Change is ought

Tomorrow is the first day of the second month of the year. January passed like a forgotten dream of an afternoon nap. I was right when I thought that 2009 will come like a postman. Quick and brief.

Yesterday was the deadline of submission of applications for graduate school. Yesterday I decided to get an application form for my Master's Degree. The deadline was extended til next week. Things are going to my favor.

I know I have to make a big decision before January ends. I did. I have been itching for a change to happen in my so-called career and I am making a defining move. When you grow old, choices and decisions are inevitable and they don't usually come in easy.

I'll be applying for a scholarship that's offered only to full-time students. That means I'll have to resign in my current job. I'm sort of prepared with that though. My 8:00 AM-5:00 PM routine is going to change and old habits must be undone.

What I'm looking forward the most though, is what's gonna happen to me in the next four years. I have to admit that the decisions I'm making from this year on has a lot to do with building a family and part of it is to establish myself as a man with a stable career. When one grows old, he has to grow up. I'm trying now.

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Framed-up

When I'm bored with work, this is what I do. Playing around with Photoshop brushes can make your day. I assure you that. :-)


Probably by now you know that there's a narcissistic blood running through my veins. Haha! Click Here to Read More..

Terrorist

I read from the paper last Sunday that the verdict was given to the three suspects of the Rizal Day Bombing last 2000. All three were convicted guilty of multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, and multiple attempted murder. They were sentenced with life imprisonment. That bombing killed 22 people and wounded many. It happened about 12 noon of December 30, 2000, it's also the death anniversary of our national hero, Jose Rizal. Thus, they called it Rizal Day bombing.

I have my own story about that gruesome day. I was in another city that time. I was supposed to go back to the university where I was studying after the Christmas break. My bus is scheduled to leave at 5:00 PM. I boarded 15 minutes earlier, showed my ticket, placed my big black backpack on my seat and left to buy something to eat.

When I head back to the bus, all the passengers who boarded earlier were outside and they were looking at my direction. Well, they were actually looking at me with careworn expressions in their faces. I wondered but didn't ask and just proceeded to the door and went to my seat. Then a man approached me, he was quite pissed, and told me, "You frightened the passengers. They thought you planted a bomb because you left your bag and left right away. They went out of the bus as soon as you left. Didn't you know that there was a bombing earlier in Manila?"

I felt both funny and ashamed. I have just been mistaken as a terrorist! I said sorry and I didn't look at any passenger in the eye during the whole trip.


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Ox

It's the Chinese New Year and we're eating tikoy. Tikoy, by the way, is a glutinous round rice cake traditionally served during Chinese New Year believed to bring "sticky" good luck for the whole year in this year that they call Year of the Ox. I always find it funny how they assign each year to an animal. I'm still clueless where the idea come from.

I learned today that the well known greeting "kung hei fat choy" which means "wishing you happiness and prosperity" is not a preferred greeting by older Chinese. The reason? It smacks crass materialism . The better greeting would be "kiong hi", which simply wishes happiness, pointing out that wealth doesn't always mean happiness. Agree.

As for me, I don't have to entrust my life to some cake for prosperity. I have a God who is able to make all grace abound to me, so that in all things at all times, having all that I need, I will abound in good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). It has always been a year of God's faithfulness for me, year after year after year. The blessings I have came from Him who makes everything "work together for good for those who love Him" and not to some ox or monkey.

I was supposed to greet you "kiong hi". Let me say God bless y'all, instead. :-)

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Why so serious?

I first thought that this is an official poster/teaser for the 81st Oscars. Turned out to be a support campaign made by this guy. I must say that it's very creative and cleverly made.


I think The Dark Knight was one of the best movies shown in 2008. Not only because of the casting but for the brilliant script. Here's the how-I-got-these-scars lines of the Joker:

"Wanna know how I got these scars? My father was....a drinker. And a fiend. And one night he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn't like that. Not. One. Bit. So, me watching, he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it. Turns to me and he says 'Why so serious?' Comes at me with the knife,'Why so serious?' He sticks the blade in my mouth. 'Lets put a smile on that face!' And... Why so serious?"

