Hey, Moon.: My 2013 is crazy awesome so far

The end of the first quarter of the year is almost here and 2013 is proving to be quite incredible to date.

Real life seems to be pretty calm. I don't have hell weeks anymore, for starters, unlike during this time a year ago when the mere sprouting of leaves and petals of the sunflowers along the University Avenue gave me generous amounts of anxiety and fear. Challenges in my new workplace are sure to come, I'm pretty sure. So I'm mustering all that I have learned in college for that.

Speaking which, the Journ Department of UP CMC was named Center for Excellence by the Commission on Higher Education (again, of course). I'm proud of my alma mater, if that is not quite obvious yet. I'm just not sure if it is as proud of me, though. Haha.

2013 is also made more awesome by the Manila leg of Stars' The North Album Tour. That night of February 16 is going to be one of the, if not the, highlights of my year. Incredible experience.

My fiction and fantasy-loving self is also quite overwhelmed by what I have what I have seen, read and watched so far. A team mate from my previous workplace lent me three books, one of which is Begin to Exit Here by John Welter. It is a highly-satirical and witty novel about a (cynical) journalist who hates journalism and who's always ready with tongue-in-cheek jokes, and his exploits in a local newspaper. It was a light read, and I couldn't have read it at a better time. Haha. I imagine it would make a good Hollywood film if done right.

I also got to watch the film adaptation of the glorious Schönberg-Boublil musical Les Misérables. Maybe Tom Hooper's style was not to everyone's taste, but I, for one, tremendously enjoyed it. I was holding my water bottle throughout the duration in the cinema as if for dear life. All those tip of the hat to the original source by Victor Hugo made it more disarming and compelling and tragic. My favorite bit (I HAVE TONS) apart from the epic barricade arc (because, come on, my darling dead revolutionaries--How can one's chest not tighten at their daring and passion and tragedy?) is the way the movie has built up the special connection between Cosette and Valjean. The nose boop at the end totally sealed it for me. It's as if, no matter how unconventional their family is, no matter how unconventional Cosette's childhood was, or no matter how unconventional a father Valjean is, theirs was still like most of the loving father-daughter relationships we know of. They have private jokes and endearments for each other and that nose boop was all it took to tell it. All the actors did a spectacular job, the sets and costumes were first-rate. It was really fun spotting the theater actors in the back and foreground, too! It was worth all the wait.

Ang Lee's adaptation of Yan Martel's Life of Pi was stunning, intricately gorgeous and unfailingly moving. I wish I had read the books before seeing the movie, and I wish I got to watch the film in 3D for a fuller experience. But as it is, I was really overwhelmed by the way the visuals and scoring and the cinematography were crafted. The first rate acting of Suraj Sharma as the young Pi simply blew me away. Ang Lee does deserve the Best Director award. I feel like, notwithstanding the plot, the experience of watching it was spiritual, almost zen.

Dulaang UP's Collection was, as what I had been thinking all throughout the duration of the show, super fucking amazing. I know how awesome a theater production can be, I know how awesome DUP's productions are, but Collection surpassed everything. I just realized near the end that I was probably watching the whole show open-mouthed. It was literally jaw-dropping and incredible. This dark comedy mixed in a dose of a sense of cynicism and foreboding, a dash of history lesson and social commentary, impeccable stage design and execution, topnotch acting and sheer trust on the material that made up for an unforgettable viewing experience. The questions and theories that got conjured in my head as the actors did their work splendidly on-stage made me mutter to myself, "Everybody should see this." I don't know how to put this into a coherent review, I was just awestruck by the material. Pagpupugay kay Floy Quintos, Dex Santos, Ohm Rivera, sa lahat ng gumanap, at sa buong DUP! Shit, it's probably the best show I've seen to date.

I've also began watching the 1980s documentary Cosmos: A Personal Voyage by Carl Sagan. I've always meant to watch the entire series ever since I first watched the clip "The Pale Blue Dot" some years ago, but I only got to begin watching last February. Cosmos is a benchmark in the field of science documentaries, I think, because it was the first of its kind to popularize science (astrophysics, particularly) for the masses. The show is really awe-inspiring, considering the computer effects and technology available during the period it was made. Carl Sagan, without a doubt, possessed sheer brilliance and sense of wonder (not to mention magnificent narrating voice) and you just can't help but share in this astonishment of the universe. I wish I have watched this earlier, when I was still strongly impressionable. True, I've always been awestruck by the cosmos and the achievements of the human mind. Still, I wonder if I have made different learning choices had I had Carl Sagan as my role model. This series intensified my desire to be a teach young minds, in one way of another. I would make my students watch it, whatever course/subject/learning area I will happen to teach.

In an unprecedented series of events (not really), I watched an Irish indie film, Parked (2010) which increased my respect for Colin Morgan as an actor tenfold. His portrayal of the wasted waif Cal was so multidimensional--he can be funny, he can be pensive, he can be dumb, he can be in unbearable pain, he can make your heart soar with his laughter or tear it to smithereens with his agony. Colin also won Best Actor in the British Awards for Television for Merlin last January which just sold the month for me. Basically, I'm having a situation over this pasty Irish boy and I miss Merlin.

History Channel's Vikings has begun. First fifteen seconds into the premiere episode and I'm already in love. The opening sequence looks and sounds so beautiful, I knew right then and there that this is a show I will follow to its end. Even without George Blagden as the monk Athelstan (who played Grantaire in the Les Mis film and the primary reason why I learned about this series), I would still be intrigued enough by the carnal and primal existence of the fierce north-men portrayed in the show. The lead character Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), I just learned, was inspired by the legendary Norse hero of the same name from the Viking Age. So far, with all the intricate motives of the characters, gorgeous, truly gorgeous, costumes and sets, topnotch acting and heart-racing musical scores, Vikings is proving to be deserving of the anticipation from the Les Mis and medieval fantasy fandoms.

I have also learned about the planned TV series adaptation by HBO of Neil Gaiman's American Gods. How bloody cool is that. I am quite confident that the material wouldn't be compromised because Neil Gaiman had said that he himself is going to pen new material for this upcoming show. I AM SO DARN EXCITED. Neverwhere has also been made into a radio drama, which included favorite British actors including Benedict Cumberbatch, Natalie Dormer and Anthony Head. How cooler can things Neil Gaiman be?

Speaking of HBO, no, actually, speaking of awesome things in my life, the third season of Game of Thrones is about to start in three days. I think I had only about two months max of respite before things Ice and Fire came back with a vengeance--the promos, trailers, actor interviews, video sneak peeks. Now, almost all of my waking hours bring me thoughts of finally seeing how the HBO series will adapt/bring A Storm of Swords into life. This third book is simply the most fascinating, nerve-wracking, emotionally-charged of the series (to me), and I can't wait how it will unfold on screen.

I am excited for every character and setting, but I have my biases: I'm crying for more Arya, Gendry and Brotherhood Without Banners; I am so looking forward to the Jaime-Brienne dymanics, character development and quality dialogues; I can't wait for the plotting and scheming from Team Dragonstone's end, as well as Jon and Ygritte being together Beyond-the-Wall, discovering so much about each other and the world; I am both excited and immensely ridiculously scared for The Rains of Castamere. I JUST CAN'T WAIT.

Keep it up, 2013.

Hey, Moon.

28 March 2013

My 2013 is crazy awesome so far