nephithyrion

Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T14:13:00.014+08:00

I was in a jeepney on my way to work this morning when Michael Jackson came to mind. I was wondering if he wrote his own songs and thought I'd look it up in Wikipedia once I got to the office. That's because most pop stars don't write their own songs that I was intrigued.

Well, I reached the office alright and completely forgot about it like most other thoughts you conjure up while commuting. But just before I turned on my PC, my coworker/seatmate suddenly made the big announcement. MJ passed away just hours ago. I was shocked. I could not believe it. Unfortunately, it was true. It was out on the news this morning. That was the time I remembered what I planned to do, so I read about him like I never did before.

He did write most of his hit songs including my favorites "Will you be there", which appeared in the Free Willy soundtrack, and "Heal the World." I kind of feel stupid right now...why I didn't know these facts before. He's a true artist, and one of the greatest we've ever had. That moment in the jeepney... he must have flown all over the world and touched every one of his fans, even those who forgot him in time, which, I'm sad to say, included me. Yes, I can totally imagine that.

I would never forget how much I liked him when I was a kid. My uncle once caught me trying to copy his dance moves. That was a bit embarrassing. Most of his songs are lyrically and musically brilliant and socially significant that I never really understood why the media... Anyway, once, I saw this movie about MJ as a child. It was a difficult life he led. RIP

Tributes:

There's a really nice tribute to Michael Jackson, the boy who never grew up, written by Roger Ebert. Check it out.

The King of Pop culture - includes a free desktop background

Life-Size Gundam almost finished

2009-06-10T10:36:00.004+08:00

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the the Mobile Suit Gundam animated television series, a full-scale Gundam statue will be on display at Shiokaze Park in Tokyo’s Odaiba between July 11 to August 31.

The following photos were taken by punynari.

More Gundam photos at punynari's blog.

The Beatles, Brainstormer and a Movie Quiz

2009-06-08T10:24:00.003+08:00

Empire magazine celebrated its 20 years with a little something for us to waste our time in. Test your movie memory with The Crytic Canvas. You have to guess 50 movie titles of the last 20 years hidden in a painting. I got to 30 movies, and surrendered. See how many you can find!

The Beatles: Rockband is a music game which comes out this September 2009. The official site has released its opening cinematic online. It's also available on youtube if your connection is slow.

The Brainstormer is a flash application designed by Andrew Bosley. I know several people (artists, writers, you) who might want to use this, especially those who've been running out of ideas lately.

First Look: Clash of the Titans Remake

2009-06-02T14:06:00.003+08:00

Sam Worthington as Perseus

I can't wait!!!

Regie Hamm: "Fingerprints"

2009-05-11T13:27:00.003+08:00

by Regie Hamm

I asked a friend of mine last week, who is a world class mix engineer, if he could teach everything he's learned in 25 years of mixing to someone in 6 months to a year. He paused for a moment and said, "I actually tried once. I gave the person all the settings I use - all the gear tricks I use and told them exactly what to do on a certain mix. When I heard their finished product, I was wondering what went wrong. It didn't work." I like that answer. It's true. The protege' might learn how to mix records one day but those mixes will be uniquely theirs and theirs alone - just as my friend's are uniquely his and his alone. Even if he shares all his knowledge with someone else and walks them through the process, the end result will never be exactly the same. Every person on this planet has a fingerprint. A physical one. A spiritual one. A creative one. We are all uniquely unique.

I love the show CSI. I see God in it. The more forensic science advances, the more we see intrinsic designs. Also, we learn just how hard it is to erase a human being from the planet, without a trace of them having been here. I've seen those autopsy specials on murderers who cremated someone or tried to destroy a body in acid. Something always turns up - a fingernail, a patch of skin, ashes with DNA - something that says, "this person was here and you can't just get rid of them that easily." Life is sacred and singularly created ...at least that's what I believe.

