:: Tears of the Moon ::

:: Saturday, June 26, 2004 ::

(Damn you, Punzie for making me want to play Split Screen Sadness when I saw your LJ entry that I plugged the CD and looped the song)

Punz. I want to kick idiot boy butt for you. Just send me a PM once you feel like it, okay? *hugs*

Sisterhood
Things with my sis aren't bad, but are.. civil, I guess is the word. Thanks to everyone for asking how I've been. What I am is tired. Tired of the drama, the huffiness, the pettiness that is my sister on a regular day. Right now I just choose to ignore her. In any case, she doesn't make the effort to greet me even on good days, so why bother? Not so easy with five of us living in the house, but it helps that I work nights and she works daytime. We hardly cross each other's paths. Weekends can be awkward, like today. Which is why last week I wanted to stay at work for as long as humanly possible before needing to come home. And possibly why I went home an hour after my shift, because I'd be home just in time for lunch and the cleanup. No time for pleasantries and small talk.

Come to think of it, I ask her how her week was. How her day was. Surprising now that I don't ask it, it doesn't seem like we have much to talk about, since she doesn't start the conversation. Maybe she's too used to being asked that it's a vacuum now that it isn't offered-? I wonder. I'm just tired.

Dad calls it Growing Up Part Deux. We were done with the teenager thing, now we're going over the working-twentysomething phase that siblings undergo. Let's hope this won't be as awful as what happened with our parents three years ago.

Work
Got to meet and talk with the people I'll be sharing the one-year hiring anniversary with this week. I'm glad that the ones who're still here after one year have moved up the ladder as QA, Supervisors, Trainors, moved to key positions in other departments (oy, Cinds!). Seems like yesterday when I went to the first day of training. And now, look at us.

I feel so old. Old, in a good way. Sometimes I wonder though, if this is where I'm supposed to be. I'm twenty-three. Had I gone the advertising route, I'd be a junior-level creative person, or accounts person. Not the girl handling a team of eighteen, being their point person and balancing their work and paycheck. Helping shape policies that allow for other people's movement. I don't mind really. What frustrates me is the politicking that comes with being in an office.

We've moved floors from the 19th to the 20th. Roomier, and I got a station with a corner view. For three days I used a station that had a great view of the bay, but that had to go to my boss. I don't mind. I have a corner seat near the printer, and I'm happy.

Life on track
May's back from her trip to KL. I heard she saw a guy with glasses! who looked like OB. Due to some unfortunate accident, she wasn't able to get a picture. Imagine me freaking out when she added that the friend looked like OB too. Sheesh, May, you must've been seeing double. I think you should get your eyes checked. ;) But she's back, and all is well.

Tere got back with her (idiot) boyfriend. Yeah, the same bastard who broke up with her over the phone, long distance, from the States. And SHE was the one calling. Fucking bastard. Well apparently they made up and they're back together. She says he groveled and is trying to make up for it.. I blame myself for not having seen this coming and him getting to her at a weak moment. I should've fortified her with angry girl music! L'amour, my ass. I don't suppose I'll understand it until I'm there. We talked last week and I sent her a freaked out PM over Friendster asking why her profile shows she's in a relationship and she didn't tell me. I thought it was the Other Guy at work when it turns out to be the bastard (again). Good thing he's not here, in the Philippines, or I wouldn't be responsible for my actions. He wasn't here, goddammit, when he broke her heart.

Okay, I guess I'm not as charitable as I'm supposed to be. He's a really nice guy. Despite the contrasts, and the differences, he really made her happy. I just haven't gotten over the hideous breakup he initiated that left her totally decapitated. Tere told me rather jokingly that she told Ronald not to come near me in the near future. I think she's made me up like this fierce protector ever since they became an us. Well, hell, she's my best friend. In many ways, I look out for her. Hurt my friends and I'm there, knife flashing, guns blazing. Bastard. Oh well.

Got to meet with Fr P last week to set an appointment (yet again). Met up with Stephen over brunch to talk about stuff. Damn, we're old. He talked about teaching, the department and the headache that is academic red tape. Talked about our other friends, and I had to stave off the inevitable probing that May (MAY!) got started when she mumbled about me and guys at the office. As if. Back on track.. I remember being a student, and wondering when I'll ever get to this stage. Talking about things at work, office, grown-up stuff, you know? And here I am, yeah, talking about things at work, promotions, compensations, department politics and schedules.

