The Portrait of Dorian Gray

He is a handsome young Victorian gentleman who becomes the subject of painting. As he descends into a hedonistic lifestyle, his portrait begins to age and morph and bears the ugly scars of his vile undertakings.
While his body remains eternally young and attractive; his age and evil deeds - his loathsome secret was locked behind the door through a magical portrait.

Played by Ben Barnes, yes Prince Caspian is Dorian Gray when his portrait is locked in his room, lol. This visceral dark horror story and screen adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s iconic character and only novel was a collaboration of Barnaby Thompson (producer) and Oliver Parker (director), the same team who made St. Trinian’s, The Legend of Fritton’s Gold

After moving into the house he has inherited, young and fresh looking Dorian Gray arrives in London and almost immediately falls under the influence of the amoral Lord Henry Wotton played by Colin Firth.

The story evolves and paints the lifestyle of the rich and famous Victorian London where power, greed, vanity and inevitable self-destruction were a norm. But despite leading to a life of increasing debauchery and even violence, Dorian has never aged and instead stays as young-looking as ever.

While his portrait grows old, reflecting his increasing doings and when he finally found his true love he realizes he must guard his secret at all costs.

I had a movie marathon on my DVD yesterday and one of the featured films was the story of Dorian Gray to my joy because Dorian Gray is one of my favorite book/comicbook characters.

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Even falling leaves..
has its own story to tell, ikaw ano ang kwentong alamat mo?

I am a superhero!

Weh di nga?

I think I am a hero, swear!

Well I just feel it, it’s something innate (nosebleed), I can sense it lol (yeah SPURT este SPIRIT). I knew it at times it’s manifesting but I thought it was just normal being me. I mean I am the very definition of a NOT NORMAL person, norm is not a word to describe me, I am not the typical guy you get to see on your regular day. I mean, I am MORE THAN THE USUAL - WOW PHILIPPINES eto, nyeheeee!

Raised with comicbooks as my bible, regarded the likes of Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman, Mark Millar, Greg Rucka as the gods, who would ever argue about that? Can you imagine when all of a sudden in a group of friends, I have had to raised my hand in a manner very Magneto like and when they noticed, they cannot help but to exclaimed, "Oh my God, look at him".

Isn’t that a manifestation already? But if you still not convinced allow me then to enumerate lists to justify my being a HERO.

1. Let’s start it when I was a baby, according to my dear mother there was never a day (take note of the word NEVER) that I was not in the state of CONVULSION. Doctors and albularyo (herb doctor) can’t even cure me, that my mother out of hopelessness would resort going to the church frequently and praying earnestly to the high heaven to spare my life and that she have actually made a truce if ever her favor will be granted, she will offer a novena (offered prayer repeated in 9 successive days) every year for nine days before my birthday come and that she would continue the task ‘til my puberty.
   
   And a miracle had to happen, I have lived. See, divine intervention has to take place in order to save me; I cannot die, simply because I am destined for a grander and noble cause and that is… all together now, TO BE A HERO! (haha, adik)



2. When I was four, a ten-wheeler truck came running towards me when I was crossing the street, supposedly to follow my mother at the nearest store without her knowledge of course. The driver was too late to noticed that there was a stupid kid blocking his way that he immediately applied the brake in the most un-anticipated way causing a creepy and screeching sounds as if a banshee have suddenly wails giving everyone at fifty meter radius to put on hold whatever they were doing to attend the commotion.
   
   Bystanders, who have been witnessed would recalled it. I was actually raising my hands as if blocking off or driving away the evil forces that is about to endanger the life of the chosen one (lol), imagine Jean Grey blocking the water from the leaked giant dam with her telekinesis to give way for the X-Wing to fly (X2)? Isn’t it a very hero like and take note it comes naturally.
   
   Later that moment, I was found at the very center of two giant wheels all dusty, in ONE piece and still breathing. Unharmed and unhurt. A bit exhausted but definitely very fine. I am alive for the second time and it wasn’t a coincidence, it simply called a CALLING. I have to fulfill a great undertaking which is… TO BE A HERO hahaha Jumong ikaw talaga ito (lolz).
   
