Projects Due

OK, so there are several things that I'm supposed to do that I have not:

• Office Recap - this is very emotional for me, I don't think I'll ever get around to doing this unless I hear that the season's back on.
• Poem Explication - I had to do three papers on Margaret Atwood's poem, Siren Song: a bio on the poet, an analysis of the poem, and an explication of the poem. I only did the first two. I am so tired and drained that I can't even get myself to write it (which also explains the lack of posts). I don't know if I'll ever turn it in. Probably, we'll see.
• Marriage Ceremony - it's this thing that I have to do for my friend. This one I really have to work on.
• Review for TOEFL - I was a FOB at one point so I have to take this exam so I can complete the requirements to transfer schools. I didn't think I had to review since I have a pretty good grasp of the English language, but then I tried one of the self-tests and I almost FAILED. Sad, but true... I guess I really am becoming an American.
• Christmas Stockings - we were asked to make a Christmas stocking at my part-time job. This one I'm all over... I'm too excited that I even volunteered to make some of my friends' stockings.
• Organize my Christmas list - I half-assed did this already, maybe I should revisit it and see if I could get away not giving gifts to some people. Not only am I cheap, I'm also broke. LOL.

Anyway, I'm sure there's a lot more things I can add to this list, and less things I could take off. Alrighty then, back to procrastinating.

Still grieving

I'm still grieving over the fact that Thursdays won't be the same anymore. Sure there's a couple more new episodes of 30 Rock (which has been totally brilliant this season), but Thursdays from fall thru spring won't be the same without The Office. :(

Then I see this news. Horrible.

Tomorrow, I'll try to write my uber-late recap of last week's episode. "Try" being the operative word.

Still working on it

I have not finished writing my papers for my English 1B class. It's due tonight. I had two weeks to do it. The funny thing is, I am not really stressing about not being able to turn it in on time. I've been so busy that I had to stop and not do a thing yesterday.

Anyway, back to work.

Bittersweet Thursday

Sigh.

Tonight is the last new episode of The Office. Me really sad. :( I don't want to be selfish and all, and I'm sure I'm not alone hoping that the writer's strike end soon.

Anyway, I guess I have to go back and attempt to do homework now.

"No More S'mores, No More S'mores!"

I liked this episode. Although, I think this one of the episodes that would have flourished better in the 1-hour format. In addition to that, I like the "communal birthday party" dilemma better than the survivor man-arc of the episode. I'm not saying that the Michael Scott scenes weren't funny, I just liked the office dynamic in this episode. As an office bee myself, I can kinda relate.


This episode to me was short and sweet. Here are some of the scenes I loved about this episode:

• The cold opening. I loved how Pam, Phyllis and Toby reiterated that Michael wasn't invited to the Wilderness Retreat. The scene where Toby was doing his talking head and Michael knocked on the glass was hilarious.


• Dwight going around the office, showing the camera crew where he hides his weapons. Favorites were the Rambo-knife filed under "A.Knife" and the blow dart hidden in the toilet tan. I still can't stop cracking up just thinking about that.


• Dwight as the Overkill killer. Very creepy and very Dwight.


• Dwight hitting Michael with his shoe.


• Creed and his peach cobbler: "Tell him it's for Creed, she'll know..."


• Michael and his cut-up suit and the duct tape. Reminded me of The Simpsons episode where they joined a country club and Marge got a Chanel suit from an outlet store and kept on "re-configurating" it to fit in with the other country clubbers. (also, hmmm... sand wedge")


• Oscar giving the Jim-look.


• Pam's "Conference room?"


• Michael wearing a Battlestar Galactica sweater.


• Creed skipping around the room. LOL.


• The sweet exchange between Michael and Jim.

And my favorite of the episode... past birthday (surprise) montage:

Picture, again, courtesy of Best Week Ever.

(I was looking for a video clip, none available yet)

The last new episode is this Thursday. Me sad. Me very very sad.

I think I'm getting shunned

Ooops. I got too excited posting about The Office, and commented aboutlast night's episide "off-topic" on a post about "Kraft Single" . Anywho, the first time I get a sort-of reply from the editor and I get a slap on my typing-too-excitedly-about-The Office hands. Oh well.

