War At Last
We all knew it was coming.
It was like watching a train rolling towards us from far down the tracks. Even last year we saw the smoke and black metal snaking its way towards us, full of unrepentant violence and purpose. After a few sudden twists in the track and unforseen stops that made us hope that it would perhaps veer away or shudder and cough into obsolesence, it is upon us.
Let us hope that relatively few are hurt by its passing, and that incompetent attempts at derailing it do not result in a larger disaster for all...
Giant Lord?
I went here and discovered that I have the superhero name... Giant Lord! Does this mean that I'm a lord who is a giant, or a lord of a kingdom of giants?
I went here and discovered that I have the superhero name... Giant Lord! Does this mean that I'm a lord who is a giant, or a lord of a kingdom of giants?
Save or Spend?
Given the trying times we live in, talk of cutting back and spending on things that really matter often drifts into conversation. Earlier today I picked up Alan Moore's The Courtyard (issues 1 & 2) published by Avatar Press, and John Byrne's Generations 3. Set me back a bit, but I like to read comics... do these count as things that really matter?
Should I have spent it to stock up on food? Or on water? Or safety equipment? Or, on the less paranoid side, should I have just saved the money? In the case of Generations 3, probably. I could've waited for the compilation at least. In the case of Alan Moore's work, I think it was money well spent. It had a familiar Lovecraftian plot, with very Lovecraftian elements hidden here and there... but was told well. The device of using primarily vertical panels echoes his work on The Watchmen, wherein the 3x3 grid of comic panels were used. The descent of the none-too-likeable protagonist into a mystery of cult murders had some interesting visual twists and echoes as well...
Run Your Game, Alex!
I run a regular Saturday game. It's usually a Call of Cthulhu RPG campaign titled Masks or Nyarlathotep, but in recent weeksI've been running Champions of Manila using the HERO System.
The last two games were interesting... having introduced the player to the HERO system, I actually helped build their initial characters. Now that they've become familiar with the game system, they took it upon themselves to build their own characters. Hence the current roster of, er, heroes:
Jade- a female speedster who awoke one day in a French motel, fully clothed, and with no memory of who she was or what she used to do.
John Armstrong- the son of Steve Armstrong and Jamie Robinson, John Armstrong wears a suit that harnesses Ultra-Electromagnetic Energy in a variety of ways.
Wu Jien- a nameless but extremely Chinese swordsman and martial artist with a mysterious agenda.
K. Jimenez- renowned U.P. archeologist who secretly wears ancient artifacts of mystic power.
I'll chronicle their adventures as soon as this first story arc finishes...
Given the trying times we live in, talk of cutting back and spending on things that really matter often drifts into conversation. Earlier today I picked up Alan Moore's The Courtyard (issues 1 & 2) published by Avatar Press, and John Byrne's Generations 3. Set me back a bit, but I like to read comics... do these count as things that really matter?
Should I have spent it to stock up on food? Or on water? Or safety equipment? Or, on the less paranoid side, should I have just saved the money? In the case of Generations 3, probably. I could've waited for the compilation at least. In the case of Alan Moore's work, I think it was money well spent. It had a familiar Lovecraftian plot, with very Lovecraftian elements hidden here and there... but was told well. The device of using primarily vertical panels echoes his work on The Watchmen, wherein the 3x3 grid of comic panels were used. The descent of the none-too-likeable protagonist into a mystery of cult murders had some interesting visual twists and echoes as well...
Run Your Game, Alex!
I run a regular Saturday game. It's usually a Call of Cthulhu RPG campaign titled Masks or Nyarlathotep, but in recent weeksI've been running Champions of Manila using the HERO System.
The last two games were interesting... having introduced the player to the HERO system, I actually helped build their initial characters. Now that they've become familiar with the game system, they took it upon themselves to build their own characters. Hence the current roster of, er, heroes:
I'll chronicle their adventures as soon as this first story arc finishes...
New Worlds: The 1st Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention
Well, yesterday was the fun New Worlds Convention.
I arrived there at around 2:30pm, shocked to find out that so many booths were already being set up or in some state of readiness. No other AEGIS people were in sight.
After consulting with Paulo J., I grabbed a couple of tables & tablecloths and staked a claim for AEGIS between the booths of the Philippine Tolkien Society and the X-Philes group. I became bored watching the other groups setting up their tables, chairs, home-made theme decor, books and paraphernalia and began texting AEGIS members and walking around.