"You look nervous. Is it the scars? You want to know how I got them? Come here. Hey, look at me. So I had a wife, beautiful; like you. Who tells me, I worry too much. Who tells me, I ought to smile more. Who gambles, and gets in deep with sharks. One day they carve her face. We have no money for surgeries. She can’t take it! I just want to see her smile again. I just want her to know that I don’t care about the scars. So I stick a razor in my mouth and do this… to myself. And you know what? She can’t stand the sight of me! She leaves. Now I see the funny side. Now I’m always smiling!"

I pity The Joker for such a lonely childhood. Great take on the role though by Heath Ledger.

The 81st Oscars will be on February 22, 2009 and will be televised in the US in ABC. Wolverine is hosting the awards night.

My thoughts are so random today.

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Of slurps and burps

My best friend recommended me this neat and interesting dining etiquette quiz. If you love eating and traveling, this is definitely for you. This made me realize that it's really fun that each culture is different and we can always learn from each other's peculiarities.

Enjoy the quiz and tell me how well (or worse) you fared.



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Story-Telling

These pictures came in a bit late but I wrote about this wonderful experience earlier in this blog. This was the day after Christmas and my first time to do story-telling to kids. It was awesome! I'm glad I decided to spend it with them instead of going to the beach with some friends.




Story-telling time at school was my favorite when I was a kid. One of the stories I won't forget was about Daedalus and his son Icarus. They were prisoners of King Minos of Crete and Daedalus planned their escape. He made them a pair of wings out of feathers sewn together and and molded in wax. He warned Icarus to beware of rash adventures among the stars. But the kid was so enticed by his new-found freedom and flew up high to the highest heavens until the sun melted the wax off his wings and he fell. This story has been a constant reminder to me until now that freedom comes with responsibility.

Others that are included in my list of favorites are Aesop's fables and Jose Rizal's story about the monkey and the turtle.




*Thanks Ate Vida for the pictures. You can find more here.

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Aroroy, Masbate

Let me take you to the land where I grew up...

Aroroy is a coastal town. We call our port "pantalan" and this is what you'll see there on a clear day. That's the famous Mayon Volcano peeping on the horizon. It has always been the favorite subject of my drawings when I was a kid.

I took this on a late afternoon of December 2007. That's the "pantalan" under construction. I heard it's already finished. This picture sends me so much melancholia...

Agriculture is the common source of livelihood of the townsfolks. This is a common scene along provincial highways.

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My Girl Anne

Hollywood's top story is about Brangelina snubbing Ryan Seacrest during the Golden Globe Awards' red carpet. I'm not gonna talk about that. It's about a story before the awards night.

I've read that who-sits-where is such a big fuss in Golden Globe. Unlike the usual awards night where the celebrities sit like that in a theater, they have a different format. I think it's the same as when you attend a wedding reception where people are arranged per table. Then there's a place they call "the pit" where the big big names are seated. Table assignments are continually revised even up to the week of the show itself.

Organizers have to be aware about who is or who is not friendly with whom or who had broken up with whom so that these personalities will be seated far away as possible. Stars' publicists try to jockey for the best tables for their clients and negotiations usually end up in emotional exchanges.

Here's a sweet story. Anne Hathaway who is bringing her mom to the awards night wrote a letter to the organizers...

My mom will be my date... she was wondering if you could please sit us near George Clooney... seriously, you'd make her 2009. Acceptable substitutes... are Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Clint Eastwood and/or Steve Carell. Thank you!

I'm not a fan (though she's so darn pretty!) but I just like girls who love their moms. :-)
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Tag Bug

I have been recently tagged by a fellow blogger, Scott (my first time, actually) so I'm giving it a shot. I'm supposed to reveal six things about me and I have to tag other six fellows to do the same. I'm not really fan of chain mails but I think this one's interesting. Besides, I haven't been posting for almost a week, so now I have something to write about.


