Life As We Know It

“Having somebody support you doesn’t mean you failed, it means you’re not in it alone.” – Eric Messer

Even though the story is simple and common, the execution was great and that is the thing I love in this movie by Warner Bros Pictures  starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel and directed by Greg Berlanti. This is a must watch especially for those who are just starting their own family. This is why I salute all the Moms in the world. I mean, raising a kid is no joke, especially if we’re talking about shouldering all the expenses.

The story evolved when they were set up on a blind date by their married best friends, Holly (Katherine Heigl) a successful caterer who is expanding her business more and more every day. She is a very busy woman indeed, having not much time and environment to meet men and Messer (Josh Duhamel) a sports director in a TV network. They both suffer from no enough time and devotion for a relationship.

However, destiny has another plan for these two and their friends pass away in a tragic car accident. Interestingly, they had arranged the custody of their daughter Sophie to be given to Eric and Holly, the godparents. These two people, a very unlikely couple have to come together, live in the same house and put up with each other in order to take care of this adorable baby who has just lost her parents. Everything is a nightmare especially in the beginning: they do not know how to take care of the baby, their differences and dislike for each other is such a wall, their careers get in the way, social life takes a strange turn in this awkward situation.

So, basically I love this feel good movie. It made me laugh and giddy. Plus, I really like Katherine Heigl. She has this charisma with this type of characters like in 27 Dresses.

Tuesdays with Morrie

I will never forget this book. Thanks to my beloved professor to whom I look up to,Mam Angelina Borican for lending me this book and at the same time for making my college days at Polytechnic University of the Philippines worth while especially when I was serving as a student assistant at her office. I totally miss those days and the times that she would give me advices, her wonderful stories of wisdom and how she love her family more than anything else in the world plus she is so dedicated in her craft which is teaching.

Tuesdays with Morrie is a 1997 non-fiction novel by Mitch Albom. Again, one of my favorite American writer who never seized to make me cry whenever I am reading his works.  This book was later adapted into a TV movie.

This is a story about a teacher who changed his life by showing him the true reasons we were put here, and the things we should cherish. Albom starts as an average journalist to find that his favorite college professor is dying. He travels many miles and meets with his old teacher every Tuesday, and Morrie, his old professor teaches him new things about life, and what we should really look for. Mitch realizes how much better his life is with all the help from Morrie, and becomes a better person. Its a heart warming, book that gives us all a lesson in the end.

This book should be read by people of all ages. This book touched me and made me think about the things that are really important in life. This book is a MUST read. Buy this book for yourself, then pass it on to a person you love: mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, friend or teenager, everyone should read this book.

One of my favorite quotes in this book is: “Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”

Morrie says this during the fourth Tuesday when he and Mitch discuss death. Morrie feels that people refuse to believe that they will one day die, and therefore, do not live there lives as fully as they would have liked and also have many regrets as they become older and their death becomes closer. He feels that once we learn and accept that we are one day going to die, we learn to live our lives fully and without any regrets. Morrie repeats this quote frequently throughout the chapter to emphasize how important and helpful it is to accept death, and what a benefit it would be to living the remainder of our lives. Morrie also wants Mitch to see how he is able to appreciate the smaller, more genuine things in life, knowing that his death is approaching.

Another favorite of mine is: “Death ends a life, not a relationship.”

Morrie states that as long as we can love each other and remember this feeling of love, we can die without ever going away because all of the love we have created will still remain. He states that after we die, we live on in the hearts of everyone we have touched and nurtured while we were on earth. This also emphasizes and expands on Morrie’s concept of always giving love and compassion; if we are able to form these loving relationships while we are on earth, not only will we live more fulfilled and substantial lives, but when we die, our love and relationship will remain in the hearts of those who we love. At the end of the novel, during Morrie’s funeral, Mitch has an internal conversation with Morrie. He feels very comfortable and serine in the conversation; this is because he and Morrie had expressed their love and compassion for one another during Morrie’s life, and now their relationship is in each others hearts.

A Two Thumbs up movie for me. Forever.

If Tomorrow Comes (A book Review)

Sidney Sheldon is one of my favorite writers of all time. Aside from that, He was also an Academy Award winning writer even before he made it that big as a Best-Selling Author.

