Movie Review

Like I've promised yesterday, on my last post, I finally finished the whole movie at exactly 10:00 in the evening[May 10, 2009]. Just before mom and my younger siblings arrived from their summer getaway for one week at Barili, Cebu. The movie/series entitled 'One liter of tears' really has the right to be called that way. Upon seeing it directly in my own judgment, I can clearly see what Aya's[girl protagonist] main reason of not giving up.

Let me start by narrating the summary of the story itself, this is a true story written by 15 year old girl herself. The movie series which was first aired at around 2005 in Japan got the attention of everybody which is basing on a bestselling book widely sold in Japan. The story started unexpectedly as Aya started to feel something weird about herself, although trying to ignore it at the first time, people surrounding her especially her loved ones gradually observed strange uncontrolable movements made by Aya. She started falling down often and walks in a strange way. Her mother Shioka, takes Aya to see the doctor, and he informs Shioka that Aya has spinocerebellar degeneration - a terrible disease where the cerebellum of the brain gradually deteriorates to the point where the victim cannot walk, speak, write, or eat. The script is based on the diary Aya kept writing until she could no longer hold a pen.

After finishing the whole series which is composed of 11 episodes, I was deeply touched by how Aya struggled and by her optimism despite of her situation. Although, at the start the symptoms were not that observable by normal people, students at her age as described on her diary began throwing bad looks unto Aya. As for me Aya is such a strong person, If had that disease I can't take the same old looks and discrimination by the society. As I was watching the movie, I was putting my self into Aya's situation. However, scenes will be really different in the society that I was running now. Although it will be a lot harder and uncomfortable, peoplewise it will be easier for me to be accepted by the society.

I'm a kind of person who don't really want to be treated as special and I know that Aya herself don't want to be treated as special among her siblings and especially on the society that she was in to. If I'm at Aya's situation I think I would rather die earlier than to be pitied by people who were normal. Yet, Aya did not loose the confidence and optimism to continue living.

After watching the whole series and reading some comments and feedbacks of the movie, my views somewhat changed a bit. Before I was watching the movie, I have a very big thumbs UP with how the Japanese people go in their society. Although most of them are busy, they find time to do what they love and want and most of all they find time to go back unto where their tradition really started. I assume Japan as a perfect society and sometimes termed it as Utopia of Asia, with all those improvements in technology, infrastructure, economy, reforms, and many more, no wonder it has boasted as one of the countries with the highest life expectancy and contentment.

'I want to live and experience working in Japan when I get older' this is what I always thought a few years ago and until yesterday. But now, I think I should question my self. What if I get sick and disabled in a society like that? will I be accepted in a society that runs so fast? This is the question and the main deep message shown by the movie. Well, at least 99% percent of it is absorbed and now I can conclude that in this world nothing is perfect. We humans can only observe wrongs in this society and change it by starting within ourselves.

Aya's mother with connection to Mother's Day which is now and is normally celebrated at this day is one of the best mothers in the world. Well, at least second to my mom, ^^ as I was watching the movie I can clearly see the image of my mom in her. She works hard for the family and sometimes spent more time and effort on other people and matter than her own family. When I see her cry, who won't cry in an incurable disease right?, I can see the image of my mother crying and I don't know why but it made me cry too.

This movie has a very big impact on viewers like me. Although, I can't relate to those diseases experienced by Aya, I have a mixture of feelings upon what will I think and cry for. The movie has somewhat like a magic or what contained to it that can make viewers cry. The loneliest part of the movie started on episode 8: One Liter of Tears, maybe because struggles of Aya started on this episode and more tears fell than ever. Although the rest of the episodes were also sad, I'm controlling myself not to cry and yes, I'm successful in the first 7 episodes. However, at episode 8, tears began to shed from my eyes and me myself don't know the reason why. This is the first movie I watched that actually made me cry, I was so upset on what is happening to the main char-Aya and at sometime I can even feel her pain directly in me.