If you're a reader of this blog you know that I am a vehement believer in the individual. I think every one on the planet has a purpose. I know that sounds a little Pollyanna but I really believe it. One of my favorite movies is "It's A Wonderful Life." There's a reason it rings true for us every December. Deep down we resonate with the theme that all of us are here for something. I think in every heart of heart there beats a purpose. Sometimes it takes a lifetime to find it. Sometimes that life is cut short and the rest of us are left to ponder the reasons. Sometimes lives careen into dark and twisted places and they abuse or murder or start wars. Those individuals have always tested my faith a bit. "Why are they here?" I often ask. What's their purpose? Even through the struggle with that question, I still believe Adolf Hitler had a purpose. I don't know if he fulfilled that purpose or if he leaned so heavily into the darkness that he ripped the spiritual flow of creation. Those questions are beyond me. But we are here. I don't accept that fact as an accident. Therefore, I accept no one as an accident.

One of the owners of my management company has a great story. He was a classically trained, professional guitarist who toured with superstar acts for many years. In 1980 he was working with Dolly Parton and was in LA to play for her at the Academy Awards. Her song "9 to 5" was nominated for best original song from a motion picture. As the story goes, he'd assumed he would be playing the guitar part on the show, since that's what he did for her live. When he arrived at the Shrine Auditorium, at 22 years old, to assume the peak of his young career, he was unceremoniously informed by the great Henry Mancini himself, that he wouldn't be playing the guitar part but rather covering the "typewriter and bell" part. For those unfamiliar with the song, it's about life as a working secretary and the "intro" and "turn around" both have a typewriter clicking in the background. It's a very clever production trick. For a young guitar stud, on stage in front of 30 million people however, it's a cold sweat nightmare. His telling of the story always leaves everyone under the sound of his voice in involuntary laughter. There he is, in the very back of the percussion pit, banging on a mic'd up Royal typewriter and finishing his musical phrase with the ding of a bell. He then sits there for bar after bar and watches all the other musicians ply their trade. He reads the chart, his face drops, he blows out a sigh and realizes ...three bars to "click click click click click click click click click DING!" He then waits for the song to mercifully end so he can begin his new life as "the guy who played typewriter on the Academy Awards."

He thinks that story is pathetic and embarrassing. I think it's one of the greatest stories I've ever heard. I would be willing to wager a large sum of money that to this day, he is probably the only man in history to ever play typewriter (and bell) on the Academy Awards. I think that is an incredible object lesson in uniqueness. That was certainly not the high point of his career, and his life's purpose is so much broader and multi-faceted than that one moment. But among all the other amazing things the man has accomplished in his life, he shares a distinction, on one particular night, with no one else on planet earth. Fingerprints ...on a Royal typewriter (and bell).

I talk about my brief time in China quite a bit and I'm sure to some it gets old. But one of the stories from that trip was particularly poignant for me. In Beijing, our group was guided by a young communist ideologue. He preached communism and it's virtues to us every chance he got. My personal favorite diatribe of his was when he was telling us about the communist controlled press. "Before China's government took control of the media we were always getting bad news. Now that the government controls it, the news is always good!" We all laughed at what we thought was a joke. I'm not sure he got it. On the last ride to the airport we were all asking him questions. He was asking us some as well. One of the questions asked was something like, "do you think all of these Americans adopting all of these little Chinese girls will ever have an impact on American/Chinese relations?" His response was like a cold, wet rag in the face. "Of course not. There's not enough of them to make a difference. One person doesn't make a difference. It takes waves and waves of people to change anything or make a difference in any way." We all looked at each other and gave knowing, sober smiles. We know as Americans the exact opposite is true. Rosa Parks didn't need anybody else around to know that she was tired of the back of that damn bus. Elvis Presley didn't wait on the audience. The audience found him. For that matter, that kid standing in front of that tank in Tienanmen Square didn't have anyone around him either. One person can absolutely change the world. It happens every day.

I'm not trying to simply dump on the Chinese. Race really has nothing to do with it. It's about attitude and approach. My daughter is Chinese and were she still living in China, because of her severe handicaps, she would probably be relegated to rocking in the corner of an orphanage - out of every one's way. She might not be alive. But because she is in a place where she's valued and loved as a completely unique individual, she has changed so many people's lives in so many profound ways. She's certainly changed mine. She has a divine purpose on this planet. With everyone she brings a smile to, with every classmate who understands more about special needs people, with every person who makes a donation to her foundation, with every kiss she gives her daddy, she's leaving her fingerprints, and hers alone, on the world. They are lovely and delicate and perfect in their own way.