Snap. LOL.

Me wants to see Leslie :(

I totally effed up in buying Feist tickets on time. There were too much stuff going on that I totally effed up. Oh well, she's a hardworking musician, she always tours. It is actually her second visit to SF this year. Maybe next year she'll come back.



In mourning, I will be playing her songs the whole day tomorrow at work. I'm sure it's going to be lots of fun at Nob Hill Masonic at 8pm tomorrow, while I fold merino sweaters or offer fitting rooms to lovely people or rummage through the stock room for good sales. Me so sad.

Here's a pick-me-up:

From the Frontline...

Hwaaaah! They've officially shut down production of The Office! Does this mean viewers will only get a short season? I hope everything gets resolved.

Anyway, here's a clip with Greg Daniels, Michael Schur (Mose), Mindy Kaling (Kelly), BJ Novak (Ryan) and Paul Lieberstein (Toby) explaining to us what's really going on.



These words from Michael Scott best explains how I feel about the whole thing:
“It feels like somebody took my heart and dropped it into a bucket of boiling tears and at the same time, somebody else is hitting my soul in the crotch with a frozen sledgehammer and then a third guy walks in and starts punching me in the grief bone and I’m crying, and nobody can hear me, because I am terribly, terribly, terribly alone.”

Strike!

Strike!
Originally uploaded by ricksterbot

Vance Refrigeration guy (The Office writer Gene Stupnitsky) and Andy (Ed Helms) lending their hands to the WGA.

WGA vs AMPTP --- Let's get it on!

So what is this Writer's Guild strike we've been hearing so much about? How does it affect me? A regular person like me?

In a nutshell, this strike is causing a lot of TV shows, movies, etc. to halt production and it affects me because I am such a fan of the entertainment industry. I love watching TV and I enjoy going to movies (despite the ridiculous price tag). Movies won't feel the effect right now, but some TV shows are already playing re-runs since the strike started yesterday, November 5.

Late night shows that I love: Letterman, Conan, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report do monologues and satire on current events, so obviously they get hurt by the strike first. I mean, what if Britney accidentally chokes on a burritto while driving on reverse and wiping her windshield on a stuck paparazzo... who would make fun of her? My point exactly.

The other thing that I am nervous about this ongoing strike is The Office. Most producers of the show are writers as well, and three writers also play characters in the show. What happens then? News is, Steve Carrell and Rainn Wilson decline to come in to work because they are also members of the WGA. Greg Daniels joined the picket line, despite his executive producer spot in the show. As of this time, there is only one script that is left unproduced. I don't think that's necessarily good news.

I'm all for the writers receiving residuals on profits made from DVD's and new media, I think it's just fair. What I want is for this strike to end and that the writers and the producers/studios come to a happy agreement. It's a win-win-win situation, writers win, producers/studios win, and most importantly, I win. Besides, who wants to see reality shows taking over my TV. I am already living a reality, a real reality, not a fake, sometimes scripted (I'm talking to you Lauren Conrad!) reality.

For more info on stuff I don't really know much about, please click here.

Can I also adjust my biological clock to fall back one hour?

Earlier today, I checked my e-mail and found out that one of my college friends is pregnant. I have not heard from her for like, a year or two, so it was quite a surprise.

Her baby daddy is a 23-year old boy (she's 28, like me) they met when she acted in a play that he directed. I never knew that there was a performing artist-side of her the same way I never knew she'd get it on with the play's director. :P

A couple of weeks back, my younger brother and his wife welcomed their baby boy. A friend asked me what was it like becoming an aunt again. My reply: It felt like I just got kicked in the ovaries. My friend just LOL'd. I don't understand, I really felt like my ovaries shrunk a bit, is that weird?

My point? Babies ruin the lives of single people.

I kid, I kid (no pun intended). I love babies. I'd like to have seven someday. Or maybe a puppy.

“Wanted: Middle-aged black man with sass. Big butt. Bigger heart.”

I would have posted this last Friday, but I was not feeling entirely well… again! Over the weekend, I lost my voice and I have been coughing incessantly. Not feeling any better today, but I always feel like crap on Mondays anyway so what difference does it make, right?

