snippets

Welcome to the Jungle!

last sunday, i went back to Avilon Zoo with rica. unlike my first visit, we were there early. i was hoping to catch the 9 am tour. unfortunately, the long line in Information made us 5 minutes too late for the 9 o'clock tour (tsk, tsk, tsk...). even if we were finished paying by 9:05, we still had to wait for the 10 am tour! (aaarrrggghh!) dami rin kasing tao non. so rica and i just decided to start taking pictures to kill time...while i had a jumbo hotdog for snacks. hehe.

if you hate crowds, you should definitely not go to Avilon on a sunday. the place was PACKED! during our tour, the group had to be breaked up into three because of the size. whew. but the nice thing about it was, it was more fun being with more people. plus, rica and i had a better chance of stalling to take more pictures since the tour guide wouldn't notice us. hahaha!

taking the tour the second time was still an exciting experience. moreso because i also wanted to show off the animals to rica (pwede na ba ko tour guide? hahaha!). actually, there were some animals that i wasn't able to see on my first visit and there were some that we missed out on the second visit. but overall, the tour was still enjoyable, especially the part where we saw the big cats. this time, i was able to get better pictures! (woo-hoo!) of course, that meant going under the railings and pressing myself on the cage to insert the lens of my camera through the gaps. i had a feeling a lot of people were either laughing at me or shaking their heads at my antics. hey, i have a film camera, people! i need to get close because my camera does not have a screen!!

to make a long story short, i was able to use up two rolls of film (25 shots each). i wasn't sure when i'd go back so i wanted to make the most out of my visit. we were lucky the weather was good during our tour because when we were done, it started to drizzle. it was as if the raincloud waited us to finish...cool. ^_^

Good-bye Summer

the whole summer i was complaining about the heat. but now that it's raining more often, i actually miss it. weird.

Back to School!

today is officially the last day of my summer vacation as a teacher. tomorrow, the faculty will begin meeting to plan for this schoolyear. sniff. i'll miss my summer hiatus.

actually, my graduate class began last saturday. i'm so lazy to do my homework. need motivation! argh!

our classes will start on June 14. can't wait to meet the kids! ^_^

Episode VI: may the Force be with you

finally. my last installment to my Star Wars tribute. wow. has it been two weeks already?

i've been wracking my brain on what my 6th post will be about. the usual and predictable topics came into mind:

o favorite scenes
o favorite characters
o it's good to be ________ [insert any SW character]
o favorite quotes from the prequels
o favorite scenes from the prequels
o classic trilogy vs the prequels [now, i don't even want to go there...]
o favorite Yoda-isms
o what to do when Darth Vader comes after you [hhm. maybe i SHOULD make an extra post on this...hehe]

but eventually i realized that it's high time i share about the things i've learned from watching the series. you see, Star Wars may be science fiction, but there are a lot of "light bulb moments" that i've picked up from the stories...

Luke: I don't, I don't believe it.
Yoda: That is why you fail.


by far, the most significant lesson i've learned from Star Wars. i've watched The Empire Strikes Back so many times but this exchange between Luke and Yoda only struck me a few years back, while i was watching the classic trilogy VCD set that i just bought. as i watched Luke desparately struggle to lift the X-wing using his mind power, i had a weird "light bulb moment." suddenly, instead of Luke, i saw myself sitting defeated on the mud. i had a flashback of all those X-wing fighters that i tried to lift in my life. and all those times that i've failed because i just didn't believe i could do it. it was freaky but it left me teary-eyed. i was glad i watched the film alone or i had to make up a good excuse for my crying bout ["blasted contact lenses..."]

weird as it was, that moment encouraged me. you see, that year i was having second thoughts about shifting careers. my stint in IT left me burned out, but i was too scared to delve into teaching. i've never taught preschool kids before. and i had to turn my back to my job of almost 5 years and take that plunge. it felt so good to be in my comfort zone, sheltered from the prying eyes of the world and criticisms of the people who matter most. but each time my mind wandered and my daydreams turned to seeing myself being surrounded by children, i had to do something.

of course, Yoda wasn't the only one who actually pushed me to finally get my act together. i had a support team...and Oprah was one of them (hehe). to make a long story short, i quit my job as an programmer/analyst and entered into the crazy world of preschool. and the rest was history.

No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try.

this is a by-product of the first lesson. many times in the past, i've hesitated to do things that i wanted.

"it's too risky."
"what if i fail?"
"that's just not me."
"are you kidding??"

just like my earlier realization, this gave me my much needed kick in the butt.

i always knew Yoda was smart. :)

Yoda: You must unlearn what you have learned.


i've learned that an open mind is more important than a high IQ. no further explanations needed.

Luke: Your thoughts betray you, Father. I feel the good in you, the conflict.
[then in their last scene together...]
Luke: No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you
Anakin: You already have, Luke. You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister, you were right.


when i first saw these scenes, i wanted to shake the living daylights out of Luke. your father is Darth Vader! THE Darth Vader. the heartless resident Sith Lord and killer of Jedi Masters. i could not believe he actually wanted to save his dad [which ultimately brought me back to the first lesson...].

but in the end, Luke was right. there WAS good left in his father. and what saved Anakin Skywalker? Luke's faith in him. he was the only one who believed that his father could still have a change of heart.

how many Darth Vaders have i known in my lifetime? it's difficult to have faith in people who are not lovable. but i've learned that every person is created in God's image and likeness...and that makes every person good. it's just a matter of reaching out to those "special people" and finding the good in them. not that i claim to be an expert on this [i'm still a work in progress]. but i HAVE seen some people undergo miraculous transformations just because somebody had faith in them. definitely unbelievable [again, back to the first lesson...see a pattern here?]