Dad won a seat the village's board of directors election three weeks ago. And my dad, with his penchant for organization, helped the other committees set up their plans for the coming year. We'll have some sort of lunch celebration thing today. It was off-handedly discussed that I would emcee it, but I don't think it was finalized.

Borrowed a guitar from the choir to practice on, because our guitar at home's busted and not in tune. I have come to think that playing the guitar's my stress reliever. And I have played the guitar a whole lot these past few weeks. Which says something about my stress level. Kat (my boss) commented that I was getting thinner. Not anorexic-thin, but just a bit thinner. I have noticed that, I have skipped lunch these past few days, what with work being so crazy. I just simply forgot to eat. Okay, guitar. Check. I'm getting better, I guess.

:: D said @ 2:54 PM [+] ::
...

Went to watch Harry Potter yesterday with the siblings. Woke Chi up early and nagged her to wake the boy and we'd meet up at Galleria. She ditched work (ssh!), and they both took a cab to Galle, and I took a cab from the office to Ortigas. Got there, went in line.. you'd think that since it was the middle of the week, with the schoolyear almost upon us (if not already), there wouldn't be people lining up for tickets.

But there was a line for tickets! We were twenty feet away from the ticket booth by the time I got there, and by the time *we* got tickets, the line was already fifty feet behind us. Imagine that.

About the Movie.

I have to say, I had reservations about Cuaron being the direction. What with the context of Y Tu Mama. But, I took a leap of faith, thinking, that if Rowling really DIDN'T want him to do it, she could just very well pull the plug and have the movie cancelled. Really. I was worried that he might take some of the things in the book and twist them around, even change canon, but no. Well, he did some things, but it wasn't as damaging as I was prepared to see in the movie.

Striking bits: Happy Harry. A truly happy Harry, with his friends, not just Ron and Hermione, but also the guy-friends. I also liked the richness of the universe. Chris Columbus did his best to make everything shiny and new and unique, like walking into a candy store: ooh! Ahh! It moves! It flies! Cuaron used darker colors, setting the place up in such a way that you see the environment which they live in: the lake outside Hogwarts, the woods, the Whomping Willow, Hogsmeade. He used the Whomping Willow to show the seasons change.

More nice bits:
Harry growing up! Harry not afraid to be mad (or is that an acting improvement on Dan's part?)
Seeing Harry's sarcastic side. Showing Harry as a real boy, who gets sleepy in class, who gets pissed off when someone talks bad about his parents. An adolescent that reminds me of my brother sometimes and how annoyingly adorable he can be (I'm sure I'll regret these words in a few more years).
Hermione all grown up! I'm sort of worried though, because with all the 'growing up' stuff, there were times there when you can tell if it's Emma versus if it's Hermione talking, or being in the scene. Hermione's supposed to be more bookish, more pro-rules than the the girl who was shown in the movie. But that's alright. I imagine Hermione looking really nice when she grows up. As my sister said, "I can't wait for her to wear a gown for the Christmas Ball" Me too. I can't wait to see Ron's jaw drop to the floor.
Ron being more comedic. Or maybe Rupert being more adept at this funny stuff than before.
The Weasley twins rock! Nuff said.
The Marauder's Map!
The Patil sisters!
Cedric Diggory! Yeah, we didn't see his face, but then at least we get to see something.

Other nice bits:
We have an awkward handholding moment, ladies and gentlemen! Woo!

I have a sigline coming on: We've graduated from the Awkward Handshake to the Awkward Handholding!

I feel like visiting the Sidekicks one of these days.

Yeah, yeah. Blah blah. Harry and Hermione had more handholding (really, with all that running in the woods), etc. But none of the Awkward Handholding. Chemistry, baby!

I was surprised that I somewhat liked Gary Oldman here, because I really didn't like the idea of him playing Sirius Black. I had a really hot, really handsome guy in mind (whoever that was). But then I realized it was really more my expectations of the guy than anything. As an actor, he was excellent. Especially when he yelled "Twelve years!!"

