I couldn't help but care

Korean all-girl group 2NE1 singing I Don't Care.

The fringe benefits of failure

One of the most beautiful speeches I've had the opportunity of knowing was the one delivered by J.K. Rowling to the Harvard graduates at their commencement ceremony. Her speech was quite long but it was so full of wisdom. I couldn't help but be moved while reading her speech. Rowling talked about the fringe benefits of failure, which I can instantly relate to as I've had experienced lots of it in the past, and the importance of imagination. Anyway, I just selected several lines from her speech that made an impact on me. A complete transcript of her speech can be found here.

"... failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had been realised, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default."

"Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above the price of rubies."

"So given a Time Turner, I would tell my 21-year-old self that personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a check-list of acquisition or achievement. Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two. Life is difficult, and complicated, and beyond anyone's total control, and the humility to know that will enable you to survive its vicissitudes."

Up

Carl Fredricksen has always wanted to travel to South America with his wife. However, she died without realizing their dream. Now an old man, Carl decided to finally try his luck at fulfilling their dream. One day, he tied thousands of balloons to his house and made it fly. Unknown to him, Russell, an overly enthusiastic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer, was stuck in his porch while his house was soaring to the sky. It was the start of their adventures.

Up is such an uber cute movie. It is absolutely one of the funniest animated movie I've seen. Rusell, the overly enthusiastic Wilderness Explorer, is so adorable. I also find Mr. Fredricksen's character cute. Every cents I paid for watching this movie was all worth it. It's so beautifully made. The overall effect of Up is just so uplifting. Highly recommended.

Something new

I really can't help but be excited about this film because there's just so many firsts in it. It's not the usual OFW story. Its John Lloyd's and Luis's first time to portray gay roles. And Vilma will portray a mother role that's totally different from the ones she had assumed in the past. Vilma's character as a strict librarian reminds me of Miss Villarta, our high school librarian. :-)

Come Closer

Over the years, Close-Up has been consistent in making very catchy jingles for their commercials. But the jingle of the most recent Close-Up TVC didn't made much impact on me when I first heard it. However, when I heard the entire song, I was instantly captivated. I'd like to share here the song and the lyrics of the new Close-Up TVC. Rico Blanco also has his own version of this song.

The next ones

The passing of the former president Cory Aquino has revived the memories of the Marcos regime and awakened the nationalistic sentiments of many Filipinos. Her death also made me reflect on my childhood in the early 80s. My family was then living in Manila. As a child I have very few memories of what's it like to live during the Marcos regime. I remember how everyone, my parents and our neighbors, were afraid of saying aloud Marcos' name. And when they'd talk about him, they'd do so in whispers and they'd refer to him as Macoy. It was like referring to Voldemort as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Even after the lifting of the martial law, people continued to observe the curfew. My father would not allow us out of the house after 6 pm. I was six years old when Ninoy was shot on the tarmac. I was nine when the first People Power was staged in EDSA. I consider myself lucky for being old enough then to understand and appreciate the events that transpired in that era. When I saw the footage of yesterday's coverage of Cory Aquino's burial, I noticed that most of the people who went to the streets are young people. I believe most of them were probably babies or weren't even been born yet at the time of Cory's ascension to presidency. But their presence on the streets yesterday showed that they understand the significance of Cory's death. If only Tita Cory could've have seen them, I'm sure she would've been very proud and happy.

Goodbye and thank you

Goodbye Tita Cory. We will miss you, Ma'am. Thank you for everything you have done for this country.