best exotic marigold hotel

i first saw this charming and enjoyable movie on my way back to manila from singapore in early july. end of august, i got another chance to watch it from emma and royd’s files. best marigold exotic hotel is about a group of british retirees who moved to a well-publicized hotel cum retirement home in india. the group included evelyn greenslade, a recently widowed housewife (judi dench); graham dashwood, a retiring judge (tom wilkinson); jean and douglas ainslie, a married couple looking for a smaller home (penelope wilton and bill nighy); norman cousins, an aged man looking for a new fling (ronald pickup); madge hardcastle, a doting grandmother wanting to find a new husband (celia imrie); and muriel dornelly, a racist former maid who needs hip replacement (maggie smith).

i expected it to be sappy and too sentimental. after all, it’s about old age and all the issues that have to do with aging and retirement. maybe brought on by previous movies, but when you say movies about life’s twilight years, flicks would be peppered with schmaltzy commotions on regret or compunction. however to my utter delight, best exotic marigold hotel wasn’t sentimental at all. ok, there were some scenes that actually were emotional and hollywoodish such as when jean leaves douglas to go back to england. but overall, old age wasn’t told as if it’s something to be disappointed about or to lament of yesteryears. yes, there may be past events that need to be taken care of, addressed and accepted but this doesn’t mean that individuals should bemoan of past experiences or wrong choices. it’s not something to be afraid of, rather embraced as part of this journey called life. old age should still be enjoyed, either to pursue a lifelong dream or to have more meaningful relationships.

india’s “dirty” and chaotic setting supplied the free-for-all mêlée, as well as the clash of the cultures, especially in the case of sonny (dev patel) and his mother. john madden’s superb directing and the intelligent script’s witty one-liners made it a joyous treat. most of all, its stellar cast gave life to this movie. because of its brilliant cast, it is funny and moving at the same time. it wouldn’t have been successful if it didn’t have the authenticity and hushed in-self toil of tom wilkinson’s graham who found his long lost love in india or the funny banter between celia imrie and ronald pickup. for sure, the central presence of judi dench and her evelyn’s newfound relationship with bill nighy’s douglas gave the movie its openness and warmth, while maggie smith’s at first bigoted muriel ending up as a catalyst for the hotel’s needed facelift provided the movie its requisite turnabout. this is a fine example of what they call exemplary acting ensemble.

dealing with old age over there in england is evidently a lot different from what we practice here in the philippines. the might of an extended family and innate close family ties mean that our lolos and lolas rarely need to think about finding a retirement home when they reach that age. through this movie, i also realized that europe’s aging population can be a good business opportunity for the philippines. while thailand lords over medical tourism right now, retirement homes can be another good opening in the country. pinoys can set up these oldie-friendly retirement homes, have retirees move here, where they can still do a lot of other things to while away time. it can be taking part of NGOs or to volunteer in good causes such as on education or health-related projects. second tier and not-too crowded cities such as dumaguete, negros oriental or legazpi, albay can house these western retirees. pinoys’ instinctive aptitude to care for aged persons will work well in this setting.

certainly, aging is a real issue and like i’ve said, cultures have varied ways to deal with this. what’s good with this movie is its humor-y approach to retirement, it didn’t feel contrived at all and it actually left me that feeling of delight and uplift-ment.

“sonny: everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not the end.”

new job

Is It Time For A New Job?

By SC Chua for Yahoo! Southeast Asia
http://ph.she.yahoo.com/blogs/self-and-style/time-job-061857718.html

There are bad days at work… and then there are days that make you want to tear your hair out and put in your month's notice. A job is pretty much like a relationship; you know in your gut when it's just not working out and that you should be moving on to a better one.

But how do you tell if a new job is what you need to jumpstart your career or if you are simply jumping the career gun? Take heed from these signs.

1. You've been miserable and bitter for months

Sure, there are days when you feel like you hate your job and can't stand your boss, but is it something that has been going on month after month?

Time for a new scenery, says Alison Green, author of Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Leader's Guide to Getting Results. "It's a good sign that nothing is going to change and you should start looking for somewhere where you'll be happier."

2. You've been passed over for promotions. Again.

If it happens once, fine. But if it happens repeatedly, maybe it is time to take the hint. If the problem doesn't lie with you, it could actually be with the organization, which either does not have a position for you or is unable to recognize talent. Whatever the reason, it's better for you to get out before you get pegged into your role.

Says Terri Deems, career consultant and author of Make Job Loss Work For You, "If all feedback says you're the right person for these promotions and they're still not happening, chances are you've gone as far as you can in the organization." Our suggestion? Find a company that has a role for you or one that will give you the opportunity to go far.