   
3. And if you’re not impressed yet here’s another one, of course still in my childhood. As you may have known by reading books or comics very few mutations manifest on the pre-adolescent years most of the powers would appear on or after the age of puberty – the start of the seminal moments and hormonal mis-adventures. In my case, the clues started to unfold very early (bwahahaha, ganun mag trip dapat top of the line agad, hindi yong lumilebel lang haha). Maybe the reason it started very early because I'm pre-destined to a bigger dream and I might as well get prepared for the tasks ahead, so it will be executed according to plan.
   
   As a child, I’m no different from the other kids who would do crazy stuffs that would actually get them hurt. And one of those crazy things that ever happened to me when I was seven, still along with my equally stupid friends playing hide and seek when all of sudden we have noticed the guava tree, positioned at the back of a shack where our pig housed. The fruit started turning yellow, the sight itself was inviting that I cannot help myself but to climb. But there’s a problem the tree is adjacent to the sewer that if you happened to fall from the tree you will go directly to the pit and only fate could ever save you from redemption, meaning you will be crying wolf while in free fall into the abyss if you are not lucky. I wasn’t lucky that time – well a hero has to experience failure sometimes, to make him strong and realized that a hero is not after all invincible and is also vulnerable to failures.
   
   I FELL!
   
   All of a sudden I have to perform my prowess in swimming, yabadabadooo – doggie style haha as not to drown myself from the lake of poopoo (nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng mga tae ng baboy – yikes). So I wasn’t really bothered when Manny Villar talked about his childhood, swimming in the sea of garbage - that was very girly of him if you ask me (lol). See, I can survive even in the foulest environment and that is what a hero should be like – a hero need not to be delicate if he wants to win a crisis.
   
   And while the topic is about climbing, did you know that in my childhood I loved climbing trees, lol trivia eto. I don’t know but I feel I’m on the top of the world (well top of the tree sounds the same, lol) when I climbed the highest tree. I am not afraid of heights. I remember in grade school my teacher gave me homework to fill every line of two bundles, 100 pages each of pad paper with a line saying “I am not going to climb again”. Just because she caught me along with my classmates climbing the mango tree near her classroom, can you imagine the agony of writing 200 pages? Who is she thinking, I am Harry Potter? Nyay, but then again because of that incident I have developed a fine penmanship. That’s why when we had this high-school reunion, each one of us where asked what we have remembered about each other. When it was my turn, they unanimously exclaimed in chorus that I am one of those with the very maarteng (translation not available, lol – flirty handwriting haha) handwriting. I want to declare JIHAD that instant, for crying-out-loud I graduated top 11 out of more than a hundred graduates (I used to be #3 but I preferred to be more casual and relax, lol) and the only thing they could ever remember was the way I write.
   
   Toinkz, off-topic again – okay let’s continue with my trip-tripan. As I have told you climbing of trees were one of my hobbies when I was a delinquent kid back in my childhood years.
   
   
4. Then one day, isang araw… it was after the typhoon, the usual friend scouting the surroundings for anything worth for fun, all trees were lying on the ground except for the guava tree who after that fierce typhoon, still managed to stand. The four of us climbed and started chasing each other. We were having the time of our lives when suddenly we’re stunned. Uh oh! The tree, starting moving sideways going down, it was a big tree and that it’s unusual to just fall down with just the weight of the kids. I’m convinced it was me who made that guava flat in the ground ha-ha; well a hero should be a bully sometimes to make things light, come on, live life to the fullest (sabi ni Levy yan ahaha).
   
   
5. I have a sharper memory, compare to the others I can memorize quickly and can actually remember things that happened in the longest of time. In my school days while everyone was going nuts and pressured two days before the exams reviewing their notes, I on the other hand had this habit of reviewing only at the class room an hour before the actual test and while I have NEVER gotten any perfect results yet my grades were enough to put me at the above average status (nakanaman). To be a hero one must have a sharp memory, so he can act right away as not to be called a lousy hero.
   
