War Saw Open

We have Eurosport and saw a few days before that Warsaw Open will be aired daily for the entire tournament starting today, Monday. Yay! So round 1 actions can be viewed by tennis freaks! So I waited and saw. Great. I was waiting for the first day of tennis action and it's Maria Sharapova's comeback match. War. Saw.

Yeah yeah, I'm the best Maria Sharapova fan. And you know I've been to Antartica. (If you don't get what I mean, do I really have to explain?)

So, what now? She's still annoying. Still got the 200 decibel shriek, still wears the same pendant, but her swings are somewhat rusty. There's no more grace in the swings, though it's not like there used to be in the past. The forehand looks wild and her baseball swing-like backhand usually goes long. Still macho in terms of power hitting, though. Serena Williams and Andre Agassi would be so proud.

Her right shoulder is taped, not heavily though. Just a couple of thin layers, not the Kinesio-type. The major difference, or the one thing you could just talk about is her serve. Her swing got abbreviated, and she doesn't bend her knees low prior to the ball toss anymore. Her new serve gives less stress on the upper body but needs more from the legs (before and after hitting the ball). She propels herself higher and lands a few feet from the baseline. Well, if you haven't played competitively for 9 months after citing shoulder "injury", you probably focused on other parts of your body, right? I think her serve is now more like Nicole Vaidisova's, though I think Vaidisova's got a more abbreviated swing. Just like raising the racquet then hit. (Nicole got) Good wrist.

Shriekapova does more drop shots and s/he runs after balls now, more proof on the increased leg power. First victim of Tennis' Worst Noise Polluter: Tathiana Garbin. Shrieks just won the first set 6-1 as I'm typing this and it seems like Shriekapova will win this. Hey, she did her left hand return! It's her old trick. Just so, Shriekapova is a natural lefty but she plays with her right hand. Research has proven that it doesn't mean that your dominant hand is the stronger one, you just got well, more control on it. Rafael Nadal is a righty but he plays left-handedly. Manny Pacquiao is a lefty, but throws punches, well, in both hands. What do you expect?

The winner will face Caroline Wozniacki who just lost in the finals last week in Madrid to Dinara Safina, assuming she wins over a qualifier. Have I said that Daniela Hantuchova is on the other half of the draw?

After a brownout delay in our area, I cheered Tathiana Garbin on to win the second set, 7-6 (8-6) while I was eating breakfast cereal and potato chips (I missed dinner). Third set. Weee. You know what, I think this is a strain for Sharapova - being pushed into the third set on her first match. Though I think she wouldn't have asked for a wild card entry if she wasn't prepared at all. This is a good match for her. Where's Ana Ivanovic? If Maria is now alive, she must around the corner hitting killer forehands in time to defend her French title. I knew it, Shriekapova will win this 6-1 6-7 5-3. Noisy match. Nonetheless, nice dress, very simple. Looked like a school project. Sorry, Nike.

Warsaw Open. The people I want to see are: Caroline Wozniacki (win this!), Daniela Hantuchova (at least reach the finals, please), and Sara Errani. Yep. I hope by this time you get to sense my love for Maria. No Shrieks in Warsaw for me, though a Wozniacki-Sharapova would be a good 2nd round match.

MORAL: When there's really really loud noise, there's Maria Sharapova. Or there could be Victoria Azarenka. She sounds like Sharapova. And I like her (Azarenka's) shoes.

Welcome, New Roof!

It's a perfect day for tennis. London and Madrid, and even if it's raining in London, they got roof already, it's still perfect.

Let's start with how my evening went. I really felt like cursing like a sailor when I can't seem to upload anything. See, there's something the Executive Board's got to do and I can't upload the document they need to see. I've been at it for quite some time, have tried different file hosting sites and the e-group just doesn't seem to love me today. And I just found out I still don't have Bluetooth.

