I miss my Disney Pixar movie collection at home. I wish I'd brought them with me because it feels like I cannot handle the separation anxiety. I used to collect each and every feature length animated movie made by the said studio, but starting with Toy Story 3 I wasn't able to buy copies anymore due to priorities and such... you now have an idea what to give me for Christmas!
But after seeing the 3D conversions of some of my favorite Pixar films simply made the word addict an understatement. I needed to watch them again on the widescreen, to relive my good old days. Add to this desire the new movie that will be coming out in the coming months: Monsters University.
Monsters University is the 14th feature length animated movie to be released by Disney Pixar. It is a prequel to Monsters, Inc. that gave 'scare' a whole new meaning. Checkout these alma mater themed poster of the prequel:
Updated:Monster University theatrical poster:
Any avid Disney Pixar fan would know that the movies they're making are not full-time heart-breaking drama. The movies are always seasoned with a lot of comedy that is maybe why I liked them to the point of addiction. And to see the funny side of the story in its poster reassures us that the movie itself will be one hell of a laugh out loud ride.
Catch Mike and Sully as they relive their college years in Monsters University, which is set to be released on June 21, 2013.
Book 00058: Worm In The Blood by Thomas Bloor Title: - Worm In the Blood
First Publication: - 7 July 2005 by Faber Children's Books Trivia:
- The book is followed by sequels, Beast Beneath The Skin and Heart Of The Serpent
- Bloor is an old Anglo-Saxon name that literally translates as 'swollen blister'.
- Thomas Bloor is often confused with another writer called Thomas Bloor, an academic who writes books on linguistics, often with his wife Merial.
Awards:
- The 2006 Calderdale Children's Book Award
- Short-listed for the Bolton Children's' Book Award
- Short-listed for the Highland Children's Book Award
Years passed and the list of books on my to be read books also grows in number. And sadly this book is one of them. I was only able to read the book up to the part where the main characters alludes about losing a loved one in a terrible fire...
Description from the author's site:
Worm in the Blood is the first book of the A Metamorphosis Trilogy that continues with Beast Beneath the Skin and concludes with Heart of the Serpent.
Worm in the Blood introduces Sam Lim-Evans, a 14-year old boy preoccupied with ordinary teenaged problems until he finds his life transformed by a mysterious birthright, something that has lain dormant within the very fabric of his DNA, until now.
How Sam tries to cope with these involuntary changes forms the heart of a story that balances brooding realism with painful fantasy, to powerful effect.
Synopsis:
Sam's family are cursed with a dark and terrible secret. A secret that has its origins in a remote island off the coast of China and has haunted every generation of his family for hundreds of years.
Now the curse is about to claim Sam as its next victim.
It starts with an itchy rash that spreads all over his body. Then the feeling of something changing within him, coming alive. And why has he become obsessed with the marshes and their cool, muddy waters? Why has he stopped seeing his friends and going to school?
As rumours begin to spread about sightings of a sinister creature on the outskirts of town, Sam is forced to face a horrifying truth. One that could destroy him . . .
My all-time The Voice UK favorite artist is back! Bo Bruce, who is one of the runners up of The Voice UK Season 1, is back on the scene with the fresh-from-the-pot music video of The Fall. Her out of this world voice and song is matched by yet another mystifying visual interpretation of the song.
The Fall, which is said to be included in Bo Bruce's upcoming album, showcases some hair-rasing moments that only she can do. Her unique and beautiful voice simply brings me to another dimension as if I am experiencing it with a drunken point of view. That is the very thing why I liked her so much.
Be mystified by this ethereal music video of The Fall:
Why did I see this music video just now? How come I've missed it? It was released last Wednesday and I've been waiting for its release since Bo Bruce tweeted a photo, which you can see below, taken during the shoot of the music video.
I must admit that I am a little teary while listening to the song and watching the video. The experience chronicled in the song is definitely what I am experiencing and feeling right now. I might be a little teary, but for some reason it somehow comforted and calmed me to the point that I forgot the dilemmas of the moment.
