Friday, July 27, 2007

[dʒim]

2.5 weeks and 3 (less) kilos later, and i'm still pumped. believe it or not. this is the kind of discipline that i could have only hoped for 12 years ago back in the University of Auckland rec centre! somehow, looking at the ceiling didn't seem too boring, and making faces wasn't as embarassing as it should be. who would've thought that all those mp3s that i collected in the 90's would serve me some healthy purpose! between savage garden, bon jovi, and michael jackson, the hour-long of working out would finish so much quicker... and i'd still have some steam left! ah, let's not jinx this.

the biggest factor for me in this new regime is a statin drug called Lipex. i've been on it for more than a couple of years, and it did help lower my bad cholesterol. the good ol' doctor said to just keep taking it. it's not until i read about it and another called Lipitor that i realised this is actually doing me more harm than anything else! i've noticed some nasty short-term memory loss as of late, and methought that it was because of old age. i'm not 100% sure about the relationship to be honest, but i'd rather live a healthier lifestyle moving forward. it sounds very cliche, but here goes: better diet, regular exercise - a happier life.

after all, i gotta be able to get back in the suit!



Sunday, July 22, 2007

HP: Order Of The Phoenix

4 stars out of 5

despite the movie being more than 2.5 hours long, it didn't feel like it. it had been quite a wait since the previous Goblet Of Fire, and so this one's been well anticipated. and you do get to see the Dark Lord in action here, and it was also great to see previous characters featured in the previous films of the franchise.
my most favourite protagonist this time around is Luna Lovegood, a member of Dumbledore's Army who's quirky but effective, mysterious but a well-defined individual. i haven't read the book, and so i delirously wonder if she was written the same way.

the rest of the cast members are also a refreshing sight to behold, obviously more grown up now, but still very much embedded in their roles (check out Dudley, hahaha!). we do get to see more wand work from most of the characters, even the most annoying Mrs Umbridge. the only part of the story that i felt was forced was Hagrid's little secret. the time invested in this plotline could've been better used for more Luna or You-Know-Who.

i do have one question for bigger fans than i am: what happened to the eldest Weasley brother??

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Great Scott! It's made of lead!

Superman would have been frustrated, too! these collectible marvel mini-statues are made of lead, and thus, are not allowed to be sold in the land of Oz because of importation guidelines. thank goodness for the generosity and magic of Santa Pogz, i got to see and possess the first batch of said goodies! what's pictured here is a rare variant of the Wallcrawler, and the rest of the 2nd batch are not slackers either! the Hulk, the Silver Surfer, Green Goblin, and Blade! YOWZA!

On The Rocks

ON THE DAY BEFORE FRIDAY THE 13th, WE ATTENDED THE INTERNATIONAL WHISKEY EXPERIENCE IN ST KILDA. THAT WAS MY 2nd SESSION WITH THIS PROMOTIONAL GROUP, AND IT'S STILL THOROUGHLY INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING. I RECOMMEND THAT EVERYONE TRIES IT EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A HUGE FAN OF WHISKEY, JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE A PISS-UP BUT MORE OF A LECTURE HELD AT THIS HUGE BALLROOM. OKAY, YOU DO GET A COUPLE OF VOUCHERS FOR PRE-SHOW AND AFTER-SHOW DRINKS AT THE BAR WITH CRACKERS AND CHEESE WAITING ON THE SIDELINES. (HANG ON, WHY AM I "SHOUTING" HERE? must be the alcohol, hehe-hic!)

drivers beware, these whiskeys are no lightweights if you're new to the industry.

the show featured whiskeys from 3 major whiskey-producing countries: Ireland and the original whiskeys (Jameson and Jameson 12 Years), Scotland and their scotch (The Glenlivet and Chivas Regal 12 Years), and the US of A with their southern bourbons (Wild Turkey and Wild Turkey Rare Breed). my favourites would be the last 3 tastes: Chivas, Wild Turkey, and the Rare Breed, with the last one bowling me over for both sips that I've had so far (that's definitely for the special occasion or a must-forget heartbreak). Chivas is as smooth as ever whilst Wild Turkey certainly gives some tingle in the spine, which explains why it's the best-selling American bourbon (yes, it's also a whiskey) and very popular in the poker circle. and how do i take 'em? always have them ON THE ROCKS.

oh yeah, this regular event is totally free.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Transform and Rollout!

4 stars out of 5

there's a reason why this movie has so far broken records previously set by the "Pirates..." franchise: it's because Michael Bay has made this bigscreen rendition of the classic 80's cartoon very accessible to everyone in the market. if you still haven't seen this in theatres, do the 10 year old in you a favour and see it now. a fair warning that this is not for the "i'll wait for the DVD" category.


i'm so glad they didn't change the original logos... although i think i didn't notice any of the Decepticons with theirs!?


is that Optimus Prime? let me hear
Peter Cullen speak!

Megan Fox, a regular grease monkey, sure!

Bumblebee, Prime, and
Ironhide

oh, Jazz... a disappointment with style.