I normally don't cry, and yeah, I'LL NEVER CRY! but this promise to myself has been recently broken just because of this movie. I always promise myself not to cry in any movie I'm watching. I regard them as bare stories fictional or not with artists portraying their own roles and parts on the movie. But this perception changed after watching 'One liter of tears' and envy Aya's family for having such a strong spirit and aura of happiness in their homes. How I wish one day I'll came home from school with that instant aura in my family.

opps, I've writed soo long. Well, to summarize it all in all.... This movie is really the best! A Thousand Thumbs UP!!!
So then, I need to sleep now, my back is aching! I need rest for now.. kk.. till my next post.
and wish me luck! I need more power^^

Tomorrow is MOTHER'S day!!!

Yeah, tomorrow is really the best day of the month of May. Mother's day, it is usually the day where all mothers around the world and their family have a good time together and somewhat go outside and show their love and care for each other not only to the mother but also to the whole family. Well, for me it is my mother's worst day of her life, supposed to be it is her free day.. free of problems and free of everything blocking her thoughts and view in life. But, sadly it won't happen because our entire family of 7 relies heavily on her own strength.

My mother is the best and most hardworking mother god has made. && god gave her to us for a reason that we are worthy to have a mother like her. She thinks that everything should be perfect and balanced, she had big dreams about how easy life should go. She went home late just to finish work and earn some money. In human standards, her brain is already battered and needs a big rest, however she hardly had enough sleep everyday.

I am a very big idol of my mother. At one time she said that we should do well in our studies so that we won't be like her in which at the age of 50 still working hard to earn for living. She needs to work hard just to pay the bills of our house which range in thousands and if not and hopefully not in millions. She sometimes drive quietly in our old car with me, and at that time I know that she's thinking ways to solve our financial and family needs. I can see and I can feel it that she had problems in her mind and will not tell it to us mainly because she's shy and tired of explaining it to us.

She's my inspiration in doing hard work especially in my studies mainly to feed her expectations on us, and I feel so useless when I fail sometimes. At this time I am the biggest failure of our family, I failed their expectations of being a college scholar and earn medal for my studies. I myself know that I did my best above all but I still don't understand why I can't have it.

She always remind me who truly I am when I was still young, and always remind me to be good and obey your elders. If would have grown to be a brat, then I would be the worst brat here Lapu2 City. But because of her I grew up to be a good person, a person who can control himself and his feelings.

Tomorrow is her day, but me myself can't plainly say it to her, a simple word which says 'Happy Mother's Day' for the stupid reason that I am shy to express my love. If only messages can be sent via up above I would really go for that mail. To anyone who can read this post, please tell my mom 'HAPPY MOTHER's DAY and I really LOVE you eventhough you don't feel it sometimes'

Blasted

Whew! finally I've reached the page where I can write something in it, well in this case another post in my online diary. My brother is using the other computer which has obviously faster internet connection somewhat attracting more bytes to enter it's wires connected directly to the router. As a consequence, I'm currently suffering from slow and laggish internet speed right now. But it's okay, after writing this post I'm going to sleep already. A very deep sleep where I'll forget all the bad memories I have, my self-made sufferings due to greater expectations in many things.

This morning I woke up exactly 7:00 in the morning, very early huh!. Actually, I did it in purpose because I want to extend my time in using the computer. I'm morning schedule as what we had agreed with my siblings. In our house, We have 2 computers and 1 laptop, but due to misfortune the laptop is currently in bad status and needs repair that will cost huge amount of pesos which will make it a better choice to buy a new one. Since we don't have enough money to buy a new one and considering that we cannot trust laptops sold here in the Philippines, we need to fix it and spend money to use it, and we don't have a choice.haizt...