Eventually, I got ahold of Tobie A. He told me to contact Seth S. who was free to go. Sure enough, as soon as he said he'd be on his way, more AEGIS folks arrived. Yehey!
The Pinoy Slayers had the most impressive business set-up, with their sales of DVDs (all kinds) to the people at the convention. Too bad I didn't get to join their Buffy Sing-a-long event.
Kudos to Jacob for emerging triumphant from the Tolkien Trivia Contest! He won a kick-ass tolkien book!
Well, yesterday was the fun New Worlds Convention.
I arrived there at around 2:30pm, shocked to find out that so many booths were already being set up or in some state of readiness. No other AEGIS people were in sight.
After consulting with Paulo J., I grabbed a couple of tables & tablecloths and staked a claim for AEGIS between the booths of the Philippine Tolkien Society and the X-Philes group. I became bored watching the other groups setting up their tables, chairs, home-made theme decor, books and paraphernalia and began texting AEGIS members and walking around.
Eventually, I got ahold of Tobie A. He told me to contact Seth S. who was free to go. Sure enough, as soon as he said he'd be on his way, more AEGIS folks arrived. Yehey!
The Pinoy Slayers had the most impressive business set-up, with their sales of DVDs (all kinds) to the people at the convention. Too bad I didn't get to join their Buffy Sing-a-long event.
Kudos to Jacob for emerging triumphant from the Tolkien Trivia Contest! He won a kick-ass tolkien book!
The GURU
Watched the film THE GURU last night.
Very funny and witty movie. I'm a sucker for fun musicals, and the juxtaposition of Bollywood and Grease was really enjoyable. The Billy Joel scenes were tremendous, and good performances from the actors... WATCH IT!
DAVAO BOMBING
If you've been following my blogs, you'd know that just last week I was in Davao... And now this. The bombing of the Davao International Airport (the waiting shed, really) has claimed 21 lives (at the time of this writing), and injured 120+ people.
I was just there. Davao has long had a reputation of being the most peaceful and secure of the Mindanao cities. I was just there. I'm still not sure if it's the same Terminal as the Domestic Airport, but I was just there. Last week.
Reaction is mostly that of mourning in Davao, frustration and sorrow from here in Metro Manila. There hasn't been public outcry, just a feeling that this is another symptom of the escalating war tensions... and why on earth did it have to happen to those poor people? Why does it have to happen to anyone? Life in the Philippines is difficult enough.
A LIGHTER NOTE
There was a recent launch of the new Darna comic book at Eastwood in Libis. Here are some pictures of the event. Note the extremely cute Darna model. There were actually two of them, one is the one pictured... the other performed a dance number. I believe she's part of the Darna Ballet that will be shown this summer. Both Darnas were cute and sexy, but the ballet itself is highly rated by my sister (who is quite knowledgable about dance and performing arts).
Watched the film THE GURU last night.
Very funny and witty movie. I'm a sucker for fun musicals, and the juxtaposition of Bollywood and Grease was really enjoyable. The Billy Joel scenes were tremendous, and good performances from the actors... WATCH IT!
DAVAO BOMBING
If you've been following my blogs, you'd know that just last week I was in Davao... And now this. The bombing of the Davao International Airport (the waiting shed, really) has claimed 21 lives (at the time of this writing), and injured 120+ people.
I was just there. Davao has long had a reputation of being the most peaceful and secure of the Mindanao cities. I was just there. I'm still not sure if it's the same Terminal as the Domestic Airport, but I was just there. Last week.
Reaction is mostly that of mourning in Davao, frustration and sorrow from here in Metro Manila. There hasn't been public outcry, just a feeling that this is another symptom of the escalating war tensions... and why on earth did it have to happen to those poor people? Why does it have to happen to anyone? Life in the Philippines is difficult enough.
A LIGHTER NOTE
There was a recent launch of the new Darna comic book at Eastwood in Libis. Here are some pictures of the event. Note the extremely cute Darna model. There were actually two of them, one is the one pictured... the other performed a dance number. I believe she's part of the Darna Ballet that will be shown this summer. Both Darnas were cute and sexy, but the ballet itself is highly rated by my sister (who is quite knowledgable about dance and performing arts).
QUICKBLOG - Snowflakes
My best friend Tom send me a very cool link. Check it out!
http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/
My best friend Tom send me a very cool link. Check it out!
http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/
FUNKY NUMBERS
Today is March 03, 2003 (03/03/03)... oooooh! Scary.
