Kris Allen Wins American Idol

Ok, so the big night is over. We've had our shares of anxiety and frustrations as the finale show gets longer and longer as expected. But ofcourse we all know that these intermissions, performed by great artists, both legendary and new, help build up the climactic moment of announcing the winner.

Ok, so I woke up this morning with this mild discomfort of keeping my eyes focused on the wall clock.. and as soon as my vision stabilized.. i was jerked by the sudden realization that it is already 8:30am. its the live telecast of american idol's season finale and Im half our late already. I frantically pointed my remote to the tv started watching. I dont think I missed that much, David Cook was just finishing his song and thanking his supporters and giving a little speech especially about the tragic death of his brother. Then we go to the dull but funny awards section given out to the early auditioners who made quite an impact, depending on how good or more commonly, how bad and bizaare they acted during the early stages of the show. The first one i caught was an award given to the outstanding male, and that went to that who-knows-whats-his-name with a funny outfit matched with head and wrist bands. He's quite funny but verging to annoying. He sang the jennifer husdon song and walked out abruptly after that. (thank god!) Then after that, forgive me but I totally forgot the order of the performances, so just to give the main highlights: Queen Latifah & Lil Rounds (whom I didnt recognized until after the show) Kris Allen & Keith Urban, Alisom & Cindy Lauper (playing a rather bizaare citar? was it), Lionel & Danny, Matt & Santana, Jason Mraz, Adam & Kiss, then the final 2 with Queen singing we are the champions. Ok, so we all know this number is favoring Adam's more rangey vocals, so ok, Kris looked like purring kitten joining the roaring tigers. A few more awards were given, one in particular would be for the bikini girl.. but kara, astonishingly emerged from the stage, and sang the high parts of the vision of love, not in par with Mariah's vocals though, but good enough to over shadow the bikini tramp. She then tore her dress revealing a black bikini underneath! haha! shocking but funny. I wished she showed it off more proudly, it looked like she wants to sew her dress up again after doing that. hahaha! She claimed, its all for charity.

Ok so the final 2 stood side by side, with ryan queuing to dim the lights for the last time and the haunting background music started playing. It was Kris Allen. To my favor. A lot of people were shocked, even Kris himself. Adam on the other hand gracefully hugged Kris and gave his congratulations. Nice guy! But kris, still in shock, has lost for words when asked by Ryan how is he feeling at the moment. He stuttered and said "It's crazy, Adam deserves this. I don't know how to react." Audience cheers weren't an uproar, nor did the judges jump off their seats. People were all trying to sink in the surreal result until the band started playing the No Bounderies song. Kris then started singing and probably began to realize that he is the winner. Live up to it!

Ok, so my thoughts on this. I've always been for Kris since day 1. but people are all talking about how good Adam was. OK, in my opinion both are great singers. both are artistically driven, taking each song and making them as their own. its a battle of the theatrical divo, vs the laid back acoustic guy. Who do I want more, lets go for the under dog. American Idol is known for putting singers with big voices in their hall of fame. I say, how about the crooners? the acoustic guitar players? the subtle serenaders? dont they get the chance to win it too? Last year, we had David Cook, also a Rock enthusiast., got this outstanding high octave voice, we all now he deserved it, but lets leave it to that. How about bringing in someone more different, more of an underdog who can give us the same great melodic songs but in his own subtle and divine way. Thats why America chose Kris.

Acuatico Resort

Went to Acuatico Beach Resort, Laiya Batangas, last March 28, 2009, with my family (not to mention a separate trip with friends, weeks before that) The place was heaven! thanks to Kris & Tracy for recommending this paradise. Anyway, with picturesque views like this place, it brings out another photo op. So there I am, shooting the day away with my Nikon D90 (which was named by Bie, si Seth daw) Check em' out! Seth's captures.

Morning Stroll : My cousin and I decided to make the most of the sunrise by strolling the stretch of Laiya shore.

Trees & Sand

Bottled Electric

Bottled Color

Earth Hour: March 28, was Earth Hour. So electricity was shut down and torches were lit.

Gaze

Doorwait

On The Rox

Yellow Blue

Got A Catch!

Our Resort

Infinity Pool

The trip was bitin, since we have to check out early the next day. The more we want to take advantage of the place, the less sleeping we need to do. So I had a drowsy drive back home to Manila. Thanks to Lady Gaga's music, I managed to stay up and kept my eyes on the road.

Into The Photo Blog

Hi,

Since my new found love for photography, i feel that i need to chronicle the photos i'll be taking so i can track my progress (if there's any) and also, so that it's more fun looking back at it. with stories and all. So, here begins, my new blog reconfiguration!

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Photo Albums & Layouts

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File transfers: Negatives to CD, etc.

ID, Contact Prints, Black & White processing

Camera Repair, Video Coverage, Tarpaulin

and many more.

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ordeals of the health

I hate to start an entry on such a negative note, but I'm still fatigued with all the medication I've been taking to treat my MRSA bacteria. It's really frustrating to have such a sickness wherein the culprit continuously learns a way to fight whatever antibiotic I take, and makes a way to regain its strength. I have been growing boils on my buttocks and sometimes on my legs for quite some time now (I think it started February this year) and until now I'm being haunted by its regular recurrence. I'm taking my 6th set of antibiotics, Clyndamycin, for a week now.. and hopefully this will defeat and eradicate this shit out. 

