a calm before the morning light downpours

You fly over the earth
I was just gazing at that
You fly over the earth
Can't you see I am tied to the ground

You keep falling towards the sky
You keep falling deeply into a bottomless sky
And you grab onto clouds. . .

You fly over the earth
I was just gazing at that
You fly over the earth
Can't you see I am tied to the ground

You fly over the earth
Soon you'll start melting into the air
You're floating in the air

As I was just staring at that...
Standing still

--from 'In the Air' by L'Arc~en~Ciel
translation by James Chertudi

In a little while, the year would say good-bye. But before that, a classmate in college already had. She's gone, and in a few minutes this year too would follow her to forever. I only learned about it today, from a bulletin in Friendster. Someone was asking who else would come to her hometown to bid their last farewells. I was not very close to this person, but nevertheless I knew her —be it a shallow acquaintance— talked to her, and laughed with her at times. When I think of her now, the only vivid picture I have of her in my memory is her smiling. The bulletin said she died of cancer and that at first it was only chronic anemia. She did not look it in college; rather she was full of life. And I cannot imagine her otherwise. Her smile is so clear in my head that the present truth seem unreal.

She will no longer have time to fill. Outside the box, outside time, and into eternity. Do words and meanings have no use to her now? Was she able to carry the memories of her life with her? And would they last outside the threshold of time? So many questions; like the stars appearing one by one at a softly lit sky at dusk, they emerge.

Ah, the sun is born of night, it sets again
Though no one's here to see - it's endless

--from 'Perfect Moment' by Hyde

If you travel far deep into the universe, will you never really reach its end?

I was in the office today when I got the news, amidst the ceaseless greetings of ‘Happy New Year’ around the office. For a moment, I was blanketed by silence, as if it was night and the cheers were in a far away place; and I was alone looking up at countless stars and beyond that the eyes of eternity were looking straight back at me. It was scary.

I pushed my chair to the right side of my station. I turned to Joey, and once we started chatting light came flooding back in and all was back to normal. I was back.

It was raining on my way home - it did not stop until I was at the gate of our village.

In a while, fireworks will light the night sky. This melancholy will be chased away by the deafening noise of firecrackers and carton trumpets. Tomorrow, 2008 will be nothing more but a mist and gone at the first sign of the morning light. A fresh, with full of promise, new year begins…

Listless

Have just posted at lj, see ~here~, the sort of post you make in a fine lazy afternoon like this one I'm having.

I'm a new member at Shelfari. Please add me if you're there too ^^

And here's the list of books I wish to read (and hopefully finish) this coming year:

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog

Meri Kurisumasu

**From tsukikei (^^)**
--thought I wouldn't get a chance to post today, but look :P

only a day away

Since there'll be no chance of getting this posted later nor tomorrow, I'll do it now

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! ♥♥♥

~soon the season's climax will hum~

Only 3 days left before Christmas! (n_n)

Finally, I'm done for the day! *floor* Today's load was insane and I got dizzy what with the ridiculous number of customers wanting to... Ow, I'll just shut it. My head still hurts. I knew today would be very very busy. But the work that came exceeded my expectation. Oh, my poor head (>.<). Joey gave me a handful of chocolates to cheer me up (it definitely felt being demented and the sweets kinda worked - a little).

So anyway, as the holiday season's climax draws near, I'm becoming more restless at each passing day. There's Christmas, then there's the New Year. With all the maddening preparations and festivities, it feels as if time is passing too slow and yet too fast at the same --and I'm caught right in the middle, my head aches. Again, my poor little head (T.T). The coming year looms like a shadow of a tsunami poised to flood everything clean. It’s a little overwhelming just to think about it. But, yes, I’m eager for it just the same. Let the waters downpour on me, I'm sure it would be refreshing.

My friends and I were supposed to spend the 26th by the beach to watch the sunset (would’ve been more fitting for the New Year’s Eve, but I cannot spend that without my family around me). This morning, Rachel sent me a message to inform that our plan is cancelled and we’re camping somewhere else –she said it’s a bit risky to stay by the seashore with this weather. The mornings indeed have become very cold and the winds are stronger. I now have to wear a jacket, in spite of putting on a long-sleeve top already, on my way to the office. I’m not up for this cold climate – I’m a ‘warm-weather’ person through and through. Camping still sounds good, though I was looking forward to sleeping by the seashore as the heavy wind brushes up my face and smell the fresh salt water. It would've been lovely watching the sun as it colors the vast sky into a magnificent painting, letting the colors brush off the sea --yes, I only intended to be the lucky spectator, as swimming is out of the question. But, oh well…

-----

I finally got the short clip of Ysrael playing as Samson in one of the past Cantatas in our church –and it’s one of my favorite too. I think this was 2004? **I forget** Botan edited it, adding the subtitles and putting clips of JE boys in the upper right to make it seem as if it was featured on a Japanese TV show. She uploaded it at youtube **brilliant! hehe** and sent us the link. I’m not sure if Ysrael had seen it yet though. If he discovers that I’ve also embedded it in my blog, he might skin me alive… But, I’m taking my chances, hahahaha!

