for some reason, chynna dantes chose to pass this award — Kreativ Blogger Award — to me. as she seems to be fairly boggled why she got this award herself, i suppose it’s got to mean something. well, whatever. i’m just glad that this page got cited somehow.

all right, here’s the lowdown — the recipient is supposed to list his/her 7 Favorite Things, and in turn tag 7 other bloggers (who will hopefully pass this ball to somebody else’s court).

my 7 favorite things? well, let’s see…

1. reading — this has got to be a permanent fixture in my existence. reading is as vital to me as breathing or eating.

2. surfing — surfing the ‘Net has become a ubiquitous part of my routine, something that would’ve puzzled me no end a couple of years ago. as it happens, going online is a huge part of our job so basically i surf intermittently whenever i’m in the office and about a couple of hours more when i get home.

3. watching (and rewatching) my favorite shows & movies — these shows are part of an eclectic montage that defines me as a person (X-Files, Seinfeld, Fraser, Millennium, 24, 3rd Rock from the Sun, LOTR, Indian Jones films, etc.).

4. collecting quirky items — i am an inveterate collector of notebooks (just ask TPS), stickers, books, etc.

5. anime — now, where do i begin? bottomline, i’ve been in this roller-coaster ride for so many years now, and there’s just no stopping this rush

6. my comfort zone tends to include old things — old shirts, old books, old shoes, old CDs, old friends, old furnitures, etc. it’s like the older some things get, the more valuable they are.

7. i’m easily dazzled by electronic gadgets and shiny gizmos, even things that overwhelm my fuzzy brain.

and now… (drum roll please), i’m passing this to following recipients: blog-of-z, ekstranghero, alia, mordsith, sterndal, misty, hannah.

one movie that has slowly trickled into public consciousness this past week is Two Lovers, which opened in US theaters last Feb. 13th. Two Lovers, which topbills joaquin phoenix and gwyneth paltrow, is actually too bleak or somber to qualify as one your usual valentine flicks, but it’s been getting a lot of favorable notice from various critics.

incidentally, Two Lovers (directed by james gray) made its debut in the Cannes Film Festival in 2008, and was actually one of the few notable films that stirred some noise in the said event. many critics (then and now) noted the fine performance of the cast, particularly joaquin phoenix — notwithstanding his bizarre stint (unkempt beard and all) in David Letterman’s show just a few days ago — along with gwyneth paltrow, vinessa shaw, isabelli rossellini, moni moshonov, etc.

many are hoping that joaquin phoenix won’t make good on his threat to quit acting altogether in order to embark on a new career direction as a rap artist (umm, say what? what is going on here?).

at any rate, Two Lovers also marks the third time that james gray and joaquin phoenix have collaborated on a film (the other two being The Yards and We Own the Night).

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i just couldn’t resist… that weird Letterman episode keeps popping up in my mind at odd moments so i’m posting it here via this ‘Tube vid.

if this doesn’t ring any alarm bells in your mind, maybe you should also consider the fact that during his first public performance as a hip-hop artist, joaquin phoenix reportedly didn’t make much sense (he made the same ‘mumbling’ delivery apparently) — on top of which he fell off the stage! uggh! *nervous laughter* whatever his point is, i hope that joaquin phoenix will wake up soon and get his act together.

what do you guys think?

tricia tagged me with this meme about two months ago. i have always intended to post this in my Coffee and Donuts page, but for one reason or another i’ve never progressed beyond the first paragraph.

maybe it’s because i’ve done a similar meme in my i.Ph blog.

at any rate, since i’ve just started this blog, i thought this meme would make a nice introductory post because it serves a three-fold purpose: (1) it tells the readers a few things about me; (2) i can finally look tricia in the eye and tell her “i’ve finally done it”; (3) it will give me some breathing space while i think of something worthwhile to write about (which is more difficult than it sounds).

• i tend to eat rather fast. i think this is a remnant of my schooldays, back when somebody was bound to say ‘haul ass’ and eat fast because we wouldn’t want to be late. unfortunately, this always ends in several uncomfortable ways: i choke up and reach hurriedly for whatever liquid is at hand; my stomach would feel funny afterwards; i get funny looks from my mess mates; my mother (or my aunt) would tell me to eat slowly.
• i was the record holder for tardiness (late arrivals) back in high school. back in HS, our class beadle would automatically insert “L” right after my name before the 7:30 bell even strikes. and yep, i got called a couple of times to Sister Joanna’s (our formidable principal) office for this. in one 4-month period, i was able to rack up 63 late arrivals. one time, i entered our classroom just as the bell for Recess rang. naturally, my classmates couldn’t let this go without a comment. i was greeted with applause and clapping as i walked to my seat (the only time i got a standing ovation).
• these days i can’t seem to survive without electronic gadgets. well, maybe i can, but i wouldn’t want to vouch for my sanity though.
• i like to cook occasionally. i do, only i rarely have time to do it. and more often than not, i end up with a collection of cuts, bruises and burns by the time i’m through. i guess you could say that lack of familiarity with kitchen implements and overenthusiam are my downfall.
• i’m an inveterate blogger. believe it or not, this must be my 10th or 11th blog already. of those haphazard attempts, 5 or 6 have survived gestation and are currently thriving — although questions about their longetivity will always remain an issue.
• i’m a certified soda and coffee addict. now there’s a big surprise.

there. i’m done. .