   
6. I am both a far-sighted and a near-sighted (basta meganun, talaga men); if you want to be a hero better to have a keen eye-sight so you can prepare your salvo before the enemy can even moved.
   
   
7. I am not a telepath but I think I can read minds by just seeing their body gestures, eye movements, or the way they used words. So I know exactly when to be friends with anyone. The reason I’ve always been tagged as someone with attitude problem because I’ll give you a bad shoulder if I can sense the jerkiness in you.
   
   
8. I have a good hearts, ask my friends (lol), sometimes I get to met people asking for a fare on its way home. I cannot decline but to help them; they do not need to recite Aaaalllmmms, aalllmmmms spare me a piece of bread. I’ll give them without uttering a single word but ofcourse they have to pass my psychic inquiry first before they can taste my helping hands haha opkors like there’s so many manggagantso these days. One important traits of a hero should have a heart, this will give him the motivation to continue to protecting his neighborhood effectively, and for him to realize how noble it is to lending a hands with others, most of all to those who cannot help for themselves.

And I have to stop my blabbing about my various powers, I don’t want everyone knowing what I can do, my enemy could be reading now, chances are before I can even hex them este trick them it is I who’ve been jinxed lolz. But rest assured that I have more powers unfolding before my very eyes than you can imagine. So be very afraid, some are yet to be discovered but I’m on the process to unlocking them and I am also glad that kili-kili power is not one of them hahaha.

So how about you? Are you one of us? Tugoinkz

Who's your Daddy by the Prodigal Son

MKmA post Father’s Day presentation.

I am not very close with my father. As a kid, I cannot remember any moments that I had a quality time or let say having fun when he was around. It’s as if hearing his voice would bring me discomfort. I always had that uncomfortable feeling when he was near me.

He is the very strict kind of father, his words are laws and no one could ever argue him and tell him in the face that he was wrong not even my mother.

He’s one of the persons who live by the rule;
Rule #1, I am always right.
Rule #2, if I am wrong see Rule #1.

I envy my childhood neighbors and friends, Jun Jun and Tong Tong when Tiyoy Mode’ (the Father) would play with them as if they were playing buddies or when Eman and Nene go to the market with their father holding hands together.

My father is the least affectionate person in the world, a trait that somehow I have gotten from him. The only person I can remember that he actually shown his affection with when we were kids, is our youngest sister.

I always keep my distance to him to point that we were not talking. The only time I would utter a word is when someone or my mother would relay a message to him and that nobody except me is available at that time who could deliver the task.

Very funny because we were exactly of the same character; strong-willed, stubborn, a know-it-all bitch and kind of a bigot. Sometimes I would make fun of it, maybe father less like me because he can’t stand seeing himself to me. I mean he himself is a horror what more of another one (lol).

In moments of solitude, I’ll keep asking myself. How would be my life if ever I have a close ties with my father? Will I be like the others who would call him my daddy, my hero? Would life be easier for me?

Every time I hear songs that talk about the father, I can’t help myself but to pause for a minute and stare the infinite nothingness while savoring the lyrics of the song.

Perfect by Simple Plan is one:

While my Father always in silence, I knew deep within his heart somehow he is proud of me. And why not, of the five of us, I am the one who would frequently bring honor to our family by making it sure that our family name be heard from as far as the next town in terms of academic achievements (ehem).

After my high school, I went straight to Manila to pursue my college. For at least eight years, I never went home since my mother and my sisters would visit me from time to time.

A visits that would always end-up convincing me to come home because according to them father is waiting and want to see me. I knew it was a lie; my father is not the type of person who would swallow his ego even deep inside his heart he wants it to. But I also knew from the fact, that he really wants to see me and that he was missing me. I am his replicate, and I feel the same way.

Father and Son:

It takes years to convince me; but grudges heal itself, only it takes time.

Then one day, I announced to my mother and my sisters that I will be coming home on the Christmas. And that instant I can feel the excitement as if angels rejoicing with my mother, and that she merrily announced to our neighborhood and my high school friends that I will be coming home - informed my sister.