We all leave our fingerprints whether we want to admit it or not. Just because you think you're average and inconsequential doesn't mean you are. If you made it here this far, you have a powerful reason for being here. The depth and height of that reason may take a while to reach. You may feel like no one. Anonymous. Or even like a mistake. Anyone with their own personal DNA address is no mistake. We all leave fingerprints. It's up to us to decide what kind we want to leave.

My Grandfather

2009-05-06T09:15:00.002+08:00

He sits by the door
Broomstick in hand
To kill flies with.

He plays checkers
With ten-year-old me.
Both stare in awe
Of a surprising win.

My grandfather,

He quits the armed,
Keeps the tough
And the women.

He lays there wounded.
Seven bullet marks,
Spurned but dear,
Share his blood.

My grandfather,

He sits on the floor
Knees between hands
And tell the same story
With eyes wide
Looking beyond me.

Me,
Who copies his posture,
Who follows his flight.

---
To my grandfathers, may you all rest in peace.

The hunt for Gollum has begun

2009-05-04T19:21:00.006+08:00

I'm currently watching the 40-minute movie made by LOTR fans for LOTR fans. It's called The Hunt for Gollum if you haven't heard. It made it's online premiere on May 3, 2009. Go ahead and click the banner to watch the HD version. So far, so good. Additional comments later.

Update (SPOILERS): Woohoo!! It was refreshing! There were few glitches here and there, especially with the FX department. Also, I was not that enthused by the use (or copying) of shots from the original film. But that was very minor and it was a nice feeling remembering those scenes. The musical score was very similar to Howard Shore's, which puts you in the right mood. The one who did the 3D renditions of sceneries and mountains did a great job. Lastly, putting Gollum in a sack was very clever! LOL Overall, the movie was excellent!

PS: Found this in the credits: Co-Produced by Gladys San Juan. What do you think?

New Films, Remakes & Sequels

2009-04-27T10:11:00.007+08:00

Have you noticed the trend in the entertainment industry? Hollywood, and even our very own, are making decisions to remake/make a sequel of this or that faster than a machine gun. Though some are a little interesting (The Ne verending Story), others are just plain hideous. Who would want an Attack of the Killer Tomatoes remake?

I've searched lists of upcoming sequels and remakes and I was surprised to see some titles. For the sequels we have Ghostbus ters 3 and Universal Soldiers: The Next Generation (in photo). Don't blame me, but I loved the originals as a kid that's why I'll be following these two.

Now for the remakes:
Robocop
Footloose (I just hope they cast a really good dancer)
Short Circuit
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Clash of the Titans (This is interesting. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes together again after Schindler's List. They would play Zeus and Hades, respectively.)
Child's Play (When will Chucky die?)

The other films I'm following are: The Story of Bonnie & Clyde starring Hilary Duff, though I would like to see the older version first; Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe in a not so tight tights and Mr. Darcy as the Sheriff (in photo); last but not the least, The Lovely Bones, which is a little out of topic. But why include it?

because I read the book
because I liked the book
because it's Peter Jackson's movie
because Mark Wahlberg is in it

Goodbye Geocities

2009-04-24T13:08:00.005+08:00

But I just reworked one of the Geocities sites I made... guess I need to back up files now. Ever since social networking sites and wikis boomed, I lost track of all those fan sites I used to visit. They were pushed back in search results.

Yes, Geocities is king of badly designed sites, but some of these pages have amazing content quality. And I salute all those who worked hard to maintain their little web sites. If you haven't tried it, I can tell you it needs a lot of patience. I just hope all information, esp. important ones, are saved.

Here's the site for the Dominican Sisters.

*misses the fan sites already*

LitOrgy Photos

2009-04-01T09:06:00.005+08:00

The 3rd poetry night was a success! The show started with lights off... Poetry and the arts work well with Earth hour. Then there was an open mic, some music artists and a dance number.