A bit 50-50 over Thewlis, though. But that's only because Lupin's really my book-crush. No other guy can be Lupin in my mind, except whoever it is that my mind imagines, which is impossible.

I wanted to see..
* Pigwidgeon. Maybe in the next movie.
* Explaining that James, Sirius, Peter and Remus were all childhood mates, and they became Animagi because of Remus
* Explaining that the boys were incredibly mischievous when they were young and why Lupin knew how to use the map


Got out, had a late lunch at Yoshinoya (Bry's choice). Talked about the movie some more. Rode a cab home, and Bry and I talked about the arcs and substories in Lirael and Sabriel books. Chi talking about her Myst books. I think Bry's about to finish Lirael, no matter how thick it is, the way he keeps on reading the book. Incidentally, Benji dropped by one afternoon at home, and Mom got out of her room, surprised that the house was so quiet. Two boys in the house usually meant the computer was on. Turns out that Bry was reading Lirael and Benj was getting a headstart with Sabriel. Nice.

Got home, took a shower, went to bed, all within an hour's sequence. I was so damn tired. Tired, but happy. Fun. I loved the movie. All is well in the world.

:: D said @ 6:52 PM [+] ::
...

Went to Ortigas early today to pay my cellphone and internet bills. Saw two new books at Powerbooks (NRoberts and another book by the same girl who made Girl with The Pearl Earring). Got me a nice pair of kalachuchi-inspired earrings and headed home. I ate the buffalo wings I've been craving for, saw the book Dad wanted, but I opted to buy it for later. I originally went for Meg's gift thing, but it turned out that rain stopped us from meeting over lunch. Gah.

I need to get a new headset for my phone. The headset I use for the FM radio feature's busted. Hm. Maybe next time. I can hold out, can't I? (can I?) Just finished looking through Smart's retention plan for subscribers. I've been told by the Customer Service girl that I qualify for an upgrade and a new phone. The new phone involved's the Smart Amazing phone. I'm not going to use it, but hey, a free phone's a free phone. Maybe my mom can use it. Or Dad. In any case, it has a camera attachment, and MMS and polyphonic ringtones. Like I said, a free phone's a free phone. Camera, and colored screen to boot.

I might apply for a credit card. Might.. probably go through with it, seeing as the world seems to view people with credit card bills a lot more 'reliable' these days than those who don't. Like a simple banking statement's not good enough. They want to be able to make sure that one of your feet's in debt before they allow you a loan or something. What a weird crappy system we have.

So, another update from me. Given the time, I should be on my way to bed already. Or half asleep.

Oh I forgot. I bought the new SimCity4 plus the Expansion CD. I just test-drove it for an hour today (hence the lateness). It rocks. I hope I have time tomorrow.

Tomorrow!!

Tomorrow's the HP first showing!!! I hope Chi was able to get some reserved seating schedule (Please please please)

Tina (the 14-year-old girl I was talking about) returned Lirael while I was away, with specific instructions to her Kuya Benji to borrow the next installment, Abhorsen. Turns out she finished the book Monday, after having borrowed it Sunday. Sigh. Reminds me of my younger days, really.

Another thing I realized as I was walking in the mall is that the volume of people, and road traffic was too high for a mid-morning workday. I mean, people, aren't you supposed to be at work? In school? At home feeding the kids? Why are you all outside, shopping? As if the country's not poor enough. I have an excuse: I work nights. But what about the rest of the working wounded? Aren't you supposed to be at the office, for crying out loud?

Dad often said that the state of traffic at any one time of the day's enough to gauge the state of the nation. At six to eight AM, you expect heavy traffic, because people are supposed to be going to work, and/or school. Same goes for the time between 5pm-8pm, only in reverse. That being said, traffic shouldn't be a nightmare at.. say, ten in the morning. Given the assumption that everyone's where they're supposed to be by that time, and it's not even lunch. What does that mean? Dad would ask. It means that the country has a lot of freelance workers, people who rely on work on a per-project basis, and thus don't rely on the 8-5pm workday, and the 15th-30th payday.

So, there I was, in Megamall at eleven in the morning, elbowing people off the escalators. Sheesh, people, go to work.

:: D said @ 2:03 AM [+] ::
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