Friday, August 31, 2007

birthday frenzy

Tomorrow will be my niece's first birthday that I get to co-celebrate. There will be picture takings. Present openings. Cake eatings (Yum!). Singings. Hand clappings. Picture takings. Picture takings... Oh, my God. PICTURE TAKINGS!

I just realize that tomorrow can be a bad facial hair day.

Shit.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

undies cover ye channel

I have two jackets that fit me very close to a dream. One is S. The other one is S (46).

Usually my T-shirts are S. But some are Ms.

I have a pair of cargo pants in the size of XS.

The shirts from that retail that fits me the best need to be M if I want to be normal. And S if I want to be skimpy. Mostly I prefer skimpy.

That doesn't really explain why after measuring my waist I need to have bought L (or even XL) undies instead of M ones.

I have four pairs of new M-sized undies in my drawer that may never be used.

And, no, you don't need to do this.

Seriously.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

self-diagnosed whatever

I've sunk so low. I've sunk very low. I have sunk that low. How low? Well, as low as one can possibly sink. So, that low.

I yelped yesterday. That's right. Yelped. A tiny little yelp. That's it. Reminds me of the sound that one of those beautiful creatures made when their master went out to work and they were left with me. Yelp. Not an "Awwwww....". Or an already overused (How overused, you asked? Even my turning-three-in-four-days niece uses it already, and people who are responsible for her all point their fingers at me.) "Oh, my God."

But no. Not a full sentence either metaphoric or literal. Not a word. Not even an interjection can be translated by characters. No. No. No. No.

A yelp. Out-of-nowhere squeaky yelp. Scary.

Reason: I was rewatching "How I Met Your Mother". And I yelped. I yelped because one of those Ted Mosby non-romantic turned romantic moments. Grrrr. I didn't even know why I yelped. Touched perhaps.

So that's it. I've sunk so low. I yelped while watching "How I Met Your Mother".

PS: I know everybody is all about Neil Patrick Harris when it comes to this series, but I'm all about Marshall. He's such a fine character. And the actor who portrays him has a name that reminds you of that DIY-no-one-will-know-anyway-that-you're-doing-it exercise. I'm just saying.

PPS: Oh, I'm not saying that NPH is not good, no. He's good. Goooooooood, even. I'm just saying that as a character, Marshall is ... newer.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

now in Discovery Travel and Living

Anthony Bourdain: New Reservations goes to Indonesia.

Rerun: Tomorrow morning at 9:00.

Friday, August 24, 2007

this woman that

Read this, and then this.

It's her, right?

PS: Thanks to her who made me hooked. Sorta.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Grey's A Knot to Me

Somewhere, in this world, where real things are, there should be a wall. On this wall there should be a rack. On this rack there should be numerous awards. On these awards are names, names of people who help create "Grey's Anatomy". (Watch it, link is full of spoilers from previous seasons)

Watching "Grey's Anatomy" makes me want to hurt myself. Badly enough to have a surgical case and be admitted at that place where those five interns spend most of their days. Lightly enough to still be able to interact with them, getting involved with the dramas, throwing out useless and pointless "advice", holding my ears out so freaking wide so that I am updated with all who-is-screwing-who-who-is-screwing-who-else shebang. And most importantly subtly enough so that I won't be transferred to psych.

I'm one season behind where the series actually is now, and believe me I was never bored. You know how they say that you should never say never, but NEVER. Watching it feels like that I've been tied down to my chair. Like, with a very strong knot.

I was torn if I have to decide what's so good about the series. On one day, I would think that the acting was superior, far superior from other hospital dramas. But another day, I was certain it was the writing. Or, wait. Maybe it was the casting director who had done a one hell of a good job. But it's got to be the music supervisor who successfully fuses this today it's current cool music tomorrow it's haunting theme to the series, right?

If I were an actor, and I were cast on "Grey's", I would have been very scared. Like scared-of-hell scared. Like I-will-play-the-life-of-a-surgeon-who-doesn't-have-a-life scared. Why? Because the acting is so demanding. And I know that "so" only consists of two characters so it doesn't really do that sentence justice, but so.

It was demanding because little by little the producers decided to reveal layers of layers of the character's life. And their emotions. They will only have their core personality to work with, but as humanly as they are, different emotions from each of the characters are needed to come out in the series. And so far, two seasons in, the acting work from the group is compelling.

So by the time 59th Emmy is being celebrated, I'll be waiting to know who will take home the statue for the best supporting actress in a drama series. I don't really care who will, though.

As long as it's Sandra Oh.

PS: OK, I admit it. I actually can not really talk much about the Emmys since I haven't even watched a single episode of "The Sopranos". Sopranos schmopranos. Meh.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

bar tending bartenders

Everybody should have a bartender. A stranger you know by first name basis. A stranger who eventhough you told them about sometimes embarrassing sometimes frustrating sometimes exhilarating stories, barely knows you enough to call you their friend. A stranger whom you comfortable enough to talk to about your day in a non-intimately way like you might have done with your lover or partner.

