8th of July finally arrived. The Jubilee Line to Wembley Park Station was filled with black-shirted fans. Even hubby wore a black shirt! I decided against it so my tangerine blouse stood out in the crowd. Wembley was like a gathering for goths of all ages.

I enjoyed the opening acts, all of whom I didn’t know. But I enjoyed men-watching, too. Too bad for hubby the scores of women were nearly all scary-looking. For the second time in my life I realised how papables some of the young ones these days. Who can blame women for wanting toyboys, eh? Tingnan nyo na lang itong ibang nakuhanan ko ng pictures.

J, if you’re reading this, there have been a lot of times I’ve wanted to take pictures for you & finally eto na. Sensya na at slight lang dahil baka mahalata ako nung mga katabi kong kinukuhanan ko sila.

Of course I also took pictures of the historic place:I also took a LOT of videos. If you want to hear some awesome guitar lovemaking, check out the following:

The concert was sold out but huge Wembley wasn’t even full. Hubby said there were 30K people that night, grabe. For fear of getting crushed going home, we took off after Metallica sang their last song: Enter Sandman. They did two more encores, sana wag namang “Of Wolf and Man”. Kundi sasakalin ko asawa ko.

Spoiler Alert: Turn away now if you haven’t seen the film

When hubby picked me up on Thursday, I mentioned to him the reviews for the POC III were very bland. Three critics gave the film just two (out of five) stars! He suggested we check what’s showing at our local cinema so we can take pogiBoy for his first movietheater trip. Hungry as I was, I didn’t say no. It’s been a long time since we stepped foot in a cinema.

Turns out they’re having an advance screening of POC III that day up til 11pm. Hubby suggested we catch the 8pm show. Again, I was too deprived to say no.

The film was looonnnggg. I warned hubby to stop sipping on his drinks as I will not relate “what happened” to him.

Anyway, like most action packed films these days, it is like watching a computer game. The effects were superb but I was letdown by storyline & the ending. Somehow I didn’t like Orlando Bloom this time, he’s not hunk enough to realistically be the Flying Dutchman’s new captain. But that’s jumping ahead. What’s even more hard to bear was Keira Knightley becoming King of the pirates & her scene where she gives a rousing speech to the Black Pearl’s crew made me raise my eyebrow. Then Calypso is supposed to be powerful so managed to raise Capt Barbosa from the dead but she couldn’t escape a cell or the ropes they wrapped her in? And what’s with the maëlstrom?

Saying all these, I will probably still buy the DVD when it comes out as pogiBoy adores the Pirates. He loves Jack Sparrow, he will not miss a poster without pointing him out to us where ever we are.

One London critic said she was left with a feeling that there will be a POC IV. But Bruckheimer must know how flimsy this film is now. So please no more.

On a positive note though: My local cinema offers a £1.50 entrance for kids, adults go free for Saturday & Sunday morning showing of family films!

I’m going to see Metallica! I’m going to see Metallica! We’ve booked our tickets last night for their concert in Wembley. This is our first time to:
1. Go to a concert in London
2. To see Metallica
3. To see Wembley Stadium

It’s also officially the first concert we’ll watch since getting married 6 years ago… Grabe ‘no?

But we will come prepared. As I already have the black album, I will be on the prowl at lunchtime for a collection of Metallica’s Kill Em All and their St Anger albums — hell yeah!!! I want to memorise their chorus(es) at least hehe

I feel like giggling and I want to jump & down. Perhaps hubby & I should start practising our slam dancing. I’m pretty sure my neck can still handle the headbanging. Too bad I’m due for a haircut I can’t swing my long hair anymore (it will be a drastic short hair by Monday! YIPEE!).

The concert’s not until July. I saw the advert on the first day they released it, I tore the page on the paper thinking I better show it to hubby, When I got home, he also has the same page torn for me! Match made in Heaven, eh? Everyday from then on, he kept on telling/reminding me to book it, book it. Alas I’ve no spare allowance left (due to the shop bug). So when I got my pay & a huge chunk was sent back to Pinas, to our mortgage etc., I came home to a husband who hijacked the TicketMaster site, not realising he cannot “hold” on to the tickets for more than 2 minutes (not very tech savvy).