Then, to make things even better, there's a big FliP. Yeah!! It's a Flying Ipis! (Flying cockroach if you can't seem to understand Filipino. It's okay.) Anyway, when I saw the cockroach, I was thinking if it's going to fly (and if it does, I'm going to run for my life) because it is so huge and ughh I'm not a fan of those cockroaches. 

That's a double whammy for me. However, God

 doesn't want me to cut my wrists just yet. So He

 made me watch the inauguration of the Wimbledon roof aka Center Court Celebration. Yay! Saw the mixed doubles of Kim Clijster, Tim Henman, Andre Agassi, and Steffi Graf. Just

 great. 15,000 people watching on Centre Court. Perfect!

So obviously it's Tim-Kim and Steffi-Andre. The Golden Couple. Golden in terms of Grand Slams and in popularity. Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi have 30 Grand Slam titles between them. That

 would be 22 for Steffi and 8 for Andre. Both seemed to be the only few who have won all 4 of the major slams plus Olympic Gold medals. If you're not a fan of tennis and you're still reading this, either you want to know about it, or you're just plain bored. The 4 Grand Slams are the Australian Open, Roland Garros / French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. The Aussie and the US Open are both played on hardcourts while the Roland Garros on clay, and the Wimbledon on grass.

So first match, the mixed doubles. The new roof takes 9

 minutes to close and all the beauty in the world appears when the players start playing tennis. Tim Henman got the privilege to serve first, have the first point, and commit the first double fault. Ok. I don't want this to be a blog-as-it-happens thing. Andre's first serve, Kim Clijsters to receive. He served so hard down the T I thought Kim was going to do a cartwheel trying to get a racquet on it. Then there's the battle of the forehands, wherein Kim and Steffi Graf just exchanged billions of forehand crosscourts that Andre Agassi stood there with a funny expression of getting bored. However for me, the highlight of the match was when Tim Henman served, called fault by the linesmen, then Andre Agassi hit it so hard like he always does, and the ball hits Kim Clijster. Kim shouted. Who wouldn't? Tennis balls travel at over 200kph. Yep. It's that fast. Being hit by your tennis partner is already painful. And you're both girls. Andre Agassi hits really hard and since it was called fault, Kim Clijsters wasn't prepared. Now she got a nice ball mark near her stomach. That's gotta hurt. Steffi Graf somewhat reprimanded her husband as he apologizes to Clijsters. Oh, Kim and Tim won, 7-6. On a tiebreak. 

Wonder about the children of Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi. If I were them, I would never touch a racquet. Their kids might be 7 and 5 years old, but in any way, they'll be compared to their parents (for me Steffi Graf is the best ever) if they decide to take tennis. I'd probably do swimming or football.

The men's singles. I haven't watched a lot of Andre Agassi matches and all I can say is that he hits so hard, Serena Williams would be proud. Have I said that he serves like a madman? 6-4, Agassi. No surprise. A light match with a lot of smiles. Eyeloveit.

Women's singles. I think this is a tougher match because Kim Clijsters just unretired herself and asked for a wildcard entry to the US Open. She's back to the professional world. Yay! Women's tennis is really getting more interesting. Steffi Graf won Wimbledon for seven times. Yes, that's the total of Snow White's dwarfs. And she has won all 4 Grand Slams AT LEAST 4 times each. Talk about all-around player with 377 weeks of being world number 1, Steffi Graf is the best for me, though Martina Hingis would always be number 1 in my heart. Steffi Graf has won 4 Aussie Opens, 6 French Opens, 7 Wimbledons, and 5 US Opens with 107 titles under her belt, and retired 1999. Kim Clijsters, also a former world number 1, got 1 US Open, 37 titles, and counting. She's a great player, y'know, even though she retired last 2007 and just unretired herself this year. Both players got 14 years between them (Kim's 25 while Steffi's 39), Steffi Graf got a more stellar career and Kim's returning to the professional tour. Interesting, right? 