Here are six random facts about ManÜ:

1. I was born with a tooth. Yup! And I myself am amazed and amused. According to my Mom, it was lower middle tooth. How did it happen? I don't know. Can somebody give me an explanation behind this rare phenomenon?
2. I am living away from my hometown for almost a decade now. From the time I went to college, my longest stay home was about two weeks. Now that I am working, the vacation becomes shorter and lesser. My hometown by the way is Aroroy, Masbate. Probably one of the remotest places in the face of the earth. But there's a gold mine there.
   
3. My mother was supposed to name me Ceazar because I came into this world by caesarian birth. I'm the first child of three and all of us were born in that way. I'm also the third Manuel in the family. My grandfather, my father and me... That makes me Manuel III. According to my mother, I was named after my grandfather because at the time that she was about to give birth to me, my Lolo (that's how we call our grandfathers here in the Philippines) had a stroke and few weeks after that, he died. So I was kind of a replacement.
4. I love to cook! I had this thought after cooking a menu for some hundred hungry bellies, that maybe I'm born to feed people. Haha! Fortunately, most of the time, they appreciate my cooking. I'm famous for my barbecue. I have been giving out my recipe but people just can't make it taste like mine. Haha!
5. I used to work in a call center for about a year and a quarter. For two months, I spent my nights activating gift cards of people from the other side of the planet. After that, I was a technical support representative. I dealt with various computer (desktop and notebooks) issues -- from turning on a PC to formatting the hard drive. I spent two Christmases taking in calls. I enjoyed the job, though.
6. I did not take the licensure exam for the degree I finished. I'm an Agricultural Engineering graduate but I chose not to take the board exam because I couldn't see myself enjoying the profession and I couldn't see an agricultural engineer me for another 20 years, not even 10. My rationale is that, so what if I have a title attached to my name if I'm not really practicing it. There's no use. It would just be a title.
   

Now my turn to tag...

• Frosty Puppies
• Womenselfesteem
• Daily Light
• Carnation
• RandomWHAMThoughts
• Infinite Loop Republic
  

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Masbate Snapshots

I can't think of anything to write about today so let me just post some pictures I took from my last visit in my hometown. I just used a point and shoot camera and made some minor editing using Photoshop CS3.

To get to the town, I have to ride in a motorboat, usually with a capacity of 50-80 people. This is the front part of the boat. The horizon is a sight to behold.

This little hut is called a home. This is common in the depressed areas in the Philippines like Masbate.

I took this while riding on a jeepney. I have to travel early in the morning to catch the boat trip to Sorsogon. From Sorsogon, I have to ride a bus to head back to Laguna where I currently stay.

More pictures and stories to come... Ü

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The Tear Theory

What are tears are made of? Why do when we cry or laugh, we cry just the same?
Observing snapshots of people crying and laughing, Tom Lutz, author of Crying: The Natural And Cultural History of Tears, noted that tears are shed when the face is "crunched up". I'm sure you would agree that this "crunching up" is common when we both give a generous outburst of laughter and wail in deep sorrow. Shedding tears is also a body's natural way of returning to normal state after a surge of excitation.

Emotional tears, however is different from the one that wells up when you chop an onion. It was found out that emotional tears are abundant with protein-based hormones that spike when we're stressed. Thus the theory that crying, or shedding of tears, is a bodily attempt to de-stress.

Now then, if laughter is best medicine, crying could be a close competitor. What do you think?



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Take the Globe, Click and Earn

I was once tricked by an online money-making scheme where I was supposed to be paid from answering surveys and making referrals . After I was able to earn, I think $50, the website won't allow me to log-in anymore. Before I knew it, the site was a hoax!

Today I didn't go to work (I still can't gain momentum after the long holidays) so I stayed at home blogging and surfing the net. I bumped in to this blog about making money online by visiting some websites link to the main website. That's the TakeTheGlobe.com. The site seems legit so I jumped in. Anyone familiar with it?





Just the same, I'll try it in the mean time and I will update you all if this TakeTheGlobe.com spells m-o-n-e-y.