MRSA symptoms include, fatigue, BOILS!!! (this would be the T-rex out of all the lizards!) fever, chills, loss of appetite and for some, cough. Right now I'm still experiencing mild fever and coughs. Its terrifying to know that this particular bacteria is almost incurable since its wise enough to survive through any treatment. Im deeply praying to fully recover from this. Your prayers will also suffice.

One of the good things about life is its wondrous unpredictability... only, this unpredictability can also work against us. One of this is our HEALTH. Just these past months I have been hearing a lot of friends, acquaintances, and family members who either die from sickness or are sick as of this moment. Famous people such as Francis M. , Christina Applegate are also undergoing treatments for their cancers. My uncle, tito Oscar, also is under chemotherapy for treatment of his bone marrow cancer. He never smokes, drinks alcohol and has been living in Saipan for years which is a very un-polluted place. There are also no cancer histories coming from my grandparents and from family members way back. So, for people as healthy as him acquiring these sicknesses is still a mystery to me. Going back to me, I have been very religious in taking my Vitamin C and the fact that I'm still getting fevers and these types of bacteria is mind boggling. 

All I'm saying is, you'll never know what will get you and no matter how cautious  you are in the way you live, this life's wondrous unpredictability will one day come across, and when that day comes, we, as people, should always be prepared mentally and spiritually. 

back from the grave

Now waddayahnow! im back from the grave, in to the blogging world again. I really find it difficult to update blogs, especially if time wont allow it. Plus! it takes a while to re-access this blog since a lot of updates were made by google and blogger. Which made signing in impossible for me.

Anyway, a quick update run down:

I quit my job.

Im trying to run our family business now.

I just recovered from a bacteria-related sickness.

Therefore, Im thin again! grrrrrrrrr!!

Leaving Ethan Allen was a decision influenced by a lot of things. First, all my friends there left already. Second, I just came into realization that its time for me to accept my obligations as an only child heir. Third, I've had enough of those troubling clients and the pressure in keeping up our sales quota. Fourth, I would love to get a chance to watch The Buzz again... haha!

Whats next? Right now I'm plainly a shadow to my mother. I follow her everywhere and Im starting to learn the business she's doing. Im also starting to improve our photo shop's interiors... and now I have plans to start a bakery also....

It was a bittersweet goodbye to the Ethan Allen family. I'm surely gonna miss my colleagues, old and new. And the crew there whom I already consider my second family. But on the sweeter side... Im STRESS FREE!!!

well... that's it for now. Now that I have the time in my hands, i would probably update this blog more often.

Ciao!

hi bloG! how are you naman?

haha! been caught up with work so much lately kaya no updating of blog came about within the past few months. and besides, nothing much is happening to me thats worth chronicling. (di ko kinaya yung word nayun ah) except that just last week, me and my officemate sab, went to the US embassy to apply for a visa for us to be able to attend the training that Ethan Allen will be having at Danbury, Connecticut. (just like what Dianne & Shella went through a couple of weeks ago. its a 2-week training, and then a 5-day extension sa new york, but that's for leisure na! YEEKEE!!) Syempre, of all the ordinary days we have in a year, tlgang September 11 pa kami nasched for an interview. and its a terrible anniversary for the americans to relive dba?

and so we went there. sab was early, so she got in line ahead of me. i arrived just in time for the screening of passports before people enter. it was drizzling that day. so syempre ako naka black polo, tucked in sa slacks, pero may hawak na bulaklaking umbrella. (perfect look for issuance of a visa!) tapos, in a couple of minutes, sab went out of the line, to where im standing, saying her photos may be invalid coz one of her ear was being covered by her hair. so rush muna sya sa nearest fotome booth... actually there are vulture photographers waiting na for innocent preys na hindi inaaccept yung mga id nila. you can see them clustering in one corner waiting for people seeking help. kaya yun bayad sya 200 for her id..pero was able to get back the line on time. so we went inside... deposited our cellphones.. screened by guards and went to the waiting area. as our passports being checked, sab's passport was rejected since it has a mild defect on the lamination. so from there, she has to go pa to DFA pa. so, as shocked as we both are, we were separated early that day! not knowing how to deal with the rest of the time we have.

ako i proceeded na to the waiting area where you are suppose to wait (duh?) for your number to be called. and after minutes of fidgeting cold feet, my number was finally flashed. and so I went to the finger scanning booth na. the american girl behind the booth was speaking in tagalog. she was repeatedly saying "keh-lee-weh" which is suppose to mean kaliwa, or use daw my left hand first. she was repeatedly speaking in that manner so it was funny listening to her uttering those words.."keh-lee-weh" so placed my left index finger to the scanner and was questioned: "what's wrong with your fingers?" (apparently she could not read my finger prints) ako naman sabi ko "skin allergies ma'am" and she replied "hmmm..let me see" and so she reached out through the hole on the glass and looked at my finger. she told me: "hmmm.. well its clear enough for me to let it go... but take good care of your fingers ok?" ako naman was like "WHEW!" just when I thought i would be rejected from that point palang. so i was happy she considered me. (di bale, i will take my fingers to a "finger spa"... if there is such a place!) haha!