C-3PO: His high exaltedness, the Great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately.
Han Solo: Good, I hate long waits.
C-3PO: You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea, and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlaac.
Han Solo: Doesn't sound so bad.
C-3PO: In his belly you will find a new definition of pain and suffering as you are slowly digested over a thousand years.
Han Solo: On second thought, let's pass on that, huh?


in times of trouble, it pays to have a sense of humor.

this is one of the Pinoy traits that i will always love. some people may always say that we should fix our eyes on the problem and look for a solution. they're right, actually. but it never hurts to have a good laugh while we're at it. that's what keeps us healthy and sane...or makes us insane. [well, whatever works for us, right? ^_^]

there you have it. the important lessons i've learned from Star Wars. hope you've picked up an insight or two as well.

i had a splendid time making my "episodes." though the series has ended, my blog has not. there are still more posts to come! [bwahahahaha!]

"May the Force be with you." :)

Episode V: which Star Wars character are you?

i took two tests on Star Wars.
1. Which Star Wars Character Are You?
2. The Classic Star Wars Test

"Which Star Wars Character Are You?"

i took the test, hoping i could be a Jedi of some sorts....buuuut, turned out, i'm more Padme than Anakin...

Padme Amidala
Congratulations. You are Padme Amidala, the beautiful young senator from Naboo. You were commited to civic duty from a young age and believe in democracy for all.

hhmmm....does that mean i have a future in politics??? :O

"The Classic Star Wars Test"

lo and behold...i'm ol' ben kenobi. i guess i have more Jedi in me than i thought (although i hoped to be more like Yoda...hahaha.). i know i'm a teacher but...am i really that old????

"If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." Truly the words of a confident teacher, you and "old Ben" share the calm wisdom of someone who's seen it all. You are probably the type of person who enjoys giving back to the community, whether by organizing the annual block party or volunteering time to help others.You know you're not perfect and that's why being a mentor is so fulfilling. You can teach others about the mistakes that you made. Like Obi-Wan, you are an excellent judge of character — often recognizing aspects of yourself in others. You know how to teach life lessons without being preachy, and while you may not quite have the Jedi mind trick figured out, your honest conviction can be very persuasive."

how bout you? which Star Wars character are you?

extras:

1. i just came across an EXCELLENT, KICK-ASS, and BRILLIANT blog on Darth Vader. i wish i had even an ounce of his talent. *sigh*

The Darth Side: Memoirs of a Monster

all i can say to the blog author is....[kneeling down] "I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!"

2. watched American Idol last night....sigh. unfortunately, bo bice didn't win. oh well...the highlight of the show for me was bo's number w/ Lynyrd Skynyrd. ("Sweeeeet home, Alabamaaa...").

congratulations to carrie underwood! [*sniff*sniff*]

Episode IV: welcome to the Darth Side

disclaimer: i am NOT a film critic. i'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy...ay mali! what i meant to say was...i'm just a Star Wars fan who wants to share my two cents worth on the last installment of the series. read on!

i was able to catch Episode III: Revenge of the Sith last sunday w/ my family. although it was the last main feature, the theater was packed. we were lucky to find seats before the show.

as i was watching the movie trailers, i kept telling myself not to expect too much. i didn't want to set myself up for another disappointment. after all, i was there to relax and watch a movie.

basically, the movie can be divided into two parts: pre-Darth Vader and post-Darth Vader. the initial action sequence transported me back to the space battles in Return of the Jedi. i could almost see the Millenium Falcon whizzing through space after coming out of hyperdrive. for a few seconds, i held my breath as i watched the Republic starfighters and Imperial shuttles zap each other into oblivion. i felt like a kid playing Space Invaders (the upgraded version. hehe.).

after the battle scenes, the plot hit a plateau. frankly, i found this part pretty dragging. i can understand that the characters need to have their dialogues to give the viewers an idea how Anakin morphed into Darth Vader. but really...i'm pretty sure George Lucas could have given the actors better lines. i mean, he was the writer of the classic trilogy and their dialogue was witty, hilarious, and downright memorable (see my Episode III post for details). w/ this film, it was like watching a sci-fi soap opera. my sister and i practically gagged while we watched Anakin and Padme's cheesy scenes...

come to think of it, it was more like watching a Pinoy telenovela (w/o the occasional slapping, hair-pulling, lengthy dialogue, close-ups of the buckets of tears rolling down the protagonist's face, and the lead's lover getting amnesia after a car accident...). i suddenly missed Hans and Leia's playful banter. *sigh*

before i saw the film, i saw a picture of General Grevous. i thought he was going to be one of those antagonists who would give Obi-wan a really tough time.

when i saw a "hunchback" robot that had a bad hacking cough, legs like a spider, and a penchant for running away from his opponent after a few minutes of exchanging light saber blows, i was pretty disappointed. although it did give my sister and i something to laugh about ("o, ayan nanaman si lolo o!" and "yes, ang galing ni lolo!".

the pace picked up the moment Anakin finally succumbed to Palpatine and turned to the Dark Side. i won't give away the details in case some of you haven't seen the film yet.

what i can say, though, is that i was finally wide awake after this. some of the scenes were heartbreaking and if i were a Jedi Master, i would have squeezed the life out of the young Skywalker. as expected, Yoda and Obi-wan survived. i finally understood why Yoda chose to stay in the swamps of Dagobah and why Obi-wan turned into a hermit.

i enjoyed the parallel fight scenes of Anakin-Obi-wan and Emperor Palpatine-Yoda. my sister and i were actually cheering for Yoda (i just love to watch him fight. hehe.). after all, he wasn't the alpha Jedi Master for nothing.

my favorite scene in the movie was when Padme and Anakin were simultaneously (and separately) operated on. while the Emperor's robots were fixing Anakin and struggling to keep him alive, Padme's life was quickly slipping away. a turning point in the scene was when Padme took her last breath and, a few seconds later, Darth Vader took his first (deep) breath while wearing his trademark black helmet. it was spine-chilling.

"tapos na??," my dad asked the moment the credits came out. well, it was understandably a cliffhanger considering that the 1977 version should pick up where they left off. i made it a point to catch the name under "Screenplay by"....ah yes. it was George Lucas. *sigh*

"pagbigyan mo na. matanda na kasi sya eh," my sister reasoned. hahaha!

after i watched the classic trilogy, i just could not help but make them my benchmark. it's really hard to live up to that standard. overall, the prequels were disappointing...BUT entertaining nonetheless.

i guess whatever George Lucas created after the first three versions, it still boils down to resurrecting and reliving the characters that we've grown to love and the fans coming together to pay homage to the Geoge Lucas' legendary classic that we will always keep in our hearts. (now who's being cheesy??)

