The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Watching Catching Fire on the weekend made me wonder why I was hesitant to watch the the First Hunger Games movie. The answer of course is simple, I hate waiting and I haven’t read the Hunger Games series then.

The first Hunger Games was forced on me by classmate when she found out I haven’t watched it yet. And my reaction was ‘Kailinit mana sa kay Katniss man’ (I hate the character Katniss Everdeen). And she said I was spot on. I was supposed to not like Katniss in the first place.

I was intrigued and so I read the series. If you hate Katniss Everdeen, reading the series would make you hate her more. But I did like the series, though not so the third book which is Mockingjay. But that is my opinion and you can have another if you have read the book, as I did, or you can wait for the movie, I hear it’s a Part 1 and 2. That is justifiable as its a bit thicker than the other 2 and they last for 2 hours and a half just to convey what happened in the book in a Lord of the Rings way (sorry, BIG fan).

So let’s get on with the review.

I think let us start with I adored Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason. They delivered the character as I imagined them to be. Sexy and sassy.

I feel sorry for Wiress and Mags and Effie. Theirs is a tragic part. Wiress and Mags dying and Effie heartbroken. But hey, Elizabeth Banks delivered. You should have been jealous of those gorgeous clothes with matching hair.

As for Cinna, I didn’t really care. He had implanted into the Capitol and the Districts a symbol and him dying as price for that symbol, I think, is fair. Since everybody who goes against Snow dies anyway, at least when he goes he had sowed more hatred for the Capitol in Katniss’ heart.

But I started at the middle.

Now for the start. The beginning of the movie is pretty subdued. Just highlighting life after the Hunger Games in District 12’s Victor Village and the RIOT at the Victory Tour. What moved most people would be the speech of Katniss for Rue, and the old man dying for defying the Capitol after that.
Then it was just a pure narrative of Capitol’s monkey business.

Remember: Panem Today, Panem Tomorrow, Panem Forever.

Everybody hated that (the District people) that is.

Then we have the sham engagement. Poor Peeta.

And the announcement of the 3rd Quarter Quell with the goal of eliminating Katniss Everdeen. Tributes were chosen from the victors who are already darlings of the Capitol. Shame that others would suffer because of a single Kat, err, lady?

The Parade, The Tributes Training, Interview, the implication of Katniss as the Mockingjay and the announcement of Katniss’ pregnancy and secret wedding.

Then we have the Hunger Games.

What happened then is too much fun to spoil, but spoil it I will.

The new Arena is a dome and there the Tributes, former Victors, must eliminate each to have one Victor in the end. But before that, the tributes suffered from Anxiety, Pain, Death, Friendship, and Love as Enemies became Allies and Allies Enemies.

But will Katniss have her wish and save Peeta from Death?

We do not know that yet, as the movie ends with Katniss waking up with Gale at her side and the story of District 12 burning in her mind.

So in Mockingjay Part 1 and 2, I hope the answers we seek will be found. And as those movies will bring the Trilogy to an end, will the ODDS be in Their Favor?

Because for now, the ODDS are never in their favor but at least they have
Katniss Everdeen: The Girl On Fire.

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

Damires Hills Resort Outing

On June 29, 2013, we, on Eversun Software Philippines Corporation, held a Seminar on Customer Service Skills Training: “ACT Now. Be an AOV” at a wonderful place called Damires Hills Resort (Terra Verde). Though I wasn’t able to attend the training proper because of prior commitments, I was able to join my company friends for the outing.

Our package included the use of the Conference Hall, the facilities which include the Rooms, Snacks, Dinner, and Breakfast the next day, and the Swimming Pool. They also have Videoke in the Conference Hall, a Zip Line and ATV and a small park which I haven’t had time to explore because of time constraints.

So, when I arrived that night, we had a mini-videoke contest amongst us and after I decided to test out their pools. It was only 5 meters dip but we had fun.

