Yay! It’s the last working day of the year! I walked early this morning at Baywalk again. Have to start my weight reducing intervention again. I also had my haircut today, and it feels really light… that’s better now.

I was surprised when Jason called me this morning asking if I’m in the office. He went here just to give his Christmas gift for me. Awww, I was so touched. I thought he had removed my name on his “list” already. It has also been a while since we’ve seen each other… anyway he gave me a set of Naruto key chains.

Tomorrow I’ll be seeing Sherry and Sri, we’ll probably just eat and talk… I missed them a lot. The last time we’ve been together was more than a year. They both have “koibitos” already and I’m being left out *sigh*. But I’m getting excited to see them already, especially Sri, since I see her more rarely than Sherry.

I feel bad that I don’t have any Christmas gift for my friends, especially those who gave me something… as much as I want to give, I’m broke and it’s also almost impossible to see them at once. 2 days to go and it’s another year. I hope this coming year would be a charming one for me…

Last December 27 was our Christmas party, I was one of the Emcee together with Gel and Dr. Hogar. I wore my favorite costume, Soujiro, minus the white polo. Instead, I sported a black shirt. The party was supposed to be "costume themed" but my colleagues are so hard-headed that i was the only one in costume. Oh never mind, I was happy to wear my Souji costume anyway. The party was really a blast. We all had fun, and we laughed all through out the event hehehe. It turned out to be a comedy bar... I'll post pictures soon. For the meantime, enjoy the last glimpse of KiD for this year (",x)

Christmas Aftermath

Christmas DAY is over. In the end my wish didn’t come true… can’t deny the fact that I’m sad, though I’m really trying to “celebrate” this special day… it used to be my favorite day of the year… but things have changed since I became an adult. It seems that this day is like any ordinary day that I’d spend. Except for the food, children coming in and out of the house to ask for “pamasko”… specially now that my grandmother’s gone… it feels so different. My cousins usually go here in the house first thing in the morning… but this year, they came in late afternoon and stayed for a very short time only. When I was still a kid, this day is something to look forward that I’d have lot’s of money, but now, this is the day that I’m gonna lose money (for a good cause that is). When I was a kid, I’m happy for no reason at all… now, there are so many things that I should be happy, but I can’t… Anyway, I spent the whole day eating, sleeping, watching anime and surfing the net. I went to church with my parents at 6:30 in the evening. I ate a lot… can’t help it when there are so many food at your dining table… Hah, Oliver was pissing me just now. He wants to surf the net, but I’m using it. Don’t you just hate it when somebody spoils the only moment you could cry-out all your sighs. Going back, I watched “Spirited Away” again. Though I’ve seen it so many times, it still moves me the way it did when I first saw it. I also have to commend Joe Hisaishi’s music.. it’s so… powerful. By the way, Ghibli’s next film would be directed by Hayao Miyazaki's son, Goro Miyazaki, the story is based on an American book "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula Le Guin. Geez, all this time, I thought Miyazaki is single hehehe… It’ll be shown in July 2006… so Ghibli fans out there have something to look forward to. And, I’m anticipating a different flavor but equally astonishing film from Miyazaki’s son huh. Back to my Christmas, nothing remarkable happened... I'm just glad that at least my family is complete... I'm broke ='(

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Okay, 23 minutes to go and it’s Christmas. Kurismasu Omedetou minna-san!!! I’m home and I’m glad that I made it safe here. Every night that I’d go home from work carrying this laptop, I’ve been very anxious and at the same time paranoid that I’d get hold-up. I was actually planning to come home earlier but my boss reminded me that Dec. 24 was not declared as holiday, Saturday is my regular duty, therefore I had to come to work. I didn’t stay till 5pm though, I went out at 2:00 and went to Ayala Center to fetch my brother so we’ll travel home together. Mike was with me again from morning. He accompanied me all the way from Quiapo (to buy DVDs) to Ayala Center until we finally went home. Hmmm, I promised that I’d stop spending for my hobbies and using credit card, but I just can’t help it whenever I’d browse a toy store, it’s so hard to resist my “id” when I see a toy I want, specially if I’ve been looking for it for a long time already *sigh* here I go I again, I just hate me… Anyways, I was surprised to see old RK figures at Toy Town, Glorietta. I’m talking about the very first RK figures. The first installment was the Kenshingumi minus Yahiko, Officer Fujita taking over his place instead. While the second installment were the relevant Tsuioku Hen characters (Battousai, Saito, Okita, and Tomoe) Though, I was hopeless to see a Kenshin figure, I can’t resist to include the two ladies in Kenshin’s life in my collection. So there… I rarely collect female chara figures, but they’re RK chara… Anyways, let’s go back to Christmas topics (gosh I just love talking about my toys hehehe)… if I’m not mistaken, for the past 3 Christmas, I’d always come home at night of 24th… Hmmm, I realized it’s better for me that way because I’d hate to help with all the house work hehehe, I’m bad. But I’m tired already, Minus the 3 hours stay at my office, I walked the whole day. Hmmm, what did I get for Christmas? Astroboy toy from Lynn, Peninsula Manila’s Pastries from Lyn’s Sister, MDC Planner from Ma’am Winnie, Thai Mask key chain from Ma’am Minda, Foot scrub and lotion from Ma’am She, Merlion Nail cutter from ma’am Glenda, and the P1000 gift Check from MDH top management… much lesser than last year, but not bad, and of course, Soujiro figure from Kid, Enishi figure from Kid, Kenji Figure from Kid, Kaoru and Tomoe figure from Kid, X manga from Kid, Starbucks tumbler from… guess who… Kid (“,x)… and the greatest gift so far… an ASUS laptop from no other than *drumroll* Kid!!! Yay… but honestly, I’m not that happy… all I want for Christmas for me… only this person can give… MERRY CHRISTMAS again everyone (“,x)

