Related to Colonial Mentality

So Filipino singer Charice was chosen to sing the theme song for Final Fantasy XIII-2. There’s no problem with this, except maybe some fans’ reaction to it, the worst one being:

“Nagtitipid siguro ang Square Enix kaya instead of ‘yung Japanese singer, si Charice na lang kinuha nila.”

Hindi ba nila alam kung gaano ka-big time si Charice? She has concerts with Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli! Nagpeperform siya sa Madison Square Garden! Nag-guest siya sa Glee! Halos ninang na niya si Oprah. Akala ba nila ‘eh mura ang talent fee ni Charice tulad nung mga kumakanta sa barangay?

It’s a case of colonial mentality, I guess. Anything local is cheap. Charice is Filipino, therefore her talent fee must be cheap. Therefore, companies only hire her when they’re looking for a cheaper alternative. Hay, mga tao talaga.

Let’s Talk About Today

Tell us about your decision-making process.

A job interviewer told me once. And I answered her seriously. I said that I list down the pros and cons of something, and then decide on the one with the most pros. Which is what I do with important decisions. Of course, for things non-work-related, the best way to decide is by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors.

—

I was late. Or maybe I wasn’t because technically there was no actual meeting time set. And how can you be late (or early) when there’s no specific time set? So I guess the better way to put it is: E got there before I did. And because I arrived at 1:40pm, we missed the 1:30pm showing of the movie we wanted, Real Steel.

No worries, I said. The next showing is at 3:30pm. It’s only 2 hours away. But E said that 2 hours away isn’t “only”. And he said that we should just watch whatever movie that started at 2pm. It happened to be Apollo 18, which is a horror movie, and as you know, something I’m not a fan of. So, we argued. And argued. And then E remembered how we settled decisions like these–with Rock, Paper, Scissors.

2 out of 3, he said, thinking that if I got lucky on the first try he’d have 2 more chances of winning. But instead, he was the one who got lucky on the first round, and the next two were mine. So, Real Steel it was, and there were no hard feelings.

I think people underestimate the usefulness of Rock, Paper, Scissors. In the same way that the magic 8-ball is considered a toy, when I think it can be really useful for those everyday non-life-threatening decisions.

Anyway, about Real Steel: I enjoyed it, I guess because I wasn’t really expecting anything great. I knew it was a kids movie, so I didn’t pay attention much to the dialogue or even it’s plot, which is overly cliché. I just let myself be entertained by the fighting robots, though I was still kind of bothered by the very fake love story between Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly’s characters. I mean, why include a love story if it’s going to be that boring? You may as well have said they were just friends. No kissing scenes needed. It wouldn’t have changed the movie either way.

—

Two more stuff crossed off my list of stuff to eat once I get back to the Philippines — Assam Milk Tea from Serenitea and the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie from Bread Monster. And I have also decided that, my favorite tea from Serenitea is the Royal Milk Tea. If that’s the one with vanilla ice cream in it. Gah. It’s just like me to not remember the name of the drink that I like. But, I’m sure it’s not the last time I go to Serenitea. I’d like to take this moment to say how happy I am that there’s a branch in ATC. I’m sick and tired of complaining that most specialty establishments only open branches in the north. Not that that makes me love the south any less.

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I fell asleep watching Hot Shots! Part Deux on Star Movies. As a result, I’m still awake at 2am, writing on my blog, and not making a lot of sense.

Megamall, Movies & Milk Tea

Ang dami kasing kwento. As in madami. Syempre, limang buwan ka ba namang nasa ibang bansa ‘eh ‘di malamang marami kang maikukwento pagbalik mo. At syempre maraming pictures. At kung anu-ano pa. Pero, alam n’yo naman ako, fan ako ng storytelling na may iba’t ibang vocal stylings, hand gestures at facial expressions. Lalo kung mga pangyayari sa sariling buhay ang ikukwento mo. Kung kaya’t, hindi ako magblo-blog tungkol sa mga nangyari sa New Zealand. Anyway, I don’t think meron din naman sa inyong ganun ka-interesado na magbabasa pa ng 5-months-worth of kwento about New Zealand.