A stranger works in your happy place, ready for you every time you walk in, ready for exchanging greetings, but will not be offended of feel left out if you come with your friend and decide to talk to them the whole night.

I don't go to bars, hence I don't have "my" bartender. But I have my "bartender". Four of them to be precise.

You see, they were the firsts to know that I lost my cell. I told one of them and saying things like: Shit. That's just shitty right? Downright shitty. Shitty shitty. And they said comforting stuff like: Ah, come on. It's just not your day. And if he were my bartender, he would have said: This one's on me.

I told them when I had to attend an emotionally-difficult-to-attend wedding. My cousin. Who is a male, 27, was born like three months after I was. Gah! They were like: Good luck with it. Come here after it, though. Releases some stress. And if he were my bartender, he would have said: ... and the drinks then will be on me.

Yesterday, I approached the counter where they work behind with a book in hand. One of them asked what the book I was having. And I said that it was Stardust and perhaps they wouldn't be interested in it anyway. The movie would be out soon anyway, so better wait for the movie.

One of them surprisingly told me that he knew the movie. "There is this guy, right? He's promising a girl that he will return to her, and the girl waits, something like that." I think he was blushing seeing me surprised that he knew this plot line.

Still, plot lines like that can easily be found in countless movie titled similar too Kuch Kushie Dewanna Mil Hai.

But then, he said one thing: "And then, there is this girl, who's a fallen star."

I was like, "Right! How'd you know that?" I then had to brief him and two other "bartender" about Stardust, careful enough not to spoil them. And had they not been my bartenders, I would definitely ask them whether they wanted to catch it together.

I was so excited finding out a side of my bartender that I have never seen before. You see things like this, finding out sides or layers of people, are one of the things that really excites me.

Guess that explains why I suck in relationships then.

Monday, August 20, 2007

affairs with series finales

As an avid TV person, I get that feeling every time I watch a non-reality TV season finale. In order to know "that", you have to put my thoughts into the Pensieve and see what my point is. But since I wouldn't allow you to, let me pick some of my thoughts for public consumption.

First, prior to watching a finale, there is this feeling of not wanting to let go. It's like the feeling of having a temporary goodbye. Like when your boy/girlfriend have to go for a work trip abroad for example. You know you'll see each other again, but in the mean time, you miss them for some of the fact that they're not there, and you are curious what is going on with them. That at least happened to me every time season finale of Friends were aired.

There is also this feeling of having an after-a-fight talk that you do with your loved ones. Some revelations are wanted. Some explanations are needed. Well, maybe lots of it. If I don't get explanation (or the explanation is not that satisfactory), then we can kiss our asses goodbye. This is exactly why I don't watch Lost season 2. Plus the fact that I really can't stand that Dr. Shepherd character.

Most of the times, we'd resort easily to shout "Fuck you, cliffhangers!!" when the end credits to the season finale rolls. This mostly happens when the series has a flair of soap opera in it. Desperate Housewives, anyone?

Anyway, I never thought that I would feel like how I feel today after watching a series finale. First of all, I didn't know that the episode that I was watching was actually a finale episode. I got curious though, why suddenly the episode's pace was dramatically different (no pun intended), as it was somewhat faster. And somewhat there-is-too-many-things-going-on or as I like to call it, a pre-finale symptoms.

But since I didn't know that it was a finale, I didn't have any finale feelings or thoughts.

Until something which I like to refer as "Something's Coming" scene comes. Gosh, that sentence is so cool. As a background, "Something's Coming" is a musical number in "West Side Story" and it was sung on the moment that the leading male character knows that a much more exciting thing than just his current life is about to happen. He doesn't know when how where what or who, but just around the corner. One thing though, it's something exciting.

The "Something's Coming" scene in the series was not so straightforward as that. You see, prior to the finale, the series has given us 22 well-produced episodes laden with new ways of seeing things and interpreting stuff and standing on different sides of any stories. Just because of that, the series is so cool on so many levels. It is done with a certain flair that I can't even put into words other than "The Devil Wears Prada" gone "Monty Python" gone "Mulholland Dr.". From the kitschy main title design downright to the surreal set decoration to the camp.

And this "Something's Coming" scene was the culmination of it all. It's exciting, yeah, but in a different way. It's very engaging. The combination of the editing, orchestrated music, and camera work on this particular scene was perfect. The thrill, anxiety, drama, everything needed was there.

It was only shortly after the filled-with-drama-on-fifth-gear scene ends I started to ask questions to myself. "Is this the finale? It mustn't have, must it?"

But it was. And when it ended, I was about to give the series a standing ovation cheering clapping woohooing and all. But I couldn't since I was too busy wiping tears and being emotionally moved.

Now. Crying at the end of a season finale. That's a first time.