It’s 8:09 in the evening, I’m home and I just got back from the church. I was late again damn. Today is the Otaku Zine fest and our Alumni Homecoming at MDC. I didn’t attend any. Instead, I stayed here the whole day and watched Anime videos. Now I’m starting to get back my previous otaku life hahaha. It’s not good when I stay home the whole day, I’m a BIG couch potato hehehe. Anyways, I finally saw Gainax’ “Otaku No Video”. I thought it was a movie but it was actually a 2-shot OVA. The story revolves around Kubo, an average Highschooler, whose Otaku instinct instigated when he met a long time otaku Tanaka. Basically the video speaks the unusual life of an otaku. In between each chapter are live interviews with real life otaku. I really enjoyed this video though I felt that the story is a little exaggerated, it’s still a fiction after all. Hmmm, from what I’ve seen, "Real 0takus" aren’t so bad. I mean, they are often described as having no social functions. But I was stunned to find out that majority of the subjects interviewed are employed. I was a little struck when the first Otaku interviewed was asked whether he has real friends. It took him time to answer. He even sarcastically replied “how dare you ask me something like that” in the end, he wasn’t sure either… Instead he said, during his Highschool, in the club he joined (an SF Club), he had the time of his life. He barely have communication with his club buddies but he seems satisfied with his experience. Somehow it made me think do I really have “true friends”… somehow I felt like I’m being in the same shoes as he is. But No, I’m a lot different… I know, definitely, I have real friends, although I can’t feel them at this point in time. Everybody is busy to listen to my sighs, besides, I myself would hold back to open up… But I know, if the time comes that I’d need a hand, somebody would definitely extend his/hers… I am happy for all the excitement and enthusiasm my otakuness had given me, although sometimes, I feel like having no social function at all. Up to now, it still doesn't occur to me that I should be able to do something, in my own little way, for the society... Also, in the various interviews, it seems that most male otakus are still virgin hahaha… it’s rare nowadays for a 20+ male to be “pure”… but these otakus are contented with their “virtual” koibito… hmmm sounds familiar, really… anyways, it’s really a must for every otaku to watch that video.

Then, finally, I finished Tsubasa Chronicles series! As usual, it’s still half-baked. In relation to manga, their last quest was in the land of Outo (hmm, speaking of virtual huh) but the anime ended in a desert-like land, where there is a floating temple, and it was foretold that the first one to enter the temple will have his wish granted. Residents attempted to enter the temple which resulted to unexpected deaths. Well, of course our heroes were able to got in. Sakura was the privileged one to make a wish, the others gave way… geez, I thought she’ll ask for the full recovery of her memory since it’s been bothering her, but I was touched (again) that instead she wished for the resurrection of those who died unreasonably for trying to enter the floating temple. I was a bit disappointed, because, damn I’ve been rooting for a faster pace of the story, an alternative (definitel closure) ending would satisfy me, yet, I am happy things turn out that way, because there’ll be 2nd season scheduled anyway, to be aired April next year (whoa, same as XXX Holic?!) according to the fansubbers. Hmmm, I don’t know how reliable this source is, but I’m keeping my hopes up...

By the way, yesterday I watched Chicken Little at Shang Cinema with Mike. It was really cute and funny, I rarely get interested with Disney animation since I got hooked to anime, but Chicken Little’s character design is so cute, it’s so hard to resist hehehe. He reminds me of Momonja, and other Mojacko chara, now that explains it hehehe… Also, RK story figures (series 2 & 3) are on sale. I was able to buy Soujiro for only 225 at Toy Kingdom, while I got the Kenji and Enishi for 500! I suppose they’ll be gone by next year… I hope I could still get the other chara…

bad KiD!

