Walang Hanggan Ending -- An Epic Fail

So my mom asked me to put across her viewpoint on the ending of one of the most talked about and watched telenovela on primetime TV, "Walang Hanggan." The show already ended last Friday, October 26th, but she still could not get over her frustration on how the show's writers and directors ended the series. 

She wrote her thoughts in the local language, but since she's not techy enough nor does she want to bother learning how to blog at this point, I'm going to try and write her message and translate it the best way I can.

Mom's all riled up on how "Walang Hanggan" ended.  She felt that the character of Daniel should not have been killed off. After all, his character went through a lot of trials and struggles and should have been rewarded in the end. It would have been better if the series was ended when Daniel and Katerina were wed. Or that at least it was Katerina who had an offspring, instead of Emily (Daniel's mom). Personally, I think they should have copied the ending of Titanic with Rose passing on in her nonagenarian year and getting reunited with her lifelong love Jack. That would have been more epic.

Instead, the series kind of ended in a Halloween like manner where Daniel and Katerina were like ghost lovers who did nothing but run around and chase each other in the after-life. Really!?! Plus there was that scene with Manang Genia (Daniel's grand aunt who adopted him and raised him like her son) and Dona Margaret (Manang Genia's sister and Daniel's real grandmother) where they imagined hearing Daniel and Katerina's laughter all around them. WT?! 

Mom felt that the ending was anti-climactic and that the people behind the show should have run a contest on how to end the series if they didn't know how to best end it. Oh well, that's her opinion anyway. Personally, I've lost patience in following most local telenovela series on TV. They usually start out so well. Then due to high ratings they get extended till the show doesn't stick to its original content anymore. It then tends to drag on until it ends drastically and leaves the audience feeling frustrated. Bummer! 

I think that's why a lot would rather watch Korean or other Asian telenovela shows. Wouldn't it be better if the entire series be completed first then shown later? If it rates high then just follow it up with another project. That's just my two cents. As a viewer, I just watch if I want to. If not, there's always cable TV and US TV series to fall back on. At least they plan out an entire season, take a break, and come back next season if the show continues to rate well. ^_^ 

Well, my ranting is over. I believe I have somehow delivered Mom's message and added my own thoughts too. Till next time... ta-tah! ^_^

Halloween graphics

The Best Part of Walang Hanggan Finale

So I get to watch it sometimes, but I get to miss it most times, esp. when I come home late from my tutorial. I'm talking about the hit telenovela on primetime TV "Walang Hanggan." It's much talked about -- yes, I hear it on the news and elsewhere. And seems for a while the whole nation was raving about it.

It's another huge project for Coco Martin who has quite proven himself as a great actor many times over. It's also a big break for Julia Montes who plays the leading lady of Coco. I'm not going over the details as I'm sure a lot of fans have already done so. Instead, I'm going to focus more on what we -- my daughter and I (not too avid fans of nightly teleserye) -- think is the best part of the "Walang Hanggan" finale.

Just to prove some point, I'm going to add some screenshots too. ^_^

 How Nathan first reacted when Joanna broke the news of Katerina's death.

 Then realization slowly sets in...

 Nathan breaks down...

and cries.

Excellent acting from Paulo Avelino! So do we expect an acting award again for his performance in "Walang Hanggan" as the obsessive, looney Nathan? I sure hope you didn't miss this part. 

Kudos to all the cast, crew and production people behind "Walang Hanggan." You sure made my mom happy for watching and following your nightly show. ^_^

Movies Galore October 2012

Around last week I blogged about the Movie Madness promo at Lucky Chinatown Mall and mentioned that it's just P100 per head to watch a movie, as long as the movie is shown in either Cinema 1 or Cinema 4 and you watch before 3pm. Well, it turned out that since then, my daughter and I have been able to watch three movies to date! Don't you just love promos? ^_^ Plus, it's her semestral break so might as well make the most of it too! All work and no play makes Jill a dull girl! 

Here's the first movie we watched, with mom and Ate Nilma. Nope, I'm not a huge fan really but I must admit it got me curious. I mean, Vice Ganda trying to act like a guy? LOL! ^_^

I'm not sure if this one is going to break the record of Praybeyt Benjamin, but it's a pretty good cast -- a more star-studded one so to speak. Toni Gonzaga's pretty well-known in comedy and she's one of the best. Vice is pretty funny too. Plus, throw in Sam Milby in the end. He's looking pretty awesome these days. More yummy since his US stint.

My verdict: It's an okay film. I wouldn't rave about it, but it's light and amusing and funny in some parts. If you want to forget your worries for a moment, enjoy this film. I just didn't like Gemma ending up with Mike in the end. ^_^

Here is the second movie we watched. No, I'm not a huge fan of horror movies, but I keep saying that and yet I keep writing Squidoo lenses about them. Pretty soon, no one will believe me! LOL ^_^ 

(Read my Squidoo lenses on Philippine Horror Films and Kris Aquino in Philippine Horror Films.)