~ Grief ~

So it's true. The last aired episode of Boston Legal is really the show's finale. How naive of me. UGH. How slow could I get. But pleeeeaase tell me it isn't true *sniffs*. Yes, I'm still in denial. I can't say good-bye to Boston Legal so suddenly --could I? Is it really? So there won't be anymore of...

I just read Wikipedia awhile ago. It says "In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Dec 7th, David E. Kelly said that it was in fact ABC's decision to end Boston Legal. He also stated that executives did not want to commit to a fifth season, so he had to fight to bring it back for a short season of 13 episodes". For a moment there, it got stuck in my throat and I could not swallow the whole thing. Gradually, yes, I would be able to take it in... but -- but! Uwaaaaaaahhhhhhh

*WAILS*

Damnit! It's the only American show I could find that can make me fall down laughing as if there's no tomorrow. Of all the shows they had to end, why did it have to be this one? WHY?!?

the mad cow may be contagious

Excerpt from Boston Legal,
season 5 episode 12:

Denny: Alan... I have more money than God, unless He timed the market. But I can't give it to you 'cause the government will take half with the gift tax. And I can't die and leave it to you 'cause of the estate tax - don't get me started. If you were my spouse, I could give it, I could leave it to you. What's mine is yours, and the government can't touch it.

Alan: Oh, for that matter, you could open a business Or start a foundation--

Denny: In which case, you can't use it for incidentals like travel, fishing. And the way you go after the government... They already audit you. They'll find a way to nail you for commingling or malfeasance or whatever. The cleanest, simplest, most efficient transfer of property... is marriage. Plus all those other reasons-- medical, spousal privilege... immunity.

Alan: (laughs) It's beyond ridiculous, even for us.

Denny: I've always wanted to remarry before I die.

Alan: Really? Why?

Denny: I just have. And like it or not... You're the man I love. Think of all the... uh, what do you call 'em, poor people?

Alan: Yes.

Denny: Think of all the poor people you can help. Allocating my wealth to them, not the... Iraq war. Or the... Wall street bailout. Take my hand, Alan. Take my money.

Alan: I always thought if I were to get married again, it would be for... love and romance.

Denny: You love me. Romance never lasts. Money can.

Alan: Okay, Denny. I will marry you.

Denny: Really?

Alan: Why not? (laughs) I suppose it had to come to this.

Denny: It'll be great.

Alan: (laughs) Yes, it will.

Denny: Oh, like jumping a shark.

Alan: Hey, how about we do it on the dock of Nimmo bay?

Denny: Perfect. A salmon in one hand --

Alan: me in the other. Let no man tear asunder.

Denny: This could be a television series.

Alan: On a new network --

Denny: One that cares.

