ked up. When my friend mentioned that the school was acutally a private residence, well, that's just even more f**ked up! "Hey, what happened to Bobby?" "Oh, he's in the backyard..."
8. Cliches and more cliches! I'm not sure what I hate more, dumb dialogue used to fill up a scence or cliches that think they're clever when spoken out loud.
9. Homages (or swipes) up the wazzoo, indicating either director Brett Ratner's love of cinema or lack of originality. The Matrix, Star Trek III, The Exorcist, Lawnmower Man, Gone with the Wind(!), and even Osama bin Laden videos.
   
10. It wasn't that bad. Sure, the movie had some bumps, but no more than the last one, as in the let's get Professor X and Cyclops outta the way YET AGAIN routine.

Ooh, and remind me to make a "I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!" T-shirt.

Dog Dale Afternoon

I'm halfway thru 6-week Dale Carnegie course, and already I've gotten both Breakthrough and Outstanding Performance awards (w/ matching pens), as well as been made president of the class. Amazing what a good command of the English language can do for you, particulary if you feel you're the most English-articulate student in the class.

(I must mention that my equal opportunity class will eventually award every student one B and OP award each; it's just that I was the second one to get it so quickly. Wonder if this means I shouldn't try harder in the next few sessions? Heheheheh...)

(Also, I think my winning the last name had more to do w/ my being the second to the last to perform, as, psychologically speaking, people tend for remember the first few and last few things they see when watching something in sequence.)

After class I watched X-Men: The Final Stand in Greenhills w/ DJ and her friend Yvette/Betsy. Also saw Katherine Siao while I parking and ran into Diane, Jeff and Cathy at Bizu. After a roast beef sandwich dinner at Tender Bob's (while braving the heavy wind and rain outside), I met w/my movie companions at Fuzion. DJ lent me her copy of season 2 of Battlestar Galatica while I lent Yvette/Betsy the comic CDs DJ returned to me.

My thoughts on the movie later.

PC TV Time

Got the house to myself last night (everybody else in Baguio while I stayed to attend the Dale Carnegie class), so I planned a little dinner party. Tacos (later burritos). I don't know whether it was the sudden downpour, invited guests forgetting or simple lack of courtesy that caused the no-shows, but only 2 people showed up.

My friend Wella said she also has a friend that acts an official gimik planner for their circle of friends, and she wouldn't think of doing it herself because of endless worrying and resentment for those that said would show up but don't. Boy, she hit the bullseye on that one.

If you say you're coming but don't, fine; but have the decency to try and contact me and tell me so. Maybe call/text the next day and apologize. Just don't leave me hanging.

* * *

Just finished watching the season finale of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, w/c unofficially ends my downloaded regular TV series viewing for 2005-06 season. And that's a lotta shows. The show(s) listed in red indicate my favorite of the lot--

1 Hour shows (or 44 mins w/o commmericals):

• 24
• CSI
• CSI: Miami
• CSI: New York
• Desperate Housewives
• Heist (cancelled early)
• House
• Law & Order
• Law & Order: SVU
• Law & Order: CI
• Nightstalker (cancelled early)
• Threshold (cancelled early)
• The Unit

Half-hour shows (or 22 mins w/o commericals):

• Arrested Development
• Everybody Hates Chris
• King of the Hill
• Kitchen Confidential (cancelled)
• The Loop (cancelled?)
• Malcolm in the Middle
• My Name is Earl
• The Office
• Scrubs
• The Simpsons
• Teachers (cancelled early)
  

And I haven't even counted the cable shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Sopranos, Penn & Teller's Bullsh*t! and Thief.

I calculated it to about 247 hours of TV. How I manage to get any work done is beyond me.