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Sundance 2009 Competition Films Line-Up

Indie movie fans, please stand up! It's the 25th Sundance Film Festival again and it will run from January 15, 2009 until January 25 in Park City, Utah. Featured in four different competition categories are 64 individual films. Here's the list.

U.S. Dramatic Competition:

This year's 16 films were selected from 1,026 submissions.

Adam (Director and Screenwriter: Max Mayer) — A strange and lyrical love story between a somewhat socially dysfunctional young man and the woman of his dreams. Cast: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison, Mark Linn-Baker.

Amreeka (Director and Screenwriter: Cherien Dabis) — When a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son move to rural Illinois at the outset of the Iraq war, they find their new lives replete with challenges. Cast: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Alia Shawkat, Joseph Ziegler.

Arlen Faber (Director and Screenwriter: John Hindman) — A reclusive author of a groundbreaking spiritual book awakens to new truths when two strangers enter his life. Cast: Kat Dennings, Lauren Graham, Olivia Thirlby, Jeff Daniels, Tony Hale.

Big Fan (Director and Screenwriter: Robert Siegel) — The world of a parking garage attendant who happens to be the New York Giants' biggest fan is turned upside down after an altercation with his favorite player. Cast: Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto.

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men (Director and Screenwriter: John Krasinski) — When her boyfriend leaves with little explanation, a doctoral candidate in anthropology tries to remedy her heartache by interviewing men about their behavior. Cast: Julianne Nicholson, John Krasinski, Timothy Hutton, Dominic Cooper, Christopher Meloni, Rashida Jones.

Cold Souls (Director and Screenwrtier: Sophie Barthes) — In the midst of an existential crisis, a famous American actor explores soul extraction as a relief from the burdens of daily life. Cast: Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn, Dina Korzun, Emily Watson, Lauren Ambrose, Katheryn Winnick.

Dare (Director: Adam Salky; Screenwriter: David Brind) — Three very different teenagers discover that, even in the safe world of a suburban prep school, no one is who she or he appears to be. Cast: Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Ashley Springer, Ana Gasteyer, Alan Cumming, Sandra Bernhard, Rooney Mara.

Don't Let Me Drown (Director: Cruz Angeles; Screenwriters: Maria Topete and Cruz Angeles) — Two Latino teens whose lives are affected by the attack on the World Trade Center discover that love is the only thing that keeps them from drowning. Cast: E.J. Bonilla, Gleendilys Inoa, Damián Alcázar, Ricardo Chavira, Gina Torres.

The Greatest (Director and Screenwriter: Shana Feste) — After the tragic loss of their teenage son, a family is again thrown into turmoil by the arrival of a young woman. Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, Carey Mulligan, Johnny Simmons, Aaron Johnson, Mike Shannon.

Humpday (Director and Screenwriter: Lynn Shelton) — A farcical comedy about straight male bonding gone a little too far. Cast: Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, Alycia Delmore, Lynn Shelton, Trina Willard.

Paper Heart (Director: Nicholas Jasenovec; Screenwriters: Nicholas Jasenovec and Charlyne Yi) — Even though performer Charlyne Yi doesn't believe in love, she bravely embarks on a quest to discover its true nature–a journey that takes on surprising urgency when she meets unlikely fellow traveler, actor Michael Cera. Cast: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Jake Johnson.

Peter and Vandy (Director and Screenwriter: Jay DiPietro) — Juxtaposing a couple's romantic beginnings with the twisted-manipulative-regular couple they have become, Peter and Vandy is a contemporary Manhattan love story with no beginning and no end. Cast: Jess Weixler, Jason Ritter, Jesse L. Martin, Tracie Thoms.

Push (Director and Screenwriter: Lee Daniels) — Based on the acclaimed, best-selling novel by Sapphire, Push is the redemptive story of Precious Jones, a young girl in Harlem struggling to overcome tremendous obstacles and discover her own voice. Cast: Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mo’Nique Imes, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey.