So ngayon, anong ilalagay ko dito sa blog ko? Alangan namang hindi na’ko mag-update kahit kelan? Nakakalungkot naman ‘yun. Ang totoo, namiss ko ring mag-update dito nung nasa New Zealand ako. Ang hirap lang kasi mag-update kasi sobrang bagal ng WordPress ‘dun. Ewan ko rin bakit. Hindi blog-friendly ‘yung bansa na ‘yun. Kaya nga ngayong nasa Pinas na’ko ulit, parang dapat mag-update na’ko dito. Pero tungkol saan?

Magkukwento na lang ako tungkol sa mga pangyayari since nakauwi ako. May mga sampung araw na rin naman.

Megamall

Sa hindi sinasadyang paraan, nangyaring nakapunta na’ko sa Megamall nang tatlong beses mula nang dumating ako sa Pinas. Kinukwento ko kasi hindi naman ako madalas nagpupunta ‘dun. Bakit ako pupunta ‘eh ang layu-layo mula sa bahay namin? Pero nagkataong may mga dahilan ako para magpunta ‘dun. At ngayon, makalipas ang ilang beses na pagpunta ‘dun, gusto ko lang sabihin, na hindi ko pa rin siya gusto. ATC ‘da best pa rin! Hahaha! Masyado ba akong loyalista? Sige na nga, aaminin kong may benefits din naman ang pagpunta ‘dun, tulad ng pagiging magkakalapit ng Bon Chon Chicken, Krispy Kreme, atbp. Pero ATC pa rin. (Ang kulet!)

Movies

At dahil ang mahal mahal manood ng sine sa NZ, konti lang ang napanood ko. Or, actually I think by NZ standards ‘eh medyo marami na ‘yun. Pero kung ikukumpara mo sa usual kong panonood ng sine dito sa Pinas, which is halos 1 movie a week, sobrang konti nung mga pinanood kong sine sa NZ. Sa totoo lang, alam kong maganda ang buhay sa mga bansang 1st world, pero naman, P550 para sa sine?! Sobrang na-appreciate ko talaga na dito, P300 lang ‘eh naka-3D ka na. Kaya ayan, 10 days pa lang ako ulit dito sa Pinas, nakatatlong sine na’ko: Ligo na U, Lapit na Me, Horrible Bosses, at What’s Your Number?

Sa tatlo, pinakanagustuhan ko ‘yung What’s Your Number? And mainly because gwapo si Chris Evans at nakakatuwa si Anna Faris. Of course, ‘yung kwento niya is predictable typical romantic comedy, pero better than any of Katherine Heigl’s movies naman ‘no. Pinakanadisappoint ako ‘dun sa Ligo na U, Lapit na Me. Kasi naman akala ko maganda dahil local indie film, ‘yung tipong, Dinig Sana Kita o kaya Endo level. But, no. Realistic lang siya, pero dahil nga sa sobrang pagka-realistic, hindi siya ganun ka-interesting. Then ‘yung Horrible Bosses naman, ‘yun ‘yung movieng, pwede na. Hindi maganda, pero hindi rin naman sobrang panget. At natuwa na rin ako dahil kasama sa writing team si John Francis Daley.

Milk Tea

Milk tea!

Sa lahat ng namiss ko sa Pilipinas, pinakanamiss ko ang pagkain. Hindi nga. Ewan ko ba. Alam kong maganda ang mga 1st world countries dahil maayos ang gobyerno nila, reliable ang mga ospital at hindi mataas ang crime rate, pero… iniisip ko na baka kung lahat ng tao sa Pilipinas ‘eh ma-experience ang buhay sa ibang bansa, sobrang mas-maaappreciate nila ‘yung mga bagay dito sa Pilipinas na hindi naman natin talagang pinag-iisipan. Katulad ng, pwede kang mag-tsinelas araw-araw. O kaya, ng milk tea.

Ang sarap ng milk tea ng Gong Cha. As in. Masayang-masaya ako na triny ko siya nung nasa Glorietta 4 ako. And although sinasabi nila na “novelty drinks” lang ang milk tea at eventually mawawala sila sa uso katulad ng nangyari sa Zagu, masaya ako na at least meron siya sa Pilipinas for a while. At na meron ditong coffee jelly. Alam n’yo ba na walang coffee jelly sa New Zealand? And yes, masarap ang steak ‘dun at patatas at apples, pero dito may mango shake! At turron! At Gong Cha Milk Earl Grey Tea with Pearls!

Ang labo ba ng mga kwento ko? Ang hirap kasi talaga mag-explain. Pero baka pwede kong i-sum up in one sentence: I’m home.