On the day I was waiting for my departure to my home sweet home my sister who’s been working abroad sent me a message saying “Welcome home, bro”.

It almost bring me to tears because I knew very well, what she meant was a thank you for making our family whole again. I am the broken pieces that for years they were trying very hard to fix.

As I busied myself watching passengers of different ages, different scenes and questions coming to my mind; how would be my reaction upon seeing my father? Do I have to hug him? Isn’t it awkward for a person that hates drama and never vocal about his feelings?

Then Luther Vandross song, Dance with my Father keeps on penetrating my senses. I imagined him lifting me high before my innocence (lol) and would dance with my mother. How cute that would be?

Dance with my Father

After that moment, I religiously paid them a visit once or twice every year and they’re happy about it. I have now a good relationship with my father to the joy of my wonder mom.

Given a chance to be born again and choose who will be my Father this time? Without a doubt I would still choose my father. And I’ll make sure this time I’ll be the one who will make the move to be friend with him.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, TATAY!

P.S.
During those times when I was alone, comic books were my friends and I started to love the character of Iceman of the X-MEN because of the similarity between him and his daddy.

I had actually written a very mediocre poem about them, it’s a trying hard one lol.


Father N Son

I remember yesterday
It was joy and we were happy
From day in to day out
Nothing but laughter and a shout

I was a kid then!
And you look at me as your dream
You strive harder
And never bother your pain

From dawn till dusk
You were - but doin' your task
Trying to be a good father
That I could look up to - forever.

Those were the days!
Worth to be reminisce
Days, months and years passed by
And the old good days was only but a try

Here comes the day
That you unfold the reality
I am a MUTANT
And you condemned me.

You felt betrayed
And your world seemed astray
Your love turned to hate
And you made me to evaporate

For now, I'll go away
Perhaps find my way
But I'll prove to you
That you're wrong about me.

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Even falling leaves..
has its own story to tell, ikaw ano ang kwentong alamat mo?

Monday Cuteness: The Joy of Four

From now on MKmA will dedicate Monday as a day for anything but cute. May it be in the form of a video, a photograph or a stories.

And it will be called, MONDAY CUTENESS!

So here's the first entry, it's a video of a mother cuddling her ever so cute and laughing quadruplets.


Video courtesy of genesee99

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Even falling leaves..
has its own story to tell, ikaw ano ang kwentong alamat mo?

Chow fun and the smells of hiccup!

Last Sunday, 13 June was San Pascual town fiesta and we were invited by a friend to come and see the celebration. San Pascual has a unique way to celebrate its fiesta. Everywhere you go but food of different Pinoy delicacies.

We headed the road and left Manila at exactly thirty minutes past nine. Traveling going to Batangas was bearable that in no time we’re at San Pascual.

We rested a few minutes while Nanay (friends mom) busy preparing food on the table, few minutes more and we were told to occupy the seats in the dining room. We’re all excited because we were so hungry; none of us have actually eaten breakfast back in Manila because we were advised there’s gonna be a flood of foods.

Indeed, all time Pinoy delicacies and Pinoy favorite foods were serve at the table; Adobo, Pancit, Lupiang Shanghai and Sariwa, Molo, Patatin, and a lot more of which I’m clueless of the name. And here comes my all time favorite - fruit salad. I always have these cravings with fruit salad, that I can’t help myself but to serve two servings.

Nanay would visit us from time to time and gave that friendly smile while saying to feel at home and be comfortable.

I was so full as if I couldn’t breathe but still I had to finish my beer. I have eaten a lot that walking and breathing suddenly became hard lol.

And here’s the most dreadful news, our friend advised us to get ready because we’re visiting several houses and that means another round of intestinal battle, que horror!

We visited a total of six houses all are her (friend) relatives. At the third house, I was officially declared TKO, I was sweating and cannot put any more object inside my stomach.

Uh the shrimps were so big and not to mention the fruit salad again, it so tempting but the only thing I can do is to watch them while eating sumptuously and wondering how big their stomach could be?

At six in evening we decided to heads home ofcourse with the traditional pinoy culture, the pinoy congeniality because Nanay insisted that we had to bring a balot (a wrap full of foods).