At that time I was working on a my Philippine Mythical Creatures lens that I felt I need to watch Tiktik : The Aswang Chronicles. Hey the trailer looks awesome! I have first seen it while browsing around National Bookstore. I thought the animation looked fantastic. So my daughter and I checked out the movie.

My verdict: Wow! It's a simple movie -- few characters, limited location, not too complicated plot. Yet we really enjoyed watching the film. It's pretty surprising that it's more funny than scary in a number of scenes. I think I laughed more here than in the first movie we watched. But the film animation is truly fantastic! Lovi Poe looks so pretty even when she's supposed to play a pregnant woman. Dingdong Dantes proved he can be an action star too. I liked the film and would recommend you to watch it, if you haven't yet. Filipino animators have come a long way and we should support them in this endeavor.

We watched this on opening day, so there was quite a long line. No, I didn't watch the other "Other" movies so I'm watching this with fresh viewpoints. I got curious enough based on the trailers I've seen on Twitter -- released by Viva Films. Hey, they do retweet my tweets. ^_^

It's surprisingly a good movie, rather modern. Most modern women will be able to relate to it. A pretty, independent woman who gets cold feet about getting married, a man who's in love with her but succumbs to his desires, and another younger, riskier woman who's obsessed with the object of her affection. I like the modern twist though most "masa" people would probably not be able to relate to the lifestyles of these rich, bratty, privileged characters. I found the social media wars rather funny -- quite the origin of controversy in local showbiz these few months and years. 

My verdict: Like I already said, it's a pretty good film. Yes, there is the 'love and betrayal' theme, but what I like about the movie is I think it ended the way it should. All the characters, main ones and even the supporting ones, learned a thing or two about their predicament. There is a feeling of triumph in the end. Sometimes, in a relationship, love ain't enough. So know when to hold on and when to let go. ^_^ I can't make comparisons with the other "other" movies, but wait till my mom goes and watches this film. She has seen both "No Other Woman" and "The Mistress." She liked the former film  better than the latter. But I will wait and see what her verdict on this one will be. ^_^

Too bad, the P100 movie madness is only until October 31st. I hope Lucky Chinatown Mall will extend it or run it some time again. It's a good way to encourage people to watch movies rather than turn to pirated CDs or DVDs. In fact, more theaters should support this kind of promo. ^_^

Well, till next time... ta-tah! Enjoy your weekend! ^_^

World Osteoporosis Day

World Osteoporosis Day was launched on 20th October 1996 by the U.K. National Osteoporosis Society. It is observed annually and the campaign is dedicated to raising global awareness in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease.

What is osteoporosis?

It is a disease of the bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. There are various types and you can read more about it on Osteoporosis Wikipedia page.

Prevention is better than cure. Methods to prevent osteoporosis include changes in lifestyle, nutrition and even medication.

Limit tobacco smoking and unsafe alcohol intake. Exercise while you can like jogging, walking,or stair-climbing. 

Calcium and Vitamin D supplements are also recommended to prevent osteoporosis. So drink your milk daily.

World Osteoporosis Day march in Brazil

By Inyon011 (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

100 Peso Movie Madness at Lucky Chinatown Mall

We've heard of this promo as early as when it started more than a month ago. However, we never got to avail of it till we tried it last Monday. 

Well, my daughter got to avail of it first. She and her classmates got to watch Taken 2. Since it's the start of her semestral break, we decided to try and watch another movie. There's a new comedy movie showing in town so we watched that together with my mom and Ate Nilma. 

As it turned out, we were in for another surprise as my mom -- a senior citizen -- got to watch for free! So cool! ^_^

Anyway, my daughter says she'll do the movie review so I won't go there. Having a movie promo such as this one is a great way to enjoy watching films on the big screen. We just might watch another film sooner than you think! LOL! ^_^

Photo credit and promo details at :   

http://megaworldlifestylemalls.com/main/luckychinatownmall/info/promos/132/100-Peso-Movie-Madness-at-Lucky-Chinatown

The Wizard of Oz -- Repertory Philippines

There went the early half of my Saturday, October 13th. Yup! What you see up there are tickets to the latest musical from Repertory Philippines -- The Wizard of Oz. 

I'm a freelance tutor and my students had a scheduled tour to watch "The Wizard of Oz" at the Onstage Theater at Greenbelt Mall, Makati City. My students' mom had previously requested me to accompany her kids to the musical in case they would have questions about it.

It turned out to be a lot of fun to watch. I love how the stage suddenly came alive when the musical started. The lighting, the sound, the costumes were all fabulous. You gotta enjoy watching theater shows as we've really got a lot of talented Filipino actors on stage. 