Episode III: "Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is."

these are my favorite quotes from the classic trilogy...one thing's for sure. Hans Solo has the best lines in the films. :)

(disclaimer: i did NOT take notes while watching the films. my geekiness has not transcended that level...yet - haha. all quotes from Star Wars Episodes 4-6 are courtesy of www.imdb.com. oh, and an additional warning: this is a looong read.)

Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

Han Solo: Well, you can forget your troubles with those Imperial slugs. I told you I'd outrun 'em.

[Nobody is listening]

Han Solo: Don't everyone thank me at once.

* * *

Luke: I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you.

Princess Leia: You're who?

* * *

C-3PO: We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life.

* * *

Han Solo: Han Solo. I'm captain of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie here tells me you're lookin' for passage to the Alderaan system?

Obi-Wan: Yes indeed, if it's a fast ship.

Han Solo: Fast ship? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?

* * *

C-3PO: Listen to them, they're dying, R2. Curse my metal body. I wasn't fast enough. It's all my fault. My poor master.

* * *

C-3PO: Don't call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight glob of grease.

* * *

C-3PO: We're doomed.

* * *

Han Solo: Wonderful girl. Either I'm going to kill her or I'm beginning to like her.

* * *

Han Solo: Damn fool, I knew you were going to say that.

Obi-Wan: Who's the more foolish: The fool, or the fool who follows him?

* * *

Princess Leia: Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?

* * *

Han Solo: Get in there you big furry oaf. I don't care what you smell.

* * *

Han Solo: This is not going to work.

Luke: Why didn't you say so before?

Han Solo: I did say so before.

* * *

Han Solo: Look, Your Worshipfulness, let's get one thing straight. I take orders from just one person: me.

Princess Leia: It's a wonder you're still alive.

[Pushing past Chewbacca] Princess Leia: Will someone get this big walking carpet out of my way?

Han Solo: No reward is worth this.

* * *

[Princess Leia gets her first look at the Millennium Falcon]

Princess Leia: You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought.

* * *

[Luke blows up his first TIE fighter] Luke: Got 'im! I got 'im!

Han Solo: Great, kid. Don't get cocky.

* * *

[after a successful rescue of Princess Leia]

Luke: So, what do you think of her, Han?

Han Solo: I'm tryin' not to, kid.

Luke: [sotto voice] Good.

Han Solo: [baiting him] Still, she's got a lot of spirit. I don't know, whaddya think? You think a princess and a guy like me...

Luke: [quickly] No.

* * *

[R2-D2 and Chewbacca are playing the holographic game aboard the Millennium Falcon]

Chewbacca: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh

C-3PO: He made a fair move. Screaming about it can't help you.

Han Solo: Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookiee.

C-3PO: But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid.

Han Solo: That's 'cause droids don't pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookiees are known to do that.

Chewbacca: Grrf.

C-3PO: I see your point, sir. I suggest a new strategy, R2: let the Wookiee win.

* * *

Darth Vader: I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I met you I was but the learner. Now, *I* am the master.

Obi-Wan: Only a master of evil, Darth.

[lightsabers clash]

* * *

Han Solo: Not a bad bit of rescuing, huh? You know, sometimes I amaze even myself.

Princess Leia: That doesn't sound too hard.

* * *

Darth Vader: Your powers are weak, old man.

Obi-Wan: You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.

* * *

Obi-Wan: Use the Force, Luke.

* * *

Luke: You know, between his howling and you blasting everything in sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know we're here.

Han Solo: Bring 'em on, I'd prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around.

* * *

Han Solo: Where did you dig up that old fossil?

Luke: Ben is a great man.

Han Solo: Yeah, great at getting us into trouble.

* * *

Princess Leia: Your friend is quite a mercenary. I wonder if he really cares about anything... or anybody.

Luke: I care.

* * *

C-3PO: Is there anything I can do?

Luke: Not unless you can alter time, speed up the harvest or teleport me off this rock.

* * *

Princess Leia: Into the garbage chute, flyboy.

* * *

C-3PO: Master Luke, sir. Pardon me for asking, but what should R2 and I do if we're discovered here?

Luke: Lock the door.

Han Solo: And hope they don't have blasters.

C-3PO: That isn't very reassuring.

* * *

Stormtrooper: Let me see your identification.

Obi-Wan: [influencing the stormtrooper's mind] You don't need to see his identification.

Stormtrooper: We don't need to see his identification.

Obi-Wan: These aren't the droids you're looking for.

Stormtrooper: These aren't the droids we're looking for.

Obi-Wan: He can go about his business.

Stormtrooper: You can go about your business.

Obi-Wan: Move along.

Stormtrooper: Move along... move along.

* * *

Luke: It's a good thing you have these compartments.

Han Solo: Yeah, I use them for smuggling. I'd never thought I'd be smuggling myself in them.

* * *

[as the garbage compactor closes in] Han Solo: One thing's for sure, we're all gonna be a lot thinner.

* * *

C-3PO: I've just about had enough of you. Go that way. You'll be malfunctioning within a day, you near-sighted scrap pile. And don't let me catch you following me begging for help because you won't get it.

* * *

Princess Leia: [to Han] : I knew there was more to you than money!

* * *

[Han, Luke, Leia and Chewie land in the trash compactor]

Han Solo: What an incredible smell you've discovered! Let's get out of here! Get away from there...

Luke: No! Wait!

[Han draws his laser pistol and fires at the hatch. The laser bolt ricochets wildly around the small room. Everyone dives for cover in the garbage as the bolt finally explodes]

Luke: Will you forget it? I already tried it. It's magnetically sealed!

Princess Leia: Put that thing away, you're gonna get us all killed!

Han Solo: Absolutely, Your Worship. Look, I had everything under control until you led us down here! It's not going to take them long to figure out what happened to us.

Princess Leia: It could've been worse.