That's why I love Bo Bruce a lot. She has the music that touches the soul and intensifies any emotion that is reflected in her song. If this is the kind of songs included in her yet-to-be-named album, then I am definitely putting it my must-have list.
I wanted to get out of this world even for a while and the music of Bo Bruce could help me achieve that goal without my feet leaving the ground...
You can download The Fall by Bo Bruce for free in here!
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is still a year away, but it is already making a lot of noise that makes every fan go crazy. Just recently the movies' official logo has been revealed with much gusto from viewers who saw it in a Breaking Dawn Part 2 special screening.
Now, we get to see a taste of the its teaser poster, which looks very much like its predecessor with the exception of the tag lines, fiery pins, release dates and the branding of the titles. This just gives an assurance on the continuity of the movie despite having two different directors after Gary Ross turned over the director's chair to Francis Lawrence (isn't he related to Jennifer?).
Spot the difference between these two posters:
Aside from the movie posters, we also get to see a few paparazzi shots of Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Huctherson and the rest of the team while they were shooting some wet scenes in Oahu, Hawaii. The photos feature the main characters garbed in some tight water-resistant suits and a look on what seems to be the launch pad used on the Quarter Quell, an edition to the Hunger Games celebrated every twenty-five years and marks the anniversary of the districts' defeat by the Capitol.
Checkout the juicy photos here:
Updated: Check out these two Hunger Games: Catching Fire Victory posters:
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is once again starred by Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and the rest of the surviving gang. The story will put to light the brooding rebellion as President Snow orchestrates the 75th Annual hunger Games (Quarter Quell edition).
The movie is set for a November 22, 2013 international release.
Unless you regularly watch episodes of Antiques Roadshow, the concept of "practicing good archival techniques to preserve photographs" is probably foreign to you. Most people store old physical pictures in a box, slide them into plastic sleeves or paste them onto black pages of a photo book (bad bad bad). While it's fortunate that you still have the pictures, they're probably slowly fading and disintegrating. Before too long, the adhesive will eat through the photo, or the humidity in the air will warp them. If they're exposed to any light, they could very easily fade.
Those wondering about the benefits of preserving your photos and keeping everyone smiling will find the answers below:
Natural Disasters
Sunlight: a picture's greatest nemesis is the sun, so keep your cherished memories out of it! Proper storage practices would include a facility that has minimal light exposure.
Hands: when handling your original photograph or its negative, keep your hands clean and free from any sort of soil, including sweat. If you can, wear 100 percent cotton gloves, suggests the Library of Congress.
Moisture: a huge factor to properly storing photos is humidity, according to the LOC. If possible, keep the temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Many storage facilities offer this service. Avoid storing photographs In basements, attics and garages as their temperature varies throughout the year and can cause a separation of an image, curling and warping.
Heat and Wind: distance pictures from a heat source, like a radiator. Keep out of the path of wind and air vents.
Other Pictures: pictures will bend, scratch and stick together if they rub against each other.
Ink | Other Office Supply Disasters
Don't write on your photographs. Whether a white-bordered Polaroid picture reading "Florida Keys 1989" or a penned "Noelle, kindergarten, Circa '83" on the reverse of the picture, marking photographs with a ball-point or felt-tip marker is a no-no! If you absolutely must write on the actual photo, a soft lead pencil will be the best option.
Avoid clips, rubber bands, staples, tape and glue. These items cause scratches and can deteriorate the pictures from the sulfur.
If storing in a plastic loose sleeve or a book with plastic enclosures, be sure to use a special type of plastic. Mylar and polypropylene, according to photographymuseum.com, are the best plastics for long-term photograph storage.
Chemical Disasters
Chemicals that are sprayed to kill insects can be more harmful than the little vermin themselves. Albox.com recommends a polypropylene container or album cover.
