I am not a good writer, but I decided to pour my feelings and thoughts into pages. This way, I am hoping to realize what I want, who I am, and what I really want to be. Ever since high school, I have this hobby of writing in journals or diaries. As I remember my first ever journal is a bundle of pieces of ¼ size pad paper clip together. Haha! :)) I’ve always wanted to write. I am fond of writing down my thoughts, my deepest secrets, and feelings about my crush, about hate and anger to someone, revenge but not literally! And whatever that comes out of my mind. I had kept several diaries (journals & planners) back then and update them as frequent as possible because I really find it fascinating whenever I get to read my entries and laugh about them. It also gives me a sense of fulfillment at times as I felt I became better. I never got tired of writing before I go to bed, not until I was in college where busy times takes place and social networks became popular. I’ve taken for granted my journals and lose time on writing. I was always in front of my laptop all the time. So since, I spend most of my time in the net, I come up to the decision to make an account to blog online. And so from up till now, I tried my best to update my blog like a planner that I have to write on every event that happened to me every single day. It’s my scrapbook of memories!! :D
But even though I’m into online right now, I never gave up my ink and paper. There are still things that only pen can express. After all, thoughts are meant to be written, not to be read. My updates in my blog/journals could just about anything. It could be my means of coping with my emotions (which would be most of the time I believe), my escape route or the expression of random thoughts when my mind starts to float in the air. Writing is for everyone, as long as you’ll be able to express yourself and show your individuality among others. I found something that I love to do. Have you found yours? :)
Here are some photos of my journals/diaries/planners. My old ones are nowhere to be found. :( Where art thou?
My past journals/planners which are gifts from friends except the SB planner. :)
Gotcha! My 2013 planner
And I'm still looking for more journals/diaries/planners to collect. :)
To be honest, I wasn’t able to read the book, so all the critics and thoughts I have made will be based on movie. Before we begin, let’s get the required disclaimer out of the way. This is a review of the movie “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” For those few who don't know anything about the movie, The Hobbit trilogy ("The Unexpected Journey", "The Desolation of Smaug", and "There and Back Again") tells a story before "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. You should be forewarned that SPOILERS may be involved.
IN A HOLE IN THE GROUND...... there lived a HOBBIT.Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. This was one of the opening lines of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”. Although the movie doesn't start with them, the famous first lines of The Hobbit are said by older Bilbo as he writes them down in the Red Book. And our first glimpse into the Shire and Middle Earth. In this thrilling story, Gandalf the Grey returns and once again goes on a quest with a hobbit. This time, we look back in time to when a younger Bilbo Baggins, Frodo’s uncle, tries his hand at an adventure.
Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm)
The story begins with an elder Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) writing his memoirs before his birthday party as seen in The Fellowship of the Ring. Martin Freeman is the young Bilbo, a very content Hobbit, living a peaceful and prosperous life. So prosperous that he becomes stale and priggish for his years (60, the middle years for a hobbit). A hesitant Bilbo Baggins is chosen by a wizard, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) to be the 14th member of a quest along with 13 dwarfs. The dwarfs, led by the dwarf king Thorin (Richard Armitageas), are leading an expedition to the Lonely Mountain to free their homeland from the dragon, Smaug, who took it over from them some long years ago. The orcs return once again to thwart Bilbo and the dwarfs. Thorin’s old enemy, the Pale Orc, who Thorin left for dead, returns to get his revenge. Bilbo must struggle with homesickness and a feeling of not belonging throughout the movie due to the fact that his newfound traveling companions believe it was an unwise decision to bring Bilbo along. After some convincing and some songs, Bilbo is convinced and their start their journey, where they are awaited by many quests...This sets the stage for an adventure the likes never seen.