The rooms are also comfortable, fully air conditioned with TV and Toilet and Bathroom amenities inside. It was good for 10 persons. Our room had a loft, so we had 3 beds right beside the bathroom and 2 more beds in the loft. The stairs are quite steep, so if children are with you on your visit, please look out for them.

The next day, we tested out the 6 meters pool and the Zip Line and the ATV. The zip line and ATV weren’t part of the package so it was paid differently.

After all these, we packed and get ready to leave. While waiting for the jeepney transport, we tested out their Fruit and Vegetable Stand where Shakes are also served.

Then it was Home Sweet Home.

Damires Hills Resort is located at Janiuay, Iloilo. Roughly 30-45 minutes from the city. Jeepneys traveling in that direction are found at the Iloilo Super Market near Robinsons Place, Iloilo and at the Ungka Terminal near the Christ the King Memorial Park.

For more information: Check out their Facebook Page

Have fun.

Photo courtesy of https://twitter.com/ktmalunda

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

Villa Igang Beach Resort Escapade

A few weekends back, we went on an outing with office mates and friends. We went to a nearby province called Guimaras. Guimaras is the Mango Capital of the Philippines. It’s sweet and tasty mangoes are legendary. That’s why the most popular festival celebrated on the island of Guimaras IS, you guessed it, the Manggahan Festival.

Why did we go there? You ask.

Not to unwind but to join the fun run on the first day of activities of the Manggahan Festival as was planned. But we ended on the beach, anyway.

Let’s do the boring anecdote of our Guimaras trip.

How to get to Villa Igang Resort, Guimaras?

From Iloilo City, you take a boat ride on the Brgy. Ortiz Wharf that will dock on Jordan, Guimaras. The fare is 14.00 Php. From there, you ride a jeep to Nueva Valencia, that will cost you about 40.00 Php. i am not sure if that is the normal price as we hired the whole jeep to accommodate all 19 of us.

What to do on Villa Igang Resort?

There are a lot of beaches on Guimaras. But I am writing about Igang because that is where we stayed.

We paid 100.00 php for the entrance. With this payment, we can go swimming on the beach, go caving and swim with the fishes on the Coral Cave and of course Explore.
If you want to swim on the pool you pay an additional 50.00 php.
And if you want to go boating, that’s 300.00 for 6 persons.
And as Filipinos are very fond of videoke, they also have a videoke machine were you can sing your heart out, as we did.

Where to Stay?

We also stayed on Villa Igang for the night, and we paid 300.00 php per person. But that’s alright as the room assigned to us was very ‘roomy’ and that’s saying something as there are 11 of us staying on the room.

Where to eat?

You can bring your own cooked meal and pay for their corkage fee of 35.00 Php per person.
Or you can bring uncooked meat, fish, pork, anything and pay 100.00 Php per kilo of that but the resort will cook that for you.
Or you can order from them and eat. Each meal serve is good for 2-3 persons and costs 180.00 Php or more depending on the food preparation.

And that’s the way with Igang…

Upon our arrival which is late in the afternoon already, we ordered some dinner then went swimming on the pool. After the swim, we ate and some drank beer and videoke-ed, others played mahjong and other games.

The next day, some of us went to Jordan to join the fun run. Ate breakfast on a diner that served Hawaiian Pizza with a Mango Twist and return to the resort.

Then, we spent the whole morning swimming on the beach. By noon, we ate lunch, packed up and left the resort at 3. Then we stooped over the Manggahan Festival Fair for ‘pasalubong’ or take homes.

Then Goodbye Guimaras, Hello Iloilo!!!

Whether you want to be alone staring at the night sky, or stroll around, goof with friends on the pool, drink and sing with buddies, swim with the fishes and dive to unknown depths, just take everything in stride and enjoy yourself.

I hope you are excited to go on your own trip to Guimaras.

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

Wish You Were Here

Valentine’s Day is almost upon us.

This Love Month, the Love Bug affects us all whether we are in a relationship or not.

My Facebook wall is flooded with messages of endearment from one lover to next. Greatly affected are people who are in a Long Distance Relationships. Posts containing pictures of them together with captions of ‘Wish You Were Here’ are becoming common.