Think acid-free when considering the type of box and paper you store with your pictures. You want to avoid PVC, which emits hydrochloric acid and often comes in photo albums. Acid is known to eat away at things, your pictures are no different.
Avoid lighting. While it makes paper stronger, it also deteriorates and becomes brittle and yellow.
Digital Disasters
It's a good idea to save your photos in more than one format. Scanning them into your computer may be tedious but could save your memories in the long run if something were to happen to your physical pictures. When scanning, be very careful with the photos — wear cotton gloves and be sure the machine is free of dust.
Once digital, save your collection in a few different locations like an external hard drive and use DVDs. Then, store your images as recommended above.
Sorry ladies, but I am just so elated that my least favorite among The Voice contenders had been eliminated from the show. Yes, Dez Duron was out of the prestigious singing competition, leaving Team Xtina with no, as in nil, artist for the next round until the grand finals.
I am not really against Team Xtina. In fact one of my two most favorite artists from the show was Sylvia Yacoub and it's not my fault really that she got eliminated... I bet you regretted that, don't you? That was really a surprise that no contenders were left for Team Xtina, when all the while I predicted that the winner might come from her team. That just puts the case to rest that I am not really good at fortune-telling or predictions.
On the other hand, the lively and total performer Cody Belew said his goodbye also, leaving the once strongest Team Cee Lo with two artists, tying with Teams Blake and Adam.
See Dez Duron's and Cody Belew's final performances from the last episode:
Dez Duron:U Smile by Justin Bieber
Honestly, I didn't really believe that Dez would win this competition. He may have a lot of female haul, but in the end it's the voice, not the looks, that would matter. I am not saying that he has no talent, but there are other artists who're much better than he is. I mean, I wouldn't even dare listen to his not-so-powerful voice if its the last thing I'm gonna do. His clipped sounding and metallic techno voice do not really appeal to me. That is why I was really celebrating to see him go. I couldn't really say better luck next time, because this is after all his next time and second chance. So long, dude.
Cody Belew:Somebody To Love by Queen
Cody's total performance didn't really work this time. The voters didn't buy his rendition of one of the well-loved classic songs ever written. If he had stayed longer for the show, then I would have believed that Team Cee Lo would have a chance to win the competition. Cee Lo had 3 artists under his hood by then, leading against the other coaches. And after the elimination they are all fair and square, except with the case of Christina Aguilera.
The Muppets performance on the Top 8 Elimination Night gave me a feeling that I'd certainly be happy with the result. And so I did. So let's enjoy this song again, while I am grinning for Dez Duron's farewell.
Isn't it fun? With this recent elimination, the Top 6 of The Voice Season 3 have been revealed. It just made me happier especially that Melanie Martinez from Team Adam belonged to the Top 6, together with her team mate Amanda Brown; Cassadee Pope and Terry McDermott, both from Team Blake; and Team Cee Lo's pride, Trevin Hunte and Nicholas David.
They will move on to the Quarterly Finals, which will be aired on December 3, 2012, to be followed by the elimination night a day after. Watch The Voice only on NBC at 8 PM Eastern Time.
Book 00057: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks Title: - The Notebook
First Publication: - 1 October 1996 by Warner Books Trivia:
- This is Nicholas Sparks' very first published novel, and the third written after The Passing and The Royal Murders, which were never published.
- The novel was written over a period of six months in 1994 and literary agent Willa U. Fukudome discovered Sparks after picking the book out of her agency's slush pile. Park liked it and offered to represent him. In October 1995, Park secured a $1 million advance for it from Time Warner Book Group, and the novel was published in October 1996.
- Nicholas has four kids, all of whom share names with Sparks' characters.
Award:
- New York Times bestseller (Fiction, 1996)
I bought The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks because a friend of mine told me so. She wanted me to buy the book simply because she was delighted of its movie adaptation released in 2004. I wanted to read it also, so I decided to buy it without much hesitation. But after all these years I was not able to read it for many other books were in line on my priority list -- so until now the book is still unknown to me. I was able to read a few chapters as a taster but I haven't really finished it. I liked the parts where I'd read it by far, but for some reasons I don't know what I can't stomach to continue... Was it because the book's a love story? I am not sure...