3. Management issues

Sure, your boss may seem clueless, but if it appears that every manager in the company is the same, then it is time for you to reconsider if you want to stick with a company that doesn't know what they are doing, especially if the organization seems to be in chaos all the time. It's one thing for an individual to be clueless, but another for the entire company culture to exude that.

4. Your company is failing

The boat is sinking. And it's time for you to jump before you sink along with it. Staying on a sinking ship can in fact damage your long-term prospects (especially if you turn down a job opportunity in the midst of it all). Clues that your company isn't doing great? Declining stock price, increase in turnover, indiscriminating cost-cutting, low workplace morale (even from your boss) are some clues to look out for.

5. You've been given fewer responsibilities.

Is your boss sidelining you for projects? Whatever the reason may be, being given less work is never a good sign; either you or your company is in trouble. And with no new responsibilities, how are you going to prove your worth?

If this sounds like something you're going through, it's time to take action, says Adrian Miller, author of The Blatant Truth: 50 Ways to Sales Success. "You can't lose anything by being direct and calling out your supervisor on the fact that you aren't given the same amount of work and asking how the situation can be corrected. This might prompt being let go, but isn't it better than just waiting for the axe to fall?" he says.

6. You wish you were doing something else

So you really want to be in advertising, but instead you're doing some random office job. While it is reasonable to make ends meet, being in a job you have no passion for won't spell success. Instead, it will result in low morale as well as unhappiness that will spill over to other parts of your life—think Monday blues all the time!

Says John Salt, director for Totaljobs.com, "Work is such an important part of most of our lives, and if your job truly makes you unhappy then you should look to change that—you owe yourself that much."

Wait! What if all you really need is a short break to get away from your mundane work life so you can come back motivated and rejuvenated to take it on again? Or perhaps a new responsibility to help spear on a newfound passion at work?

To determine if that's what you actually need instead of a new job, Salt recommends you ask yourself the following: "Is it your current role that you are unhappy with or work in general? If it's the latter, how will changing jobs solve that? If it's the former, you can change your current role to make it more enjoyable without leaving your present employment, or do you need fresh surroundings and challenges to help you start to love your job again?"

If you find yourself in the following situations, we suggest you hold on to the resume first.

• You are less productive, especially if you find yourself taking a lot of breaks to accomplish a project. This is a sign the current demands on you are exceeding your resources. Talk to your boss for some time off to clear you mind.

• Find yourself getting short-tempered, even with the nicest person in the office? A vacation will do that attitude some good, especially if work stress is what's getting to you.

• You dream about quitting. Everybody does it. But before you actually make it come true, try taking a few days off to see if maybe what you really need is just a break and some R&R instead of a new position.

• The quality of your work isn't what it used to be. Blame it on burnout but it happens even to the best of us, especially if you are pulling in all-nighters. Before it takes a toll on your performance, check yourself on a holiday to de-stress so you can come back the stellar performer you used to be.

• You are bored at work. Spreadsheets, again? Time to ask the boss for a new challenge or responsibility so you can hone new skills.

ber

this morning i got a text saying, "merry christmas!" from alice. yes, the countdown has started. countdown to christmas that is. it may be the start of the bed weather or the onset of heavy traffic jams, but pinoys really do have a thing with ber months, which of course starts today. shopping and for employees like me, the ber months can also mean "extra bucks for a year of hardwork and dedication", as most bonuses are doled out during these months. as for me, this year's ber months could potentially be a crossroad as landmark decisions should be made. anyway, whatever reason(s) one has, it's always a hearty thing to look forward to the holiday season... the ber months usher in the christmas spirit and a time to spend with one's family. happy christmas!

happy

Education doesn't make you happy. And what is freedom? We don't become happy just because we are free, if we are. Or because we have been educated, if we have. But because education may be the means by which we realize we are happy. It opens our eyes, our ears. Tells use where delights are lurking. Convinces us that there is only one freedom of any importance whatsoever: that of the mind. And give us the assurance, the confidence, to walk the path our mind, our educated mind, offers. - Iris Murdoch, Iris.