Sin Nombre (Director and Screenwriter: Cary Joji Fukunaga) — A teenage Mexican gang member maneuvers to outrun his violent past and elude unforgiving former associates in this thriller set among Central American migrants seeking to cross over to the United States. Cast: Edgar Flores, Paulina Gaitan, Kristyan Ferrer, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Luis Fernando Peña, Diana García.

Taking Chance (Director: Ross Katz; Screenwriters: LtCol Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.) and Ross Katz) — Based on real-life events, Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, a volunteer military escort officer, accompanies the body of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming. Cast: Kevin Bacon, Blanche Baker.

Toe to Toe (Director and Screenwriter: Emily Abt) — The story of an inter-racial friendship put to the test by the intense pressures of a competitive Washington, D.C. prep school. Cast: Sonequa Martin, Louisa Krause, Silvestre Rasuk, Leslie Uggams, Gaius Charles, Ally Walker.

U.S. Documentary Competition:

This year's 16 films were selected from 879 submissions.

Art & Copy (Director: Doug Pray; Screenwriter: Timothy J. Sexton) — Rare interviews with the most influential advertising creative minds of our age illustrate the wide-reaching effect advertising and creativity have on modern culture.

Boy Interrupted (Director: Dana Perry) — An intimate look at the life, mental illness and death of a young man told from the point of view of the filmmaker: his mother.

The Cove (Director: Louie Psihoyos; Screenwriter: Mark Monroe) — Dolphins are dying, whales are disappearing, and the oceans are growing sick. The horrors of a secret cove nestled off a small, coastal village in Japan are revealed by a group of activists led by Ric O’Barry, the man behind Flipper.

Crude (Director: Joe Berlinger) — The inside story of the “Amazon Chernobyl” case in the rainforest of Ecuador, the largest oil-related environmental lawsuit in the world.

Dirt! The Movie (Directors: Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow) — The story of the relationship between humans and dirt, Dirt! The Movie humorously details how humans are rapidly destroying the last natural resource on earth.

El General (Director: Natalia Almada) — As great-granddaughter of Mexican President Plutarco Elias Calles, one of Mexico’s most controversial revolutionary figures, filmmaker Natalia Almada paints an intimate portrait of Mexico.

Good Hair (Director: Jeff Stilson) — Comedian Chris Rock turns documentary filmmaker when he sets out to examine the culture of African-American hair and hairstyles.

Over the Hills and Far Away (Director: Michel Orion Scott) — Over the Hills and Far Away chronicles the journey of the Isaacson family as they travel through Mongolia in search of a mysterious shaman they believe can heal their autistic son.

The Reckoning (Director: Pamela Yates; Screenwriters: Peter Kinoy, Paco de Onís, Pamela Yates) — A battle of monumental proportions unfolds as International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo faces down warlords, genocidal dictators and world superpowers in bringing perpetrators of crimes against humanity to justice.

Reporter (Director: Eric Daniel Metzgar) — Set in Africa, this documentary chronicles, in verité fashion, the haunting, physically grueling and shocking voyage of Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist, Nicholas D. Kristof.

The September Issue (Director: R.J. Cutler) — With unprecedented access, director R.J. Cutler and his crew shot for nine months as they captured Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour and her team preparing the 2007 VogueSeptember issue, widely accepted as the "fashion bible" for the year's trends.

Sergio (Director: Greg Barker) — Sergio examines the role of the United Nations and the international community through the life and experiences of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the U.N.'s High Commissioner for Human Rights, including interviews with those who knew and worked with him over the course of his extraordinary career.

Shouting Fire: Stories from the Edge of Free Speech (Director: Liz Garbus) — An exploration of the history and current state of free speech in America narrated by the filmmaker's father, First Amendment attorney Martin Garbus.

We Live in Public (Director and Screenwriter: Ondi Timoner) — We Live in Public is the story of the Internet’s revolutionary impact on human interaction as told through the eyes of maverick web pioneer, Josh Harris and his transgressive art project that shocked New York.