Grrr… I’m such a hard-headed KiD! For the last 6 days, my horoscope has been telling not to spend extravagantly, but I’ve been behaving against it. I’m so bad, I swear I’m out of cash already. Just this morning, I bought a laptop backpack. Damn, I just couldn’t wait, but I firmly believe that there is no one who would give me such item on Christmas. Really, most things I procure are always through my own hardship, but really, there’s not justification for me to be a spendthrift! I promise starting today I’ll be very reasonable with my expenses, oh dear heavens pls. don’t punish me. I don’t want to get laden with debts… I don’t want to exhaust my credit card limit. Somebody pls. stop me from spending!!! But it’s so hard, you see it’s already Christmas break (school) and I’ll die out of boredom if I just stay in my room while waiting for my duty in office. I need to get out, I need to see living things and animated objects, but it only provokes me to spend lavishly… and I have to stay away from Starbucks! *sigh* but speaking of Starbucks, i finally got the 2006 Planner! Yep, I've completed the coupon hehehe!!! Also, i got a Starbucks tumbler again! *sigh* i charged it on my credit card... this is bad...

It’s part 9:00 in the evening and I’m alone in the office. Next week is the Christmas and break and I’m getting excited already. There are lots of videos lined up for me to watch. Tsubasa Chronicles is a top priority. I’m already at episode 19 and I’m really enjoying the series, but not as much as the I did with the manga. Well I’ll try not to critic, anime versions always have their own appeal and edge. I'm still yearning for their CCS character… the bratty Shaoran and Genki Sakura… well have to be reminded that it is not CCS! And the voice dear lord the voice… *sigh* anyways, I’m so happy I finally got a copy of Otaku No Video! Yay, I haven’t scanned the video but I’m already getting excited to watch it hehehe.

Con updates, I’m not sure anymore if I could still come to Otaku Zine Fest. Definitely I’m not cosplaying, I lost motivation because of my uncontrollable gaining of weight *sigh* I can’t afford to dress up as Subaru when my weight is 114 lbs! Shame on you kid! What excites me is my former school’s alumni homecoming on the same date as the Otaku Zine Fest (Dec. 18), I was looking forward to see my batchmates, I’m just worried that there’s a big chance that many are not coming… it’s so hard to motivate busy people to come to such events… I’m busy too, but I’m really eager to see them… I just want to relive those days when I’m still a college student. Hey, I’m still a college student! Hehehe, kidding aside, I miss my college friends, my classmates...

My father’s still having second thought if he’ll lend me money to buy a laptop. He’s really worried since it entails a big amount of money, of course I’d be carrying it every now and then outdoor, he’s thinking of the possibility that I might be held up or I might loose it… things like that, but I’m very positive about it. I know how the world works today but it’s time that I decide for myself and I feel I’ll never move on with my life if I’ll always be afraid to take risks. Besides, worst case scenario – I lost it *knocks on the wood* I will still pay for it (with grievance hehehe). I think I should be mature enough (on my discretion) to decide for myself… I need it badly, damn, I’m really outdated! If I wouldn’t come home in province, I wouldn’t be able to get in touch with my world (anime) Like last Saturday, I finally saw “Howl’s Moving castle”, again, I was moved by the film, no matter how I put it, Hayao Miyazaki is a god hehehe… The film took me from one dimension to another (again). It’s been a while that I giggle on a movie, but Howl and Sophie were really cute I couldn’t help feeling mushy hehehe. It’s very rare for a Miyazaki film to have a bishie character… Now Howl is included on my list of my babies hehehe. He’s sooo cool, the scene where he lifts Sophie off the ground while being chased by black spirits (?) elates me. It was as if I was lifted off the ground to hahaha… And he moves very swiftly, reminds me of Kenshin… He’s movement also reminds me of Haku (Spirited Away) I want to watch it again and again, if only I have the time and means (damn, that’s why I want a laptop), I would… I’m craving for Howl hahaha. Not to mention that Takuya Kimura voiced Howl *shrugs* How cool huh!

An alarming news, last Friday we had a body fat analysis here in the office. My body fat is already in the upper borderline of normal and my weight reached 52 kg!!! This is really bad. I have to start an intervention to keep this down =’(… I must cut down my food consumption! Darn!!! It’s something so hard to do when you’re stressed… and depressed =’( look at my pics… I really gained weight huhuhu!

News Flash! I just read from Omake Omake! that the anime TV series adaptation of XXX HOLiC will begin broadcasting on TBS in April, 2006. Staff includes: Director Tsutomu Mizushima, Series Composition/Screenplay by Michiko Yokote and Ookawa Ageha, Character Design by Kazuchika Kise, Animation Productionby Production I.G. Weee! Something to look forward again! Darn, I haven't finsihed TRC yet. I stopped at episode 12... next week, when i come home, i must alot my whole day for TRC! Going back to XXX Holic, i would expect it'd be available here by June 2006...