the flavor of life

…if there is any at all. Just seen “Pirates of the Caribbean: at World’s End” and absolutely loved it. It’s a bit long, about 3 hours but quite bearable. Didn’t do well with the critics though, but let’s “hang the critics”. I’ll have to write a proper review soon. But I’ll give tidbits. I liked the “Davy Jones/Calypso Arc” (now we finally understand why he is the way he is, it’s very difficult to be “deeply attached” to “an entity” as moody and unpredicatable as Calypso – the legendary sea goddess – and I wouldn’t tell you who she is yet. ;p) ; the overall development of Elizabeth Swann as a character (from the quintessential “rebellious daddy’s girl” – she seems several degrees more “manly” than Will Turner at times – to a mature woman – and Pirate Lord.)was something I have expected and was glad not to be disappointed. The scene with Elizabeth’s father gave me a “lump in the throat”. There was a touch of “sadness” as the movie was essentially about the end of an era. The Pirates singing “the song” at the beginning (as they were about to be hanged) was both eerie and moving. Jack Sparrow was as “piratey” as ever – he was more “serious” though – being alone with nothing but yourself to talk to while in “Davy Jones locker” was the most probable reason. You can expect nothing less from Mr. Depp. As for Liz ending up with Will (that is something I have expected as well, she needs someone more “stable”- although Will Turner isn’t THAT stable either, he tends to make snap decisions as well- to temper that “strong will.”). And everything was wrapped up quite nicely.

And I’m quite thankful that I did not encounter people infected with the “uncouthness virus” (symptoms include talking out loud, giving their own interpretations of every scene -w/c tend to be wrong) while in the theater. They even laugh (collectively) at the right moments (how extraordinary)!

I’m rather shocked though why “Fantastic Four” was given a second outing (given the “what were they THINKING??” aura of the first film). Although I admit I’m a bit impressed with the trailer for “rise of the silver surfer” – thank goodness they decided to do away with Galactus’ ridiculous costume – he looks more like Darth Sidius here- (although I only saw his back), it’s very hard to imagine a giant wearing a radio antenna striding around Manhattan (order to fighter pilots: target the “balls” gentlemen).

As for other things, I have just “discovered” another wonderful song, “Flavor of Life” by Utada Hikaru (just downloaded it to my player), it’s a basically a “love song”, but very tastefully done. it has a very definitive touch of sadness. lyrics:

Arigatou to kimi ni iwareru to nandaka setsunai
sayonara no ato no tokenu mahou awaku horonigai
The flavor of life

tomodachi demo koibito demo nai chuukan chiten de
shuukaku no hi wo yumemiteru aoi furu-tsu
ato ippo ga fumidasenai sei de
jirettai no nan notte? baby~

arigatou to kimi ni iwareru to nandaka setsunai
sayounara no ato no tokenu mahou awaku horonigai
The flavor of life

amai dake no sasoi monku ajike no nai doku
sonna mono ni wa kyoumi wa sosorarenai
omoitoori ni ikanai toki datte
jinsei suteta mon janai tte

doushita no? to kyuu ni kikareru to “uun. nandemo nai”
sayounara no ato ni kieru egao watashi rashikunai
sinjitai to negaeba negau hodo nandaka setsunai
“aishiteru yo” yori mo “daisuki” no hou ga kimi rashii janai?
The flavor of life

wasurekakete ita hito no omoi wo totsuzen omoidasu koro
furitsumoru yuki no shirosa wo omou to sunao ni yorokobitai yo

daiyamondo yorimo yawarakakute atatakana mirai
teni shitai yo kagiri aru jikan wo kimi to sugoshitai
“arigatou” to kimi ni iwareru to nandaka setsunai
sayounara no ato no tokenu mahou awaku horonigai
The flavor of life

Translations here: http://akaiyubi.wordpress.com/2007/01/18/utada-hikaru-flavor-of-life-lyrics/ 

WiP(s): Padme: The Mirror has a Thousand Faces (all ive done was draw the line work and shade half the face (wedding dress); Swann & Sparrow (I’m halfway with Jack – I enjoy working on it, but sometimes I curse the costume and the hair for being so detailed and complicated…hehe

Reading: “Tis” by Frank McCourt (I love the way he wrote the whole thing – with such an admirable degree of honesty and openess- no wonder he won the Pulitzer.)

eternal weirdness of the spotty mind

just got my salary yesterday, and now i’m going for broke. seems my absences and tardyness (as of late finally caught up with me), so. these days i really have to drag myself out of the bed (or the mat) and literally force myself to go to work. Ive come to passionately despise my job (as was the case with my other jobs – i get very, very bored easily)…will i be sitting at Eperformax for the rest of my (short) life, saying things like…”thank you for calling” (dont call us again)…”I’m really sorry for the inconvenience” (translated to: you can go stew in your own juices for all i care)…”let me go ahead and assist you with that” (go kiss my ass!) sigh, maybe i just dont like anyone telling what to do.

im hungry, better continue the post elsewhere. by the way im watching pirates on sunday (as i need to escape from reality – badly).

