MEComposing

... i'd still like to ask, how do you deal with someone like him?

who sleeps with girls her daughters' age from girlie bars... and takes pictures of their trysts?

who maintains a girl or two from these bars?

who sleeps with several of these girls at a time?

who takes Viagra in order to get it on with these girls?

who meets with the wife of his daughter's husband's brother in secret?

and brings a different woman to his brother's house for the other family members to meet?

and tell this woman's father that he truly loves his daughter, it's just that he is married?

and keeps another woman in his company, gives this woman Board status without her having to work a day in her life?

and meet this woman in secret even in times when his son is in the hospital, and his wife has not been sleeping, attending to that child while also carrying another?

who suffers his children in these other women to be aborted, the last of which were twins (or so the woman says)?

and then washes his hands off the matter, insisting that the abortion was not his choice, therefore, not his sin?

and yet directing friends and brothers' mistresses so they could also get their child aborted?

and when everything was discovered, the greatest apology you get from him is to hear him say, "i'm sorry that this is happening"

without acknowledging responsibility for having caused the pain

for having divided the family

and then lording it over you, his child, that he has performed his obligations well by providing well for you

that he doesn't have children outside of the marriage and you should be thankful

and insisting that if ever he has betrayed anyone, it was only your mother that he betrayed and needed to ask forgiveness from

which he still hasn't done after over four months since the wife has left him

and then, when you, his son or daughter, isn't happy with his presence last Christmas... he gets angry

and calls his kids an ungrateful bunch

and accuses his wife of turning them against him

and then he proceeds ranting about each child's past transgressions... as if it proves how bad his child has turned out

and then... and then...

he lands himself into a hospital, suffering from a mild heart attack and complications of his diabetes

and no child, nor wife comes

and it's New Year's Eve

because they don't know how to deal with him

because they're hoping that, in their absence, their father would finally realize what he gave up for his womanizing

but really

how do you deal with a father like him?

... do as the Romans do, which is tour the blessedly wonderful city!

Sigh. It seems my in-laws are all going to Europe this year. Tsk.

See, Mama-in-law is trying to decide between a trip to Jerusalem (no, not the game) or Rome with her Churchmates this April. I told her to utilize her new computer skills as it's now easy to book everything online. For sure, she can easily find hotels in Rome that will fit their budget aside from tour packages (which hotels probably also offer).

She could stay at the Prime Hotel Principe Torlonia Rome which is supposedly located in the heart of Rome. It should make going to all the prayerful places they want to visit easier and the transportation costs cheaper (instead of coming from across the city) since they could probably walk to some of the places.

Travelling is cheaper when you go in groups so maybe we should consider joining them?

Paris is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. It's probably even THE top honeymoon destination because of its affinity with anything romantic. Fortunately for my SIL, she is going to Paris in March, as part of the immersion thing their school does for students in her course. She will get to see the Louvre!!! Sigh.

My SIL's course is hotel and restaurant management so am sure their school is tied up with one of the many Paris Hotels there. Part of the purpose of the trip is to see how Paris hotels cater to the varied needs of clientele coming from all over the world, speaking different languages, with differences in culture dictating different travelling expectations and demands.

For six days, they will critique the management and operations of specific Paris Hotels and also visit the usual tourist destinations. For six days, they will bear witness to the masterpieces of the masters, and visit the same grounds these masters haunted years ago. For six days, they will be in a world of art and culture, of entertainment and fashion, of love and romance. Not bad for the price of P80k right?

And yeah, for six days, hubs and I will be mightily envious of her.

I Am Legend is a 1954 science fiction novel by Richard Matheson. I think the novel was originally set in Los Angeles but the movie starring Will Smith (playing Rovert Neville) was set in New York.

Basically, scientists re-engineered/tampered with the measles virus and turned it into a cure for cancer. But like what some scientists believe, tampering with viruses may result in mutations that we wouldn't be able to address before bringing about a pandemic of sorts first.

It's Resident Evil con Castaway con The Stand.

The movie is a thriller, a good date movie and has lots of moments filled with suspense. To the discerning eye, the graphics are obvious as a people-less New York serves as Will's backdrop. It's also a very fantastic movie that will get to you, and raise questions, loopholes and reflections for the watcher... some of mine include:

1) what was Will's character spraying on his steps? Water or Gasoline? If water, is it because the Darkseekers were 'rabid'? If gasoline, was it to overpower the scent of living things (dog and man?)

2) Was the trap the darkseekers' contraption or Will's? Did they set it up or just positioned the dummy near it to catch Will with his own trap?

3) If they're so intelligent to have caught Will, how could they not have followed him to his hideout before? Or at least narrowed down the area where he might have lived? Is the intelligence required to trap someone more complicated or basic than hunting someone down?