Anyway, back to The Office. This episode it not my favorite, nor is it my least-liked. I am kind of confused on how I feel about this episode, to be honest. I like the fact that Karen was back. I’m Team Pam all the way, but Karen is a cool girl (in my head, she is the same Karen Rashida Jones played in Freaks and Geeks, who I think is so bad ass, by the way). I don’t like that this episode was a bit cartoon-y with the “panty raid” and fake moustaches, but I also like it because of the said “panty raid” and fake moustaches. So yeah, like I said sentences ago, I am confused.

Also, The Finer Things Club. A lot of viewers have been ragging about how they hate this idea. I liked the FTC, I wish I could be part of it someday, the same way I want to be part of an inside joke. Currently, there is a FTC in Facebook (started by a fan/blogger). I don’t have a Facebook account, but I might consider opening one just to be a part of the FTC. I have been invited to join Facebook numerous times by different friends, but I have not relented. Now, when I have to beg a stranger, I think I would, only to be a member of the FTC. Pathetic, no?

Here are some stuff I liked about the eppy:

• The Michael Scott dummy ala Ferris Bueller and Stanley’s opinion of it
• The FTC being the 2nd gayest thing about Oscar, the first being ‘having sex with men’
• Michael’s reaction to seeing Toby wearing a bow tie
• Pam slinking away after Michael got shot down by Ben Nugent
• Dwight’s Mr. Pringle-like ‘stache
• Dwight cutting his penis on the soda can lid
• Andy trying to get in the FTC, 2nd choice: Party Committee; Safety: Scrantonicity II
• The Karen-Jim awkward exchange
• Jim hiding the fact that he did not read Angela’s Ashes

My favorite, although totally ridiculous, was the walkie-talkie conversations between Michael and Jim. Too funny.

Pic courtesy of Best Week Ever blog

"I do, in fact, like helping miserable children, Mr. Sedaris."

Last Monday, I went to An Evening with David Sedaris in San Jose. Granted I was late a good thirty minutes, but all was worth the trip and the embarrassing journey to our designated seats.


One entrance was for even numbered seats, the entrance on the other side of the building was for odd numbered seats. I looked at our tickets, and of course, it said: Seats 1 and 2! What are the chances, right? Our seats were smack in the middle of the balcony! WTH. It would have been fine if we weren't late, I turned to the usher and gave her a pleading look of seating us somewhere else. She got what my eyes where whining about and told me, "It's a full house, you have to seat on your assigned seats, and we can't have you sit on the steps." That ended that.


So, for what seemed like an eternity, I gathered up the strength to walk through several feet of people laughing, blocking some people's view in the process. With every seat I pass, I had to do the customary, "Excuse us, I'm sorry". It didn't help at all that the balcony was just one long row after another. Seriously, if I ever watch a show at that place again, I would never eat Mexican food... nor drink lots of water prior to the show. OR maybe, that's when the Stadium Pal can come in handy... at least for the water consumption, Mexican food is still a no-go.


Finally, we got settled in: We laughed at Mr. Sedaris' funny stories. May have wiped tears off my eyes once or twice. Applauded non-stop (I did stop... eventually).


I don't know when I'll get to see him read again, I did enjoy it a lot. I had three books signed by him... it was so surreal. At one point, I thought to myself, "I am actually exchanging words with David Sedaris!". Here's a memento from that unforgettable night:



Everything was just so unreal and I was so giddy with excitement. When I got home, I saw a package (and the name of its sender) that it hit me, I did not get a book autographed for my friend. Sob. I was feeling so horribly selfish as I wrap myself in the tartan throw the same friend gave me from his recent trip to Scotland. An autographed book could have been the perfect Christmas present for him. For a minute I was tempted into whiting-out my name and replacing it with his name, but then I realize, that's worse. LOL. He was the one who convinced me to skip school to see the show, and this is how I thank him? What a friend I am. (I scoff at myself)

Wanna be my friend?

Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

This year, I dressed up as a Brownie Girl Scout. Not the slutty kind. I'm never the slutty version of someone for halloween. Because you know, I can always be slutty whenever I want. Someday. Perhaps.