I intended to woke up that early just to play with my childish restaurant game called restaurant city in facebook. Facebook is a social network which proves itself to be more useful than the much popular Friendster. At first I was against it and said that people using those stuffs as their main socializing site are feelers and going with the flow with the Americans who use it more frequently. Me myself realize how good is Facebook compared to Friendster. Facebook contains application and gadgets which makes you more connected with your friends, one of these stuffs is the game called restaurant city. Friends of yours which play restaurant city can view how good your restaurant is. I had fun playing that game and realized that it is very addicting. However, now I'm quitting it already. You should know it, I'm a very big quitter! XD

Aside from waking up early just to look at my account in restaurant city, I wanted to see the drama series entitled 'One Liter of Tears'. It is the story of a girl which is chosen by a very strange uncurable disease. I began watching the movie 10:00 in the morning, but due to some disturbances, I can't finish it now. But, I swear that I will really finish it tomorrow, hope so. I have a lot of insights regarding the story which is still stored in my mind right now. Although unlike drama series and action movies commonly seen in everyday television, I already know the plot and the ending of the story and I know that it is very bad and cruel. After I finish with the story I will make a long reflection about it and post some links here in this blog, maybe tomorrow or whatT_T

Two hours ago, I had a little confrontation with my elder brother, I don't want to compute but he is about 3 years older that me. He has insights in life in which me myself don't understand it sometimes. However, I promise myself not to make a dispute with him anymore so at that time 2 hours ago, I just keep my silence and shut my mouth. Funny it is, I'm a kind of person who speaks more words including bad words when I'm happy, If you see me silent you should keep out cause that is the time where I'm angry ready to have a bite fight. I'm currently not in the mood and yes I'm suffering from self-made loses in life.

28 Days Later

"Graduation is not the End!"

I often hear most our high school mentors always saying the same old words. However, only now that I realize how difficult life is and how risk-taking it is to choose your right path in life. What's your decision now will greatly affect your future, and your life in the future is a great hit. haha;P who cares about the future anyways? when I'm already suffering right at this moment, studying like you will be bitten by a giant dog if you'll get the lowest score in your exam the next day.

It's been 28 days since I've walked in the aisle and greeted by happy faces of the people saying 'congratulations', not because I'm newly wed of course, but because I've finished a new chapter in life. Chapter it is as they say, I regard it as a very big challenge/obstacle to reach an unknown point of destination. When I was walking in front of the people then up in the stage just to get my beloved diploma, I can see how happy the parents of my classmates staring right in front of me as if I am their son. Ironic it is, but my parents themselves aren't even happy or maybe they are just hiding their inner feelings that I've graduated from a science high school just because of the stupid reason that I don't have any award, they envy my classmates or shall I say my weaker classmates who got most of the special awards.

The same old feeling I felt when I graduated in Elementary at Saint Andrew School, still in Lapu-lapu City. Well, at that time I got the fourth highest award possible to be given in a school like that. Looking at it in my perspective now, If time can only be repeated with the same determination and self confidence I have now, I could have grabbed the valedictorian medal at that school. However, I think only time machines can do that and I don't have the power to hold back time. Well, in my dreams I have that machine for only 2000 Philippine pesos, but ONLY in my dreams! My intense feeling at that Elementary graduation was to finish the whole schooling level of being a normal human, and of course I need to pass the boring stage of high school first. Many teens regard high school as the best stage of their life. However, for me I call it long and boring mainly because of the reason that I don't have the choice but to continue schooling then pass through different stages and one of it of course is high school.

Months from now, I will be entering college. My mom is currently busy brainstorming just to choose the best school I can have so that I can finish college without paying much. If only I can choose without touching my pride, I would really choose those cheap ones or in the worst case I will not go to college first. Even state colleges like UP is a very big question if I can continue, I really hope I can! T_T

haaistt^^ as if I have a choice. huhuhu.:((

Rice Cooker

This day can be one of the most unforgettable days of my summer days.XD
First of all, I broke the glass lid of our Rice Cooker mainly for the reason that I was really in the hurry and I accidentally dropped the cover of the rice cooker. The height of where I usually put it is around 1.2 meters in height, enough to break something when a glass or a plate vulnerable to breakage and highly fragile is dropped at that height. Well, for me, what happened now is really what should be happening, maybe it is the destiny of the lid of the rice cooker to be dropped and therefore ending its usage as a useful tool. haha.XD

