Monday, January 29, 2018

Random Ramblings 4

*Last week I did something that I was trying to avoid which was to watch 2 movies in the theater. I'm on a budget and watching movies especially in Metro Manila is just expensive to me now but that night I felt a little off for some reason so I needed an escape. I watched The Greatest Showman which got my interest because I really love the soundtrack and I love movie musicals. The movie was very enjoyable although I can definitely see why many critics did not like it. It felt a little rushed and there's some off pacing and story. I also read the real story behind the main character is so different than what was presented to the movie. But as a form of entertainment I really enjoyed. I liked most of the songs and I've been listening to the soundtrack on Spotify every day! The music is infectious!.
The other movie I saw is a local movie Ang Dalawang Mrs Reyes which surprised me a lot. The trailed made it look like a broad comedy about wives discovering that their husbands are gay and in a relationship. But the movie is so much more than that. It's a great dissection of not just sexual identity but also about relationships and dealing with pain. The "kabit" genre is so popular in Pinoy pop culture because A LOT of Pinoys could relate to it. The catty remarks these movies are so known for are probably a form of catharsis to a lot of Pinoys. But to be honest  most kinda felt shallow and does not really connect to a deeper level which what impressed me with Ang Dalawang Mrs Reyes because of the way they presented the pain that happens to people that got cheated on. It's thought provoking.On the sexual identity side, the movie was also quite educational. I didn't know there were so many facets to it. Not just gay, lesbian and bisexual. 
So yes I went over my budget but I somehow don't regret it because I watched two good movies. One great escapist entertainment and the other one made me ponder on things. How I wish I could afford to watch movies again on a weekly basis. Yes there are "ways" to watch at home but I love watching in the cinema. I feel more connected.

*The Good Place is one of my favorite TV shows right now and as the season comes to a close, I just want to say once again how this show fascinates. It's so unpredictable and I like how they discuss philosophy and ethics. Thought provoking but it never loses the humor.

*I had one tradition that I've been doing for the last few years that I thought of not doing anymore. It involves other people and I know the interest with this activity have dwindled over the years. I thought why should I bother anymore but I decided the last minute to continue doing it. The result is pretty much what I expected  but I'm okay with it and decided that I'll continue doing this as long as possible.  I still find it fun to do so it's OK if the interest is not as high as it used to be. 

*I hate looking myself in the mirror. I need to do something about this

Tuesday, January 09, 2018

Random Ramblings 3

*New year but still the same old feeling of discontent. I will do my best to get out of this phase as soon as possible. I was actually in good spirits for awhile because there were things to distract  me I guess. But today I blame my phone whose battery drained faster than usual so I was not able to listen to Spotify or radio on my commute back home. You see, I have at least an hour travel  and during the lull moments I often find myself thinking a lot of things so that's why I needed something to listen to so I won't have these thoughts overtaking my mind again. 

* A few weeks ago I had a chat with a friend and we were talking about her youngest kid who is entering senior high this coming school year. I asked what track is he planning to take and she said humanities because he wants to have a career in mass media. I jokingly told her that it's not the practical decision "look at me". We laughed it off. Earlier we had  a chat again and she told me that his son will still pursue that track even though she told him that it may not be practical and actually used my words as piece of advice. I was a surprised because I didn't mean to be that kind of cynical person who will trample on a young person's dream. What have I become? I admit I'm mostly pessimistic but of course deep in my heart I'm still a dreamer. 

*Browsing Facebook never fails to bring out a side of me I really hate. I rarely browse and the time I do I still stumble to something in my timeline that will once again trigger emotions I hate feeling. I saw a post from an acquaintance I met at a campus journalism workshop a decade ago. He is now based abroad and was interviewed by a local news channel to get his insights on a national issue. I was impressed and of course felt little again. He is going places and while I am basically.... I'll stop..

*Which brings me to this: This March will mark the 10th year since I graduated from college. I will try not to feel bad that whatever my goal back then never happened nor am I near where I thought would be at this point of my life. I will try to avoid 'how time flies" or "napag iwanan" thoughts. 

*I made a big deal in previous posts about my year end chart tradition if I should stop or not. Well basically I didn't fully abandon it but made some changes. I no longer tried to listen and list down multiple radio year end charts at once. I just listened to one station at night and stopped when we were about to eat (in previous years I had my headphones while eating). I guess I can call it a progress.