Some of the performers that night:

Jad Montenegro

Arangkagana

the organizer, Chi

Pearl and Rose Dy

Kim Castillo

More photos here

Eagle Boy is Sam Uley

2009-03-30T15:05:00.006+08:00

I first saw Chaske Spencer as Eagle Boy in Dreamkeeper, then as the older Voices That Carry in Into the West. And now, he's finally breaking out. He'd be playing Sam Uley in New Moon, the second of theTwilight series. Now I'm not a big Twilight fan, but when I heard about this last year, I was hoping they'd cast some Native Americans, finally, in a new international movie with a huge fanbase. They got Taylor Lautner. I was disappointed. But with this new development, who wouldn't be excited? Well, at least, it made me excited. New Moon was quite a good read. No Edward for most of the story, how cool is that? =p

Chaske Spencer interview here

3rd Poetry Night

2009-03-25T15:15:00.004+08:00

(poster by Paminta & juju_goddess)

Come to the
come to the come
to

litOrgy

this March 28th
at the Durian Bar
8 pm – 10 pm

and shape
the metallurgy
of words and images

in the
Live Stage Performances
&
the
Open Mic

of Davao's
young poets,
fictionists,
animators,
painters,
filmmakers,
musicians, dancers and
performance artists.

Entrance fee: P50

Viewers each get a freebie.
Performers each get a token of appreciation.

This event is in association with the Young Davao Writers and the Davao Writers Guild.

Mr. Big Reunion 2009

2009-03-12T09:30:00.002+08:00

me cries inside... =)

Eric Martin's Blog post
Paul Gilbert's Mr. Big post

A Curious Morning

2009-03-04T09:39:00.006+08:00

The sun was finally out today. But the moment I rode the tricycle, it drizzled. The trike was open, with only a canvas for a roof. Every now and then, a quick rush of wind would blow tiny droplets of water on my face. I had to cover. It was the kind of rain that would not last long because the sun stayed.

Then we turned a corner. In an instant, the driver exclaimed, "Rainbow!", like a child would say it. I looked up. And there it was, the finest I have seen. If I had clearer eyesight, it would be better still. I can't remember the last time I have seen one. I guess when I stopped playing in the rain, I forgot about them, too.

Upon reaching the highway, I had a good view of the rainbow. Not only that, I noticed it had a twin. There was another one above it, although the middle portion was a bit transparent. Curious indeed. I wished I had my camera with me. Unfortunately, my time with the ephemeral beauty was short-lived. I still had to go to work... back to the real world.

Imagine what a simple promise can do...

2009-03-02T09:10:00.003+08:00

...it placed Sam on top of Doom.

Sam: I made a promise, Mr Frodo. A promise. "Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee." And I don't mean to. I don't mean to.

And the rest of my favorites lines from The Fellowship of the Ring (the movie)

Sam: If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been.
Frodo: Come on, Sam. Remember what Bilbo used to say: "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

Gandalf: All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

Boromir: [holding the ring after Frodo has lost it] It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing.

Gandalf: You cannot pass! I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun! Go back to the shadow. You shall not pass!

Galadriel: Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

Boromir: I would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my king.

...and of course, Pippin moments!

Pippin: What's that?
Merry: This, my friend, is a pint.
Pippin: It comes in pints?... I'm getting one.

Aragorn: Gentlemen, we do not stop till nightfall.
Pippin: What about breakfast?
Aragorn: You've already had it.
Pippin: We've had one, yes. What about second breakfast?

Legolas: Lembas! ...One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man! [Legolas leaves]
Merry: [to Pippin] How many did you eat?
Pippin: Four.

The Neverending Story Remake?

2009-02-27T09:41:00.010+08:00

Warner Brothers is really doing it, huh?
But the original was so dear.

I was just thinking about that series last year, especially when someone I know bought a new book by the same author, Michael Ende. The Neverending Story was brought up and I wondered why they don't make a movie about it anymore. I mean, it's supposed to be never-ending, right?