The story is a classic one. Dorothy from Kansas flown to the Land of Oz where she finds friends and adventure, courage to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West, and each of the main characters -- Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, the Lion -- find what they seek at the beginning of their journey. It's a good way to teach children good values, but they do need to understand the story. Watching the musical is best supplemented with other activities back in school like reading more about the story, learning more about Kansas and the magical land of Oz, poster making activities, role playing and kids' musical theater, discussions and many more.

At times such as this, I sometimes miss teaching in a class full of interested children. Plus, I do remember when my daughter was younger and we'd enjoy watching plays and even ballet shows. 

According to the Repertory Philippines website, The Wizard of Oz is slated to run until December 2012. There's still plenty of time to catch the show, if you haven't seen it. Visit Repertory Philippines for more details.

Image credit: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/61685/repertorys-wizard-of-oz-opens-aug-18

2012 Top 49 Influential Men by AskMen

by Allan Warren,
via Wikimedia Commons

I heard it on the late night news. I'm not one to follow around Internet surveys of any sort. Tonight they featured Top 49 Men 2012 from AskMen. I don't know everyone who made it to the list, but I do know Top 1 -- James Bond 007.

Although 57% would rank him lower (stats on website when you try to vote), I would somehow think that the ranking is just right.

My mom's generation had Sean Connery as James Bond. As I was growing up in the 70's, I can only imagine Roger Moore as my fave James Bond. I have a complete collection of James Bond 007 movies starring Roger Moore. The new generation, however, now has Daniel Craig. 

Six decades of influence is pretty awesome. James Bond is naturally known for pretty women, fast cars, and my fave -- latest high tech gadgets! They're still pretty awesome. I can imagine how much more high tech they've become!!! ^_^

How about you? Who's your pick?

Online Traffic from Bots -- My Random Thoughts

Bots Make Up Ten Percent of Online Traffic, Study Says - Technology Review

As I was reading through my HubPages, I came upon someone asking about trolls who have been leaving multiple comments on her hubs. Well, another hubber was kind enough to explain some stuff and share the above article too!

Oh my, I think the article is interesting and it certainly impacts advertisers out there. People pay big money to promote their programs / products, but it would be like losing out if a percentage of that traffic isn't even human. 

I've a noticed quite a few of those web spun comments. Good thing my akismet plug-in filters them on my wordpress site. ^_^ Nonetheless, they're a bit easy to notice. They contain comments that seemingly read ok, but watch out for spelling mistakes as they're sure to include those. Keep a watchful eye and you'll notice more. Perhaps you'll be more guarded when approving that next comment on your blog.

World Teachers' Day (International)

World Teachers' Day is held annually on October 5th since 1994. Its aim is to mobilize support for teachers and to ensure that the needs of future generations will continually be met by having competent teachers.

Where I am, the Filipino-Chinese community celebrate Teachers' Day on September 28th, to coincide with the birthday of Confucius, considered as a great teacher.

I personally believe that teaching is a noble profession that is somehow overworked and underpaid. I hope that improves 'coz the world needs really good teachers.

Anyway, to all the teachers out there, let me be one in sending you all a greeting...

DesiComments.com | Teacher's Day | Forward this Picture

Crazy Commissions with GVO

Where can you get:

1. A top notch autoresponder with AMAZING inbox deliverability,(uses proprietary technology and OWN IP addresses to KILL the competition)

2. Top notch web hosting!

3. Your own conference room similar to gotomeeting (but with NO downloads)

All for less than $10 a month...!!

Then you combine that with a 300% payout and more than 80% payout in residual commissions!!

Find out more by visiting my GVO HostThenProfit page.

International Day of Non-Violence (Oct. 2)

See page for author [Public domain or Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mohandas Gandhi. This day is referred to in India as Gandhi Jayanti.

Mahatma Gandhi was the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India. Employing non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the world.

"Mahatma Gandhi is the greatest living exponent of successful pacifism. He has demonstrated that pacifism in action can be a force in world politics. It proved itself, that is to say, a stronger instrument than the instrument of government by force and oppression. In South Africa, his success was complete; in India it was very considerable; and had his following been larger and more uniformly non-violent, his pacific instrument would have triumphed." -- Laurence Housman, 1939, reprinted in S. Radhakrishnan, Mahatma Gandhi, essays and reflections on his life and work. George Allen & Unwin, 1949. (source: WikiQuote)

Comments by ZingerBug.com

October 1 Is World Vegetarian Day

By Scott Bauer, USDA ARS [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

World Vegetarian Day initiates the month of October as Vegetarian Awareness Month.

Nope I'm not vegan, but I think I will need to cut down on meat consumption and work on achieving a healthier lifestyle. 

If you wish to join the celebration, visit World Vegetarian Day website.

The practice of vegetarianism is indeed interesting. At this point, I can't imagine abstaining from meat consumption. If you're interested in this topic, see vegetarianism on Wikipedia.

So eat healthy. Eat your fruits and veggies today! ^_^

Veggie Burger
By SuziJane , via Wikimedia Commons