obesity

linggo ng gabi, napanood ko ang cheche lazaro presents tungkol sa sakit na obesity o sobrang katabaan. tulad ng ibang mga episode nito, ok ang talakay ng palabas. may mga interbyu kay iza calzado at mga kaso nina mercy alcantara, spo1 de leon at harry, bukod pa sa panayam kina dra. sanirose orbeta at dr. randy dellosa para sa kanilang kaalaman at propesyunal na mga opinyon tungkol sa nutrisyon at sikolohiya. tinalakay dito ang mga istatistika tungkol sa katabaan dito at sa ibang bansa, epekto nito sa kabuuang kalusugan at pag-iisip ng maykatawan mismo, isyu ng trabaho o hanapbuhay na may kinalaman sa katabaan at pangkalahatang epekto ng katabaan sa badyet at maging ang paggastos ng gobyerno sa kalusugan. pati usapin ng kasarian nakanti rin dahil mas marami umano ang mga babaing may obesidad kaysa sa mga lalaki ngunit mas malaki raw ang sahod ng mga lalaking matataba. ngunit medyo nakulangan ako sa pagrarason tungkol sa epekto ng kultura sa problema ng katabaan. siyempre may epekto ang gawi ng mga pinoy sa modernong suliraning ito, maaaring sa lokal na paniniwala o kung paano talaga kumain ang mga pinoy.

kapag ang isang sanggol o bata ay may bundat na tiyan, mapipintog na pisngi’t namumutok ang mga braso sa katabaan, cute na cute ang tingin ng mga tao rito sa lipunang pilipino. madalang na sabihin na cute ang isang batang payat o may timbang na tama lang. tanda raw ito ng di nagugutom ang pamilya. ibig sabihin, nakabibili ang pamilya nito ng higit sa sapat na pagkain at di pinababayaan ng mga magulang ang bata. nangingibabaw ang persepsyon na “baka sabihin ng ibang tao, wala na tayong makain.” sabi nga ng ibang matatanda, mas ok ang mataba kaysa payat kaya siguro hinahayaan ang ilang mga bata na kumain nang kumain. may paniniwala ring “bata pa naman”, kaya sige lang ng sige sa pakain ng kung anu-ano sa mga ito. siguro epekto rin ito ng kasaysayan ng pilipinas nitong huling limandaang taon. may kagutuman at talamak ang negatibong impluwensya ng mga dayuhang sumakop sa kapuluan tulad ng enggrandeng mga piyesta. siyempre, naging mas halata ang dibisyon ng mahirap at mayaman at ayaw ng marami na mabansagang nagdarahop o patay-gutom na kaya sige-sige lang.

sigurado akong di ito taal sa mga pinoy kundi bagong salik lang sa kultura pero para sa akin, may epekto rin ang medyo tunggak na pagtingin ng mga pinoy na side dish lang ang gulay. ang mismong ulam (o main dish) ay mga ulam na may karne ng baka, baboy, manok o isda. sahog lang ang gulay sa mga ito, puwedeng pampakulay tulad ng carrots o patatas o kaya ay pamparami tulad ng sayote o kangkong. at siyempre, balik ulit tayo sa konsepto na ayaw ng mga pinoy na matawag na naghihirap. nakalulungkot man, pero natagurian na ang gulay na pagkain ng mga walang-wala na. mahirap ka na kapag tuyo o sardinas na lang ang kinakain mo. pero malalang paghihikahos na ang tingin kapag talbos ng kamote na lang ang kinakain ninyo. dahil sa tindi ng epekto ng sasabihin ng iba, maski wala nang pera, pipilitin ng karamihan na maghain ng karne ng baboy o manok. sa mga piging, madalas ay walang “handa” na gulay ang pinakatampok. palaging may caldereta, afritada, menudo o anumang masarsa’t makarneng mga ulam pero walang pinakbet o anumang sariwang salad. pabulaanan man ng iba, may epekto ang “mababang” pagtingin sa gulay kung bakit karamihan ng mga bata ngayon ay ayaw kumain ng mga ito.

siyempre nagsipasok pa ang mga dayuhang produkto tulad ng soft drinks. mabilis ang takbo ng araw-araw na gawain at may kakaibang halina ang anumang ‘kano sa mga pinoy kaya nagkaroon din ang puwang ang fastfood at sangkaterbang mga instant na pagkain. sa makabagong panahon, naging iba na rin ang takbo ng buhay ng mga pinoy. mas maraming babae na ang nagtatrabaho kaya naman naiiwan ang mga bata sa mga yayang wala namang gaanong sabi sa kung ano ang dapat kainin ng mga bata o kaya ay sa mga lolang mas may potensyal na magpalayaw sa mga apo. mauuwi ang pagpapakain sa mga bata sa mga madadaling ilutong pagkain tulad ng hotdog, longganisa, de-lata at ang “bagong kanin ng mga pinoy”, instant pancit canton. sa tingin ko, ang makabagong konsepto ng pagtatanong sa mga bata kung ano ang nais nilang kainin at pagpayag dito ay di rin nakabubuti sa kabuuan. wala na ‘yung mga panahong wala kang pagpipilian kundi kainin ang ginisang ampalaya kahit ayaw mo dahil di ka pagbibigyan ng mga matatanda. siyempre, nariyan din ang epekto ng telebisyon at kompyuter. wala pa namang suliranin sa katabaan noong di pa bahagi ng pamilya ang TV. pero dahil sumentro na rin ang buhay sa bawat bahay sa TV, ang paghilata at panonood nito ay nagbunga ng kawalan ng ehersisyo. lalo pa nga ng umusbong ang makabagong libangang hatid ng kompyuter. halos di na tumatayo ang mga tao, bata man o matanda, sa harap nito at ihi na lang ang pahinga ng karamihan.