The Story:
A man with a faded, well-worn notebook open in his lap. A woman experiencing a morning ritual she doesn't understand. Until he begins to read to her. The Notebook is an achingly tender story about the enduring power of love, a story of miracles that will stay with you forever.
Set amid the austere beauty of coastal North Carolina in 1946, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner returned home from World War II. Noah, thirty-one, is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories...until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again.
Allie Nelson, twenty-nine, is now engaged to another man, but realizes that the original passion she felt for Noah has not dimmed with the passage of time. Still, the obstacles that once ended their previous relationship remain, and the gulf between their worlds is too vast to ignore. With her impending marriage only weeks away, Allie is forced to confront her hopes and dreams for the future, a future that only she can shape.
Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is just the beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments and the fundamental changes that affect us all. Shining with a beauty that is rarely found in current literature, The Notebook establishes Nicholas Sparks as a classic storyteller with a unique insight into the only emotion that really matters.
"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."
And so begins one of the most poignant and compelling love stories you will ever read... The Notebook.
This day calls for a grand celebration! Aren't you all excited that a new piece of movie clip from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has popped-up online? And it's not just a simple movie clip, but it is a 40-second delight that features our beloved wizard Gandalf the Grey handing over the precious Sting to a very reluctant and younger-looking Bilbo Baggins.
What's more with this clip is we already get a hint of what 48 fps would ever feel like. The scene is pretty much good, but it just feels like a homemade video, lacking depth in motion and everything feels like realtime. Even if the movie will be shown in theaters using the 24 frames per second set-up it would pretty much feel the same. But who cares, right? Uhmm... maybe you do, but that just utter non-sense.
I just died inside after seeing this clip from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:
Isn't it December yet? The last time I walked through the IT Park here in Cebu City everything feels like Yuletide season already. Christmas light, angelic figures and other decorations are already in place (don't worry I'm gonna share to you those wondrous sights, one of these days). That's why I thought it's already December and that means we already get to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Corn Kernel seldom seek for recognition (truth be told this is the first time he joined any blog awards), but joy simply dominated the scene when Kernel's Corner was included to the official list of 30 nominees for the 5th Annual Best Cebu Blogs Awards. Let's keep this a secret... John doesn't know I nominated this blog for Best Cebu Entertainment Blog. He will surely be up for a great surprise come December.
Best Cebu Blogs Awards (BCBA) is an award-giving body that gives recognition to Cebu’s best bloggers. It aims to recognize the existence and relevance of blogging in Cebu’s local blogging scene by pooling the finest online publishers in the Queen City of the South. It also aspires to augment Cebu bloggers’ influence in the general cyber community worldwide.
This year, aside from the top ten most popular Cebu-based blogs (rated according to popular votes conducted over BCBA official Facebook page), the Best Cebu Blogs Awards by Niche has been added, giving major awards to blogs categorized to six niches:
Best Cebu Technology Blog
Best Cebu Personal Blog
Best Cebu Travel Blog
Best Cebu Food Blog
Best Cebu Lifestyle Blog
Best Cebu Entertainment Blog
Special Awards such as Yahoo’s Choice, CBSi’s Choice, Special Citation, and Visayas Bloggers’ Choice will also be awarded to further maximize the excitement of the event.
Voting for the Top 10 Famous Cebu Bloggers has already been closed, but the judging for the Best Cebu Blogs Awards by Niche is ongoing. The qualified blogs will be scrutinized and judged until the awarding ceremony and this year's esteemed judges of Best Cebu Blogs Awards by Niche are:
Vincent Tabor (Northern Luzon)
Azrael Deasis Coladilla (Central Luzon)
Nancy Cudis (Visayas)
Avel Manansala (Mindanao)
Get to know them more by heading over to Best Cebu Blogs Awards Judges page.