This remake will “examine the more nuanced details of the book that were glossed over in the first pic” because the 1984 film only covered the first half of the novel. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm hopeful for what our new technology can offer but also somehow scared. I guess there's a part of me that doesn't want that chapter of the story (in the movie) touched/altered. Or maybe I'd feel guilty if I like the remake better.

What about a continuation? Older Bastian? No one interested?

source: /film

And I did just mention Atreyu in my Tagged post.

The Hunt For Gollum

2009-02-19T09:47:00.005+08:00

So it turns out there are TWO Middle Earth movies coming out this year, and for free download, too! The last time, I read about Born of Hope, which revolves around Aragorn's parents and childhood. That will be released some time this fall.

On the other hand, The Hunt For Gollum "is adapted from elements of the appendices of The Lord of the Rings. The story follows the Heir of Isildur; the greatest huntsman and traveller in Middle Earth as he sets out to find the creature Gollum. The creature must be found to discover the truth about the Ring, and to protect the future Ringbearer." And of course, it's still about Aragorn. It has an earlier release date, so for you LOTR fans out there, check out their website on May 3rd 2009!

Here's the full trailer. Enjoy!

Tagged: 10 things about myself

2009-01-28T10:33:00.002+08:00

I got tagged by chi.

Here's my 10:

1. I don't like noisy dogs. =p

2. Scared of dogs since that event. Scared of spiders since that event.

3. My del Castillo family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, mom, cousins) loves movies. Betamax! My mom, uncle and aunts would go out separately, but they would run into each other in cinemas.

4. Been a fan of American Indian culture since elementary. (think Last of the Mohicans and the Neverending Story - Atreyu!)

5. chi: I miss the 90s.
me: I miss the 90s more!

6. I keep a notebook and scratch papers (because the notebook's full) of movies I've seen. Actually, I list a lot of things. I'm in the process of transferring this list to IMDB.

7. I still have my Sailor Moon, Dragonball, Ultraman, Ghost fighter and X-men cards. And oh, there was a time when pocket-sized pics of Devon Sawa was popular, so, yeah.

8. I want to be a detective, or the analyst sidekick of the detective (a la NUMB3RS)

9. I'm bad at this.

10. Hmmm... my English teacher in high school wrote this in my notebook: "so silent, yet sometimes I catch mischief in your eyes"

******************************

the rules

* Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves.
* Bloggers that are tagged need to write on their own blog about their ten things and post
these rules.
* At the end of your blog, you need to choose ten people to get tagged and list their
names.
* Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

***********************************

The next ten people (multiply.com accounts)

panuwayjudko, aireku, jeckestrada, snelp, chinesegulay, mikkirat, nejhima, wilsonyoung, imore, osbry

Poetry Night 2

2009-01-16T14:48:00.002+08:00

We're holding another Poetry Night at Matina Town Square this coming January 24 (Saturday). As before, it will be from 8PM to 9PM at Wings & Wedges. Whether you want to read or just listen, we'd like to see you there. Do come.

Original Post by Dom

Thanksgiving

2009-01-07T09:31:00.003+08:00

The year 2008 was a blessing for me. I thank the Lord for giving me more than what I deserved. I had many firsts and gained more friends. Thank you, readers, for dropping by once in a while although I don't have much to say. I'd truly appreciate it if you stay. =)

So, 2009. I look forward to you.
And what better way to start the year than by receiving gifts!!! hehehe kidding.
Just yesterday, I received my Christmas exchange gift (two weeks late haha). Thank you, kuya Richard (sikat) for the beautiful present. And when I got back home, the X-Files DVD I won was there! A shout out to Nathaniel of the Film Experience Blog for giving away freebies to movie buffs like me. =)

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-25T15:01:00.001+08:00

Crash Test Dummies: The First Noel

Photography Hiatus

2008-11-24T18:43:00.006+08:00

Last June I started going back to school, then got a new job in September, that's why I haven't got much time for studying photography anymore. I've had photo opportunities though, and was lucky enough to have no work on Saturdays, which is my class schedule. Mostly I get invites to shoot on a Sunday. One I spent with a friend and her friend. We just walked the streets downtown. Another one was during the company outing in Samal. And just recently (yesterday, actually) a former coworker and master balikbayan invited Amor and me in a trip to Queensland (Davao City, not Australia). But I still have to organize all my new photos before I post them (it won't take that long).