likas sa mga pilipino ang hilig sa pagkain. kaangkla ito ng marami sa ating mga tradisyon at sabi pa nga sa kapuso mo, jessica soho, may mga pagkaing sadyang niluluto lamang upang ipagdiwang ang ilang mahahalagang okasyon. likas din sa atin ang pagmamahal sa kanin o anumang pagkaing mula sa bigas. ngunit hindi ang kanin ang pinakadahilan sa paglobo ng mga bilang ng matataba sa pilipinas. ito’y mauugat sa pagbabago ng gawi ng mga tao sa pagkain, paano gugulin ang bawat oras at ang katamarang impluwensya na rin ng makabagong panahon.

anu’t anuman, ang anumang sobra ay masama kaya’t di dapat magpakabundat. kapag kulang, masama rin kaya dapat dagdagan ang pisikal na mga gawain at ehersisyo. at dahil diyan, tatakbo nga muna ako sa paligid ng boni high street.

travel & earn

How to travel and still earn money

By Michele Koh Morollo

Those of us bitten by the travel bug dream of unchaining ourselves from our desks, breaking free from our office cubicles, packing our bags and heading out to explore the world. But leaving the security of a paycheck can be frightening, and our financial insecurities often end up holding us back from making our travel fantasies a reality. If you have a passion for travel, the good news is, you don’t have to wait till you retire to trot the globe. There are many career options for people who love to travel. Here are some of them.

Cost of Living Surveyor

Cost of living surveyors get paid to travel to cities around the world to collect prices of everything from baby food to petrol, with the purpose of compiling data that will put together an accurate picture of how much it will cost to live in those cities as an expatriate. The info gathered is usually sold to embassies or multinational companies who need to know how much living allowance to give their staff when then relocate them to cities as popular as Paris or as exotic as Juba in South Sudan.

Consultants

Consultants have specialized knowledge that can help companies fix complex problems. Because of this specialized knowledge, companies all around the globe pay for consultants to make regular on-site visits to assist them with problems as they come up. Remember George Clooney’s character in Up In the Air? Well, that’s how much travelling a competent consultant can expect.

Concert Road Crew

If you like live music or theatre and are fit enough for manual labour, then being part of a concert, dance, circus or theatre road crew is an exciting way to travel. Road crews, or “roadies” are the people who help set up and take down the stage, take care of the sound, lighting, riggers and instruments that are required for concerts and live performances. An added benefit besides frequent travel, are the opportunities you get to hang out with entertainment artists or celebrities and perhaps even access to exclusive parties.

International Aid Worker

The desire to help those in need, combined with a curiosity about different cultures is what motivates those who choose to be International Aid Workers. If you have a background in medicine, nursing, public policy, education, health or crisis stabilization, disaster relief, agriculture, engineering or any other relevant area of expertise, you can work for organizations like Doctors Without Borders, USAID of Oxfam, to help communities in disaster stricken countries around the world.

Air Stewardesses & Yacht Crews

No international flight would be possible without a crew of service staff to take care of the passengers and ensure that everything is in order. The job of an air stewardess can be tiring and might involve jetlag and achy feet, but if you are a people person who likes checking out new airports and staying at swanky hotels in some of the world’s most glamourous capitals, then this may be the job for you. If you prefer the sea, then a job as a deckhand, cook, or stewardess on a yacht might be a better bet.

If you’re not exactly looking for a career that involves travelling, but you’d like to make a little pocket money while on vacation, here are some options:

Travel Writing

While it usually takes a bit of effort to write for well-known magazines, there are many travel websites and blogs looking for travellers who can contribute articles and photos of destinations they are visiting. If you’re backpacking, one way to cover the cost of breakfast is to write a review about the place your staying at. While most small publications don’t pay that much, the extra money will certainly come in handy.