[Garbage creature growls]

Han Solo: It's worse.

* * *

[Han is chasing some Stormtroopers]

Princess Leia: He certainly has courage...

Luke: Yeah, but what good will it do us if he gets himself killed? Come on!

[Luke and Leia run off in the opposite direction]

* * *

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Yoda: Ready are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh. Excitement. Heh. A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless.

* * *

Princess Leia: Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder.

Han Solo: Who's scruffy-looking?

* * *

C-3PO: Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1.

Han Solo: Never tell me the odds.

* * *

Yoda: You must unlearn what you have learned.

* * *

Luke: I want my lamp back. I'm gonna need it to get out of this slimy mudhole.

Yoda: Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is.

* * *

[a tremor knocks Leia into Solo's arms]

Princess Leia: Let go.

Han Solo: Shh.

Princess Leia: Let go, please.

Han Solo: Don't get excited.

Princess Leia: Captain, being held by you isn't quite enough to get me excited.

Han Solo: Sorry sweetheart. I haven't got time for anything else.

* * *

[Luke can't levitate his X-Wing out of the bog] Luke: I can't. It's too big.

Yoda: Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship.

* * *

Han Solo: Afraid I was gonna leave without giving you a goodbye kiss?

Princess Leia: I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee.

Han Solo: I can arrange that. You could use a good kiss.

* * *

Han Solo: Well Princess, it looks like you managed to keep me here a while longer.

Princess Leia: I had nothing to do with it. General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for anyone to leave the system until they've activated the energy shield.

Han Solo: That's a good story. I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight.

Princess Leia: I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain.

[Chewbacca laughs]

Han Solo: Laugh it up, fuzzball.

* * *

C-3PO: Artoo says that the chances of survival are 725 to 1. Actually Artoo has been known to make mistakes... from time to time... Oh dear...

* * *

Luke: All right, I'll give it a try.

Yoda: No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try.

* * *

[Using the Force, Yoda effortlessly frees the X-Wing from the bog]

Luke: I don't, I don't believe it.

Yoda: That is why you fail.

* * *

Darth Vader: If you only knew the power of the Dark Side. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.

Luke: He told me enough. He told me you killed him.

Darth Vader: No. I am your father.

Luke: No. That's not true. That's impossible.

Darth Vader: Search your feelings you know it to be true.

Luke: Nooooo. Nooooo.

* * *

Princess Leia: I love you.

Han Solo: I know.

* * *

[heading into a cave on a large asteroid] Princess Leia: I hope you know what you're doing.

Han Solo: Yeah, me too.

* * *

[Han reveals his clever plan of escape]

Princess Leia: You have your moments. Not many of them, but you do have them.

* * *

Princess Leia: You're not actually going IN to an asteroid field?

Han Solo: They'd be crazy to follow us, wouldn't they?

* * *

[Amid the violence of colliding asteroids]

Princess Leia: [to Han Solo] You don't have to do this to impress me.

* * *

[the Millennium Falcon, under siege, won't start]

Princess Leia: Would it help if I got out and pushed?

* * *

Han Solo: Hey, Your Worship, I'm only trying to help.

Princess Leia: Would you please stop calling me that?

Han Solo: Sure, Leia.

Princess Leia: Oh, you make it so difficult sometimes.

Han Solo: I do, I really do. You could be a little nicer, though. Come on, admit it. Sometimes you think I'm all right.

Princess Leia: Occasionally maybe... when you aren't acting like a scoundrel.

Han Solo: [laughs] Scoundrel? Scoundrel? I like the sound of that.

[Han takes her hand and starts to massage it]

* * *

Princess Leia: The Empire may still be out there. I don't think it's wise to...

Han Solo: No time to discuss this as a committee.

Princess Leia: I am not a committee.

C-3PO: [in the background, falling over] Ahhhhh.

* * *

Han Solo: I have no time to discuss this with the Committee!

Princess Leia: I AM NOT A COMMITTEE!

* * *

[after R2-D2 gets fried] C-3PO: Don't blame me. I'm an interpreter. I'm not supposed to know a power socket from a computer terminal.

* * *

[Chewbacca is fixing C-3PO] C-3PO: Oh, yes, that's much better... Something's not right, because now I can't see. Oh, oh, yes, that's much better. Wait... wait. Oh, my. What have you done? I'm BACKWARDS. You flea-bitten furball. Only an overgrown mop-head like you would be stupid enough to...

* * *

[R2 is trying to open the door, he beeps] C-3PO: No. We're not interested in the hyperdrive on the Millenium Falcon, it's fixed. Just open the door, you stupid lug.

[He opens the door]

C-3PO: I never doubted him for a second. Wonderful.

* * *

[after R2D2 is spit out by a swamp creature on Dagobah - the line is changed in the Special Edition]

Luke: You're lucky you don't taste very good.

* * *

C-3PO: Don't worry about Master Luke. I'm sure he'll be all right. He's quite clever, you know... for a human being.

* * *

[Han has decided to go searching for Luke]

Echo Base Officer: You'll freeze to death before you reach the first marker!

Han Solo: Then I'll see you in Hell!

* * *

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)

C-3PO: What could possibly have come over Master Luke? Is it something I did? He never expressed any unhappiness with my work.

* * *

Luke: Search your feelings, Father, you can't do this. I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate.

Darth Vader: It is too late for me, son. The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your master now.

Luke: Then my father is truly dead.

* * *

Luke: I'm endangering the mission. I shouldn't have come.

Han Solo: It's your imagination, kid. Come on. Let's keep a little optimism here.

* * *

Han Solo: Chewie and I will check it out, you two stay here.

Luke: Quietly. There may be more of them out there.

Han Solo: Hey, it's me.

* * *

Han Solo: I think my eyes are getting better. Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur.

Luke: There's nothing to see. I used to live here, you know.

Han Solo: You're going to die here you know.convenient.

* * *

C-3PO: I do believe they think I am some kind of god.

Han Solo: Well, why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this?

C-3PO: I beg your pardon General Solo, but that just wouldn't be proper.

Han Solo: Proper?