The dwarves: Thorin, Gloin, Oin, Balin, Dwalin
Dwarves: Dori, Nori, Ori, Bombur
The Hobbit comes to life from director Peter Jackson in grand form. And Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was a success in fantastical escapism that took us out of our current wet and windy world and into a sprawling land of dragons, trolls, orcs, dwarfs, elves, stone giants, goblins and, of course, hobbits. J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” was written as a prequel to the original three “Lord of the Rings” books/movies. However, when transposed to the screen, the book was split into three movies. “An Unexpected Journey” is the first installment of the series.
Once again, J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic story is brought to life in an adventure that delights, excites and astounds viewers. We revisit some past characters, Rivendell and the elves, Gollum, and the mountains that pierce Middle Earth. We are introduced to some new characters such as the Pale Orc and Thorin and a new wizard, Radagast the Brown.
Pale Orc (Azog)
Thorin (Richard Armitageas)
Radagast the Brown
The movie was… *drumroll* GOOD.
*Gasp! What? I didn’t use “amazing,” “wonderful,” “fascinating,” or “awesome”? Nope. But it was good. I think the absolute best thing about it was the humor. This movie is brimming with humor. It is very lighthearted – much more than the LOTR.
The first thing you have to realize is that The Hobbit is a really long movie. It clocks in at 2:50 minutes. I think this will be biggest flaw is its run time of nearly 3 hours. Granted, if done right the 3 hours could be an adequate amount of time for a movie, but here it is too long. Pacing can be a tad slow at times but, an epic action scene pulls you back in soon enough. There isn't much character development with the new group of adventurer's however. This is somewhat disappointing as, you really want to know more about them. Gollum's scene is an amazing standout. I wish there were more of him but, his scene is pivotal. It was really fun to return to Peter Jackson‘s Middle Earth and many of the scenes are beautiful but…not a lot of stuff happens over the course of the film. There’s a lot of talking and a lot of walking. The action scenes are plenty but they’re not ALL really that exciting. I can’t say that I was wowed by, well, anything in the film. That said, I didn’t hate the movie at all. For the most part, I liked it…but, sadly, I didn’t really love it.
The cinematography in the movie was brilliant, beautiful and at times unnecessary. There were sweeping landscapes, wonderful scenery, great music and special effects to take your breath away. It also included many – perhaps too many – characters familiar to fans of the previous trilogy, along with the essential crux of the original story from The Hobbit. Further, many back story tidbits from Middle Earth concerning the early days of the Dwarves of Lonely Mountain were highlighted in dramatic fashion. Costumes, dialogue… there was a lot of good stuff here. Peter Jackson did a great job in giving visual aid to the audience. However, there were many scenes that were extended past their prime and could have been cut short. Visually, the picture creates a world fit for hobbits, dwarves, and elves.
Trolls
Leader of the Goblins
I will admit that they've actually got the right actors for The Hobbit for its characters like Tom, Bert and William the Stone Trolls with a cockney accent, and the Great Goblin does a great role too and of course most actors that were in the Lord of the Rings series make a return welcome too like Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis, Elijah Wood, Ian Holm and Hugo Weaving. I've actually laughed at quite a few moments my main favorite parts were Roast Mutton and Riddles in the Dark which were both well played and fairly well done for it. There’s definitely a period of time when Bilbo's role shrinks considerably halfway through...until the stand-out moment when he makes the acquaintance of franchise anti-hero Gollum (Andy Serkis) in a gloomy cave, to play a life-or-death game of riddles. Ian McKellen and Martin Freeman pull off fairly solid performances. Richard Armitageas, the leader of the Company of Dwarves, does not impress me so far. Bilbo, of course, is the heart of the film, and Martin Freeman, who starts off a bit nervily in the early sequences, develops him beautifully as his story progresses. But Freeman’s warm-hearted, unsteady Bilbo isn’t meant to save the world; he only holds out a glimmer of hope.
Gollum (Goblin)
The sounds are also good…it grabs you! The vocals are incredible; the instruments superb. It drives the movie, and makes you feel the emotions. I especially love Thorin’s song (Misty Mountains? Not sure of the name.) – it is so rich, mystical, and enthralling.