If Tomorrow Comes is my favorite book just as I love Sidney Sheldon by heart. I must admit I have read this book around 20 times already and I will never get tired reading it. This book is a 1985 crime fiction novel and one of the best works of Sidney Sheldon in my perspective. I would strongly recommend it to any body who is a fan of his work. 

This book has three parts to it...the first part being how Tracy Whitney ends up in prison and eventually gets out of it I actually love that part when she was in prison, I  have a vivid imagination of what she went through while she was detained at the prison of hell. Aside from narrating what is going on in her, I, as the reader was also learning in the process, I was with her when she decided she wanted to fight back, when she wanted to be brave enough to fight for her rights. I just love her determination.

The second one being...how she gets revenge on the people who did that to her and mind you, it takes a lot cunning and outwitting others to get over this path. She has learned a lot from her past  and this is helping her deal what she has to finish in the present.

The third one being how she became a professional crook. She does it so well, She gets aways with almost anything with class and grace. How I wish I can be as suave as Tracy.

Whitney Tracey is like Cinderella except that she finds the wrong Prince who wrongfully leaves her in the dungeon until a more honorable and loving Robin Hood comes along and takes her to places after which they live happily ever after with the loot. A big loot at that.

That is how I would put Sidney Sheldon's plot of this story, except that I love the character Whitney Tracey because she is like every reasonably sensible woman who is ecstatic to be in love with one the most eligible bachelor , Charles Stanhope III, a banker who owns the bank and whose family name reeks with money. She carries her baby without him knowing until by some twist of rather annoying fate, she ends up in jail for murder.

The innocent Tracey gets a call from her mother Dorothy who later kills herself. Knowing the man responsible for her mother's suicide, she pursues and attacks him and disappointingly, is unable to kill him.

Tracey waits in jail hoping for Charles to use his influence and get her released but he suddenly makes it clear that he could never marry a murderer conveniently forgetting that she could be innocent plus pregnant. Of course, after all, he has a great family name to protect.

She loses her baby in jail until fate smiles again and she somehow manages to win the favor of the warden who later recommends her pardon to the governor.

Tracey finds herself alone and unemployable after that. She does try hard however – her last odd job being that of a cleaning maid but even that doesn't go too well.

Nevertheless, she is now a more sophisticated and smarter woman and manages to execute her revenge against those who caused her mother's suicide. She finds that she has the capability to engage in more productive endeavors/escapades – not exactly murderous – but criminal.

She somehow finds her niche in a variety of global thieveries, including that of outsmarting two chess champions and stealing blatantly displayed million dollar paintings. I just love this part, I was like imagining Jennifer Garner in "ALIAS" doing this scenes. I actually pictured Jennifer Garner as Whitney Tracey. I hope someday they can create a movie of this and they will pick Jenny Garner for the lead role.

Her new “career” forces her to partner with Jeff Stevens who at face value seems to be just a con-extraordinaire, until she realizes that he would give her life for her, despite losing the their loots.

Despite enjoying his company, she still entertains her plans for the revenge against Charles, the man who left her and her unborn child, until she sees him with another naïve woman in a fancy restaurant. I think she was imagining that the woman was just like her way back when she was smitten to Charles. What happens next and how a romance between two thieves develops into a happily-ever-after love affair is a whirlwind romance. 

This is the story of a woman and the loss of her innocence. It follows her plans for revenge. It also shows her trying times which lead her into an exciting life that she never would have chose any other way. I totally would recommend this for reading.  

This is the official rating of the writer. 

Twister Fries is Back!!

McDonald’s Twister Fries is back! and I hope for good   Now is the time to get twisted once again and head to the nearest Mcdo to grab that mouth watering twister fries.

The McDonald’s Twister Fries is made from the best, freshest and high quality potatoes, each twister fries’ strand are perfectly twirled and curled, the taste is unique with crispy goodness that one bite is very tempting. I have a vivid remembrance of eating Twister Fries way back and I totally look forward on eating it again like yesterday, I ate like 2 servings of twister fries! gluttony much?:) You’ll just have to try it once again, it’s pure heaven :)

If you love McDonald’s Twister Fries, then LIKE them in Facebook and watch out for awesome and exciting Twister treats and updates.

Visit any branch of McDonald’s ad grab your own Twister Fries! You might also wanna try their to die for hot fudge sundae and Mcfloat.

Are you ready for "Deathly Hallows?"