Teaching English

If English is your native language and you have a TEFL and preferably a degree, then you can quite easily teach English in another country. There are many schools in Thailand, China, Indonesia and rural communities around the world who need English teachers, so you’ll have no problem making a decent living for a couple of months while enjoying a new destination and getting to know the locals.

Work at a Farm

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (wwoof.org) is a global network of organic farms where you can work and get room and board for free. At some farms, you might even get paid. In Asia, wwoof.org is affiliated with farms in Nepal, Bangladesh, China, India, the Philippines and Taiwan, so you can work your green fingers as you take in the sights in these destinations.

sweldo

isang beses lang ang sweldo namin sa isang buwan at madalas kaysa hindi, ilang araw nga lang ang itinatagal. eksaktong buwanang dalaw nga, hahaha! 

pero salamat pa rin at may sinasahod. sa lagay na ito, masuwerte na raw kami sa karamihan. pero kapag may mandrake na mala-dementor ang drama, nagiging konserbatibong sweldo na ito... nawawalan ka ng gana.

jesse robredo

pagkatapos ng tatlong araw na paghahanap, natagpuan na ang kalihim ng DILG na si jesse robredo. ngunit, taliwas sa hinahangad at pinagdarasal ng maraming mga pinoy na ligtas at buhay pa siya, pumanaw na nga ang dating alkalde ng lungsod ng naga.

pinagkalooban ng gawad ramon magsaysay para sa mabuting pamamahala si robredo at nagsilibing alkalde ng naga sa loob ng halos dalawang dekada. isa siya sa iilang mga lider sa maruming pulitika ng pilipinas na may integridad at nagsabuhay ng pagiging isang tunay na tagapaglingkod at pinuno. bukod dito, tumanggap din siya ng pagkilala sa dangal ng bayan, ang pinakamataas na gawad para sa mga opisyal ng gobyerno na ibinibigay ng pamahalaan upang kilalanin ang kapuri-puring serbisyo publiko. sa kabila ng matagal na panunungkulan, nanatiling simple ang pamumuhay ng mga robredo. sabi pa nga ng mga taga-naga, madaling lapitan si robredo at di ito nanungkulan sa likod ng mga hagad o nangahas na paunlarin ang sarili mula sa kaban ng bayan.

sa dami ng kailangang linisin sa gobyerno, nabawasan pa ng isang mabuting servant leader ang gabinete ni pnoy. nakalulungkot pero kailangang humanap ulit ng makatutulong sa pagkakamit ng daang matuwid. tanong nga ng marami sa facebook, sangkaterba ang mga pulitikong buktot, kawatan at walang katorya-torya, bakit si robredo pa ang naunang sumakabilang-buhay?

sana'y tularan ng maraming mga pulitiko ang ehemplo ni sec. jesse.

harry potter

while i have not read all the seven books in its series, i did see all eight movies in its franchise. i’m talking about harry potter series of course. this weekend, warner TV (channel 80 in global destiny cable) had a marathon coverage of the first three movies: philosopher’s stone, chamber of secrets and goblet of fire. on sunday, i got to see prisoner of azkaban and the order of the phoenix once again. i tend to watch any of the movies being shown on TV even if i’ve seen them many times before. as obviously i’m a big fan of it, i thought of listing the 60 greatest moments in the harry potter movie franchise. i got a lot of help from warner tv’s special about harry potter in coming up with this list. from 60 to the top moment (according to me!), let’s start the countdown:

60. First Sight of Hogwarts: Harry, Ron, Hermione and all the students in a boat and for the first time, seeing the Hogwarts castle (Philosopher's Stone)

59. Horace Slughorn as a Couch: Dumbledore and Harry convince Prof. Slughorn to return to Hogwarts (Half Blood Prince)

58. Harry's First Kiss: Harry kisses Cho Chang (Order of the Phoenix)

57. Ron's Love Potion: comic moment when Ron drinks a strong love potion (Half Blood Prince)

56. Aunt Marge: Harry accidentally “vulcanizes” Aunt Marge, sister of Vernon Dursley (Prisoner of Azkaban)

55. Hermione Punches Draco Malfoy: without the use of magic, Hermione gives Draco a dose of his own medicine (Prisoner of Azkaban)

54. Polyjuice Potion: Draco's buddies Crabbe and Goyle turn into Harry and Ron (Chamber of Secrets)

53. Cornish Dixies: Hermione freezes the dixies after Gilderoy Lockhart flees (Chamber of Secrets)

52. Remus Lupin Turns into a Werewolf (Prisoner of Azkaban)

51. Hermione as Bellatrix Lestrange: Hermione poses as Bellatrix in Gringotts Bank to get one of the horcruxes (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