C-3PO: It's against my programming to impersonate a deity.

* * *

Luke: If I don't make it back, you're the only hope for the Alliance.

Princess Leia: Luke, don't talk that way. You have a power I don't understand and could never have.

Luke: You're wrong, Leia. You have that power too. In time you'll learn to use it as I have. The Force runs strong in my family. My father has it. I have it. And... my sister has it. Yes. It's you, Leia.

Princess Leia: I know. Somehow, I've always known.

* * *

Darth Vader: Luke help me take this mask off.

Luke: But you'll die.

Darth Vader: Nothing can stop that now. Just for once let me look on you with my own eyes.

[Luke takes off the mask one piece at a time]

Anakin: Now go my son. Leave me.

Luke: No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you

Anakin: You already have, Luke. You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister, you were right.

[Anakin slumps down in death]

Luke: Father, I won't leave you.

* * *

Han Solo: I'm sure Luke wasn't on that thing when it blew.

Princess Leia: He wasn't. I can feel it.

Han Solo: You love him, [pause]

Han Solo: don't you?

Princess Leia: Yes.

Han Solo: All right. I understand. Fine. When he comes back, I won't get in the way.

Princess Leia: It's not like that at all.

[whispering] Princess Leia: He's my brother.

* * *

C-3PO: His high exaltedness, the Great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately.

Han Solo: Good, I hate long waits.

C-3PO: You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea, and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlaac.

Han Solo: Doesn't sound so bad.

C-3PO: In his belly you will find a new definition of pain and suffering as you are slowly digested over a thousand years.

Han Solo: On second thought, let's pass on that, huh?

* * *

Yoda: That face you make... look I so old to young eyes?

Luke: No. Of course not.

Yoda: I do. Yes, I do. Sicker I become, old and weak... When nine hundred years old YOU reach, look as good YOU will not, hmm?

* * *

C-3PO: I'm very embarrassed, General Solo, but it seems you are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor.

* * *

Princess Leia: It only takes one to sound the alarm.

Han Solo: Then we'll do it real quiet-like.

* * *

Han Solo: Together again.

Luke: Wouldn't miss it.

Han Solo: How we doin'?

Luke: Same as always.

Han Solo: That bad, huh?

* * *

Han Solo: Who are you?

Princess Leia: Someone who loves you.

* * *

C-3PO: Wonderful. We are now a part of the tribe.

[an Ewok hugs Han]

Han Solo: Just what I always wanted.

* * *

[Han and Chewbacca are reunited]

Han Solo: Chewie! I can't see, pal. What's going on? Luke? Luke's crazy! He can't even take care of himself, much less rescue anybody. A Jedi Knight? I'm out of it for a little while, and everyone gets delusions of grandieur!

* * *

Luke: Soon I'll be dead, and you with me.

The Emperor: [laughing] Perhaps you refer to the emminent attack of your rebel fleet? Yes, I assure you, we are quite safe from your friends here.

Luke: Your overconfidence is your weakness.

The Emperor: Your faith in your friends is yours.

* * *

C-3PO: [to R2D2] If I told you half the things I've heard about this Jabba the Hutt, you'd probably short circuit.

hhmm....still awake? hope you enjoyed walking down Star Wars memory lane as much as i did.

may the Force be with you! ^_^

Episode II: top 10 reasons why it's cool to be a Jedi knight

10. if you lose a body part, it can easily be replaced.

9. two words: light. saber.

8. you save money by wearing the same (boring) wardrobe day after day after day...

7. you can use the Force to see who's bluffing in a poker game or finish a large Slurpee in one slurp without getting even a hint of brain freeze.

6. when you're hanging on to the end of a pole a gazillion feet from the ground, you can always use your telepathic powers to call your twin sister to save you.

5. you get all the cheesy and dramatic lines in a sci-fi movie (wait for my next post for more details)

4. when you're in trouble, you can always blame it on the "disturbance in the Force."

3. Yoda gets to kick your ass and insult your intelligence at the same time (this is cool...if you're a masochist!!!!)

2. you get to use your mind power to influence other people. just think of what it can do to my school grades ("Ma'am, i will get a 4.0 in your course...and an all-expense-paid trip around europe."), my work+social life (star & myself to our project members after skiving off to watch Episode II in the middle of our night shift: "We just went out for coffee...now finish your work."), my lovelife (to Brad Pitt: "Worship me!"), and my sanity (to all EDSA drivers: "Tumabi kayong lahaaaaaaat!!!!!").

1. your father just might be the most-powerful-Jedi-Knight-who-turned-to-the-dark-side-to-work-for-the-Emperor-but-reverted-back-to-a-good-guy-after-saving-you-and-getting-killed-in-the-process [insert Darth Vader musical score and heavy breathing]

Episode I: a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away

i'm a Star Wars baby.

i was two years old when the first SW installment was released (ok, ok. you can stop calculating my age now...). the minute i saw the light sabers,

luke skywalker, and yoda, i was hooked.

i cannot even begin to name my favorite scenes from the first trilogy (sorry to to all prequel fans but i still, and will always, love the classic trilogy). i can't remember how old i was when i first saw the 1977 film (i watched it at home w/ my family...thank God for Betamax. hehehe.). but young as i was then, i already knew i found my favorite movie of all time. of course, when i watched the last Return of the Jedi, i my list changed and THIS is now my favorite SW film. :)

for years, i always looked forward to watching the next SW release. just seeing the those first words on screen ("A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...") gives me chills. i mean, what can you NOT love about Star Was? it has everything you can look for in a great film: action, suspense, drama, romance, comedy, philosophy, religion, and even self-help (before Dr. Phil, there was Master Yoda. hehe.) and the characters and scenes were truly out of this world. this is the first film i saw that defied my laws of mortality as a child (e.g. when you die as a Jedi, you will be promoted to an immortal soul and ultimately become the conscience - ala Safeguard commercial - of the living Jedi).

the battle scenes and special effects were amazing, considering they made this in the '70s and early '80s. George Lucas is definitely a genius. oh wait. make that a creative genius. i can imagine him having sleepless nights just thinking about what kind of characters he wanted to have in his movie (where did he even get the word, jedi, in the first place??), what creatures they should have and in what episode to introduce them (the ewoks just had to be saved for the last film), the ships, locations, the robots, where to put the cliffhangers and jaw dropping revelations ("No. I am your father!"), and most importantly, how to transport Jabba the Hutt into his ship...