4) Why did the other survivors not come to Will?

5) If Will was immune, would his daughter have been immune as well? Could immunity be passed by a mother thru her breastmilk too?

6) How did the woman survive and travel to Will? Where did they hide?

7) Was Will's house built that way even before, complete with locks and bolts?

8) Why didn't Will have lights in his lab, where he's trying to find a cure for the virus and experimenting with Darkseekers? He's a doctor and soldier, surely he'd have thought to protect himself there too... aside from installing all those lights outside his home?

9) Why weren't the deers infected? Or were they? And who are they running from in daylight?

10) Did the darkseekers ever mated?

11) Did the darkseekers destroy all lights in the City? Couldn't have Will turned some on during the day just to annoy the Darkseekers hunting at night?

I doubt it's going to be a classic... but I still liked the movie. I was left wondering about it hours after I saw it, imagining the same scenario, thinking about how i'd keep sane.

Oh and of course, Will's acting is just superb.

Hubs was the one who shared the concept with me.

He was playing with Globe for free gifts or cash prizes. If in Ebay, the highest bid wins, in this one, the lowest unique bid will win the prize. Prizes usually vary, it could be nifty gadgets or shows or wonderful appliances.

Hubs gets crazy when its plasma TV or LCD screens or laptops that is being auctioned.

Bidding for prizes requires creativity and imagination though, to come up with 'bids' that are unique and small. For sure, it would be heartbreaking to be beaten over a new phone by a centavo or two.

But if you're lucky, then it will be just like winning the Sweepstakes.

London isn't just to visit the Queen, though the Buckingham Palace should be more than enough reason to. Hotels in London could probably direct you to roads less travelled for not-so-famous adventures, but websites can already give you ideas. The Eye (is it the biggest ferris wheel on earth?) should also make you feel like "the king od the world" for a while, minus the Atlantic sinking.

Staying in Birmingham is a treat if you're a Tolkien fan since you can trace his footsteps where he lived, and maybe see what could have possibly inspired him to write the things he did.

Where to stay in Manchester also shouldn't be a problem but where to go first might be. After all, it has quarters and parks and cathedrals that are must-see's. It also has its own Chinatown for those who will miss their noodles... and a lot of gay or gay-friendly bars for those who would prefer it. Oh, ande may I just say that Manchester has become a dream destination ever since Mike Gayle made moving to the place a big deal in his book, "brand New Friend".

But like what i've said time and time again, when it comes to London, Stonehenge comes first.

At our company's Christmas party, my former colleagues prepared games with minor prizes for the kids... but we were hardpressed getting them to be involved. They were far too busier playing Yahoo games or some other game on the net... or checking out their Friendster accounts. Some didn't even hide that they were turning off their noses on the prizes.

A colleague said it's because they're kids from pretty well-off families... and they're more into virtual worlds. Still, it was sad that they wouldn't play games for fun's sake.

So we adults played instead... and had loads of fun even if the grand prize is only P60 or something.

*~*

I didn't have the energy to shop... and with limited funds and an aggravated hate of Christmas crowds, I just really didn't make any attempt to do so. I did ask my cousin and sister to brave the crowds of Divi and buy stuff for loot bags. I decided i'd just give gift certificates to godchildren and loot bags to the rest of the kids.

Hubs and I spent Noche Buena with my nieces and nephews in Lipa. Not one adult bought presents to be unwrapped... except my sister who I pressured to buy something for her goddaughter (because I was feeling guilty for not having gifts to give). So only one child unwrapped something... and the kids looked quite forlorn watching her do it. And since my sister decided to give school things, there was nothing exciting about the gift... nothing Bonita could brag about and nothing the others could check out.

Good thing I had loot bags for them... they had to content themselves blowing bubbles and marvelling at the different candies instead. My sister pleaded with me to promise that i'd have presents for the children next year... no matter how cheap. It's weird but it was kinda unbearable to watch them not doing anything after the Noche Buena feast. And eventhough I gave their parents gift certificates for things they'd really want to have from the department store, it's just not the same.

*~*

My little one would never fully appreciate how blessed he is (at least, until he becomes a parent himself, maybe)... and I couldn't help but utter a heartfelt prayer of thanks everytime someone hands us a gift for him. He's only 2.5 months old and already, he's got toys and clothes to last him several months... what's more, he's got a father and mother who are committed to raising him well in love.

... while other kids have to knock on strangers' doors for Christmas loot... and other homes had to celebrate with a parent missing... and other tables are not laden with food.

*~*

Meanwhile... it's our first Christmas without Pyro so Christmas didn't feel quite right.