The movie does have its problems, I'll grant you. I can understand why some people balk at the lengthy run time, it's true that it takes awhile for the adventure to get under-way, and there are no female characters of note beyond Galadriel (Cate Blanchett).
That’s pretty much all that I did and didn’t enjoy about the film. Considering that it was almost three hours long, I would say that’s not too bad, and I can easily deal with it. It was very much so worth it to see all the rest of the movie. Oh, but the ending…the ending…. At the end I was all,that’s it?!All I can say about the ending is that it is way too long until Part 2 and 3 come out. It leaves the audience hanging…and I really want to see the rest of the story – even with the minor downfalls! I came out thinking that it was good, but perhaps not as good as I was hoping for, or expecting. It was funny and entertaining. The actors were phenomenal, and the music was enthralling. Oh, and I forgot to mention this earlier, but I absolutely LOVED Gollum! He was incredible in this movie. His self-conflict was so entertaining. If I loved Gollum in the Lord of the Rings, I loved him even more in The Hobbit. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” was a good movie, but lacked the push to be stupendous. It’s worth seeing, but the viewer should go in prepared to watch the movie in a not so unexpected way. It was OVERALL a SATISFACTORY MOVIE.
Here's the trailer for those who haven't seen it yet.
Last January 6, 2012 we had a “mini friend’s reunion” at Greenbelt and it was delightful! Finally, I could be with the friends I had missed so much. Reminiscing the moments, bonding and “kalokohans” we had for staying together for almost three months in a same condo, same building tower and two floors away but of course in different rooms. Hihihi :P 6O, 6S and 8F are numbers we’ll never forget. We are almost complete – Me, Bern, Sha, Gaena, Paige, Yo, Bobby and Josh are present. I’m kinda sad that Mommy Gina wasn’t able to attend and this calls for a round two. Communication was minimal, yet our hearts had remained close. Some friendships defy space and time.
This is one fun-filled day of laughter, togetherness, about hundreds of pictures, cam-whoring and photo shoot, dawdling and fooling around so it takes twice as long to get where we need to go, and did I mention laughter (coz’ there was a lot of it)! HAHA! :)) And by the way, it takes us almost an hour, deciding where to eat and choosing what resto to have our dinner. Finally, since it’s getting too late we eat dinner at Italliani’s. Pizza, Pastas, Chicken fingers, Mussels and smoothies. Sooo bloated!! Happy tummy!! Thanks to Joshie for the treat. :))
Dinner @ Italliani's
Seriously, when my friends and I get together we have the best time ever! Yeah! My friends are the greatest. I know that everyone had a great time and we're already planning subsequent mini reunions because we enjoyed each others' company so much.
But hey, let pictures speak for themselves.
Camwhoring at night! Girls and Boys!
Photoshoot on a sunny afternoon @ Greenbelt 3
Fooling around on the camera and dinner @ Italliani's
I've been good. I've been bad. I've been naughty. I've been nice. I've been up. I've been down. I've lost. I've triumphed. I laughed. I cried. I took a big leap and occasionally look back from where I came from. I let go.
It is New Year! It is 2013. Whatever 2012 was for you and me, we need to be thankful that we're still alive and we have a chance to change ourselves and the world (nah that might be too heavy for some! haha). The year 2012 was a roller coaster of emotions. I would be very happy at one moment but I would be crying thereafter. But I am still thankful that I was given another year. I got to learn new things, did a few things that I've never done before, been to places, met some good people and spent time with my loved-ones.
Everything happens for a reason. We may not understand the reason behind a particular situation but we will eventually realize what it was for. It has its own purpose why it was given to us. I'm speaking from my own personal experience and as well as the events that had surrounded our country the past year. We may not be able to change everything in a snap or a blink of an eye but we can be an instrument for that change. Change should start within us.