Episode III will be released this week, May 19. (woo-hoo!)

and, in true Star Wars fashion, i'm posting 6 blogs as my own tribute to the legendary classic. but instead of posting them 3 years apart (i'm not that patient!), i'm posting them every 3 DAYS. so be prepared for my views, ravings, rants, and just the plain proof of my lunacy over the most beloved trilogy of all-time.

oh, and if you haven't noticed, this is Episode I. :)

rock on!

i'm a bo bice fan.

while most of my friends have been rooting for constantine, i cheered for bo.

he has his own style. i like the way he injects rock and blues. he doesn't care what other people think. he takes the criticisms (particulary simon's) in stride. he acts cool and has a very positive attitude. during one episode, he admitted that he was there because of a certain bet he had w/ his mom (hahaha!).

i truly hope he'll bag the title. it's about time American Idol has its own rocker.

and to bo...rock on!

trivia: bo's full name is Harold Bice, Jr. no wonder he insists they call him bo! (^_^)

the air down there

it was love at first sight.

there's no denying it.

definitely an instant adrenaline rush.

my pupils dilate, my breath catches, my heart stops beating, and my stomach flip-flops.

the whole shebang.

*sigh*

the Nike Air Max Down Low. in black.

the minute i saw these babies in the nike shop in megamall, i died. it's been a while since i felt this way towards a pair of shoes. (aah, the good ol' Celine days...)

whenever i'm in megamall (which is practically every week...hey, i do go to the gym), i just have to visit them. it's like my feet have a mind of their own and my mind is in a trance.

"Must. See. Shoes." over and over and over. just like a freaky mantra.

and everytime i cradle them in my hands, i get this feeling that someday, they will be mine.

yesterday, after my trip to the gym, i went straight to nike. yep, they're still there. waiting for me.

i took the shoe off the rack...and had a fabulous idea. why don't i ask for the other pair and...run for it??? oh wait. i'm talking about my fabulous and legal idea. so anyway, i was staring at the shoe and suddenly looked down.

i'm wearing rubber shoes. and socks.

i can actually fit the shoe.

and i did.

and it felt wonderful....and a bit loose.

i checked the lapel and, wonder of wonders, it was too big for me.

i can't believe i was obsessing over this shoe that can't even fit my feet in the first place. i didn't know if i should cry or laugh.

so i just left the building.

that was really pathetic.

shopping lesson number 1: try it before you obsess about it

but then...that wasn't the only nike store in the city...hhhmmm... :)

shopping lesson number 2: try and try until you die...or run out of cash, whichever comes first (ah, story of my life)

right now, i'm still wearing my trusty old reeboks. yes, it's old (and when i mean old, i mean ancient. i think they're turning 5 this year. *gasp!*). yes, it's reliable. i used to have much sentimental value over my rubber shoes, mainly because it's been with me for so long. and it actually endured all the beatings from going to the gym (hehe). but it's not the air max down low. that makes a huge difference.

but as they say, everything happens for a reason. i didn't have a size because...i didn't have money that time (and all the time, actually). i guess God was just saving me from a lifetime of agony and frustration.

now back to lesson 2....

it's a jungle out there!

my memories of my first visit to the zoo were not that vivid. the only thing i can remember was the stench coming from the cages that, in my opinion, were too small for the animals.

that was a long, long time ago.

when i heard about Avilon Zoo, i could hardly contain my excitement. according to my friend, it was an amazing place that could give international zoos a run for their money. well, that was enough to convince me to go. all i had to do was convince my family as well...which, i realized, was not as hard as i thought it would be. so, last friday (May 6), we were off to the zoo!

Avilon Zoo is right in the heart of Rodriguez, Rizal (formerly Montalban, Rizal). you have to pass rough roads (good thing they had big signs to guide the visitors). it's a long drive but the 1.5 hours sitting on your bum is definitely worth it.

the zoo is open from 9 to 5 and holds tours every two hours (for 208 pesos. the 8 pesos is for the service charge). we took the last tour (3 pm) since it was way too hot to take the earlier ones. we were a few minutes late and had to catch up with the tour guide (oops!).

before we arrived, i already had a mental picture of the zoo. i imagined it to be like a local Jurassic Park (w/o the dinosaurs, of course). when we got there, i was right! the front gate was massive and i was half-expecting a bespectacled old man holding a cane (w/ an amber-preserved mosquito) to greet us. during the tour, i had to look behind my shoulder a few of times just to make sure i won't get pounced on by a couple of hungry velociraptors (a t-rex, i can handle. but raptors...i don't think so...)

WOW Philippines!

Avilon Zoo is definitely world-class.

i cannot remember the exact size of the zoo. but to give you an idea, the tour is really 2 hours (w/ a water/snack break of about 15 min).

everything was well thought of, from the size of the cages to the landscaping, how the animals were grouped, the path of the tour, down to the details of the cages, railing, and the plants that were used. my papa was practically salivating at the landscaping and design of the animals' homes. what looked like wood railing, fences, and posts were actually cement, molded and treated to look like logs. some of the pillars even had different leaf details (that looked like vines hugging the posts) carved into them.

i am amazed at how they managed to somehow preserve the natural habitat of the animals. the lion's den was huge. it actually looked like a slab of Simba's land, pulled out and transported into the zoo. and unlike the other wild cats' cages, the lion's area was open. i could jump into the water and join them while they were frolicking under the sun. of course, the designer took this into consideration and strategically placed a pond around the lion's sanctuary to keep those predators away from the visitors (actually, it could be the other way around....).

and there's more. the nocturnal animals were placed in caves to keep the sunlight away. the reptiles were placed in a covered (and a bit humid and damp) area. i was impressed at the size of the bird cages. they did not scrimp on those cages, believe me. they were tall enough to give the birds enough room to fly around. the cage that blew me away was the one for the biggest pigeons (sorry, can't recall what that specie is called). it was HUGE. you could fit a skyscraper in that thing (ok, so i'm exaggerating a bit). but you get the picture.

the flamingos' home looked like a tropical savannah. if they were pink, i would have thought i was in Florida. according to the tour guide, a flamingo's color is dependent on their diet. pink flamingos eat shrimp. so, since the flamingos in Avilon are white, they eat....fish balls?