In the meantime, I will show you some of my favorite photographs. I don't know a lot of photographers, and if I recognize some of their photos, I don't remember their names. There are only two who really stick. The first one's a photographer of Native Americans and the American West, Edward S. Curtis. This choice is fairly obvious because of my interest in American Indian culture.

The Oath (Apsaroke). This photo was part of the Edward Curtis exhibit at SM malls last year. I was excited to see it because this was also used as a cover of the Mohicans: Chapter I album, music inspired by Native Americans.

Canon de Chelly (Navajo)

Bear's Belly (Arikara).

The other photographer is not unknown to you, I'm sure. He played Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Yes, Viggo Mortensen is not only an actor, he's also an active photographer, painter, musician and poet. These are some of my favorites from his works, taken during the filming of LOTR and Hidalgo:

Links:
Edward S. Curtis's The North American Indian
"The Many Faces Of Viggo Mortensen" Painting & Photography
Art, Music & Poetry of Viggo Mortensen
Creativity

INTJ

2008-11-24T11:15:00.005+08:00

I love personality tests! Since high school, I've been reading about them in psychology books. My favorite is the Jung Typology Test. There are several web sites here that give elaborate descriptions of each type. But of course, you'll have to start with the test and I have found a harder one and an easier one. The harder one gives 72 questions, which are easy to answer if you know yourself and just be honest. The test can be found at HumanMetrics.

But if you'd rather take the easier test, you just have to choose from two attitudes/functions/lifestyle. There are four pairs, so you'll make four choices. Take the test here (courtesy of Ivan Girl)

As for me, it always results with INTJ (Introversion, iNtuition, Thinking, Judging), which they refer to as Masterminds (*snicker). The descriptions are really accurate (in my case).

"Masterminds are introspective, pragmatic, directive, and attentive. They tend to be capable leaders, skilled in contingency planning and entailment organizing, which are directive activities that tell the planner what activities to do and in what order to do them (yes, but I know a lot of people who don't like to be questioned or ordered around, so I prefer to stay quiet). Despite their leadership capabilities, Masterminds prefer to stay in the background until others demonstrate ineffective leadership (so true!). However, once in a position of power, Masterminds are known for their efficiency and willingness to adopt useful ideas.

Masterminds are strong willed, self confident, and decisive. They are also highly theoretical and the most open-minded of the 16 role variants. Before Masterminds adopt a theoretical notion, they insist on researching all the available data and checking the idea against reality. Masterminds are suspicious of theories based on poor research and will discard ideas that cannot be effectively implemented.

Masterminds are highly pragmatic, and they will put forth a great deal of time and effort to implement effective ideas. They are driven to solve complex problems and to create organized, decided, and executed solutions. Masterminds tend to make positive statements instead of negative ones, focusing on how to make the organization more efficient in the future rather than dwelling on past mistakes."

=) What's your personality type?

More about INTJs here:
Wikipedia
Keirsey.com
Independent Thinker

New Template

2008-11-14T09:39:00.008+08:00

A new skin for another year. I thought about changing this site's template early this year, but it never came through. But yesterday, I finally did. When I started working last September, I realized I was far from being good in CSS. So I studied more by designing and rendering Joomla templates. Then a friend asked me to design his blog. I came up with this:

It wasn't that good for an 'artsy' requirement. It had mostly measurement problems but was approved anyway. And I take it as a welcome learning experience.

On deciding what to do, I couldn't quite let go of the previous design, that's why the blue background was retained as well as the other text colors. The header is, well, still fantasy themed. I love the photo by the way. =)

Poetry Night at Matina Town Square

2008-11-13T08:49:00.005+08:00

Poetry Night at Matina Town Square on November 22 (Saturday). The madness starts at 8PM. Presented by the Davao Writers Guild.

This is a repost. Source: Village Idiot Savant

I hope this turns out a success. It's high time we have something like this. Then maybe other creative groups will follow.