After watching some time, dude, they're not giving up a point! It's just the first game, and a lot of deuces already! Talk about competitive! They said Steffi Graf has one of the best forehands in the game, but her backhand is underestimated. So I observed it starting from the mixed doubles. She really got a semi-awkward forehand (like she hits the ball in a hurry because she swung late or something. Hmm, how do you describe something awkward?) that won 22 Grand Slams and she doesn't do backhand drives (unless she's trapped in a bad position), just return slices. And her ball toss is really high. She serves like Venus Williams or Marat Safin (feet position-wise). I don't know if Kim's exacting her revenge on Mrs. Agassi because she plays the exhibition match like it's the Championship already! Steffi Graf is 39 and you could see her getting tired with all the court coverage (that means running around the court trying to chase after the ball)! I think Kim is using this as a tune-up. It's not everyday that you get to have a world-class player as a hitting partner. The umpire and the commentators can see that Steffi will feel the effects of their competitive 1-set match not just after the match, but even days AFTER the match. An exhibition match with a "come on!" from Clijsters (that means she really considers this a serious match). Uh. First slip of the new court, courtesy of Kim Clijsters as well, and she did her trademark splits. Slide-split-slide, whatever. She and Jelena Jankovic do those splits so well they can do them on hardcourts which is weird. Ok, it's really like both are playing for their lives! Almost 10 years of being retired, Steffi Graf can still hit like Babe Ruth. Kim's putting herself back on tour, while Steffi Graf can still do magic with her forehand. Kim won 6-4 with Steffi's missed forehand volley. Steffi was still joking about asking for a wild card entry for Wimbledon. No shame, the court can still feel the intensity of the match even after it ended. 

The Agassis were always ready with a smile while Kim and Tim seemed to be serious about it. About the slips, Wimbledon is a common place for slips and bruises because you're playing on grass. Try running around your garden. And first days have the most slips ratio because the courts are just new. After a few days, the grass court would have brown patches already from all the running around. 

Special guests: Classical Pop group Blake, Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins who sang a lot, Faryl Smith, Britain's number one Andy Murray, and Boris Becker. I waited for Jollibee or even Grimace to appear, and I waited in vain.

On the other side of tennis, Roger Federer won over Rafael Nadal on the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open. 6-4 6-4. OK. It's not much of a news because Rafael Nadal last night won a four-hour marathon match over Novak Djokovic. So it's not a surprise Roger winning over Rafa. It's just great for Roger because he's not on a title drought anymore. Woo! And Dinara Safina won over Caroline Wozniacki (my new favorite) with 6-2 6-4. It's okay. Dinara is Marat's sister so I'm fine with it. Dinara even managed to wear jeans for their awarding ceremony.

May 17, 2009 is a good perfect day for tennis. :)

MORAL: When a roof closes, a door opens. Both in tennis and in my life.

*all photos from Yahoo!

Sunshine Hands

Two films. A movie from Taipei and from Canada. No weddings, no Student Council president / A-grade student, and deus ex machina. Is this for real?! Oh my gosh, is it the end of the world?!

I can't really extract any memorable words from this Taipei movie Miao Miao because the characters speak either Japanese or... Chinese. What do you expect? It's a movie from Taipei! The subtitles are really nice because they are in perfect grammar. Not like those we find here in our pirated DVDs wherein the subtitles seemed to be typed by those high on crack.

I can mute the film, hear my blood slosh in my veins in peace, but can still understand the rest of the film. Yet I won't do that because even though you can't understand most of what they said in the movie, the audio is still important. It's more honest and it's a lighter movie than the next one I'll compliment below. Miao Miao tells a story of how a French-Chinese would look like, and how a Japanese-Chinese would look like. No, I just described two of the character/actors. It shows the beauty and pain of seeing someone come and go into your life, with nothing left but memories. Just when you are comfortable with each other, it might come all of a sudden or you just didn't want to accept the looming end. It's painful, yes, but you can find closure in some parts of your life. Those you left behind.

"Give me your sunshine hands. They feel so warm."

