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Rating: ★★★★ Category: Other The third book of the series by Jeff Kinney is very, very good! Kinney pulled out the stops in this one and it paid off! This installment sees our protagonist Greg Heffley about to be sent to a military school by his father, who has found his antics tiresome and not that manly. How does Greg dodge this one out? It's a sticky situation with lots of fun and laughter as Greg tries so hard to change his dad's mind about military school. Kinney's narrative is free flowing and full of "insights" about Greg. I don't know how long can he keep up with this but we still have two books to find out. There were minor "typo" errors I found which called attention to itself since the book is supposed to be "written" by our protagonist. Characterizations were consistent, although I was wondering what's bugging Greg's father. Hmmm. The answer might be found in the next two books. How I wish the fourt...

Rating: ★★★★ Category: Books Genre: Other Author: Jeff Kinney Greg Heffley is back and he has to deal with his devious big brother, Rodrick, much to his chagrin. And he can't do anything about it, because Rodrick knows a terrible secret Greg has been hiding... Imagine being blackmailed by your big brother just so you can be at his beck and call! This sequel talks about brothers and the twisted relationship that exists among brothers. I liked this sequel better than the first one. It's full of embarassing moments for Greg and Rodrick that I was having a fun time reading it all. Kinney is a gifted storyteller, thinking up of situations where the reader could really relate to. Even the familiar characters are really familiar! You can really say that so-and-so reminds you of a certain classmate way back when. Hehehehe Now on to book three of the series.

Rating: ★★★★ Category: Books Genre: Other Author: Jeff Kinney I never knew I would be in for a treat when I bought the first book of the series. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is projected to have five volumes. And I don't mind reading every single book. The "novel in cartoons" is not a new thing at all but somehow, you know that when you read it, you know you'll have a good time laughing in delight. This first volume introduces us to our protagonist, Greg Heffley, who has to use all his available resources to outwit bullies, scam unknowing victims, take advantage of his only best friend, and all the things one has to avoid when stuck in that awkward stage of being in middle school. And yes, he learns his lessons in the end. Kinney creates characters that are relatable. You know that at some point in your life you have encountered these people in your high school days and you can only look back and laugh. The accompanying drawings just add to the hilarity of ...

Rating: ★★★★ Category: Books Genre: Other Author: Anne Rice I have been intrigued by this book when I first saw it a long time ago. I never thought of buying it then. But when its sequel came out, I thought to myself, maybe the first book is worth reading. Sure, the glowing reviews were really an enticement. But I have my misgivings since I have known Anne Rice as a horror writer. I loved her Mayfair witches novels, especially The Witching Hour. To me, it was far better than her Vampire Chronicles. I know how Rice weave words into a magnificent tapestry that you are transported into where she wants to take you. It happened to me when I was reading The Witching Hour. And it happened here again, in Christ The Lord: Out of Egypt. Taking the first person narrative is a daunting task in itself. But Rice took it further by placing herself into child Jesus' shoes (sandals?) when he was seven years old. And she succeeds. The narrative was fluid, like how a child wou...

February 5, Thursday. It was already past 9pm and I was comfortably lying on my bed when the doorbell rang.  Twice.  I was wondering why Emily wasn't answering the door.  So I went out of my room and to my surprise, it was Arnold (Well, Brother Bernard of the Benedictine monks).  After all these years, Arnold hasn't changed a bit. Appearance-wise, he is still the same old, tall and lanky Arnold.  Age has been good to him, I mean, he hasn't gained so much weight.  And if he did, it didn't show.  Oh well, I think it's in the genes... I mean, his brother Mike is also tall and thin.  As for me, age has taken its toll for my metabolic rate has slowed down.   Anyway, Arnold stayed till past 11pm.  Aside from playing catch up, his purpose was to ask for my help in editing a religious comicbook for his patron saint-yet-to-be-beatified-by-the-Catholic-church, Pier Giorgio Frasetti.  I said yes, for some strange reason.  I told ...