When my account was debited at least £90, hubby then said in a low voice he also wants to see the Pet Shop Boys in May. I was tempted to say “sissy!” hehe But I like New Wave as well & it will ruin the mood. Though their tickets aren’t as expensive, we decided against booking them. Afterall, our superhero’s birthday is coming up & it’s a HUGE bill. But between you & I, I’ll try to skimp on my lunch money in April & see whether I could come up with the money for the “I’m with Stupid” guys.

I am a music lover but I’m not an expert. I rarely care about the people behind the music. I don’t always remember the lyrics. And my taste can be described as eccentric to even jolog.

I started listening to music tapes when my Saudi-man Tatay brought him a 2-deck cassette stereo, including at least 25 records of Connie Francis to selections like Pink Floyd’s. He even has a collection of this ballads that goes from Vol 1 to Vol 13, I think. I didn’t know what DJ’s are but it’s part of my playtime to keep changing the cassettes we’re playing. I’d always select the more upbeat tunes, of course that’s expected I was probably younger than 7 y/o & the oldest tune I can remember dancing to is “It’s like an earthquake”. But there was no doubt my fave in Tatay’s selection was Pink Floyd’s “We don’t need no education”.

When Tatay came home again and brought our first coloured television, my music background extended to “Max Headroom presents”. I was caught. I’d include that show in my cartoon repertoire. I even saw Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” video at midnight (I think) when the following day it was banned in Pinas.

I loved the Queen’s music. Nothing could beat my attraction to heavy metal and all the noise that comes with it. Again hindi ko kilala ang members ng Skid Row, but apparently I listened to their music when one time I was humming a tune and a friend recognised it. When my imagination runs free and my sisters don’t mind me play-acting I’d imagine myself like Rod Stewart cavorting onstage, or like Axl Rose being all hyper. But the coolest part of my act would be to turn into Slash and just make love to my air guitar with a ciggie hanging off the side of my mouth… Oh how I wished and dreamt of being able to do that. Instead of drums or guitar lessons I was hoping for, Nanay enrolled me in an organ lesson in Yamaha (saan pa). I flunked. Not interested, hated the teacher, hated piece.

So I’m a grown woman with a child to boot. I did my share of listening to Chopin, Amadeus and the rest when I was preggers. But normality set in and yes my MP3 is blasting Metallica again and again. And Yano. And Greenday. And some GNR. But what I really want to get hold off is mp3′s of “The Jerks”, or “razorback” or yes, even yung banda-nung-90′s-na-lintek-di-ko-maalala-ang-pangalan na sabi ng housemate ko “kadiri ka!”

I was surfing the digital channels last night when hubby quipped “Ugly Betty ngayon di ba?”.

Oo nga! Wednesday pala. So I went to E4 & marked the show for scheduled.

Sabi uli ni hubby “ayan makakapanood na ko uli” then he proceeded to ask me what happened to the show he missed last week.

Nakakatakot. hehe

I’ve always liked Agatha Christie & when I was still in Uni I tried collecting some of her books all about Poirot’s exploits. I gave up ‘coz book, like wine, is an expensive past time in the Philippines & I’m not very patient trawling thru Booksale’s dumping grounds.

To my “utter delight” ITV3 shows re-runs of the British Drama Poirot starring the charming David Suchet, you know the guy Hollywood presents as terrorist or plane hijacker?

Anyway, I look forward to weekend tv (telly) for two things: AM it’s cartoons time and in the PM, it’s Poirot. The funny thing is, my toddler & I seemed to have come to an agreement about it. He doesn’t cry or demand I switch the channel back as soon as he sees Mr Suchet’s mustache. In fact, I always have a feeling he likes watching it. He’d sit with me & sometimes ask me “what happened?” If he actually understands I don’t know, siempre I’d like to think so.