Sad to say, my mom will be the biggest challenge I will soon face. As far as you know, my mom is a different person, although all of us usually say that our mom is different and yeah they're the best and everything, fairly speaking my mom is very different in her own ways in which me myself don't understand sometimes. Yes, all mothers scold their sons and daughters if they did something wrong. However, to all of you listening to my ubiquitous statements here regarding parents or if you yourself can relate, my mother sees all things as perfect as it can be, and she firmly believes that all mistakes are avoidable as long as you work hard on it and you did all your best to make something productive. I know that maybe at least 2%-10% of mothers have the same attitude.

We are 7 in the family, my father is sick in heart disease or something and all of my brothers and sisters are going to school, including me ofcourse. Among the 7, only 1 is earning enough money for the entire family. Uhmn. did I say enough? whew! but surely if we'll lower our standard of living even more below the normal poverty line, it will surely be enough. However, we don't usually live in that way. Me myself have pride in something and I only believe nothing but myself, some mentors, my family and god. In my own opinion and observation, mom is highly pressured about the current status of my family. She need to do hard work and earn much money and stuffs.

As expected, I'll surely be scolded why I broke such things. But sad because I don't deserve to be hated in something that already happened and cannot be returned to its original status. But, to make the long day short, I need to face it or else I'll be bringing the fear and deep feeling of something just like what you usually feel when you're about to be scolded.

Since I mentioned about rice cookers, for your information, I don't usually cook. Well, I cook because my mom forces me to do so and sometimes I need to in order to eat. Among the intelligence or talent that god has given me, I think I'm really less in cooking. Sometimes, without those msgs and stuff, I would highly prefer to eat something canned[de lata] instead of cooking for my own. Yeah, how I wish!~

&& yeah, I need to cook now... in this middle of summer only me and my older brother is around since my younger brother and sister together with my father went on a summer escapade in Barili, Cebu. not cool:| As far as you know, I can never rely on my brother, he is willing to stay in front of the computer rather than eat. hahaha.XD

URBANity

I never expected that I could ever describe how good my city is. Well, it has been part of my life and I would never imagine me growing in any other city here in the Philippines of course. If I should describe my city in only one word then "URBANITY" would be the perfect one-word adjective that can describe it. I really don't know what's the exact meaning of that word or if there is such a word like that. But, haha:P I still believe that there is a significant story in all things happening around us. We may judge deep within our minds but we can never determine how good things are unless we already knew the story behind it.

As I mentioned a while ago, I've coined the term 'urbanity' a lot of times. I usually associate it with the word humanity cause I've red an article discussing about how sudden the change of the state of minds of the people occur. Well, as far as I know it changes faster in busy and outward looking people in life, in which is more common in highly urbanized societies embracing a very fast pace of life. As for me, I see my urban society where I actually belong here as a fast changing society of young people[on the majority] due mainly because of the growing population and the bigger needs of the people.

I grew up from 1 year of age until now[16 years] mainly in the island city of Lapu-lapu city. As seen in the picture above, a lot has changed in just a short span of years. I still remember when I was a child, although little has been left from my childhood memories where others are maybe forcibly forgotten because of the bad memories I can still recall upto now, few settlements are found except near market areas where merchants erected their commercial spaces for rent or lease just for their own benifit. I even remembered coining a term 'Island Province' to my city. At that time from year 1993-1998, few people settled here in this 'Island Province/City', although in terms of land area, this city is capable of expanding itself into a bigger cosmopolitan centre of trade and tourism. Because of less population, less traffic, less noise compared to it's neigboring city of Cebu, my parents decided to live here. We emigrated and just as is:)

Shortly after the rapid expansion of Lapu-lapu City's economy, more people moved, where most of the workers worked in the expanding economic zones and tourism facilities. However, the majority still works outside the city. Almost all college students study in the nearby colleges of Cebu City. Only a few universities are found and almost all of it offers tourism and aeronautic courses. So, a bigger bridge is constructed linking the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-lapu. This has made Urbanization more rapid than before, more cars cross the two bridges bringing more people in easier conditions and stronger reasons of moving or immigrating.