I was still sweating as we drove the long Star tollway and upon our exit, I started having hiccups to my annoyance. Then one of my friends reacted and started asking us who farted because according to her she was sure she smelled one. “It wasn’t me, I wish I could fart”, I said and so as the others.

Then Sunnie the daughter of my friends who's been laughing way back from Batangas and making fun of my hiccups said, “Tito Dennis hiccups smells of beer”.

Ah what!

I drank a glass of water when I was home and my hiccup totally gone. I could have bought a bottle of mineral water along the highway, if I knew it was the cure.

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Even falling leaves..
has its own story to tell, ikaw ano ang kwentong alamat mo?

The Altered-ego!

Previously I posted about my acting debut (tok danun!). It was very promising for a first attempt; matter-of-factly I have convinced the girl that I am Wayne - the cousin of Patrick. We had a very lengthy conversation; blimey she’s talkative (lol) and the way our conversation progresses, we’re as if friends for a long time.

The good news about my acting, the bad news; it turned out to be a nightmare – well at least for me because the girl started to be very annoying. I mean, she would call me every 10 minutes interval and I am not the person who is fond of telebabad (talking to the phone like there’s no tomorrow) and keep on asking where in the world is Patrick.

Patrick and his pamangkin

I told her for so many times that I have no clue at all because for crying-out-loud I’m supposed to pretend like I am clueless, hello! (haha).

Can you imagine the temper that I had to unleash because she keeps on calling me till the next day; not to mention the unusual time of 2 in the morning using different SIMs (number), she’s so kulet (annoying) tok ang conyo haha.

I sent her an sms for the last time saying, "WILL YOU GET OVER IT!"

"Now you know, why I am hiding from her, haha" teased Patrick while grinning mischievously in front of me and the real Wayne.

I want to cut his head!

P.S.
To this very day, Keiz still sends me forwarded inspirational messages, lol.

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Even falling leaves..
has its own story to tell, ikaw ano ang kwentong alamat mo?

Playing Doppelganger!

My friend Patrick (itago naten sa pangalang ganyan lol) asked me if I could pretend to be his cousin, and that he will divert his incoming call to my phone.

Ofcourse I was taken aback!

Hello, this could mean an acting prowess and I haven’t had any acting experiences before though I had plan of enrolling myself, supposed to be this summer at ABS-CBN talent center haha – fat chance! Awright, last line is a joke.

Anyways back to my acting (lol), he gave me instructions on what to do and that the scenario should be like this; he instructed the girl to call me if his phone is out-of-reach because he runs out of battery, his lame excuse by the way.

And in my part, I’ll pretend to be his cousin and when a girl named Keiz (eto itago din naten) rings me up; I’ll answer her using the name of Wayne - the cousin of Patrick (eto wag na itago ilabas na naten, haha). And that I’ll convince the girl that he’s on his way to megamall to rendezvous her.

These two were supposed to attend a swimming grand eye-ball (GEB) of their clan, (somewhere in Noveleta, Cavite). But on the last minute Patrick had backed-out, unable to talk straight (explain) to the girl, he asked me for a help - the mental old prat and I bet this is the classic saying of what friend are really for? Uh! I don’t wanna make friends from now on, lol.

At exactly thirty five minutes past ten my cellphone started vibrating (my cellphone always in a silent mode); I had a second thought if I’ll answer the phone but in the end I picked it up.

“Er! Hi, hello!”, sabi ko.
“Yes! Are you Wayne?”, sabi ni Keiz.
“Uh Yeah, I am Wayne – you must be Keiz then?”, hirit ko.
“Weh! Yep, where’s Patrick?", pagpapacute ni Keiz.
“Oh Patrick, he just left and he's going to Megamall, I understand you’ll be meeting him?”, pag-uumpisa ng acting ko haha.
“Uh good, I’ve been here for hours waiting for him. And his cellphone is off”, kwento niya.
“Ahh! Maybe he runs out of battery, just wait for him he must be beside you by now hehe”, parang napatotoo ang acting ko, natawa sya tok.
“Thanks Wayne, I’ll call you again, if he won’t show up in 30 minutes”. Pagtatapos nya.