Dumbledore's Army

I just have to admit I’m a fan girl. The time has come. After all my valiant attempts to deny trueHarry Potter fandom which I think is far more worthy than Twilight (no violent reactions from Twilight fans please), I think I have to embrace it. I’m a nerd. I like books. And I’ve fallen in love with a story about a boy wizard.

With that out of the way, I can go on to tell you that I’m ridiculously excited about the upcoming film. This is the first time I’ll get to nerd out over a Harry Potter movie. I’m actually so thrilled.

Deathly Hallows comes out on November 19th (which, as far as I’m concerned, means midnight on the 18th – a Thursday). That strikes me as a little odd – don’t films usually come out on Wednesdays?I have no idea either but just the same, I’m in my excited mode and suffice to say that the movie will be released on the third week of November, I guess I have a lot of time to save more money 

Lack of money is still bothering me, I have  a lot of payments to do, But will this stop me? Hells no! (What did I tell you? I’m married to Harry Potter!)

I will be seeing the 3D or IMAX. I feel like I’ve earned that and I deserve it.

Meet the Muggles :)

Phine, Angela, Albert & Jhem

Phine, Angela, Me & Albert

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Trailer

2010 Korean Horror Movie Festival

I’m am so excited to watch this and this is for free! Who’s with me?

The Korean Film Festival will run from September 23 to 29 at Shangri-La Plaza Cineplex Cinema 3. Free admission.

THE FILMS. Oldboy, winner of the Grand Prix in the 2004 Cannes International Film Festival, leads the roster of seven films showcased in the Korean Film Festival. Directed by Park Chan-wook, one of Korea’s most prestigious and internationally-acclaimed directors, Oldboy tells of the story of Oh Dae-soo, a man who has been imprisoned for 15 years without him knowing why. He is released, only to find out that his kidnapper is not done with him yet. (R18)

Barking Dogs Never Bite, on the other hand, is a satirical film about a lazy university lecturer who depends on his pregnant wife’s salary yet wonders how he can bribe his way to professorship. The constant yapping of a dog in their apartment block finally gets to him, and he sets out to find it with the intention to murder it. (R13)

Reaping numerous honors from different award-giving bodies (6 in total) from 2005 to 2007, Sa-Kwa is a romantic drama that tells the story of Hyeon-jeong, who is unexpectedly dumped by her boyfriend of 7 years. She vows to find a new suitor to replace him as soon as possible, as her biological clock keeps ticking away. She ends up falling in love with the most unlikely man at the same time that her ex-boyfriend tries to win her back. (R13)

Driving with My Wife’s Lover won triple awards in 2007 in the Sundance International Film Fest, International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Belgrade International Film Festival. The story revolves around Tae-han, who runs a stamp shop in a small town. His life changes when he decides to play witness to his wife’s infidelity. (R18)

Bagging honors in the Grand Bell Awards, Blue Dragon Film Awards, and Korean Film Awards in 2006, Forbidden Quest is an interesting historical comedy that follows the journey of writer Yun-Seo, a man born into a life of privilege. He decides to become the best erotic author of his time, creating palace intrigues as his work increases in popularity. (R13)

Dong-ha and Song-hwa are the main characters in the film Beyond the Years. They are siblings who were adopted separately by singer Yu-Bong. Dong-ha falls in love with Song-hwa, but decides that the relationship would not work and eventually leaves home. Still, he never really stops loving his sister, and everything he does ultimately traces back to her. (PG13)

The Show Must Go On is a dramatic film that revolves around the life of gangster In-gu, who dreams of nothing but moving his family out of their crowded apartment into a more spacious home. His wife tells him to find a more respectable job. His daughter will not acknowledge him so he begins the challenge of finding a means to provide for his family. (R13).

Dayrit's

I've only eaten at Dayrit's like once before and I already have forgotten their menu so when we got back with my cousins, my cousins told me that their prices have soared. Well, can't blame them since nothing is really that cheap nowadays.

Their interiors have changed, before they have simple designs and no decorations at all, thank goodness their food stayed the same. Much to our happiness we enjoyed the food, the tender and juicy beefy goodness has stayed pretty much the same with their sandwiches and burgers. The serving is big enough for a full meal, bite after bite of that beefy flavor leaves me craving for more. 

There will be more visiting for sure here at Dayrit's. And there are now a lot more to try on their menu. But if you ask me, I'd stick with anything on the menu that has roastbeef in it. This is one of their best sellers and are actually really delicious.