As usual, my intro sounds so heavy but really it is not. Hihi! I've gotta make some changes in my life. How do people call it? "New Year's Resolution" ?? I'd rather call it my 2013 Guidelines. This is not my first time to make a new year's resolution. In fact, what's new about this year is that this might be the first time I'll follow one. HAHA I made this yesterday when I got home from sundate with some friends. I can't sleep, ahh!! I made this out of spontaneity. Everything was just flowing. What's good about it is that I am aware of what to change and what to not. I'm kind of ambivalent though because I think 2013 is the turning point of my life. I hope soooo...I take the boards last December 2012 and I'm not yet even sure if I can make it with flying colors. I need to pass it or even top it. Yes! I'm not setting limitations for myself. I do the friggin’ best that I can! Oh good Lord, please give my RN license to me!! It's my number one and only choice.
Ergo, for me to succeed this year, I have to be guided by the following.
2013 Guidelines:
Never miss nor be late for a Sunday mass.
Rekindle relationship with God by constantly communicating with him.
Learn the GREAT gap between a "want" and a"need".
Realize that the best things in life are free. Be less materialistic.
Manage time wisely.SERIOUSLY. YUNG TOTOO NA.
Remove the word procrastination from my vocabulary.
Reflect on the gift of everyday.
Start healthy living. Lessen eating fatty foods and meat! Eat more fruits and vegetables instead. Gaaaaah!THIS IS THE HARDEST.
Jog at least once a week.
Fix my room at least twice a week.
Read more books apart from those for academic purposes.
Write. Blog. Express my thoughts even more. It's my way of unloading my feelings and it does help.
Lessen my McDonald's/fastfood food trips.
Be nice and smile more.
Pamper myself once in a while. A good massage, facial, out of town getaway, not so much with food.
Be a more relaxed driver. Understand other motorists for being so stupid on the road.
Drive slower. Don't step too much on gas pedal. As requested by my dad. OK FINE!
Not aim to be the best but try my very best.
Breathe, chill, and relax.
SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! We don't know what will happen next.
Accept other people as they are. I'm not thinking highly of myself. It's just that I'm not very comfortable with "some" people.
Watch concerts. I hope I can...I need tooo much penny!!! Sponsors puhleeeease!!:'(
Have good clean fun. I can only live once. YOLO.
Don't let time and chance slip by because I'm too sleepy.
Be more assertive.
Remove the word procrastination from my vocabulary.
As this cliche goes, LIVE. LOVE. LAUGH. Enjoy life! Carpe diem!
I'll add more just in case. How about you? What are your 2012 guidelines?
Let's all stay positive and start the year right. :)
I know, I suck! I haven't blogged in a while. I wonder if there's any 'blogging juice' left in my brain. :P I'll only briefly apologize for the lateness of this post, which I meant to have written up within a couple of days of it happening. But I'm just a 'little' girl reveling in a break, so I got lazy and am just now getting to writing it up. But anyway, excuses, excuses, right?? Hihihi
Congratulations!! I've made it this far! With that trending "end of the world" thing...Naahh!! Sure 2012 has been a hard and tough year; yet I survived it!! Clap! Clap!
2013 is fast approaching, and whenever a new year is on the horizon I get a bit nostalgic for the one I am about to close to chapter on. I tend to think about all those things I did or didn't accomplish, and look forward with hope and wonder about what opportunities this year will bring. Another 365 days are ahead of me. What's in store of me? I don't know what God's plans are for me. But whatever it'll be, I know it would be for my own good.
My 2012 started out quite rough. There were so many challenges I needed to face that almost put my spirit down. It was like a machine gun firing continuously at me, and the tough part was I didn't die with the first, second or third shot...It wasn't anything like the real thing. I had to endure all those bullets being shot at me. There were so many things going on and being my normal self who is an optimist, it was not really a pain in the ass. {Sarcastic me! I'm human too! I feel pain! Hehe} Still, I'm thankful! It was not like I had the world's biggest problem. I know I'm still blessed compared to others.