EXORCISM (Part One)
I once read out some passages from a book titled Hostage to the Devil by Malachi Martin to my current gaming group. It freaked out a number of them.
Part of it, I'm sure, was the writing. Educated, erudite, and strangely authoritative. The book is about five successful exorcisms (and one unsuccessful one), based on the extensive documentation that the Roman Catholic Church requires before performing any major exorcism. Part of it was the carefully reasoned progression from a 'flaw' in one's faith or logic can lead to a succession of small lapses in morality... paving the way for eventual damnation. Still, hope shines in the book, despite the darkness of the subject matter. Perhaps I shall read it again sometime and ask for reaction papers.
Today is March 03, 2003 (03/03/03)... oooooh! Scary.
EXORCISM (Part One)
I once read out some passages from a book titled Hostage to the Devil by Malachi Martin to my current gaming group. It freaked out a number of them.
Part of it, I'm sure, was the writing. Educated, erudite, and strangely authoritative. The book is about five successful exorcisms (and one unsuccessful one), based on the extensive documentation that the Roman Catholic Church requires before performing any major exorcism. Part of it was the carefully reasoned progression from a 'flaw' in one's faith or logic can lead to a succession of small lapses in morality... paving the way for eventual damnation. Still, hope shines in the book, despite the darkness of the subject matter. Perhaps I shall read it again sometime and ask for reaction papers.
A LONG ROAD
It's been a while since my last update.
Excuses include:
Work - Had a meeting last Saturday afternoon regarding comic book that a friend and I are working on.
Play - Did some character creation with friend for an RPG game called Champions of Bay City powered by the HERO System.
Work - Last Sunday, I went off to Davao again for a slightly longer business trip than the prior day trip. Just got back last Tuesday.
Family - Had some family business to handle on Sunday (just before my afternoon trip to Davao), and again on Wednesday night, and again early Thursday morning.
Work Again - The whole day Thursday, I was at a client doing consulting work.
Catastrophe - There was a fire at MegaMall! Okay, I was nowhere near it, but it bummed me out coz I was on my way there.
Laziness - Writing sucks up time. Takes a lot of discipline to keep this regular. *sigh*
Anyway, I'm back!
A NEW CONVERT
By exposing a friend and co-worker at the company I work for to the 1st eight episodes of the Babylon 5 TV series, I've managed to convince another Science Fiction fanatic of the wonders of that 5-Season series. Very tight plotting, excellent scripting, wonderfully powerful performances, and great special effects (given the budget that they had)... is it any wonder?
I've got the 1st Season DVDs (ordered from the U.S.) and am enjoying the high (and low)_points of the series... I'd forgotten how much of a trailblazer the series was. It was the first TV series to use ALL CGI special effects for ships, to push the non-episodic nature of ongoing Science Fiction TV shows, to come in under budget (something unheard of until its time), AND still deliver quality TV. All this in spite of the nay-sayers and clueless network folks. It's the little show that could.
It's been a while since my last update.
Excuses include:
Work - Had a meeting last Saturday afternoon regarding comic book that a friend and I are working on.
Play - Did some character creation with friend for an RPG game called Champions of Bay City powered by the HERO System.
Work - Last Sunday, I went off to Davao again for a slightly longer business trip than the prior day trip. Just got back last Tuesday.
Family - Had some family business to handle on Sunday (just before my afternoon trip to Davao), and again on Wednesday night, and again early Thursday morning.
Work Again - The whole day Thursday, I was at a client doing consulting work.
Catastrophe - There was a fire at MegaMall! Okay, I was nowhere near it, but it bummed me out coz I was on my way there.
Laziness - Writing sucks up time. Takes a lot of discipline to keep this regular. *sigh*
Anyway, I'm back!
A NEW CONVERT
By exposing a friend and co-worker at the company I work for to the 1st eight episodes of the Babylon 5 TV series, I've managed to convince another Science Fiction fanatic of the wonders of that 5-Season series. Very tight plotting, excellent scripting, wonderfully powerful performances, and great special effects (given the budget that they had)... is it any wonder?
I've got the 1st Season DVDs (ordered from the U.S.) and am enjoying the high (and low)_points of the series... I'd forgotten how much of a trailblazer the series was. It was the first TV series to use ALL CGI special effects for ships, to push the non-episodic nature of ongoing Science Fiction TV shows, to come in under budget (something unheard of until its time), AND still deliver quality TV. All this in spite of the nay-sayers and clueless network folks. It's the little show that could.
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