…..a pirate’s life for me….

1 day to go and it’s my day off! This week has just been utterly “boring”! Except for the fact that I was able to work on “Swann&Sparrow” and “the padme collage” on and off, I try to balance the two. And finally, I have been able to create something with Photoshop (other than an occasional banner) – check out the May Calendar [off to the left please]. I try to practice whenever I have time (and money) as I don’t wish to get “rusty”, so to speak.

And today, as I was “answering the call of nature” in the bathroom, I overheard two other agents talking in the next cubicle, basically they’re “agonizing” about their “lack of choice” (in life in general), or rather how they feel “trapped”, I mean they’d rather be somewhere else than here (i mean who wants to take calls till they’re about 60?? – i would have entirely lost my faith in humanity by that time! – it’s like taking in “poison” in small doses, the more you listen to these callers -customers-the more you realize how “petty” our own existense (if it can be called as such) can be!) The other girl asked, “who wants to be here anyway?” Who knows, I sure don’t.
If I’d have lived in about 1900, I’d have been the sort of person who loves to go about (a wanderer). I just hate cramped spaces, I feel trapped. I prefer wide open fields….I invoke the image of fields from the movie Gladiator…you get the picture.

Given enough money and choice I’d like to be a full-time freelance artist (a portrait painter or photographer perhaps) . Anyway, in the meantime, I’ll practice with my technique (I’m quite happy with my progress, I’d like my portraits to have a certain “feeling” in it, after all that is the whole point).

I’m also “waiting for my age to catch up with my face”, this is never the first time I’ve been thought of as much, much older than I really am (while I appreciate the respect, it gets me from time to time)….

2 days to go.

finally. it’s my off again on Monday, these days i feel like screaming at the top of my lungs, w/c my extremely sensible self would not allow. aha…just found out an interesting thing…i look like Naohito Fujiki….if heritage.com is to be believed, I could pass for a “male” japanese star (it’s a website wherein they compare your face with celebs and they rate the percentage how much you look like this person etc.)! the weirdest match was Robert Heinlein (65%), so I have more than half of his features! tsk.tsk.

tired.

Reading: ‘Tis by Frank McCourt

Last Movie(s) Seen: “Freedomland” (Julienne Moore; Samuel L. Jackson – little known but well-made movie, the sort of thing that makes you re-think your “life”) , “The Machinist” (Christian Bale; Rachel Leigh Cook – Hitchcockian in effect) and “Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah” (yeesh! I was sorely disappointed with this one, the comic book was a bunch of laughs, but the movie was as un-funny as possible, I wonder why??)

WiP(s): “Swann & Sparrow”, “Padme: The Mirror Has A Thousand Faces” (basically a collage drawing – enjoying it tremendously).

So there. Im rather tired. Just got off from work. I’m a call center agent (I’d rather not have this as my occupation, but it’s better than nothing – I have a strange knack for being invited and passing jobs I don’t really like)…ah and new layout, just in time for 30 years of Star Wars.

Yes! and finally, Im succesful in both “ripping” Youtube vids and converting them to .amv files to accomodate my player. hehehe…evil…evil..me. However, I only did it with the intention of WATCHING them, not to claim them as my own (unlike some people I could mention). Finally figured out how it works. ;p

I see Red.

new layout. im currently in the “mitsuko-souma-mindset”, so, what better way to express it than change my layout (featuring her of course). the potc one was great, but i got a bit bored with it.

the truth is, im bored, with everything.

Watching: GitS: Stand Alone Complex (2nd Gig) – i like the story so far, plus the song (s).

WiP: Anakin & Padme – really enjoying this one. Im almost done, particularly with shading the Jedi costume.

Reading: “River of Darkness” by Rennie Airth

be returning to manila tomorrow. i have a new job as a call center agent, but like my previous jobs, im starting to get bored with it. sometimes when im walking on my way to work, i ask…is this what im supposed to do everyday?…..do someone else’ bidding?! im not supposed to be here! (where should i be then? – the image of wide open fields come to mind). but then, my more pragmatic side would whisper, in a very severe tone: “shut up with your nonsense and get your ass to work.” hehehe.