It's been a crazy year. I'm sure this applies to a lot people. There are many reasons to be thankful for what you've brought about, but at the same time there are also plenty of reasons to be pissed off. I've had my fair share of trials and tribulations with you but I can honestly say that I don't blame you. There are many things that I've learned from you. There are many things that I picked up from the pain you've brought about but also many good memories from the smiles you've brought to me.
Looking back at those hard times, it made me somewhat proud of myself probably because I was able to face them rather than cry in one corner or run. I feel like giving myself a big, big pat on the shoulder now. Haha! :)) Looking back, it also made me realize how God truly loves me unconditionally. Though, I wasn't really giving my all to Him, He did....He was still faithful with his promises even though I wasn't really in complete obedience in the past years. He was (and is) answering my all-time prayer: to not give up on me, no matter what, even if I have given up on myself and on Him. There were moments I felt like not seeking Him, but he was still there. He never left and that was what I truly needed, not a timeout with Him. It was God who carried me through all life's obstacles for the past years. I'm sure he will do the same thing, even more, this 2013.
Then it took me to a cloud, you brought me up so high. Met new friends along the way. You gave me hope; gave me something to believe in. Inspired me and reminded me of what it's like to have faith, to believe in something you can't even see, to fight for something that you truly think is worth it.
Last year was not just dark moments. I still had my fair share of life's ups and downs. My family received a handful of blessings before the year ended. I was able to discover something I can do, career-wise. I had accomplished, even not all, more than what I had planned for the year. Yeeeyy!! :D I made new friends, great friends actually. Most of all, I made a lot of realizations and learned many lessons before the New Year kicked off.
It taught me fear, reminded me of trauma and reminded me that life doesn't always work out the way you want it to, no matter how hard you believe in it or no matter how hard you fight for it. It taught me that there are some battles you can't win, that no matter what, friends and family will always be there for you. They will stand with you through thick and thin and they will support you no matter what how hopeless you may seem to them. They will always have your back as long as you're in the right path and that they will give you advice even if you don't seem to pay attention to them.
Reminiscing how I've lived my life, I've realized I'm still missing out a lot in life. I want to do sooo many things and I promise myself that I'll do my best to achieve it!! This year, it wouldn't be the same thing. I want a "new" year. It's not about becoming new.....I just want a better me. I want to look at life from a different perspective. It just feels good when you feel good about life whatever it brings. Life doesn't need to be perfect; it just needs to be beautiful in our sight, and we can choose to see it this way. Well, this 2013 I've got another year, another 365 days to fully embrace and celebrate life's beauty and goodness, to choose happiness every single day. I guess that's not so hard to do. While we cannot change the things in front us, the things of the world, we can change our outlook on life: to appreciate more and complain less; to thank God more and question Him less; and to love and live life to the fullest no matter how tough the world may seem.
With that, I say goodbye to you 2012.....I thank you for the lessons you have taught me, the people you've brought into my life and the trials that you've given me. I say goodbye to you with a smile on my face not because I'm glad that you're over, but because I'm glad that you've left me several lessons which I have yet to learn.
So today, we face a new beginning. A new hope was given to us. We have to set our minds and hearts for what is about to happen. As long as we have faith in God and we believe in ourselves, nothing is impossible. ;) This year let us make ourselves better, wiser and bolder. Cheers to confidence, maturity, witty and love. Always remember that this 2013, a new journey awaits. For those who were part of my 2012, THANK YOU for sticking around and let us continue this little journey that we started. I will greet 2013 with a big resounding hello and I can only hope that it's as great as you've been to me.
2013 here I come!!! Just walk, talk and enjoy the roller coaster ride. :))
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! HAPPY 2013!! Let's welcome it with a banggg!!
**Sorry it's kinda long for first entry this year! Too many thoughts to share.**