I am personally glad that the 5th Annual Best Cebu Blogs Awards is sponsored and partnered by the following, making the event possible:
Globe Telecommunication
Insular Square Mandaue
Multiply
TMX Philippines, Inc.
Buddies
GT Cosmetics
Diamond Suites
Orange Brutus
Heart Tea Milk Tea
PR Works
Choi City
Starbucks
Geiser Maclang
Cebu Bloggers Society, Inc.
Alvin Asayas Photography
Event Photographers Cebu
The Best Cebu Blogs Awards 2012 Awarding Night and Ceremony will be held on Sunday, December 9, 2012 (Sunday), 6PM to 9PM at Insular Square in Mandaue City. See you there...
Step aside Justin Bieber, because there is a new King in Youtube town. Famous South Korean rapper Psy's all time favorite Gangnam Style recently snatched the Most-Watched YouTube Video of All Time from young crooner Justin Bieber's Baby.
The ever-infectious dance moves and beat of the song pulled off a whooping 815,197,646 views since it was first released last July 15, 2012. For more than four months it has already overtaken the fame and popularity of Justin Bieber's Baby, which enjoys a total of 804,604,070 views as of the moment.
Bieber's song was first posted on YouTube last February 19, 2010, which shows more than two years of head start. It only took a couple of months for Gangnam Style to achieve this feat compared with the former's more than two years. What's more interesting about this Gangnam Style's feat is the fact that it gained lesser number of dislikes than the original title holder.
To announce this achievement, Psy posted the following on twitter: "#GangnamStyle just became the most watched video @YouTube!! #History."
I am not really sure what JB's fans will do to recover their idol's crown, but for now I am a little satisfied that Gangnam Style made another record breaking achievement.
Sylvia Yacoub from Team Xtina is one of my most favorite among The Voice Season 3 contenders. But the recent Top 10 Live Show Performance lead to her untimely elimination together with Bryan Keith, a contestant from Team Adam. I was greatly distressed by the result that even the special performances during the elimination night weren't enough to put a little smile on my face.
It is just so surprising that the power vocalist who was able to turn Cee Lo's, Christina's, and Blake's chairs will have to say goodbye ahead of the other contenders who only managed to turn a coach's chair or two. To relive Sylvia Yacoub's tenure on the show I have compiled all her performances starting from the blind audition up to her swan song before her elimination.
Which of these performances by Sylvia Yacoub did you like the most? Becasue as far as I am concerned I am hands down with her rendetion of Katy Perry's The One That Got Away.
Blind Auditions:Only Girl (In the World) by Rihanna
The Battle Round:The Best thing I Never Had by Beyonce
The Knockout Round:Fighter by Christina Aguilera
The Live Playoff:The One That Got Away by Katy Perry
Top 12 Live Performance:My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
Top 10 Live Performance:Girl On Fire by Alicia Keys
The only thing that I can say right now is that winning The Voice does not really guarantee longevity in fame and stardom. If I may be so bold to say, the runners-up seem to be progressing more than the champions ever did and I do believe Sylvia Yacoub could pull off such a success on her own. She already have an introduction to the show business and hopefully she'll use it as a starting point.
Book 00056: Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier Title: - Falling Angels
First Publication: 1999 by Dutton Trivia: On the Inspiration of Writing Falling Angels
"Several years ago I went on a tour of Highgate Cemetery not far from my flat in London. It was founded in the 1830s and is a classic example of Victorian funerary architecture and landscaping; middle-class families were dying to be buried there! After World War I, however, it went into a state of decline and is now overgrown with trees and ivy, many of its monuments lopsided if not already toppled.
"I fell in love with the decay, the gothic excess, the neglect. More than that: as the guide pointed out yet another symbol of death adorning a grave (it was an hourglass with wings – time flies, all is temporary), I thought, I have got to set a book here. What kind of society was this that celebrated death so explicitly?