Goodness. I don't want to make a movie or book review of everything I get my hands on to! Hmmm, now there's another movie. Lost and Delirious starring Piper Perabo (remember the movie Imagine Me and You from the last entry or better yet Coyote Ugly if you really have anterograde amnesia), Mischa Barton (it's for real! Of course, this is pre-The O.C. age so she looks sooo... fetus-like. Yep, that young.), and Jessica Pare whom I really don't know. Do you know her? Were you friends before? Classmate? Neighbor? Have you seen her in your locality? She's a Canadian actress, she looks pretty, and that's all I really know. This movie is about love and friendship. Should be entitled Lost and Delirious and Damaged and Hazed and Troubled and Psycho Lovers. However, I don't think producers name movies like that, only the likes of Panic At The Disco and Fall Out Boy produce song titles longer than my seatmate's essay. Not that I look at my seatmate's paper. No way.

Psycho lovers are so cool. I laughed (ok, "got amused" is what I want to say) at how young Mischa Barton looked here, but the ending was fun. Don't watch it anymore, unless you ate too much, drank too much, or you just want to see Mischa Barton look like 4 years old. One sided love, is really a pain in the derriere but don't impose. Lead person gets blinded by love that everything else seemed to be so foul, so disgusting, like eating meat. Pushing oneself to the other, and didn't even ask what the other one really feels. Ok, the girl was so confusing. Whom does she really love? Mischa Barton still looked like a zygote. Funny. Then they kill her in The O.C.

Well, heard from the movie:

"Love is.

It is the highest point of why we live."

MORAL: Love is. Really is.

Don't write anything in 1:30am. I can't even understand what I just wrote/typed. Sometimes, masterpieces are done in the morning, A-papers are written in the morning, but blog entries like this, suck in the morning.

Isang Maduming Usapan: Natae, Nagtae, Tumae

Kapuputok lamang mga 5 minuto ang nakalipas.

Nakatataeng usapan. Dahil may mga malalaking ekis ang isang kalendaryo sa amin, iisipin mo ano ang silbi nito. Sasabihin sa iyo "iyan ang palatandaan kung kailan pumunta ng banyo ang nanay mo para jumebs." Oh. Shushal, talagang sa isang libreng kalendaryo pa talaga ng isang restawran ang napiling gawing sulatan ng araw ng pagdudumi.

Nagkaroon kaming tatlo nina Yaya Belle, Nanay ko, at ako ng isang maduming usapan. Nagtatanong kasi nanay ko kung pumunta ba raw siya ng banyo kanina para jumebs.

Belle: Kailan ka ba huling natae?

Me: Nagtae hindi natae.

Mom: Natae. hindi nagtae. Ang nagtae, parang kang nagtatae. Hindi parang natae.

Me: Alam ko na. Dapat kasi 'kailan ka huling tumae'.

Mom: Tama.

Me: Kasi pag sinabi mong natae, parang hindi mo napigil ang pagtae. Tapos kapag nagtae, parang nagtatae ka talaga.

Mom: Tama. Dapat nga tumae.

MORAL: Alamin ang tamang duming lalabas sa bibig mo, kung hindi, parang mabaho at puro baho lamang ang lalabas diyan. Yeeek.

Inspired By Each Other, By Each Other

I thought about it because a friend sent me a link on Rome and Juliet and I blew out moviehouse money for Star Trek, A Haunting on Connecticut, and X-Men because of an emergency - earphones for iPod.

Now, I have read Annie On My Mind and Keeping You A Secret. I have watched Rome and Juliet, I Can't Think Straight, and Imagine Me and You.

They can make you cringe, drop your jaw at some point, turn your head away, make your grandmother's forehead look like corduroy when she sees it, make your househelp semi-shout "what... are you watching?", reminisce Theology classes about love, make you see the issues some people are facing, fastforward some scenes that do not need words, and think why Ellen is making a big fuss about it.

I'm not sure what's on your mind, but I'm not talking about horror movies or something. Just a few books and movies I have encountered over the week. Or was it last week?