“Dunder Mifflin: The People Person’s Paper People”

As you can see, I did not write anything last week. It was my mommy's (yes, I still call her mommy, got a problem with that?) last week here in the States, she left for the Philippines last Saturday (sob), and we were all really busy. Also, I took a break from work, and work = internet access (shhh).

Anyway, last week, The Office went back to its 30-minute format. I guess I am one of the very few people who did not mind the hour-long episodes (or eppys as they are called in the internets). The hour-long episodes CAN be quite a drag, but I did enjoy the first four eppys anyway (and I totally gushed on the last 1-hour eppy). Going back to the 30-minute eppy was great but then it was as if something was missing. After 4 eppys that dealt with several plots, Local Ad left me wanting more. It was a good episode, don't get me wrong, but there was just something that's amiss.

Fine points of the episode, Local Ad:

• Andy figuring out what product the Kit Kat jingle was promoting


• Michael Scott's "zooming out" vision for the ad


• Creed, Andy, Darryl, Kevin and Kelly's jingle production - really catchy!


• Pam clearing Michael's phone


• Sue Grafton at the Steamtown Mall and Creed calling her "sexy hot"


• Meredith telling Jim to "Piss or get off the pot!"


• Michael inventing the unicorn at 5


• Dwight and Jim's Second Life avatars - I want Philly Jim!


• Creed eating Pam's hashbrowns


• Angela not liking mysteries


• Urban Stanley


• Just added: How can I forget the Phyllis-Dwight part of the Ad? "You have a son, and it's me."

and lastly, and what I thought was the best of all: Kevin as the Kool Aid Man. Best. Ever.

This week's eppy should be good. Karen's back!!!

I can't get the song out of my head, so let me share it (the glee or the pain) with you:

America... F*@k Yeah!

Last week was a momentous time in my American life. It was a day that would live in infamy... it was the day that I became a...

US CITIZEN
(cue: "patriotic" music)

I got to say this:

I guess it's a good thing. I mean, Uncle Sam's been taking my money for the last couple of years anyway, so might as well be a naturalized citizen and get in other countries without paying for tourist visas. Yay! Now, if I can only find a way to make more money so I can travel. I am an American now, and I live in America, and one's dreams come true in America, right? Right?

Grab a Copy at Your Local Walgreens

The covers says it all:




Awesome mag cover courtesy of Best Week Ever.

"In fact, um, I'm In Love with Italian Food"

Swoon. Squee. Swoon.

I told y'all that Friday's The Best Day Ever (and don't forget it's the same day they televise The Best Week Ever on VH1). However sucky everything else is, the memories of last night's episode of The Office just makes me all giddy. Sigh.

True, last night's episode did not give me a whole bunch of LOL's, but it did make me, sigh... sigh... and sigh --- in a good way. It was sad, it was heartwarming, it was awesome. Seeing Michael take the bus and go to his 2nd job was a little depressing. Seeing Dwight, altogether, was just heartbreaking. I did not heart Angela last night, especially after Andy gave her Garbage. PB&J? They evoked a completely different set of emotions from me, none of them distressing or miserable. Squee! The kiss was so reminiscent of the Casino Night kiss. It was just so great. The other officemates were great too... love the conference room debate on the propert use of who/whom --- I would never know what the answer is. :P

I heart Paul Lieberstein for writing and directing (his first!) this episode.

Just added: More Mose please! I would so stay in the Irrigation room myself.

Colbert'08

Let me begin by saying that I am backing him up through and through. Although, it is true, that technically (and/or legally) I am not allowed to vote in any state or federal election (yet), it is my right to voice out my opinion, and my opinion is that: Colbert for the White House!!! (Are green card holders actually covered by the Bill of Rights? I hope so.)

Because I am still under the weather and have been feeling sluggish, I was not able to stay up to hear the pre-annoucement and the actual announcement of candidacy until this morning. By the way, I am all for the Colbert-Huckabee ticket.

This might not be the actual clip of the announcement, but this would give a citizen ample reasons to vote for the guy:



He takes amazing pictures, huh? Take that Putin! After November '08, you won't be the hottest world leader anymore.