When You're Strange (Director and Screenwriter: Tom DiCillo) — The first feature documentary about The Doors, When You're Strange enters the dark and dangerous world of one of America’s most influential bands using only footage shot between 1966 and 1971.

William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe (Directors: Sarah Kunstler and Emily Kunstler) — With clients including Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Chicago 10, the late civil rights attorney William Kunstler was one of the most famous lawyers of the 20th century. Filmmakers Emily and Sarah Kunstler explore their father’s life from movement hero to “the most hated lawyer in America.”

World Cinema Dramatic Competition:

This year's 16 films were selected from a record 1,012 submissions.

Before Tomorrow (Le Jour Avant Lendemain) / Canada (Directors: Madeline Piujuq & Marie-Helene Cousineau) — A wise old woman fights to survive impossible circumstances with her young grandson in the Canadian arctic. Cast: Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq, Paul-Dylan Ivalu, Madeline Piujuq Ivalu, Mary Qulitalik, Tumasie Sivuarapik.

Bronson / UK (Director: Nicolas Winding Refn; Screenwriter: Brock Norman Brock) — Bronson traces the transformation of Mickey Peterson into Britain's most notorious, dangerous, and charismatic prisoner, Charles Bronson. Cast: Tom Hardy.

Carmo, Hit the Road / Spain (Director and Screenwriter: Murilo Pasta) — A lonely, handicapped smuggler and a beautiful girl embark on a reckless ride through a South American border landscape. Cast: Mariana Loureiro, Fele Martínez, Seu Jorge.

The Clone Returns (Kuron Wa Kokyo-Wo Mezasu) / Japan (Director and Screenwriter: Kanji Nakajima) — A Japanese astronaut who dies during a mission is subsequently resurrected as a clone and returns to his childhood home. Cast: Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Eri Ishida, Hiromi Nagasaku.

Dada's Dance / China (Director: Zhang Yuan; Screenwriter: Li Xiaofeng) — Dada is a flirtatious young woman who lives with her mother in a small town. Having to fend off the constant advances of her mother's boyfriend who tells her she is adopted, she undertakes a journey in search of her birth mother. Cast: Li Xinyun, Li Xiaofeng, Gai Ge, Chen Jun.

An Education / UK (Director: Lone Scherfig; Screenwriter: Nick Hornby) — In the early 60s, a sharp 16-year-old with sights set on Oxford meets a handsome older man whose sophistication enraptures and sidetracks both her and her parents. Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson.

Five Minutes of Heaven / UK (Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel; Screenwriter: Guy Hibbert) — Two men from the same town but from different sides of the Irish political divide discover that the past is never dead–in fact it isn't even past. Cast: Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Anamaria Marinca.

A French Gigolo (Cliente) / France (Director and Screenwriter: Josiane Balasko) — An attractive, successful 50-something woman regularly treats herself to the sexual services of young men selected on Internet sites. When one particular escort becomes a habit, the relationship gets a bit more complicated. Cast: Nathalie Baye, Eric Caravaca, Isabelle Carré, Josiane Balasko.

Heart of Time (Corazon Del Tiempo) / Mexico (Director and Screenwriter: Alberto Cortes) — In La Esperanza de San Pedro, Chiapas, in the midst of the Zapatista struggle, a young woman makes serious waves when she falls in love with a revolutionary fighter from the mountains. Cast: Rocío Barrios.

Louise-Michel / France (Directors: Benoit Delepine and Gustave Kervern) — When a French factory is abruptly closed by its corrupt management, a group of disgruntled female workers pool their paltry compensation money and hire a hit man to knock off the corrupt executive behind the closure. Cast: Yolande Moreau, Bouli Lanners.

Lulu and Jim (Lulu und Jimi) / Germany (Director: Oskar Roehler) — Bright garish colors, rock and roll and wild dance numbers mark this road movie about lovers fleeing from the evil powers of a 1950s deeply bigoted German society. Cast: Jennifer Decker, Ray Fearon, Katrin Saß, Rolf Zacher, Udo Kier.