The land area of the entire metropolitan area is as the same area as in neighboring prosperous cities of Singapore and Hongkong. Upon going up into tall buildings common here or going into observation decks in the nearby mountain sites still inside Cebu City. I can see an excellent view of the city. The great problem against urban spread is the mountains that hinder the authorities to develop new sites in the opposite side of the province. With a population of 2 million in the metropolitan area, a few buildings stood as tall as the highest building here, a 37? floor Crown Regency Hotel. A lack of space for housing and offices may sooner call for moving up into skyscrapers with higher reach than today, and will soon give Cebu City an impressive skyline of an industrialized commercial centre in the future.

Until now, unlike my given comparison of Hongkong, my hometown is still far from the planned theory. Upon expansion, more and more slums and poor housing is settling everywhere in the city. But, for me there's still a bigger hope and chance that someday not only my hometown's metropolitan area will prosper but the entire country and region! Jai Ho~

Till' the next URBAN talk! I'll be describing my place together with my experiences and self-made adventures and discoveries. weeee^^

HOUSE talk

This image was taken exactly in front of our house, uhmmn.. a bungalow type of house which was overused and somehow murdered by bandits who doesn't even care on anything except of their own advantages on something. However, I do believe that you cannot blame these 'humans' nor accuse them for house abuse. Oh, is there such legal case against house abusers?

My mom said a few years ago that we transfered at this house way back 1993 and that was almost 15 years ago! Something has changed, the gate was made into sandstone or something, and the biggest change was the house itself. How lonely a house is if no one is living in it and will call it a home right? This low cost housing project called 'camella homes' was put into place in a 5 square kilometer open space in the fast growing suburban dwelling of Lapu-lapu City before. Yes, we live in a low cost housing made by the Philippine government. As you know, here in the Philippines, cheaper services are given by the government itself. However, it also gives far more cheaper outputs that can be seen directly by how the houses look.

After 15 years of residing here in Lapu-lapu City, I'm happy to say that we'll be moving in the bigger city beside Lapu-lapu City and that is Cebu City. I'm happy that we'll move as soon as possible, but somehow I'll surely miss this house where I've lived for so many years. As seen in the picture... our gate has been replaced by a bamboo one, before we decided to transfer in our lot in Cebu City, that gate was made of metal something with ornate designs ugly but common in a third world society such as here in the Philippines. Our gate was very excellent before, but as time passed by, neigbors with valuable income has made their homes like small lot mansions rising with or without the architect's sign. So, because of that, our house was made as common as those people of the same faces with others in a street as compared to white skinned artistahin Filipinos[Philippine citizens] of Chinese or partly-American ancestry.

Our house is very small in my standards. Well, I regard myself as a globalized youth and I base my outlooks in life on how well the citizens of other nations live. But, whether I like it or not Philippines itself is a poor country with a bad quality of life experienced by many. Even the higher class ones can't escape. If I am on their side, even if how well do I experience the luxuries in life, I would somehow be frustrated and highly discouraged to stay here in the Philippines if others cannot even eat three times a day, nor have enough money to make a better house with stronger foundation.

For now, I'm already entering college, and my mom was planning to have a house in a subdivision in Banawa Hills, Cebu City. They're not leaving our house here in Lapu-lapu City for the next two years, mainly because my brothers and sisters reside and study here in this city. But, before we finally transfer in our new home in Banawa, as a tradition maybe, we need to clean the small tenement there!huhuhuT_T so, wish me luck!