March 21.  Exactly ten days when I lost my internet connection.  I thought it would be back after a day... but no.  It took Digitel ten full days to have my connection back.  Both the phone and the internet.  Ugggh!  If I hadn't bugged their hotline every single day and every moment I can, I might still be offline!  What really ticks me off every time I call the hotline is that I can't seem to get a straight answer from them!  "Sir, network problems," is the reply I get.  Until I force them what network problems are they talking about.  Then to search for an answer, they put me on hold.  And when they come back, they tell me that the technical team is on it.  "On what?" I say.  Then they tell me again, "Network problems, sir..."  Arrrrrrrgggggghhh! Then yesterday I discovered what the technical problem is.  Their cables were stolen.  This is the second time I have heard of it.  The first time w...

There were last instructions to us (we should give space for the 26k so they can do their dance, our celphones should be turned off, etc.). Edna and I were wondering what questions will be asked of us.  Then Direk Bobet Vidanes went onstage and said his goodbyes before he segued to a VTR which showed moments in past episodes of Kapamilya Deal or No Deal. Direk Bobet revealed that the said VTR was not seen by the first season players since the material was only shown to players who were screened for the second and third seasons of the show.  The 26k girls joined us in watching the VTR.  When the VTR finished, there was a resounding applause and Direk Bobet thanked everybody...the staff, the crew, the players... The production staff revealed to the audience who will play for the final episode: Edu Manzano and Cesar Montano.  The crowd cheered.  We were cautioned not to give away who will be Edu's and Cesar's kapamilya players, if we alrea...

We were all herded to the studio where the show was being taped.  The studio was already packed with their regular professional audience.  We were all able to catch the end tail of the 26k's dance number but we were treated to the magnificent dance mix of the usual opening theme to which the 26k dance to.  Televiewers will be treated to a longer opening dance number come March 27. We were then led on stage but when the staff realized that we were too many, one of the floor directors said that we occupy the steps where the 26k usually place themselves.  When we were all in position, the floor director divided us so we can either exit stage left or stage right.  Yeah, we were going to have a run through.  The floor director cued the spinner to play "What A Wonderful World".  He then said to us that the said music is our cue to enter the stage, waving to the audience.  A gay millionaire quipped, "Ay! Rarampa tayo!"  When we were all settle...

March 11. Wednesday. I got to the Center Gate of ABS CBN around 5.30pm.  I was the second invited winner to arrive.  The family of Jhaphet Flordeliza was already there.  His mom, Babes, was quite a character.  She asked me if I had company and when I said no, she talked me into "adopting" her two friends (Tess and Nel Yap) as my "kapamilya." We asked an event marshall where all the winners would be seated and he pointed us to another event marshall who would entertain questions from us.  But said event marshall was busy giving directions to Jodie Sta. Maria's kapamilya who will play with her.  (Note on Jodie:  She is a snob.  Or maybe, she was just ignoring Babes who kept calling her Judy?) Finally, the event marshall herded us all in the cafeteria.  On our way to the cafeteria, I saw Maria Ressa, head of ABS-CBN's Current Affairs.  She had a ready smile for everyone.  Inside the cafeteria, a nother "relative" ...

March 10, Tuesday afternoon.  I was on my way home when my celphone rang.  Hmm... an unknown number.  Hello? Hi, Rey!  This is Lina from Kapamilya Deal or No Deal.  Kumusta na? Whoa!  Now, why would they call?  Okay naman po.  I just called to invite you to join us in our last taping of the show.  Ha? Tatapusin na kasi yung season tapos di na babalik kahit kelan.  (Hmmm, that was said with finality.)  Tinawagan namin yung mga big winners, mga milyonaryo winners para mag-join.  Pwede ka ba bukas? What time po? 6pm. Ok, I will be there. How could I pass this one up when the show has played a big role in my life?  I bet it's gonna be one unforgettable taping.

It's so good to be online again.  After that episode with that kitten (which my father denies it ever happened), I can now say that I have upgraded to a bigger memory and a better processor (not me... my computer! hehehe). And since I'm using Windows XP and Office 2003, I have to do the tiresome and boring downloading of updates for both software.  *sigh*  Am on my second day of updating everything.  I haven't even started transferring the old files yet from the old hard drive to the new one... and that would take time, too! -oOo- I met a group of graduating students taking up advertising from Polytechnic University of the Philippines last night.  They were referred to me by Tita Tess Manalo (a colleague waaaaaaaaay back when I was starting off in the industry). They had a consultation with me with a project they were doing for the university's annual Ad Clash, an event where advertising students are grouped together and become ad agencie...