Alan: Alan Shore and Denny Crane, husband and mad cow.

~~~
Monday. A grueling week bodes to start again. Bleh.

I watched Boston Legal 12 (title: Made in China) last weekend with my Dad and Hanna (I could not watch the live broadcast --who watches TV these days anyway). I was laughing so hard there were tears in my eyes. First there was the Chinese lot that would be taking over Crane, Poole, and Schmidt – who were welcomed by Denny firing his paint ball gun endlessly at them. Plus, the new name of the firm, it reeks of 'Made in China' all over it *it cracked me up*. And then there’s also Denny proposing to Alan. In my heart, all the decadence in Boston Legal is overshadowed by the characters’ sincerity and their genuine friendship. Impressive storylines. Or I must be too gullible… I don’t know. Even the carnal Denny Crane and his mad cow is just as lovable for his child-like honesty as Jerry Espenson and his funny quirks and timidity. And there’s no question when it comes to Alan Shore. I guess if I ever consider getting married, it would be to someone brilliant (like Alan) – that may be my weakness… Aiba Masaki being the exception *laughs*. Yes, someone brilliantly talented/artistic, if not brilliantly smart (well, I guess if we’re talking solely on brilliance, then I can count Aiba in for being brilliantly baka *chortles*). I hope season 5 would not be the last – or else, I would be very very sad... Unless they're planning to make a spin-off of Alan and Denny's married life. But that is simply crazy.

let's light the Christmas tree

It's kinda late for this post, but I'm doing it anyway: There will be 2 Live-Action Nodame Cantabile films for release on 2010. *Hurray!* (had posted the news at my lj yesterday… redundancy wouldn’t hurt, would it? :p)

>>news from Anime News Network<<

I haven’t been following the animation’s sequel – seeing that it’s almost exactly the same as the Live-action special. But now that the producers had expressed their plan to do a sequel on that Paris sequel, I’d definitely have to see that - my presentiment being a sequel's sequel will be quite something. The release though would be fall next year. *but is willing to wait ^^*

---

Christmas is almost here! I still got a long to-do list to prep up for its arrival *heavy sigh*. Okay, let me start with my selfish self first, hehe. Though I’m ninety percent sure I won’t get any of these as presents, I’ll put my Christmas wish list here anyway **because xmas wishes are sparkly delightful things, so :o)**

Wish-list,

*External HD or a very tall spool of blank DVDs (dual-layer would be better)
*Monthly VAMPS (any volume except the 3rd)
*Glade (yes, the air-freshener. I keep forgetting to buy one. Though I have nothing against gardens, ours have a small canal at the end, which is just right outside our bedroom window and the lid broke. At times, the canal exudes a stench that inevitably filters through our room. And it’s my brother’s Moschino that suffers. Not too practical)
*upgrade my lj to a paid account (Of all things, it’s the icons that got me hooked. Hahaha)
*books (whatever it is, I wouldn’t mind)
*Movies
*Hills Bros Coffee (this is always out of stock in the mall near my house *pouts*)

hmmmm . . . I know I have something else in my head, but I’m cutting this list short. Other lists need attention *groans*

My lovelies – I must reiterate – I’m NOT encouraging you to indulge this selfish impractical girl. If you can’t choose from any in the list, I could always settle for ‘love’. Ahahaha. Yup, I have room for lots and lots <333

'while she's adjusting her ideas'

"What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?'' cried he [Mr. Bennet]. "Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you there. What say you, Mary? For you are a young lady of deep reflection I know, and read great books, and make extracts.''

Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how.

"While Mary is adjusting her ideas,'' he continued, ``let us return to Mr. Bingley."

"I am sick of Mr. Bingley,'' cried his wife.

"I am sorry to hear that; but why did not you tell me so before? If I had known as much this morning, I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.''

- Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

Mr. Bennet amuses me XD

After much importuning from his wife, Mr. Bennet gave the new neighbor, Mr. Bingley, a call in hopes of his wife that the man would return the visit; and by that, there may be chance for their daughters to be introduced to him. But Mr. Bennet did so without telling his wife, and he waited until she became upset and evinced displeasure over his lack of interest on a matter which she deemed crucial on their daughters’ future… Well, you all probably know the story, don’t you?

I was answering a meme on books at LJ, when I came upon the question "what's your favorite romance novel?" My mind went blank for a moment. I could only recall 2 notable book titles I've read under this genre: 'Jane Eyre' and 'Pride and Prejudice'. After much musing, I typed in the latter. It's not that I've read just these two, but, yes, I admit I've only read a few – which was partly my father’s fault. Yup, you heard me right. My Dad practically banned romance novels when I was younger (except classics), and I only managed to sneak in a few lent by my cousin. I read Pride and Prejudice in high school so, honestly, I only remember the gist of the story. But I'd happily put off reading 'the Idiot' so I can reread Austen's most famous novel. Plus, Mr. Darcy is Colin Firth **gigglefit... isn't that reason enough?** In fact, he played the role so well that Mark Darcy (in Bridget Jones's Diary) was practically created for him - a character which was undeniably patterned after Austen's Mr. Darcy. I skimmed through the first two chapters of the book yesterday, as I have only a vague memory of Austen's writing style now. I had not given much attention to Mr. Bennet before, but he seems to be an interesting character. He appears to be a fun daddy. (n_n)

-----

I'd love to read more romance novels. But it's quite scary to arbitrarily pick a book on my own **speaking from experience**. So, do you guys have any other good books in mind?

(but please, spare me from Twilight!... I'd rather not read that. If there's something I learned from the movie, that is to keep away from the book. And one 'twi-fan' is enough at home - my Dad *hahaha*. Yeah, he lifted the ban - and he most certainly should! I'm old enough to buy my own books now)

Okay, I need to run off - I heard there's ice cream at the pantry (it's Apple's birthday ^^). Bye!