so after that funny moment.. i went to the US consul booths na... (which was like the heaven's gate for me) not knowing if i will achieve salvation or suffer the fires of hell. so from that stage i was without a doubt.."a nervous wreck". so I sat on the far back side of the waiting area... behind a post where i cant see the numbers being flashed. so everytime may nagaalarm... i have to stand up and take a look at the numbers... so upo tayo ako ng upo tayo.. making me look like the most nervous person in that room!! and so, nagflash na number ko saying proceed to "window 4". hoping i will get to meet an angel looking consul who looks positive in approving me, rather than an old looking evil woman, who has been in the embassy for centuries and will be grilling me like hell. but fortunately, it was a young fat white girl with curly blonde hair, who looks... hmm.. nice enough. so she started questioning me like "what is the purpose of my stay...what is a visual merchandiser..what is focus global" they ask questions that you wouldn't expect, so there isnt really a perfect way of preparing for this. I was able to answer straight forward and truthfully naman... (which is the key of getting a bigger chance of approval) so the lady halted the interview and stood up. ako naman was like... (ok? WHATS HAPPENING?) and then I realized, a solemn prayer pala was being played thrugh the speakers and they were having a silent moment of tribute to the 9/11 anniversary. and so i also bowed down, (pretending I am also a US citizen deeply contemplating for that moment) but inside me was a screaming monster shouting "APPROVED NA BAKO OH HINDI??" and so after the prayer the lady told me: "we were just commemorating the anniversary of the september 11 attacks" ako naman said "yes ma'am i understand that!" and after that, the lady was discussing to me na the next step after that..proceed na daw to the next booth, handing me this yellow form (which was like the golden ticket in american idol) and to schedule na daw a date for the delivery of my visa. kaya ako naman ecstatic (nagttumbling nako sa isip ko!) but i cannot show it at that moment so I discreetly went out the room carrying my pink floral umbrella.

when i was walking to the parking area which was beside manila bay.. i was saying "USA HERE I COME!) but a part of me was also saying "SAB!!! ASAN KA NA!!??? WAAAH!!" so when I got home, I called sab na agad, asked if she was able to go to DFA na and fix everything. she said yes, but her passport will be issued not later this week pa, and so she has to reschedule another interview. so ako was feeling half happy, yet half anxious pa! hopefully if sab got it all right, we will be leaving na this october 9. and besides, like what we were thinking before our interview... we prefer to be denied together, than to be approved alone!! waaaah!!!! still keeping my fingers crossed.

superman in imax

watched superman returns in IMAX yesterday! weehee! hurried home form work to catch the movie i was anticipating since last month. imagine that we bought tickets last sunday for this week's sunday screening. (the whole week was sold out) to think the tickets cost a pocket-draining 350 pesos for a 2 and a half hour movie. anyway, as we enter the imax theater, as expected, the hugeness of the screen and the venue was overwhelming. i dunno about the "screen-is-8-storey-high" press thing (mere hyperbole), i think it was a bit exaggerated at that aspect, but the screen was really gigantic! when the first previews were shown, and with the magic wonder of the 3d glasses, i felt that i am inside the screen and that the letters of the movie titles flashing were sliding below my feet. what magic optical illusions can do these days!combined with ear drum-busting surround sound system ofcourse. the preview of the trex movie was the amazing part of it... they made the rocks from a quarry seem like its actually crumbling above you, and branches from the trees almost scratching your face... and ofcourse who wouldn't be awed by the horrendous face of the trex protruding out of the screen and seeming almost inches away from your face. it was so incredible!

anyway, so the movie starts, and as expected... the "UH-OH" feeling of having another potential obsession to such a gorgeous actor... brandon routh, is realized again. and so I was right. im totally IN TO him right now! urrrghh.. why do they make perfect looking people like that that always gives me reason to drive myself crazy?? why oh why!?!

the feature presentation was also great... ofcourse setting aside the fact that I havent watched any superman film before... i am familiar with the basic story plot tho, like and superman's history, what he's up to and his nemesis. I didnt even care if the story was good, as long as the actor is an eye candy, then satisfaction granted already. hek! hek!

the 3d effects of the movie wasnt that "whoa-ing". it was a total of 20 minutes of 3d action scattered into different parts of the movie.. so an annoying symbol indicator flashes once in a while, during the movie when its time to put the 3d glasses on and to take it off... i totally would appreciate it more if they consolidated the 20 minute 3d scenes into a one portion of the movie, (the best scene ofcourse; which for me was when he's carrying the landmass) to avoid the hassle of interrupting audience once in a while. im actually looking at my parents everytime the symbol shows, assuring if they got their glasses right.

so there, thats my review of the Superman Returns and the Imax theater... the movie was average, the actor was hot, the imax theater was huge, the 3d effects need improvement... oh and the trex preview was jaw dropping!