Maid (La Nana) / Chile (Director and Screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — When her mistress brings on another servant to help with the chores, a bitter and introverted maid wreaks havoc on the household. Cast: Catalina Saavedra, Claudia Celedón, Mariana Loyola, Alejandro Goic, Andrea García-Huidobro.

One Day in a Life (Un Altro Pianeta) / Italy (Director and Screenwriter: Stefano Tummolini) — One languid summer day, a man heads to the beach in search of sunshine and bit of peace, but finds himself tangled up in the dramas of an eclectic group of nearby sunbathers.Cast: Antonio Merone, Lucia Mascino.

Unmade Beds / UK (Director and Screenwriter: Alexis Dos Santos) — Two young foreigners find romance in the vibrant, artistic underground of London's East End. Cast: Deborah Francois, Fernando Tielve.

Victoria Day / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: David Bezmozgis) — Over the course of one week in 1988, the search for a missing teammate, parental expectations, a burgeoning sexual awakening and the rock concert of the century all threaten to jolt a sixteen year old into adulthood. Cast: Mark Rendall, Sergiy Kotelenets, Nataliya Alyexeyenko, Holly Deveaux, John Mavrogiannis.

Zion and His Brother (Zion Ve-Achiv) / France/Israel (Director and Screenwriter: Eran Merav) — The disappearance of a young boy sends a wedge between two teenage brothers whose loyalty had been unshakeable, in this gritty story of a working class Tel Aviv single-parent family. Cast: Reuven Badalov, Ronit Elkabetz, Tzahi Grad.

World Cinema Documentary Competition:

This year's 16 films were selected from 744 submissions.

211:Anna / Italy (Directors:Paolo Serbandini & Giovanna Massimetti) — The story of Anna Politkovskaya, a Russian journalist and human rights activist who risked her life to report the truth about the Chechen conflict and President Vladimir Putin.

Afghan Star / Afghanistan/UK (Director: Havana Marking) — After 30 years of war and Taliban rule, Pop Idol has come to television in Afghanistan: millions are watching and voting for their favorite singer. This film follows the dramatic stories of four contestants as they risk their lives to sing.

Big River Man / USA (Director: John Maringouin) — An overweight, wine-swilling Slovenian world-record-holding endurance swimmer resolves to brave the mighty Amazon–in nothing but a Speedo.

Burma VJ / Denmark (Director: Anders Ostergaard) — In September 2007, Burmese journalists risking life imprisonment to report from inside their sealed-off country are suddenly thrown onto the global stage as their pocket camera images of the Saffron Revolution make headlines everywhere.

The End of the Line / UK (Director: Rupert Murray) — Based on the book by journalist Charles Clover, The End of the Line reveals the devastating effect that global overfishing is having on fish stocks and the health of our oceans.

The Glass House / USA (Director: Hamid Rahmanian) — The Glass House follows four teenage girls striving to overcome drug addiction, abandonment and abuse by attending a rehabilitation center in Tehran.

Kimjongilia / France/USA (Director: N.C. Heikin) — Defectors from North Korea finally speak out about the terrifying reality of their lives–and escapes.

Let's Make Money / Austria/China/South Africa/Spain/Switzerland/U.S.A. (Director: Erwin Wagenhofer) — From the factories of India, to financial markets in Singapore, to massive housing developments in Spain and offshore banks in Jersey, Let's Make Money reveals complex and shocking workings of global money flow.

Nollywood Babylon / Canada (Directors: Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal) — Welcome to the wacky world of Nollywood, Nigeria's bustling home-grown movie industry.

Old Partner / South Korea (Director: Chung-ryoul Lee) — A humble octogenarian farmer lives out his final days with his spitfire wife and his loyal old ox in the Korean countryside.

Prom Night in Mississippi / Canada (Director: Paul Saltzman) — When a small-town Mississippi high school resolves to hold its first integrated senior prom, strong emotions fly and traditions are challenged to their core.