50. Moaning Myrtle and Harry in the Bathtub: Harry tries to uncover the clue from the egg he secured from the dragon (Goblet of Fire)

49. The Mirror of Erised: Harry sees his parents (Philosopher's Stone)

48. Harry, Hermione and Ron's first meeting: Harry and Ron's first bonding over candies and Hermione's "grand" entrance (Philosopher's Stone)

47. Harry and Ron and the Flying Car: Harry and Ron's misadventures with the flying car (Chamber of Secrets)

46. Slughorn’s Memory: Horace Slughorn reveals his memory to Harry about the a conversation between him and the young Tom Riddle (Half Blood Prince)

45. Hermione and Ron Kiss: in the middle of Hogwarts battle, a romantic scene between friends turned lovers (Deathly Hallows Part 2)

44. Neville Longbottom Slays Nagini: Longbottom's best moment in the entire series (Deathly Hallows Part 2)

43. Cedric Diggory's Body: Harry brings Diggory's dead body (Goblet of Fire)

42. The Sorting Ceremony: Hermione, Ron and Harry (and all the other students) are sorted into four houses (Philosopher's Stone)

41. Sirius Black and Harry: moments between Harry and his godfather (Prisoner of Azkaban)

40. Harry and Ron's Argument: intense scene between Harry and Ron that resulted to Ron leaving (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

39. Platform 9 3/4: Harry looks for platform 9 3/4 and meets the Weasleys (Philosopher's Stone)

38. “Welcome to Diagon Alley!”: Harry goes shopping in Diagon Alley with Hagrid (Philosopher's Stone)

37. Harry Summons his Patronus: "Expecto patronum!" (Prisoner of Azkaban)

36. Duel in the Men’s Room: Harry duels and almost kills Draco Malfoy with the sectumsempra curse (Half Blood Prince)

35. Harry, Hermione and Ron vs. Death Eaters in an All-Night Caf: muggle world fight with Antonin Dolohov and Thornfinn Rowle (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

34. Privet Drive: Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall leave baby Harry in Dursleys' door (Philosopher's Stone)

33. The Chess Room: Ron, Hermione and Ron play chess (Philosopher's Stone)

32. Dementors in the Train: Harry was attacked by dementors and was saved by Professor Remus Lupin (Prisoner of Azkaban)

31. Dobby's Cake: Dobby causes ruckus in Dursley's home (Chamber of Secrets)

30. Owls Deliver Harry's Letters: Dursleys prevent Harry from getting his admission letter from Hogwarts (Philosopher's Stone)

29. The Seven Harrys: Order of the Phoenix members turn into Harry (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

28. Harry and Hermione's Dance: after Ron leaves, Harry and Hermione, with some air of sexual tension (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

27. Dolores Umbridge Punishes Harry: "I must not tell lies." (Half Blood Prince)

26. “You must not tell lies, Dolores.”: Harry stuns Dolores Umbridge in Ministry of Magic inquisition while Hermione secures the locket horcrux (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

25. Sirius Black Dies: with her pleased look, Sirius gets the killing curse from Bellatrix Lestrange (Order of the Phoenix)

24. “You're a Wizard, Harry.”: Hagrid fetches Harry in time for his first year in Hogwarts (Philosopher's Stone)

23. Ron Destroys Horcrux: evil magic from the horcrux tried to negatively influence Ron by creating images of Harry and Hermione kissing (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

22. Ambush in the Department of Mysteries: fight scene between Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Ginny and the death eaters, including Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange (Order of the Phoenix)

21. First Quidditch Match: Harry wins Quidditch match for Gryffindor (Philosopher's Stone)

20. “You Shall Not Harm Harry Potter.”: Dobby protects Harry from Lucius Malfoy (Chamber of Secrets)

19. Voldemort is Reborn: first creepy sight of Voldemort in the flesh (Goblet of Fire)

18. Labyrinthine Room of Requirement: Draco, Crabbe and Goyle tries to thwart Harry, Ron, Hermione from finding the Ravenclaw diadem horcrux (Deathly Hallows Part 2)

17. Bathilda Bagshot: seemingly frail old lady turns into Voldemort's Nagini (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