Ugly Betty main titleOh, by the way, the series whose finale I just watched, titled Ugly Betty. Go watch it, peeps, it is really great beyond words. You will like it.

Could be. Who knows?

Friday, August 17, 2007

wikipedia loves them some Indonesia

After the you-know incident, and the awesomest Today's featured article on my birthday last year, and random appearances of Indonesia-related news on their front page, guess what Wikipedia has as their Today's (August 17th, 2007) featured article today.

Snapshot of Today's feature article

Not a big surprise though, no?

Well, anyway, in a more or less related note, it's our independence day after all. Oh, yeah. I use the word independence loosely too.

Merdeka!

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

catfight of the year

Let's do this together!

Roar!! Mroarrr! Mrrrwwwoaaaarrr! Meooongggg! Miauuwwwwrrrr! Mrrrrawwwww!! (*mimickingcatfight*)

Oh, what's going on? This was going on. Don't forget to read the feature as well.

Rrrrrrrooooawwwwwrrrrr! *scracth*

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

in less than 24 hours ...

.. I have been called cheeky twice by random people I don't know (yet).

Problem is, I don't know what cheeky means. And urban dictionary doesn't really help.

Ah, well. I believe there is a compliment in there somewhere.

For fellow Jakartans, let's vote!

Thursday, August 02, 2007

towards Survivor: All-Stars 2 part 1

Rumor has it that the 16th installment of the series I love to watch as a capsulized learning experience on social human behaviour a.k.a Survivor will be another all-star. This time, the returnee are supposedly players from seasons 9 to 15. Make sense. Since the last all-star was the 8th one.

As an avid Survivor fan, I can only wonder which players from all those seasons can make the All-Stars. I don't have any jotted down criteria for the induction, but let's start with the winners.

Survivor: Vanuatu

Winner: Chris Daugherty.

No, not the bald and allegedly a copycat of Ed Kowalzcyk Chris Daughtry. This Chris was almost voted off in the first episode, when he was solely blamed for the loss at the first immunity challenge. He weaseled his way out, only to find himself in a post-merge tribe laden with female alliance pagonging the guys one by one. Chris was last man standing opposing the female alliance, only to succeed being the last contestant standing.

His strategy deals with sucking up and saying the right words, but his strategic move (especially in making sure that Eliza voted with him and his alliance in final 7) can not be overlooked.

All star worthy? Yes.

Survivor: Palau

Winner: Tom Westman.

Tom was lucky. He was handed the final immunity idol by his strongest contender, and a clear winner had he didn't give it to Tom. He had the easiest final two contestant to beat: his coat-rider called Katie. He survived to the end because of streaks of winning immunity challenge.

And in the end, he kinda bullied his way to the finals.

All star worthy? Please, no.

Survivor: Guatemala

Winner: Danni Boatwright.

Yay! Danni! Danni reminds me of Jenna Morasca (Survivor: Amazon) sans the spoiled image. She was pagonged last from her alliance because of being thought the least physical threat. She then won immunity challenges at the right time. She locked her win when Rafe, strongest candidate to win, cut her loose from her promise to take him to final two.

Danni brought her easiest competitor to final two, and she wins hands down.

All star worthy? Yes.

Survivor: Panama

Winner: Aras Baskauskas.

Aras was a bit overshadowed by two of his fellow tribe mates: his ally Cirie, and his biggest enemy Terry. These two are two of the most memorable characters of all Survivors. Cirie especially.

Aras's win was somehow cleverly orchestrated by Cirie who took care of him (and their alliance members) by playing an almost perfect mental game. His full trust to Cirie (and I think a bit hatred to Terry) and a deal with Danielle in the end gave him the title.

All star worthy? No.

Survivor: Cook Islands

Winner: Yul Kwon.

Yul was in a very dramatic and outstanding season of Survivor. At the beginning, the contestants were divided two four tribes based on race. In two merges and one twist later Yul finds himself in one of the tightest alliance ever on Survivor. I honestly believe that each and every member of that alliance cares for the other.

Yul found the hidden immunity idol, and succeeded to use it in the right time. His clever strategizing also paid him back by giving him the win.

All star worthy? Oh, yes, please.

Survivor: Fiji

Winner: Earl Cole.

How Earl wins Survivor: Fiji still puzzles me. Well, OK. It's a perfect combination between good alliance, sheer luck because the deserving winner voted off before him, and a not-so-deserving final three, made the jury have the easiest job of all.

Earl wins unanimously a never-happened-before Survivor result. This was possible since he was up against a complete and total liar whom the jury hated because of backing out on his own words and a passive competitor.

All star worthy? No.

So, only Chris, Yul and Danni? Hmm, I think so. But looking back in the previous All-Stars when they had four winners competing again, I think it would be OK if Tom competes it again.

Survivor: China, the 15th installment has not been aired yet.

Next up, memorable contestants per season.

Continued to: part 2.