"I began doing volunteer work at the cemetery to get to know it better, and read about the history of Victorian cemeteries, mourning etiquette, graveyard monuments, symbolism."
Awards:
- Nominee of ALA Best Book for Young Adults
- Book Sense 76 Top Ten Selection
Falling Angels is one of the books that I didn't buy, but was given to me as a gift or memorabilia. A friend of mine gave it to me after seeing that I liked books and reading a lot. It is true that things that are given to you have more sentimental value compared to those you bought yourself. You take good care of these things for the fact that they were given to you out of gratitude, friendship and sometimes safekeeping. So to share this blessing here is a short story for you...
The Story
January 1901, the day after Queen Victoria’s death: Two families visit neighboring graves in a fashionable London cemetery. One is decorated with a sentimental angel, the other an elaborate urn. The Waterhouses revere the late Queen and cling to Victorian traditions; the Colemans look forward to a more modern society. To their mutual distaste, the families are inextricably linked when their daughters become friends behind the tombstones. And worse, befriend the gravedigger’s son.
As the girls grow up and the new century finds its feet, as cars replace horses and electricity outshines gas lighting, Britain emerges from the shadows of oppressive Victorian values to a golden Edwardian summer. It is then that the beautiful, frustrated Mrs Coleman makes a bid for greater personal freedom, with disastrous consequences, and the lives of the Colemans and the Waterhouses are changed forever.
A poignant tale of two families brought reluctantly together, Falling Angels is an intimate story of childhood friendships, sexual awakening and human frailty. Yet its epic sweep takes in the changing of a nation, the fight for women’s suffrage and the questioning of steadfast beliefs.
Now that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Party has only a few weeks left before its official debut, its post-production team is busy putting the final touches on the movie. Everyone's on the rush because the team are expected to deliver the final product two days before the movie's release on December 14, 2012.
Despite the busy aura, Peter Jackson was able to put together a nice post-production video that serves as a continuation to the previous 8 Hobbit pre-production blog. I'm not really sure how he got some time to relax and be comfortable sitting on an empty theatre, but he was able discuss what's happening right now in The Hobbit movie-making process.
I am not really complaining, but just glad that he took the time off to share this 14-minute of heavenly delight:
Personally, I find the video awfully funny. The team was so lively and cheerful despite the tight schedule. And it's just a crazy thought to finally see them having fun on work. Add up to this Peter Jackson's seriously funny facade when he did his commentary and I was left cracking off the floor. We have less than a month more to wait, but if feels like eternity.
Queen Taylor Swift is back to rock everyone with her third single to be lifted from her recently released Red album. It's confirmed that her next single will give emphasis on I Knew You Were Trouble, her "almost there" attempt on dub-step and techno sound.
As of the moment the song rocks each and every charts list, belonging to the elite top 100... so there's no wonder really why this one's the next single in the line-up.
Some curious bystanders caught the Queen shooting the music video for the said single, which will be released in a few days from now. But before we could finally watch the entire music video, enjoy her I Knew You Were Trouble performance on the recently concluded American Music Awards 2012:
Also, go rough with Taylor Swift with these pictures taken I Knew You Were Trouble music video shoot:
It's actually nice to see Taylor Swift sport some unlady-like and non-barbie attire. This rocker look with a pink tipped hair simply reflects the punk and funk of the song. Showcasing her rougher and darker side may just as well serve as a magnet to attract non-believers, haters and skeptics to jump over her bandwagon. She's been very bold with her recent music videos and this one seems to be the boldest of them all yet.
The trouble for any Taylor Swift music video is the long wait every follower has to endure. Even a day feels like a month already. and the excitement makes it even worse. Eager as we are, we'll have to wait for a few more days before it hits the cyberspace and if it ever did, I'd surely share it with you.
I Knew You Were Trouble single will be released on November 27, 2012.
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