16. Fred and George's Fireworks: Weasley twins' fireworks terrorize Dolores Umbridge (Order of the Phoenix)

15. Millennium Bridge Destroyed: death eaters destroy the Millennium bridge (Half Blood Prince)

14. Snape Killed by Nagini: Professor Snape sacrifices his life to protect Harry, Harry then reads his memory (Deathly Hallows Part 2)

13. Dementors in the Underpass: Harry and cousin Dudley Dursley attacked by dementors (Order of the Phoenix)

12. “Not my daughter, you bitch!”: Molly Weasley delivers the killing curse to Bellatrix Lestrange (Deathly Hallows Part 2)

11. The Knight Bus: Harry's bus ride in the streets of London (Order of the Phoenix)

10. Ollivander's Wand Shop: Harry gets his wand from Mr. Ollivander, “The wand chooses the wizard…” (Philosopher's Stone)

9. Voldemort vs. Harry: first duel between Harry and Voldemort (Goblet of Fire)

8. Albus Dumbledore Drinks Mind-Altering Potion for Horcrux: Harry and Dumbledore's quest to find one of the horcruxes and their succeeding battle with evil magic (Half Blood Prince)

7. “Piertotum Locomotor! Hogwarts is threatened!”: McGonagall calls for protection of the Hogwarts, with Molly Weasley and Professor Flitwick (Deathly Hallows Part 2)

6. The Tale of The Three Brothers: really beautiful animation about the deathly hallows (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

5. Dobby Dies: Bellatrix Lestrange kills Dobby with a dagger while Harry, Hermione and Ron escape (Deathly Hallows Part 1)

4. Dumbledore's Death: killing curse from Snape, “Avada Kedavra!” (Half Blood Prince)

3. Harry vs. Voldemort: the final battle between the hero and his archenemy (Deathly Hallows Part 2)

2. Dumbledore vs. Voldemort: the two great wizards' showdown in the Ministry of Magic (Order of the Phoenix)

1. Minerva McGonagall vs. Severus Snape: McGonagall chases Snape away, "Coward!" (Deathly Hallows Part 2)

grumble

I believe in grumbling, it is the politest form of fighting known.

- Edgar Watson Howe

If you are foolish enough to be contented, don't show it, but grumble with the rest.

- Jerome K. Jerome

Nuntiaremus tibi quae, grumble I do not. No use, antediluvian. I actually don't care anymore.

- JubdyoobJub

commuting

nakapapagod nga ang magkomyut sa pilipinas. naisulat ko na rin dito ang mga hinaing ko tungkol dito. pero sa kabilang banda, may kakatwang mga bentahe naman ito. una, bawas sa emisyon ng karbon dahil sa kabawasan din sa potensyal na mas marami pang sasakyan sa mga kalsada. mas matipid din kahit paano ang pagkokomyut kaysa sa pagmamaneho ng sariling sasakyan. di na magbabayad para sa parking at wala ring gasolina o diesel na kailangang bilhin. ligtas na rin ang isip mula sa gastusing may kinalaman sa mentena at pagpapagawa ‘pag may sira ang sariling sasakyan.

sabi rin ng men’s health philippines, ang drama ng buhay sa ‘pinas ay makikita rin sa araw-araw na pagbiyahe papunta sa trabaho at pauwi mula rito. may mga walang wawa hanggang sa seryosohang mga labanan ng init ng ulo at emosyon. sangkatutak ang mga nakaambang panganib sa mga lansangan ng kamaynilaan. kaya naman sa pagkokomyut, tumatalas ang pakiramdam ng mga tao, natututong maging mapagmatyag at laging maging alisto upang pangalagaan ang sarili at kagamitan. medyo napapraktis mo rin ang simpleng adisyon o subtraksyon dahil sa bayaran sa pamasahe.

mahirap ang pagkokomyut kaya ito’y isang porma na rin ng ehersisyo dahil sa pagtagaktak ng pawis mo sa pakikipagsiksikan sa mga bus o pagpila sa mrt o lrt. mananakay lang naman kaya di banta sa buhay ang pagte-text, di gaya ng ‘pag ikaw mismo ang nagmamaneho. di na rin kailangan pang mag-isip kung ano ang pakikinggan mong istasyon sa radyo dahil walang pagpipilian kundi ang love radio o yes fm ng bus. libre na rin ang palabas sa telebisyon habang may kutkutin kung naiipit sa trapiko.

bahagi na ng komyut ang mabigat na daloy ng trapiko. sa haba ng oras na kailangang gugulin, nagiging panahon na ang pagkokomyut para sa iba na magmuni-muni at mag-isip. puwede rin namang klaruhin lamang ang isip sa lahat ng alalahanin o di kaya’y makapag-isip ng isang pantas na ideya tulad ng bagong negosyo. siyempre ang pag-iisip ay di dapat maging malala na umabot na sa paglipad ng isipan na di na inalala ang sariling kaligtasan!