He also likes* watching re-runs of the “Relic Hunter” with me. Siguro dahil adventure & Sydney & Nigel are always having fisticuffs. He also likes Scrubs and the Simpsons. Sige the latter is cartoons, but I remember when my nephews were my son’s age, they’d cry for my mum when I switch the channel to Simpson. Not pogiBoy, he’ll say “simson!” with a smile.

How about hubby? He’s football mad but since I introduced him to Ugly Betty, kahit Champions League pa yan, he will not fight for the remote (unless finals or elimination na with ManU siguro then he can use the other telly hehe). Very interesting coz Ugly Betty is very much a chick-”flick”. I like it kasi very escapist & that’s what I want when I want to relax, to not to think.

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*the word “likes” can be synonymous with “doesn’t complain”

When I arrived in the UK 5 years ago, I saw Big Brother for the first time & I prayed to the Heavens not to bring this imported trash to the Philippines. Obviously, my prayers weren’t answered. Granted it took 4 years to arrive but it still got translated to Pinoy Big Brother.

Sure BB may be entertaining but it’s really hogwash. Why would I want to watch it after slaving in the office? Besides I get to read about the housemate’s sex-capades on the papers everyday, anyway.

I work in a software house and typical of most British IT companies, most of my colleagues are men. To my surprise, when Channel 4 launched Big Brother 7 it was these men who often talk about what went on inside BB7 the night before. One even admitted to having been in the house & sat in the “diary room”. Even more amazing was a few admitted to being impressed, not just amused! Now it’s not just in this company that I’ve seen this phenomena. Two jobs ago, my male peers even told me they like it because it gives them “insight into the human psyche”. About three years ago, BB started inviting psychologists on the sofa & they’d discuss why the housemates acted the way they did. Obviously, they were trying to make BB (then) appear as a serious & credible endeavour. But money demands slush so now their focus is for scandals like women going at it with a bottle or under-the-sheet romps.

Yup, serious viewing for people with nothing better to do.

Some time ago a colleague mentioned that the Magnificent Seven western film was actually based on a Japanese film called “seven samurais”. I took a mental note to try & get a copy of the said film in the future. Remember I told you I’m switching ISP? The big switch is on the way & there are bonuses. We get an inclusive 500mins/month free local/national call with the 1mbsp broadband connection. I also get to sample napster for a month (I’m not interested so if you are, tell me now!). And the best is I get 3 weeks free DVD rental.

I took advantage of the rental & voila their recommendation has Seven Samurai — ka-ching!

Watched it last night & it was brilliant. All black & white but the story was great. Naiisip ko nga yung “Genghis Khan” ni Armando(?) Conde na sabi ng Tatay ko, maganda daw, sana meron ding DVD release pero siempre wala dahil wala ng kopya ang Pilipinas nun! Galing.

Anyway, yung pagka-direct & yung script nung Samurai parang sa “Kung Fu Hustle”, only more serious. But the comic relief was brilliant. At sa totoo lang yung mga actors parang sila Pen Medina (nope no over-acting christopher de leon’s).

But what stood out for me was the fact that most of the actors were wearing the traditional Japanese underwear. Why? Aba, before women took over that fashion Japanese men are predisposed to wearing thongs!

happy weekend everyone

Are you familiar with Nickelodeon’s The Avatar? Their UK network showed the whole sceries over the Christmas break & by chance, I got to see most of it with my Nanay. By accident we were channel surfing & Avatar was just starting.

I thought she was a captive audience as I’m a big cartoon/animated/anime-fanatic & she’s more a “Mara-Clara” follower. When the first episode was finished, I thought that was it & I was wondering when I’d actually get to see the next episodes. I went to the kitchen & then Nanay started hollering, “ay eto na yung kasunod bilis!” (come back the continuation’s here).

So it went like that for the whole series was shown one after another. She’d go to the loo & be asking if the next episode’s already starting. In the end she was lamenting we couldn’t record it (i’ve no vcr or dvd recorder) as she wants a copy. Then she suggested I rent the next series from my Amazon subscription (i tried but the show ran for 1 season only).

Nanay never ceases to amaze me. I don’t know if she genuinely liked watching the show or if she was just trying to understand what I like or what I am now.