The Queen and I (Drottningen och jag) / Sweden (Director: Nahid Persson Sarvestani) — Swedish filmmaker Sarvestani, an Iranian exile who helped overthrow the Shah's regime in 1979, confronts her own assumptions and complex truths about Iran when she enters the life of the Shah's widow.

Quest for Honor / Kurdistan/USA (Director: Mary Ann Bruni) — A former teacher and tireless activist works with local lawmen, Kurdish government agencies and her colleagues to investigate and eradicate honor killings in the tribal regions of Kurdistan.

Rough Aunties / UK (Director: Kim Longinotto)—Fearless, feisty and unwavering, the 'Rough Aunties' protect and care for the abused, neglected and forgotten children of Durban, South Africa.

Thriller in Manila / UK (Director: John Dower)—A tale of betrayal stoked by the racial politics of 1970s America, Thriller in Manila chronicles the most intense and bitter sporting rivalry ever: the 1975 final match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

Tibet in Song / USA (Director: Ngawang Choephel)—Through the story of Tibetan music, this film depicts the determined efforts of Tibetan people, both in Tibet and in exile, to preserve their unique cultural identity. Choephel served six years of an 18-year prison sentence for filming in Tibet.

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Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop

Yesterday I had two tall glasses of hot Starbucks Praline Mocha which kept me awake till 1:00 AM. I finally completed all the stickers needed to get the 2009 Starbucks planner. Just today, I bumped into this really nice song about coffee and falling in love.

It's a cheesy Sunday. Enjoy the song!

Falling In Love At a Coffee Shop
by Landon Pigg

I think that possibly
Maybe I'm falling for you
Yes there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you

I've seen the paths that your eyes wander down
I want to come too

I think that possibly
Maybe I'm falling for you

No one understands me quite like you do
Through all of the shadowy corners of me

I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop I love so much
All of the while I never knew

I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop I love so much
All of the while I never knew

I think that possibly
Maybe I'm falling for you
Yes there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you

I've seen the waters that make your eyes shine
Now I'm shining too

Because
Oh because I've fallen quite hard over you

If I didn't know you I'd rather not know
If I couldn't have you I'd rather be alone

I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop I love so much
All of the while I never knew

I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop I love so much
All of the while I never knew

All of the while
All of the while it was you
You
You
You

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'09

Happy '09 everyone!!

New year's resolution, eh? This list might be of help. Have a good laugh, everyone!

• I will no longer waste my time relieving the past, instead I will spend it worrying about the future.
• I will not bore my boss by with the same excuse for taking leaves. I will think of some more excuses.
• I will do less laundry and use more deodorant.
• I will avoid taking a bath whenever possible and conserve more water.
• Assure my lawyer that I will never again show up drunk at a custody hearing.
• I will give up chocolates totally. 100%. Completely. Honestly....
• I will try to figure out why I *really* need nine e-mail addresses.
• I will stop sending e-mails to my wife (husband).
• I resolve to work with neglected children -- my own.
• I will stop sending e-mail, ICQ, Instant Messages and be on the phone at the same time with the same person.
• I will spend less than one hour a day on the Internet. This, of course, will be hard to estimate since I'm not a clock watcher.
• I will read the manual... just as soon as I can find it.
• I will think of a password other than "password."
• I will not tell the same story at every get together.
• I won't worry so much.
• I will cut my hair.
• I will grow my hair.
• I will stop considering other people's feelings when they so obviously don't consider mine - if that unwashed fellow sits next to me again, I'll tell him he stinks!
• I will be more imaginative.
• I will not hang around girls - they think you love them and that sucks.
• I will not ring the stewardess button on airplanes just to get her phone number.

Bonus! Some resolutions that you may wanna keep.

• Spend more time watching TV / movies.
• Chat more over phone / Internet.
• Read less.
• I want to gain weight. Put on at least 30 pounds.
• Stop exercising. Waste of time.
• Procrastinate more.
• Drink. Drink some more.
• Start being superstitious.
• Spend more less time at work.
• Stop bringing lunch from home: I should eat out more.

Grabbed from www.newyearfestival.com

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