sa komyuting, napapaisip ka rin sa halaga ng mga bagay na di mo gaanong ginagawa pero kailangan pala talaga. tulad na lang ‘pag hiningal ka sa pag-akyat sa mrt, lalo na sa ayala station galing sa bgc. kailangan mo pala talagang mag-ehersisyo at maging mapili sa mga kinakain upang di mo na habulin ang hininga. o kaya ay kailangan mo pala talagang mag-sit up para lumakas ang iyong pinakapusod sa sandaling kailanganin mong makipagbuno sa loob ng higit pa sa sardinas na mrt. sa huli, ang komyuting din ay daan upang magpamalas ng magandang asal kahit na nga malaking entablado rin ito ng kawalan ng pakikipagkapwa. sa dyip, ang pag-aabot ng bayad ay isang porma ng magandang asal na di makikita sa ibang kultura. may mangilan-ngilan pa rin namang mga lalaking nagbibigay ng upuan sa mga babae o matatanda. sa pagpila, napipilitan ang mga tao na magpakatao maski paano kapag nasa labas ng bahay. at dahil lahat na ng uri ng tao ay makikita mo sa pagkokomyut, isa rin itong pagsasanay kung paano pakiharapan ang iba’t ibang uri ng tao sa lipunan.

‘tsaka malay mo, mula sa pagkokomyut ay makilala mo ang taong nakalaan sa ‘yo! teka, pipila pa kami para sa bgc bus. masayang commuting!

olympics

in the past olympiads, i didn't bother watching any live matches. i was only interested in knowing which country will take home the most number of gold medals, which of course can be seen from the internet. probably due to the philippines' almost zero chance of winning any medal or the chinese domination of the beijing olympics, but i really didn't come close to actually stay up late to watch any games... until this london olympics. unlike the past three olympiads, i did watch the 4 am telecast of the opening ceremonies and also saw the 4 am closing ceremonies. in all of its two weeks, solar sports and aktv (as well as tv5 and aksyon tv) were my staple channels. i would only change channels for a short break and will immediately come back to either of these 4 channels, depending on which competitions or events are being shown. some of the matches are also shown very early in the morning so that meant staying up late even during workdays. 

while the philippines didn't medal in any of the 11 events we entered, the sporting achievements coupled with the olympic spirit of fair play, solidarity and friendship pretty much kept me glued. of course, there were disappointments such as when brazil lost to russia in the gold medal match of men's volleyball or when USA bowed to brazil in women's volleyball. but those two glorious weeks gave me a newfound appreciation of the technicalities and specifics of each sport (esp. weightlifting, gymnastics and diving) and the athletes' lifelong quest to be the best in their respective sports. i could just imagine the amount of hours and sacrifices put in by every athlete culminating in these two weeks of sporting competition and the emotions surrounding the truth that they are carrying their nation's hopes and dreams. below are 12 of the golden moments that i've seen and liked the most:   

1. USA won the women's all-around team competition in gymnastics. anchored by strong performances by gabby douglas and aly raisman, USA pulled ahead of russia and romania.

2. south korea continued their domination of the sport of archery when their women's team defeated china for the gold.

3. teenager missy franklin took the gold home in both 100 m and 200 m backstroke events.

4. kim rhode won the women's skeet event in shooting.

5. kaori matsumoto gave japan one of their seven gold medals when she won the women's lightweight judo.

6. after ending up as runner-up to roger federer in this year's wimbledon, andy murray avenged that defeat in the same court to give team GB the gold medal in men's singles tennis.

7. andy murray could not duplicate the feat of winning another gold medal for his country when he and partner laura robson lost the gold medal match to the pairing of victoria azarenka and max mirnyi of belarus.

8. anna chicherova won the women's high jump gold medal.

9. ashton eaton led all the way in the decathlon event and gave the US one of their 46 golds.

10. mexico beat brazil, 2-1, to win the gold in the men's football tournament.

11. yevgeniya kanayeva and daria dmitrieva gave russia a gold and silver finish in the women's individual all-around rhytmic gymnastics.

12. david boudia gave the performance of his life to beat china's qui bo for the gold in men's 10 m platform diving.

i'm hoping to be in rio de janeiro in 2016 for the 31st olympiad. while tv provided the needed excitement, nothing beats being right there, seeing the competitions live and taking part in one of man's truly global achievements. rio 2016, go team philippines!