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Jay E. Tria

Drama Review

Review: Now I Know Why It’s Called ‘Skip Beat’

Posted on August 26, 2012

Donghae, Siwon and a Happy Yellow Chicken

It’s a Taiwanese drama, and after not watching one for a long time, I am reminded that they like toilet humor, physical comedy, and in-head monologues that can extend as long as an entire scene. It’s relatively faithful to the manga plot, as most fans agree, and as said manga is still unfinished, you should know what to expect from the ending. But seldom do dramas end all happily-ever-after now anyway, which I guess is a good trick to keep the audience hanging on to the story, leaving a sliver of an opening for a sequel. Or they are maybe just being considerate of the ELFs who have been both dying and squealing inside.

Overall, this take on Skip Beat was ridiculously funny, at times heart-tugging, and admittedly, overall an enjoyable watch. Props to Ivy Chen who carried the weight on her thin shoulders, and Siwon for actually being able to follow her lead. Donghae was sadly underused, so I hope they paid him well for his efforts too.

P.S. to Siwon: After more than 3 years of not falling for your charms, I actually went in and done it. Tsk tsk. So much for being a non-conformist.

Drama Review

Review: Juui Dolittle–of Cats and Dogs and the Morality of Euthanasia

Posted on August 21, 2012

Nothing beats the tedium of the daily grind like the basic happiness of loading a choice episode over free streaming. Since I felt like going back to basics, in the search bar went ‘Oguri Shun wiki.’ I thought it better to be updated in his fictional life than dwell on the fact that he is, finally, dreadfully married. Fan girls cope that way.

Veterinarian Dolittle, or Juui Dolittle was Shun’s J-drama offering for 2010. Based on the manga of the same name (figures, Japan), the drama sees Shun reunited with Hana Yori Dango playmate Inoue Mao. For fans who were brokenhearted that Shun’s Hanazawa Rui didn’t end up with Mao’s Tsukushi Makino, this is a dream reunion come true. But if you are looking for a dose of the high school romantics, this is not the show for you. Chemistry between the friendly actors is natural and apparent, but sweet and lovey-dovey, they were not.

But I am getting ahead of myself, as well as revealing the first reason I got pulled into this drama, the second being that it featured a lot of bewilderingly cute animals.

Maj Guanzon

02/14/2012

Posted on February 18, 2012

I feel so lost now, hun. But I did find you. Happy Valentines’ Day. ‘I miss you’ doesn’t even cover it.

Life and Lemons Maj Guanzon

To Anyone Who Dabbles into Dream Interpretation:

Posted on February 9, 2012

Feel free to dip your fingers into a recurring scene in my subconsciousness. Because I don’t know what to make of it:

There is a princess haunting my dreams, young, pretty, sweet, and always always happy to see me. Calling my name and beckoning me to her side in that REM world. I am wary of her affections, but still I come close. Always this boy will be there too, grinning at her because she is pretty and sweet, charming her and complimenting her, and she quickly reciprocates. Then I wake up annoyed. Every time. Good morning to me.

Saw this excerpt in the reliable world of knowledge called the Internet, in my quest to try and understand:

Most dreams contain messages that serve to teach you something about yourself. However, soon after you wake up to go about your daily routine, you tend to quickly forget what you dream about. The message in recurring dreams may be so important and/or powerful that it refuses to go away. The frequent repetition of such dreams forces you to pay attention and confront the dream. It is desperately trying to tell you something. Such dreams are often nightmarish or frightening in their content, which also helps you to take notice and pay attention to them.

Recurring dreams are quite common and are often triggered by a certain life situation, transitional phase in life or a problem that keeps coming back again and again. These dreams may recur daily, once a week, or once a month. Whatever the frequency, there is little variation in the dream content itself. Such dreams may be highlighting a personal weakness, fear, or your inability to cope with something in your life – past or present.

The repetitive patterns in your dream reveal some of the most valuable information about yourself. It may point to a conflict, situation or matter in your waking life that remains unresolved or unsettled. Some urgent underlying message in your unconscious is demanding to be understood. (source: http://www.dreammoods.com/dreaminformation/dreamtypes/recurringdreams.htm)

Reading it just made my head hurt more trying to figure out the ‘most valuable information’ about myself that I apparently must urgently resolve for this dream princess to leave my dreams be.

So, to anyone out there. Help.

Love,

Eyebags and Unflattering Complexion

Life and Lemons Maj Guanzon

A whiff of the Candle in the Wind

Posted on January 15, 2012

Every few days, I need a dose of philosophical shit to vaguely explain the daily craziness of life as I know it. Today is one of those days. And I thank you, Norma Jean. I would explain just how fully I can relate, but that will be incriminating information.

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they are right, [you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself], and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”

~ Marilyn Monroe

Life and Lemons

The 2012 To-Do List

Posted on January 1, 2012

I’ve never been particularly good with resolutions. Partly because of the unnecessary pressure they give, partly because they tend to feel like obligations. Like the cosmic forces are bossing me around, telling me what to do so I can transform into a ‘better version of myself’. Anyway, since it’s a yearly universal tradition, I will cave. But I am calling them things-to-do, not resolutions. Less pressure that way.

1. Watch a play/musical.

2. Read at least one non-school book a month.

3. Visit Maj’s grave. Frequency goal to be determined by my emotional stability and that of my companion.

4. Get something out in YB/Philstar/anywhere (LOL, reducing standards as I grow older).

5. Steer clear of new shit holes and learn to manage the existing ones.

6. Get more 4.0s than 3.5s at school.

7. Watch a concert (is there really no more hope of SS4 Manila? Pretty please?)

8. Say the F-word less often. Basically swear a little less.

9. Commit to a pescetarian diet.

10. Commit to a organic skincare/makeup lifestyle.

11. Commit to my quotas at work even if they seem highly probable.

12. On that note, be more positive about life 😀

13. Treasure my friends. They are in my life for a reason, even if I don’t know the reason yet.

14. Treasure my family. They love me and I love them, even if we’re not Hallmark lovey-dovey like how the best of them are.

15. Write more.

16. Shop less (best of luck here).

17. Corollary to that: Spend less, save more.

18. Progress from 50 (almost daily) crunches to an actual exercise regimen.

19. Travel domestic at least once (hopefully can be upgraded to international).

20. Procrastinate less.

21. Be on time (more often, hehe baby steps!).

22. Maintain more sustainable sleeping hours.

Best to end the list here, because my list of things to do can go on around the world a few times and I’ll still not be done. I am a person under construction after all. Hopefully this list (and my faithful completion of it) will bring me closer to that ‘better version of myself’ that everyone seems to aspire for.

So here’s to a year 2012 that will rock harder. Here’s to me actually making good on this list. Happy New Year! 🙂