And as this caught my attention, I am writing a book summary and review on a Murder Mystery entitled ‘Wish You Were Here’ by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown.

Summary:

The story revolves around the postmistress (Harry) of the little town of Crozet, Virginia. She has 2 pets, a cat named Mrs. Murphy and a corgi named Tee Tucker. As this is a little town, murder is quite a befuddling thing for its residents. When 2 consecutive murders happen, it’s a bizarre thing.

Speculations here and there popped up and Harry made her own investigations, and so did her animal friends. She also noted that the persons who died received a postcard of a cemetery some place with the message Wish You Were Here inscribed and No Return address. She discussed her theory with the police of course, but as it is a ridiculous claim, was dismissed.

But in the end, when another murder occurred, and the postcard turned up on the scene, Harry could no longer ignore the nagging feeling that it is involved, somehow.

Her pets on the other hand, found documents on the house of one of the victims (Maude) that somewhat connects the murders and indicates that deceased is involved in something illegal. The wife of the other victim (Kelly) also found discrepancies on her husbands’ mileage without meaning to and proved to be another piece of the puzzle. All of them connected to the now closed railroad tracks and its treasure myths.

The pieces fit, but the identity of the 3rd person involved in the crimes is yet unknown. So Harry worked on her theory of the postcards and along with the lieutenant (Cooper), placed postcards of cemeteries with the note Wish You Were Here on the back to see who will react.

Harry and Cooper then decided to take a walk on the railroad track being studied by one of the victims (Maude). It was there that Harry realized that one person did react to the postcard and asked Harry if it was a joke. Solving the mystery of the killer but not why he committed them. On the railroad track, Harry’s animal friends directed them to a tunnel beneath and in there they found stashed Louis XV? furnitures ready to sell. The killer arrived their subsequently and Cooper killed him after he divulge the story why?

If you liked my summary, read the whole book.
You can borrow mine or you can buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Wish-Were-Here-Murphy-Mysteries/dp/0553287532

Review:

The book is quite good, but as this the first in the series, the characters are crammed up in the introduction that by the time the murder happened, I need to re-read from the start to see who was murdered and what happened before his death.

But the whole story was good, typical small town gossip and people getting involved with other people’s lives that does not necessarily concerns them, just so they could comment on it.

But the animal conversations are nice, a diversion from the boring tidbits made by humans. But don’t take my word for it.
Read what others have to say here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/165358.Wish_You_Were_Here

Advance Happy Valentines Day everyone 

Daghang salamat!!!

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Review

The review as promised based on the movie.

And now for the story.

Bilbo: Can you promise I will come back

Gandalf: No, but if you will you’ll have a tale or two to tell when you came back.

• The first adventure is with the trolls who can’t quite decide how to cook them, Bilbo and the dwarves minus Gandalf since he went ahead. He came back in the nick of time to save them and the Cave Trolls turned to stone after Gandalf exposed them to the sun. In here, Bilbo showed quick thinking which delayed the trolls from eating them.

• The second adventure is running into Radagast the Brown who told Gandalf of the Necromancer and running from the Orcs on Wargs and seeking refuge in Rivendell by Gandalf’s design. Here Thorin reluctantly seek Elrond’s (Hugo Weaving) advice on a map to the Lonely Mountains door. Gandalf and the council of the guardians of Middle Earth meet and the dwarves left with Bilbo. They encountered the Stone Giants after their escape.

• The third adventure was being captured by the Goblins while Bilbo was planning to run away. He was ignored though but when chaos ensued he fell. And at the bottom of the cave he met Gollum and the ring (the same ring he passed on to Frodo in the fellowship) and it changed his life forever. The dwarves were saved by Gandalf again. When Gandalf asked for Bilbo after the rescue, Thorin told him that Bilbo is better off on his own as he already said that Bilbo was lost the day he joined the dwarves. Then Bilbo showed himself much to everyone’s surprise.