For the Birds

my second favorite part (read on to find out my first) of the tour was hanging out with the birds. the zoo has a wide collection of birds, exotic and the more common ones. during one part of the tour, the guide brought us to the spot where five birds were perched on the railing. yes, they were outdoors. they were tied to the logs but the caretaker can easily detach the chain and let them fly around. actually, two of them were released and came back after a bit of showing off. amazing!

these birds are pretty domesticated. they actually looked a bit bored from all the attention. Big Bird (the owl) even turned his back on us when we began crowding around him. although i did get a shot of him glancing behind his shoulder (probably to check if we were still there).

years ago, we had a pet hawk (si starsky...he died when our helper forgot to feed him while we were out of town for a few days). i think my papa got a bit sentimental when he saw the birds. while the rest of the visitors were trying to get a picture with Big Bird and Friends, he approached the lone eagle at the other end, took the leather gloves, and (forcefully) prodded it to stand on his arm. i had the sneaking suspicion he wanted to quietly tiptoe out of the zoo w/ the poor bird. tsk, tsk, tsk.

Born to be Wild

now this is my favorite part of the tour. the big cats!

the zoo has two adult tigers, two jaguars, and a mountain lion (also known as a puma or cougar). the tigers were a sight to behold. i swear, they are one of the most beautiful animals known to mankind. the other one was humongous. i could picture him bolting after a wildebeest in the plains of Africa. or lying splat on the floor in front of a....fireplace. (ahahaha!)

it was frustrating to take pictures of them, particularly those jaguars. if animals had human disorders, they definitely can be diagnosed with ADHD. i had a few decent shots of the cats. (i was even more frustrated when i got home because i realized i could have gotten better shots if i inserted the lens through the cage. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH! *bashes head on monitor*)

i was hoping the tiger would roar at me or something. even after my gentle coaxing...

me: hey, you. big guy. yes, you. let's hear you roar.
tiger: *blinks*
me: oy, i'm talking to you!
tiger: *gives a bored side glance*
me: hmp. you think you're all that. top of the food chain. hah. you're not that cool, you know. the lion is still the king! what do you say to that, huh? huh? HUH?
tiger: *inspects nails*
me: sure, try to look cool. that act doesn't fool me. well, i've got news for you. you may be a vicious carnivore but guess what? you're in there and i'm out here! nye-nye-nye-nye-nyeeeee!
tiger: *rolls eyes*
me: hey, hotshot. wanna piece of me? c'mon. show me what you've got. i go to the gym, you know. I KNOW TAE-BO! <HI-YAAAAH!>
tiger: *yawns*

i guess i wasn't that convicing.

Huling Hirit

i didn't even notice the time. we finally reached the end of the tour, after two whole hours of walking. whew.

i still had five shots in my camera so we decided to take advantage of the beautiful landscape and pose in front of it (so much for the nice view...)

after my camera finally rewinded and after we realized everybody left already (save for the staff), we headed home.

i'm so glad i went to the zoo again. at least i could replace my earlier memories with new and better ones. *happy sigh*

Avilon Zoo, I'LL BE BACK!!

and that pesky tiger better be ready for me!

p.s.

i haven't scanned the pictures yet. soon to come!

uy, tina-pie, inggit ka na ba?? :p

my weekend of Korean telenovelas, chilling out, window shopping, and the fine art of trash talking

warning: nobela na pala ito...

friday, april 29, 2005 5:00 pm - the wedding

i was really excited to go to bernie and mon's wedding at fernwood gardens, not just because i was happy to see them finally get together but also because i wanted to see how the place looked like while the sun was still up. (the first time i was there was for an evening wedding)

for those who haven't been to fernwood gardens, it's a garden venue (more like a rainforest venue, actually...) that has several greenhouses/sky domes for the reception areas. even the chapel is housed in one of the domes. it's a really enchanting place w/ lots and lots of foliage, beautiful landscaping w/ matching falls, ponds, and even a fog machine. and let's not forget the fishes, ducks, and swans (which i wanted to take home with me. our dog could use a friend, really).

anyways, joy, donna, flor, and i went to the place together. we were actually early so i wanted to look around first while the ceremony hasn't started yet. so there i was, walking aimlessly around the gardens by myself. hmm...this must be what eve felt like...now if i can only find adam...

oh wait. where was i?

so there i was, walking aimlessly around the gardens by myself when i heard somebody call my name (God, is that you?). wait. that voice belonged to a girl. it was joy, screaming at the top of her lungs. it sounded urgent. uh-oh. not good. i was torn between ignoring her and waving at her (just waving. hehe. sorry joy :p). but hey, i'm a risk-taker now right? so i waved at her...and approached her (cautiously, mind you).

to make a long story short, the commentator could not be found, the wedding was about to start in 15 minutes, and i suddenly found myself standing in front of the podium and barking (uy, di naman. reading lang pala...) instructions from the misalette.

before i go on, i just need to share this. my first experience as a commentator was extremely memorable. the pages of the misalette i used were mixed up. so i ended up reading parts that were saved for the latter part of the wedding at the wrong part of the ceremony while trying to ignore the glares of an irritated priest. that certainly kept me at my toes. ironically, the person who saved my life then (i had a feeling that Father wanted to rip my throat apart) was bernie. she approached me and gave me another copy. the correct one. so i owed her one.

that fact did not escape me. here i was, standing in front of the podium once again. bernie and mon were surprised to see me there instead of the real commentator. surprise!

so how did i do? compared to my first experience, this one was less traumatic (notice that i used the word less...). the misalette was actually correct (thank God!) but somehow the priest decided to be spontaneous and not follow the script. fantastic. again, i was on my toes trying to catch up with the priest. well, in fairness to him, he did follow most of the lines but there were moments when he alternated the misalette with the one from the church (i think). plus a few ad libs here and there.

