Saturday, March 24, 2007

20th Singapore International Film Festival, 18th-30th April, 2007

I caught an interesting programme for the upcoming film festival here in Singapore. I still remember trekking out to Greenbelt to catch excellent films in Cinemanila. Those films were my aids for cultural immersion, and gave us all a taste of world cinema without having to look very hard for it. I've discovered a couple all-time favorite films in these film festivals: The Ring, In the Mood For Love, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, etc.

There are quite a number of films which I would like to see, if schedule permits. In fact, I'd like to see all Filipino entries to start with. They're showing Kubrador and Imahe Nasyon among others and I might just catch them after work.

Tickets normally cost $8.40 plus $1 booking fee through SISTIC. It's priced much like a normal movie around here.

Friday, March 23, 2007

6 - 9, Patong, Phuket, Phi Phi.

We're 100% going to Phi Phi Islands on April 6 - 9. The plan however had to be adjusted since we weren't able to get a morning flight. Now, we spend a night in Phuket near Patong Beach before transferring to Ko Phi Phi Don the morning after. Not bad, eh?

That area was about decimated by the 2004 Tsunami but the businesses sprang back up after some time. They're even repeating the same development mistakes as before. But it should still be a good experience, nonetheless. In fact, I'm really looking forward to this trip

'Tis the season of course, for sun, surf and sand. At least, around this part of the Earth.

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Places to Go Before I Die
  1. Palawan
  2. New York (revisit)
  3. Rome, Italy
  4. Vatican City
  5. Greece
  6. Paris, France
  7. Egypt
  8. Madrid, Spain
  9. Beijing, China
  10. Lhasa, Tibet
  11. Japan
  12. Australia
  13. New Zealand
  14. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
  15. Salzburg, Austria
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Still not a Flickr Pro :(

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Cough going away, but still there.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Homesick

It finally happened. I feel like shit having this sore throat, which prevented me form going to work today. I might not go tomorrow either to have a check up at one of the clinics.

It's times like these when you miss being home and taken cared of. Again, I don't regret my choice of going away from home and duking it out myself. Still, it feels nice to be taken cared of.

Something has stolen my voice, and I need the doctor to tell me what to do. I sincerely HOPE, they don't give me just painkillers. They usually do. At least give me antibiotics.

And give me another weekend to waste at home.

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I blame the weather, though. I believe it was that sudden downpour last Tuesday which got me. By Wednesday, I was coughing throughout the day until it became uncontrollable. Must've caught something.

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What a bad time to be sick. I was bent on starting on the get-to-300 shape (you know what I mean) for the next couple of weeks. This is in preparation for the Phi Phi trip during the Easter weekend. Less than a month away. The arrangements for the trip just got confirmed today, so we're all set.

Last Wednesday, an email was sent out inviting participation on the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. It's a 5.6Km run just around central Singapore. I wanted to join just to prove something to myself. Alas, it's in jeopardy with this condition of mine. I should've started training days ago.

I'm such a weakling. Whatever the hell happened to my immune system?

Used to be, back in high school, I'd go just one day absent in an entire school year. And if I had gotten sick, I wasn't filled with self-pity like now.

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In lighter news, I managed to buy Fa Yeung nin wa, also known as In the Mood for Love on DVD, however. Good for my collection. A Wong Kar-wai classic.

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Did I mention that I feel like shit?

Monday, March 12, 2007

March On

I recently survived a financial diagnostic test of sorts, covering topics in investment banking. With luck and effort, I managed to pass the 32-item exam with a not-so-pathetic grade of 24 (75%). Passing is 60%. I'm quite proud, considering there are questions like "What's the minimum tick size of a DAX 30 futures contract?" or "the differences between futures and forward rate agreements". Enough to drive you N.U.T.S.

It's all good education nonetheless. The thousand-page information that I've squeezed in my brain should leak out in the next few weeks to come. It's never to be heard of or seen again. Except perhaps in my resume.

So what now?

We'll I've managed to save myself a couple more training sessions and tests because of this. And I'll be able to concentrate more on the real work that pays me every month.

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Work hard and play hard. We're also set on going to Phi Phi Island on the Easter weekend. It's where the movie, The Beach was shot. It should be fun. I haven't been to any part of Thailand before. Thank God for the visa-free entry for ASEAN members.

We were thinking of either Krabi, Phuket, Langkawi or Cebu at the beginning. However, might as well go the distance, so to speak. It's not cheap whatever our British expats say about it. It makes quite a dent, in fact to savings. So let's hope it's all worth it.

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So to immerse myself in the memory that will be the Phi Phi Island trip, I've trekked to the IT Show in Suntec and found myself a couple of good buys. How about a 2GB Kingston SD card for my battered and bruised camera for $25 (around P750.00)? Not bad eh?

Anywho, I'm not rich or dedicated enough to buy a "wasteful-for-me" DSLR, running upwards of a thousand dollars at least. I know a people who did, though. (And she has my full support, as long as she includes me sometimes in her pictures). So good luck with that.

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Now, let's move onward with the abs-tastic movie 300. What can I say, it's another spectacular film WORTH watching. It's visually stunning, very creative, and the girls seem to like the Spartans so much. Incidentally, I hope those washboard abs will be nominated for best supporting cast on an awards event somewhere. Go see it!

The Men on Film sketch of In Living Color would have loved this one.

I'm thinking of buying the graphic novel. Still thinking...

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I have such a headache today. Almost done with laundry. It's probably the Indian food that I ate this lunch. OK, I got carried away. Anyway, for dinner, I made a sandwich with breakfast ham, cheese, some greens and butter on toast. I had nonfat yoghurt for dessert.

Gotta have chiseled abs for Phi Phi. The clock is ticking.

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It's a good week for friends last week. Hope to see them more often.