after a short mental tussle (should i go or not?) last saturday morning, i decided to go with my half-baked plan to check out the Sony 3-day sale at The Megatent @ Meralco Avenue in Ortigas.

drowsy and grumpy, i trudged to the venue (i had just left the office and i’m not much of a morning person, so go figure). i actually got there 20 min before the opening so i had time to browse the sale leaflets. when the doors opened, the venue’s cool temperature was a welcome relief.

i’m not sure what i was expecting really, but my initial reaction (after seeing the array of displayed items) was disappointment. i thought there would be more products on display. and as i compared the prices, what little enthusiasm i had left quickly dissipated. the discounts on most items weren’t really that big, and some models on display were clearly older variants (which looked like they were ready for phase-out soon). some of the newer gadgets/appliances even bore the same prices as those you’d find in the mall! the items that had huge price cuts were mostly upscale products (like large plasma TVs and high-end laptops). and to top it all, the models (Vaio laptops, phone & camera accessories) that i was hoping to find weren’t even available. the only other thing that i would have considered buying was a camera — except that my old Sony snapper (DSC-W50) is still working fine.

oh. there were DVDs and music CDs there, too. and a display stand for the latest Sony-Ericsson phones strategically placed at the center aisle.

frankly, it didn’t feel like a sale at all. (so much for my initial excitement.) oh well. let’s hope that in the next Sony sale (2011?) things will work out better.

there’s nothing like watching a vampire series to restore your equilibrium — or what’s left of it after another busy week.

every night, while waiting for sleep to overcome my wayward thoughts i would watch a couple of episodes of The Vampire Diaries (you know, that other popular vampire series on TV?). at first, it was out of curiosity, but after the first episode “i got bitten” (pun intended).

while fans of the Twilight series may have the advantage in terms of number and intensity, i think that in terms of pacing and plot, The Vampire Diaries is actually better (of course, the fact that it’s TV series may account for that). some of its characters have more depth and compelling qualities aside from their obvious physical attributes. Vampire Diaries has its own share of absurdities though, and i sometimes wish the producers had opted to prioritize talent over looks when they chose the cast (here, even the non-vampire characters look good). still, most of the main cast are doing a decent job — especially nina dobrev (Elena/Katherine), paul wesley (as the brooding, conflicted Stefan Salvatore) and ian somerhalder (as the dangerous Damon Salvatore).

The first season of The Vampire Diaries (22 episodes) ended about a couple of weeks ago. CBS had also recently announced that a second season for this series is in the works.

hmm… i don’t know why i’ve been reading and watching a lot of supernatural books and DVDs lately. truth to tell, i’m still a little hung up on Angelology. i think i might reread the whole book again this weekend. well, as soon as i’ve caught up on my sleep, that is.

for a number reasons, i haven’t had much time to read lately. truth to tell, there hasn’t been that much reading material that could tempt me beyond a cursory run-through. that is, until i came across danielle trussoni’s gripping Angelology.

after reading a favorable TIME review of this novel, i decided to dig up some more. at the end of 3 reviews, my gut instinct kicked in. i knew i had to read this book. (i had this type of reaction several times in the past and it hasn’t failed me yet.)

i made a few phone and online inquiries and quickly learned that local bookstores have run out of copies of Angelology, which was released only in March 2010. after a more thorough and patient search, i finally managed to find an unsold copy (which was ready for pick-up the next day).

i started reading Angelology on my way home and didn’t stop until 5:45am. (i showed up for work bleary-eyed and yawning.) despite the book’s minor drawbacks, the tale simply held me enthralled. i guess the reason why this story resonates with me can be traced to one of my favorite X-files episodes (All Souls), which dealt with the concept of nephilim (lit. “fallen ones”).

my verdict? i liked it! more importantly, i couldn’t put it down. Angelology is described as a supernatural thriller in the tradition of Dan Brown, although i think it’s more in the style of Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose. think of a gripping, multilayered gothic tale with biblical roots and tinged with intrigues and conspiracies. at its core, it tells of a centuries-old struggle between nephilim, the hybrid offspring of rebellious angels and human women, and a secret group of humans who study and oppose the nephilim (angelologists).

so if you have an abiding interest in angels (and not just the good kind) and don’t mind reading lengthy text on art, history, Greek mythology, various biblical texts, etc., Angelology shouldn’t be a challenge. if you’re a catholic, it’ll probably be easier to digest this premise (although Ms. Trussoni also makes liberal references to Jewish and Muslim religious texts to substantiate her point). at any rate, you will learn a lot of things about how humans have viewed angels throughout the past centuries.

i am currently re-reading parts of this book. for some reason, i keep going back to the scene where one of the characters (a nun) conducted a “summoning” ceremony. i am also fervently hoping that Ms. Trussoni will soon continue this tale with a worthy sequel.

and here’s an interesting fact, the film rights to this book have already been purchased. so i guess we can expect a movie based on Angelology in the next few years.

we go and stay online on various pretexts — but mainly for business and personal reasons. on a personal level, hooking up to the Internet has become an irresistible habit. i don’t think i can go through 3 days without going online — that would make me feel like i’ve lost a fourth wheel or something.

so, why do i go online? i can think of 3 major reasons: (1) to check my emails; (2) scroll through the news; (3) update my blogs and/or check the latest entries on my friends’ web page and favorite blogs. but it doesn’t stop there. apart from the random bloghopping, which can lead to other things, i also various check resources to look for updates on my favorite anime shows and manga series. and who can resist doing online testing and games? for some reason, i always have this irresistible urge to take quizzes, especially when they’re short and fun and occasionally, even when they’re long and complicated (e.g., comprehensive personality and IQ tests). sometimes i just react spontaneously i never even consider test taking tips, which i’m sure would be a great way to improve one’s score.

and then there are sports events that just won’t leave you alone. umm, also disasters and accidents of horrific proportions. and celebrities that you’re always curious about. oh well, i guess there are endless reasons for going online.