[note to self: never, EVER, do anybody a favor during a wedding. unless it involves food and me doing the eating.]

well, the good thing was, most of my friends noticed the fact that Father knew more about Korean telenovelas than i did rather than my bloopers on stage. i swear, i could not relate during his homily. he was talking about the characters of Full House. showbiz pala tong si Father...

friday, april 29, 2005 10:00 pm - night shift at joy's

after the wedding, we dragged two of our friends (reg & rex) to joy's house. after taking a joy ride around mindanao avenue (or was that visayas avenue??) to buy some drinks and junk food (talagang sa 711 pa gusto ni rex e...), we headed straight to her house.

a few rounds of drinks - well, just a round for the girls...oh and another one for me. (salamat sa vodka mudshake, rex! :) ) - cable tv, good ol' snackage, and non-stop kakulitan kept us up till the wee hours of the morning. of course, joy just had to have a teleconference at home with her teammate (huu, teammate ba talaga yun??? ;) ). with a full stomach and lots of juicy stories to take home with us, we bid our goodbyes to the guys (kasama ka dun, donna! :p) and took our much-needed rest.

we still had a full day ahead of us.

saturday, april 30, 2005 10:30 am - the misadventures of the mean girls

we were late.

we were supposed to be at flor's house by 9 am so we could get to the nearby resort before most of the village population arrived. buuut, due to unforseen circumstances (you know, not hearing the alarm, ignoring the alarm, hurling your cellphone to the other side of the room to make the irritating noise stop. that sort of thing.), we were late.

good thing the resort was just a stone's throw away. over-the-bakod lang sya. literally.

so flor, joy, mildred and i were off to go swimming. when we got to the Remedios Garden Resort, the place was packed. (flor, dapat di mo na sinabi na dadating tayo!!) because it was a saturday, practically the whole Novaliches population was in the pool, hanging out by the umbrella tables, or hogging the videoke machine. and speaking of tables, we ran out of the ones that had an umbrella on it. luckily, flor knew half of the species there (hehe) and this group of guys offered us one of their tables and just took a wooden table to replace it. well, just before i was about to say, "Chivalry is not dead," i found out that one of them was the father of flor's godchild.

after a very sumptuous meal of Andok's chicken, Baliwag liempo, flor's rice, indian mangoes w/ bagoong, and later, grilled tilapia and pancit (both courtesy of our new friends. thanks!), we headed for the pool to take a swim.

now, i haven't swam, as in really swam, in a long time. i was really excited to do my laps and so were the other girls. when we finally went in for a swim, the pool was not as congested as before. we had enough room to swim from one end of the pool and back. in between laps were the usual kwentuhan and tsismisan. and for joy, some coaching on the side (we spotted her giving a little girl swimming pointers. tsk, tsk, tsk. flor was practically screaming, "Pedo!").

we didn't notice anything at first. but after a few hours, one of us realized that a particular group of guys were actually talking about us and making fun of how we swam (she saw them swaying their shoulders to do an exaggerated freestyle).

aaaaahhhh, away na to!

well, girls are normally peace-loving beings. but when provoked....

girls turn into....

MEAN GIRLS.

and we can be mean. very mean.

uh-huh. that's right.

those guys messed with the wrong girls.

so while they were at it, we huddled together to do some serious trash talk.

flor: hmp. kala mo naman marunong silang lumangoy! hindi naman! nye-nye-nye-nye-nyeeee.
aby: sige mildred. pakitaan mo nga sila ng back stroke mo!
mildred kicks against the side of the pool and executes a perfect back stroke (naks)
joy: kala nyo ang gagaling nyo ha!

this went on for a long time.

never mind that they didn't actually hear us. the point is, we did a fine job of trash talking those Gutter Boys. hah!

actually, they actually picked up on it and whenever one of us swam to their end, they'd fling their arms in a lame version of a freestyle. we were smug enough to notice that they always stayed at the sides of the pool or hopped around (i'm not kidding). they even joined hands to form a circle and went around and around and around...it came to a point when one of them proposed a race among themselves. i was listening to their conversation and watched as they ran in the water to the other side of the pool. men.

when we joined forces again, we began plotting our revenge on the Gutter Boys....only to realize that one of them was the one who gave us the grilled tilapia and pancit and that they were the ones who offered their table! (hu-whaaaaaaat???) the whole time we had our lunch, the two persons we noticed from their table were her kumpare and the guy in the gray shirt (mr. grilled tilapia and pancit).

they were the nice guys after all!

after we had a good laugh and gave an apologetic (oh, was it?) smile when we saw them after swimming, we trooped back to flor's to freshen up.

by the time we got in the car, we saw the Gutter Boys watching us from the balcony across the street. of course, this didn't stop the Mean Girls from laughing ourselves silly until we sped off.

saturday, april 30, 2005 5:30 pm - from Mean Girls to Mall Rats

our day wasn't over yet.

after our escapade in flor's resort, we still had the energy to go (window) shopping at megamall.

hey, girls always find time to shop.

as expected, the mall was overflowing with other mall rats, most of whom had money to spend. unfortunately, we weren't one of them. but we still had our sense of humor.

after a few hours (around 4 hours) of walking around the mall, we finally called it quits. flor's arms were aching from our swim, joy was a walking zombie (she only had a few hours of sleep), and i was getting more depressed about the fact that i couldn't buy anything i wanted (Nike Air Max...magiging sa kin ka rin!!)

that was then that i realized we actually spent more than a day together. eew. (just kidding)

aah, i just love hanging out with my gal pals.

so....to hoochie-mama flor (it's all in the bathing suit, dahling), swimming-coach joy, and backstroke-extraordinaire mildred...

till the next trash-talking/window shopping/pool hogging adventure!

p.s.

to soon-to-be-jet-setter mildred, pasalubong ko ha! bon voyage! wag mo kami masyado mamimiss! :)