I've Got the Sniffles

I got sick over the weekend. :(

Do you think that Blockbuster would believe me and not charge me a past due fee? I was supposed to return "Year of the Dog" yesterday, but I was in bed the last two days trying to recuperate. I missed English class too. Will probably fail that class. -Sniff-




Change subject: OK, back to "Year of the Dog". It's the latest release from Mike White (is it wrong to crush on him? he's adorable, probably gay)... that movie, I'd have to say, it's like seeing my life 15 years from now. It's about this woman (played perfectly by Molly Shannon) who is single, who I think (judging from the lines on her face) is around her 40's, who lives alone with the most adorable Beagle named Pencil (played really well by Prada and CK, although I think CK played Pencil better). An unexpected event led Peggy (Shannon) into a journey of self discovery. I know, that's a lame way of putting it, but I didn't really want to add spoiler alerts. But yeah, I thought it was really good, just because it's pretty realistic and the acting was really good, and that maybe because it might happen to me in a couple of years, seriously, it scares me. :P

Anyway, I think I'm going to Blockbuster now.

"What is a Jim?"

Really, what is a Jim? A Jim is the hot awesome slacker from The Office, who, just recently, made the most coveted love story on TV (that's MY opinion, thank you very much) public. -Sigh!- Jim and Pam, Pam and Jim, Jam, now PB&J... -sigh!- I'm not saying that they're the best part of The Office, they're just great to watch. Last night was AWESOME! My favorite part: Andy singing acapella ABBA to Angela... it was too much, in a good way, if that's possible. My heart did go out to scruffy Dwight, but I'd have to say, Andy won big points for that number.

I have a confession to make: I only saw the last twenty minutes of the show last night. :(

I underestimated my teacher, I thought I could finish last night's test in under an hour, but I didn't. It was quite challenging. I underestimated myself as well, I thought I was just going to give up and hand my paper at 8:30pm so I can leave, but no, I didn't give up until I gave a better approximation (I was just guessing for answers at this point). I finished at a little past 9:00pm, drove home as fast as I can and enjoyed the last minutes of the show. OMG! The rooftop conversation... -sigh-.

The good part: I saw the whole episode online today... at work, Shhh. Don't tell.

Wednesday is the Second Greatest Day of the Week

Because, it is the eve of The Office night... which is Thursday, the bestest day ever! Or, maybe Wednesday is the third greatest since Friday is pretty good too, it starts the weekend (and additional greatness if payday falls on a Friday) and I always feel good on Friday after I have seen The Office. So yeah, scratch that, Wednesday is the THIRD greatest. Anyway, expect a bunch of The Office references in this blog. It can't be helped. Don't even get me started on "jumping the shark" issue this season. I will keep mum on that topic until we've reached halfway thru the season. And if that IS the case, you have to admit, it is still the best show out there, which tells you something about other shows... they suck? Although tonight, I think I will watch Pushing Daisies... it reminds me of Amelie and it's kinda Tim Burton-ish... see if it'll hold my interest.

Note to self: Buy "I Am America" tonight. And food for Didi, the prettiest guinea pig in the world! (Shhh! The building manager doesn't know, please don't rat me out!)

I am America --- if Dr. Colbert says so!

It drops TODAY! Get a copy! USA! USA! USA!

Welcome!

After sporadically writing entries on a Word document, I thought the time has come to formally blog. Well, I lie. I have blogged previously, six or seven entries, if I remember correctly. It was on one of those social networking sites I hardly visit anymore. The few occasions that I do go back to that site are times when I am feeling kind of down. I log in the site and check on people from my past to convince myself that I am still better off than they are --- just kidding. OK, so maybe I'll check on one or two people to get a quick cheer pill, thank you! You know who you are.

Anyway, I don't think that blogging here would be any different from my multi-page "diary" at work (with a working file name of "thoughts"). Except for the occasional comments that would ask me to buy Viagra, I don't think anyone would actually read this... which is fine with me, I just have too much things in my head that I think it would be kinda healthy to deflate it out into the Internets. That's harmless right?

Well, just in case you happen upon this blog. Welcome! (and please don't rat me out at work!)

P.S. Stephen Colbert's book is out TODAY! YAY!