Anyway, what is their common denominator? Homosexual theme, female love. Well, I am open-minded (until my brain falls off), I'm just not used to seeing (movies about it) and reading about it. I thought movies and books on this theme might offer a different view on things, a different approach or something that is striking? Just something, something different. (No, having your hair dyed green is not that different and striking enough.) However, I noticed they are really, really similar with each other. Don't get me wrong, of course they have a common genre BUT I am talking about the storyline! It's like deja vu all over again it's like deja vu all over again!

Just consider 2 things:

1.) The other woman is getting married and she meets the other one in her wedding (before or during or after). Then they get very much attracted to each other. Well, this is for the movies (yes, all 3 of them).

2.) In the 2 books I have read, both of them involve a Student Council president who can only see As in her report card. Then she meets someone and they get very much attracted to each other. I told you so.

Yeah, they all deal with the harsh view of people and society and that's an important thing. Sure, the movies had scenes that could make you shoot whatever you're drinking out of your nose, and the books had words that can clearly paint a scene - Leonardo da Vinci would be so proud. It's just that I am frustrated with the plots. No sad endings or tragedies (so far) from what I have watched or read (not that I like sad endings) but for me the similarity of the storylines and plots IS the tragedy. Are books or movies dealing with homosexual themes so rare they inspired each other? Or it just happen at these circumstances, showing that even those who are sure of themselves and those who are successful can all of a sudden experience a different feeling with one look? Yes, love at first sight.

Let's consider, Rome and Juliet (starring Mylene Dizon and Andrea del Rosario) and Imagine Me and You (Piper Perabo from Coyote Ugly, and Lena Headey the queen of Sparta). One of them is getting married and the other woman did (or was tasked to do) the floral arrangement for her wedding. Okay. Why can't she just be the bridesmaid or the maid of honor or the bandmate or the officemate or the girl from the supermarket?! I Can't Think Straight deals more with culture and why am I not surprised - a wedding. I told you so.

From Imagine Me and You which is the last of the movies I have watched:

What happens when an unstoppable force meets (moves) an immovable object?

- It never happens. If there's anything that can't be stopped, it's not possible for that to be something else which can't be moved. And vice versa. They can't both exist.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

- Well, it saves time.

Actually, those are not the best lines from it. Those are the only ones I remember verbatim. What made me watch or read them? The same reason you read Harry Potter. Actually, no, not the same reason because I don't know why you read HP1-1,000. My reason is the same as why I read books and watch movies - Why not? If there's a book, I read it. If there's a movie, I watch it (until I can bear it, because there are movies like Steven Seagal's that could really test your limit and patience). 

And while typing this, my dad turned the radio on which is just behind me. I think he felt that I am bashing Steven Seagal and was referring to his DVDs. Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and all of the Chinese, yes. Steven Seagal, no. I am using earphones and can still hear politics blaring behind me.

MORAL: Apple is right. Really, deus ex machina?

Let's see how the other movies and books (that I can come across with) will fare. Hope they're not too similar again or else it'll already be traumatizing for me, like seeing Heidi and Spencer on TV. I miss TV. Haven't watched in a long time.

Anne and Georgiana

I'm not trying to be a movie critic. Or a literary one.

I like Keira Knightley down to the last buck tooth. Hey, she can act so well and she's really pretty. She has won much acclaim as a reputable actress. And she likes to star in movies with so much costume and spray net. Well, she could also undress in an instant because she's thin? No, but as I watch The Duchess, it seemed like it.

Where was I? Oh yeah, I already said that I like Keira Knightley so much. Yet I don't know why it's such a pain to watch her movies. Either you pause it in the middle or you can't finish it. I tried watching and reading Atonement. James McAvoy is there, it makes the movie pleasant.

Many could say only the intellectual and literary buff could appreciate Keira Knightley's movies. (Well except Hollywood-marketed films of her.)

OK LET'S BE HONEST NOW.