And she bids goodbye.

That was my first attempt to acting, don't you think it's promising? lol

The highlight of my acting in my next post… and there’s a twist, so you need to visit my blog again haha – pang trapik ba ito?

Nyahaahaa!

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Even falling leaves..
has its own story to tell, ikaw ano ang kwentong alamat mo?

Pesenting Aragog, Jr. My New Pet

Are you hearing this Hagrid?

I have bought an overpriced (a realization out of experiences based on the series of events that friends are actually more of a liabilities than an assets, lol) tarantula from a friend recently. It wasn’t in my plan to buy one; simply because for one, I am not into pets and taking care of something (to nurture) unfortunately is not one of my many skills, lol. So any idea why I’m still an eligible bachelor these days? Haha!

We have an aquarium full of goldfishes display in the sala of our house and my sister would sings animatedly everyday while feeding the swimming creatures or while enthusiastically cleaning the tank but for me it was just flat and never gave me the excitement even a bit.

Then sometimes, I was at the mall and seen cute bunnies in the cage. They were really cute that I had to buy a pair. I want to try my hands how to breed a pet. The first three days were fun and exciting, diligently went to the groceries to buy fruits and some leafy vegetables for their food. Uh that was fun chopping the food. Then fourth day came and I was bored. In the fifth day, I was tired cleaning the room for the poos scattered around. The next day I threw them outside my door with a prayer, they would find a new and pet loving owner.

Now, back to my tarantula, I named him Aragog, Jr. In tribute to Hagrid’s Aragog (I just missed Harry Potter, isn’t JK writing any Potter books?).

Aragog, Jr. belongs to one of the larger species of tarantula called the Chaco golden knee (Grammostola pulchripes is the scientific name) formerly known by Grammostola aureostriata and that can be expected to reach between 20-22 cms or 8.5 inches and with a lifespan of 2 to 4 years, named after its attractive golden bands on and around its legs.

They make an attractive pet because the Chaco tends to be more docile and the calm species of tarantula. Flashy in appearance, bearing long light-colored hairs all over its body and gold stripes on its legs, particularly at the “knees” and is an opportunistic burrowing terrestrial tarantula. They tend to burrow while younger and adopt a pre-existing hide as its home when it begins to mature.

Aragog, Jr is 18 months old and is now 3 inches big and preferred super worm to be his prey. For the meantime I have customized him a 7 x 7 in glass house to be his home.

Isn’t he lovely?

P.S.
Now that I have bought his (friend) tarantula he’s now pissing me to buy one of his pets and this time, a scorpions with a level 3 venom.

What do you think?

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MacArthur and the faces of Pinoy Society

His style of writing proves that simple and straight forward words inflected with humor in between would just enough to convince and impress readers.

Macarthur is his sixth published works; Bob Ong in this book, attempted to show his readers the true picture on how our society was forged – of course in various colors.

A story of four friends who came from different and dysfunctional families that battles for survival to fit in our society.

Each, has its own story to tell and an issue to deal with; an abandoned child who seek refuge to the comfort of others - longs for the love of a mother and wish to be reunited with real family, a well-off yet a family of chaos, an early marriage that resulted to poverty and a big yet simple family who its only wish is to have a decent meal each day.

And in moments of desperation, its way to escape reality is to seek the help and comfort of powdered drugs.

Four friends, the very faces that each make a good representation of our society or should I say (?) dysfunctional society.

How many Cyrus, Noel, Jim and Voltron do we have to witness? How many of them do we have to see all over again and again on the streets or on T.V? Read their stories on daily papers? Or heard their plight over the radio?

Macarthur is a dark saga that tells us the truth behind our Pinoy culture. Bob Ong illustrated us the determining factors of what have become of our society.

Now that a new government is coming, I am expecting you to bring them (us) to the right path you have promised. It’s time to cure this ailing society.

Seriously! How many Tatay Justo would risks their lives before we address the problem?

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