• The fourth adventure was with the Pale Orc everybody thought Thorin killed a long time ago using a sword and an oak branch as shield. He was in command of the Wargs and Orcs and was going to behead Thorin but Bilbo got in the way. It was a fiery battle and in the end, the eagles came to rescue them.

In connection to the Lord of the Rings, this is the book that started it all. This is where the Ring which was the main event of the Lord of the Rings. Gollum is here and kudos to Andy Serkis, he is one great actor after all.

It began with an old Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) finally sitting down to write his adventures with the dwarves for his nephew Frodo on a day before his 111th birthday. In the LOTR series, that was the day he left home to live with the elves. The story started on how the dwarves were driven off from their Mountain (Kingdom) by the dragon. This dragon Smaug was lured there by the Arkenstone of Thrain, grandfather of the main protagonist of the story Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Lord of the Mountains. The dwarves had no choice but no flee and no help came to them from the elves that day which started the hatred between Elves and Dwarves.

Jumping many years, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) came asking Bilbo (Martin Freeman) if he wants to go on an adventure. He said no and asked him to leave. Gandalf left a mark on the door and when evening came, the dwarves came to Bilbo’s house. There are 13 of them, and 13 is an unlucky number, so they asked Gandalf to pick another companion for them that will also serve as their ‘burglar’. Bilbo wasn’t quite agreeable but Gandalf said that he’s a Took and the Tooks’ are an adventurous lot. So he went off to have an adventure. This was quite a touching scene.

Thorin finally accepted Bilbo in the company. And the movie ended with Smaug the Dragon waking up.

Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDnYMbYB-nU

And the actor who caught everybody’s attention playing Kili (Aidan Turner), it was like Oh he has bows and arrows just like Legolas. Hehe.

But not everybody liked the Hobbit movie. But who cares, I love it anyway.

• Movie Review for the Unexpected Journey Here
• Movie Review for the Desolation of Smaug Here
• There and Back Again: coming soon

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

The Hobbit

I am a great fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the movies, and the books. And I will always be. Back in college, I finally obtained a copy of the extended version of the 3 movies, (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King). These movies were my accompaniment when I was completing my special project for the graduation requirements.

I lost count how many times I’ve played it not to watch but simply to listen to it. The books, I’ve read all 3 a million times (exaggeration mode) and has extended it to The Hobbit and Silmarillion. I’ve enjoyed the journey of reading and watching.

So, imagine my excitement when a friend told me that The Hobbit will be adapted for the silver screen too. With the same cast; except Bilbo Baggins because they need a younger actor, and producers and director Peter Jackson reunited for the project. It was like OH EM GEE. Bring it on!

And the excitement rose when talk has died and it was all set, the shooting now going on and NEWS NEWS NEWS on the production, it’s not one movie but a TRILOGY. Hehe…

The world would have ended on December 21, 2012, but it didn’t matter I have watched the movie in 3D on December 16. It’s January 2013 now and I also have a copy of the HOBBIT movie and I could watch and watch and watch it whenever I want along with the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Can’t wait for December 2013 and 2014 for the next 2 Hobbit Movies. Hope you’ll like it.

• Movie Review for the Unexpected Journey Here
• Movie Review for the Desolation of Smaug Here
• There and Back Again: coming soon

Daghang salamat sa pagbasa!!!

I am Being Stupid

I know I shouldn't write about this. Not online. Such a private matter needs to be kept to myself.  But I need to vent this out and rant for my soul to calm.
Interpretations are subject to the readers' discretion.

Reading something that is part of the past hurts. Even if I know that all is lost and that chapter has long been over. It still hurts to read the evidence. I know I am not entitled to read it nor was I allowed to touch. But why do I need to stumble upon it. Why now? Stupid Jeng. Shouldn't have read it upon the first page. But the damage is done. And now I am paying the price for my CURIOSITY...

Oh no. I had hoped that after writing this piece of rant, I'll be able to stay calm and focused and not make a scene. But I don't even know what to write about. I am not even entirely sure that I need to write anything.

Next time, if you know it will burn. Do not touch the heat.
So long stupid.