I like her movies, but being an honest fan, they're so boring! It pains me that they really are! Well, a lot of people think they are. So Pride and Prejudice is a great movie because well, it's a classic. If you're looking for rhetoric lines or memorable ones, those that can strike you, Keira Knightley's masterpieces are those to watch with all eyes and ears. However, if you're looking for love quotes or something similar with no "Shakespeare" in it, I'm sorry. Either you get love with Shakespeare or no love at all. The Duchess can be watched without falling asleep. Well, I didn't (I really don't fall asleep watching movies), but as I turned my head around, people around me seemed to have ingested sleeping pills.

"It must always be a matter of either or."

Yep, no moderation. Freedom in moderation or moderately loved.


MORAL: Don't wear too much things on your hair. Your neck might snap. Well, at least The Duchess' didn't. Women of the day of fresh air must've neck like the molave.

Anne Boleyn would've been friends with The Duchess Georgiana. Marriage in the "days of fresh air and gout" and birthing a son hasn't been so difficult.

Think Positive! For Cocaine?!

Tennis and cocaine. What are you, a couple?!

What the heck. There is a decrease in the population of gorgeous men in the tennis world. Juan Carlos Ferrero thought of retiring, until he won a title earlier this year. I think the last time he won was 6 years ago. Then you know Marat Safin is going to retire at the end of the year. If this is like the stock market, it's like a 175% drop when Marat retires.

And now, Richard Gasquet, our perennial underachiver, is suspended for being tested positive in cocaine. C'mon. Richard Gasquet can be nominated to be a librarian! Though personality is not really an issue to be considered whether a person is capable of snorting cocaine. Someone could've shoved cocaine into his nose or something. Or someone could've put it in his drink. Hey, that's an idea. You could put something into the food/drinks of others and have them do drug testing. If Richard Gasquet is going to be suspended for 2 years because of this... no, I'm not going to comment yet. There is hope you know.

Dope.

MORAL: You've got to be kidding me. Don't give me a Martina Hingis issue. I still believe she's innocent.

Forum of the Future

Presidentiable Forum. 

How would I answer the questions if I were there. Of course, I won't get all of the questions and type it here. I didn't even attend it. My mom asked me why. I said there are a lot of people there. She said, "but we're going to pick you up if ever." And I just told her that there are a lot of people and I still got the flu. She just rolled her eyes.

What was the last book you have read or movie you have seen?

- OMG. You do not want to know. I finished a book and a movie yesterday.

What is Pres. Arroyo's positive contribution to RP during her term?

- She showed people how dirty politics is.

Who do you admire the most (living or dead)?

- Myself. Super.

It's true. Come election time, everyone's equal. We only got one vote each.

I'm a registered voter and I promise I'll be voting on May 2010. How about you?

MORAL: Charisma. But I think we're smarter than that.

Book Searching... Searching... Still Searching.

I hate it when I'm looking for something I really like and I can't find it. Well, I wonder who would not be pissed off with that? I've been searching everywhere. The online search for our library (Rizal Library's OPAC), torrent search engines, National Bookstore's online search, eBay, Amazon (and other similar sites), PDF sites, and everything. Geez, books are really expensive! Book price plus shipping fee. Well, it's okay for me.... if I can find what I am looking for. I've been at it for hours. If I can only have a PayPal account, or a Kindle, or anything that allows to finish a shopping cycle in a single breath (or a couple of clicks), I know I'm doomed for bankcruptcy. Books costing $9.00++ seem light, but if you just do click and buy, it'll balloon.

I still haven't found my ebooks. I want to try searching in the ginormous National Bookstore in Cubao, but I think the weather won't permit me.

And I still dream of a library. Please remove the dress code in the school library! It's marginalization for those who want to read but can't because s/he is wearing slippers. Unfair. The only thing I know banned from the library is noise, but slippers? C'mon.

MORAL: Yes, it's 5AM and I haven't slept. So don't even try pushing that tariff on imported books. I don't want to be stuck reading tabloids or anything. Reading stuff from the Internet is okay but it feels different, and the Internet here in the country sucks BIG time.