"Bite me, Alien boy!"

These two are brilliant together! I’m gonna miss watching both of them as The Doctor and Donna! I think Donna is my favourite companion of the Doctor’s. She can really go toe-to-toe with him. And I love how she called him “Space Man”.

San Diego Comic Con - my thoughts.

I didn’t have the opportunity to attend Comic Con in San Diego this weekend. I’ve never attended one before, but have always been curious. My urge to go really started right after seeing “The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring”. Since then, I’ve always toyed with the idea of going to this convention one day.

I didn’t really make any particular plans to go to Comic Con this year. However, my cousin, Joyce, mentioned that she and our friend Marty were thinking of purchasing a one-day pass to check it out, and she asked me if I wanted to come along. It was a very tempting notion. I told her that I would seriously think about going. A couple of weeks before Comic Con started, I found out that Zachary Quinto (Sylar from “Heroes” and Spock from “Star Trek” the movie) was going to be at the convention. That kinda upped the ante for me. So, I snooped around some more to see who else was going to be at Con, and that’s how I found out that David Tennant, Barty Crouch, Jr. from “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, but more notably, the 10th Doctor in the most successful and longest-running sci-fi TV show ever, “Doctor Who” was going to be there! My mind exploded! I’m a fairly new “Who” fan, it probably started late last year. I stumbled upon it on a local PBS station whilst channel-surfing. At the time, it was still Christopher Eccleston (Claude from “Heroes”, Destro in the upcoming “G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra” movie), playing the enigmatic Time Lord. I was immediately hooked! I had a Netflix account at the time, so I decided to catch myself up with the series. I fell in love! Chris only stayed for 1 season (he and Russell T. Davies revived the show, which had been lying dormant since the 80’s). Then, David came along, and I was gone! I couldn’t get enough of it! I have officially joined the exclusive society of geeks and nerds when I discovered this show!

Anyway, I digress. I couldn’t believe that David was going to Con, along with Russell T. Davies (main “Who” writer), and John Barrowman, who plays Capt. Jack Harkness in “Doctor Who” and, eventually, it’s spin-off “Torchwood” – another fave of mine). My indecisiveness about going to SDCC was quickly replaced with determination! I wanted to go to Con! I just need to find out about getting a pass on the day David and the “Doctor Who”/”Torchwood” folks would be at panel, which was last Sunday. I checked the Comic Con website again to find out more details, only to find out that all passes, both for the weekend and day passes, were SOLD OUT! Waaaahhh!!!! I wanted to cry so bad! I possibly have missed my only chance to see David Tennant in person! When am I ever going to London or Cardiff? Not anytime soon, that’s for sure! Needless to say, I was devastated. So, no DT, RTD and JB for me.

Then, I saw Jonathan Ross’ (”Friday Night with Jonathan Ross”) tweet on Twitter last Thursday, mentioning that he had just landed at LAX, with the lovely David Tennant, and they were on their way to San Diego. I just about keeled over! David was in Southern California! Breathing the same smog-filled air as I am! Again, I nearly cried! (So dramatic, I know!)

So, basically, this past weekend was torture for me. I had turned into a complete and utter geek this past weekend. Thanks to other “Who” fans who posted pics of DT, RTD and JB, and videos of “the kiss” and the “Doctor Who” panel, I felt a bit better for not being there in person. Still, it would’ve been such a thrill for me to have seen my lovely favourites in person. I’m hoping that DT, RTD and JB would go to Gallifrey One, which is a “Doctor Who” convention held here in Los Angeles! One can only hope!

Here’s a pic

My lovely Doctor, camping it up for the camera at Comic Con! (photo courtesy of Jonathan Ross)

David Tennant poses with Jonathan Ross' friend and co-producer, at Comic Con (David's the one in blue). Millenium Falcon shirt, FTW! (photo from Jonathan Ross)

I hope Jonathan Ross doesn’t mind me posting the pics. They ARE all over the internet by now! LOL

This takes the cake though… I fell to the floor, much like John Barrowman did here on this video! Crazy fools!

And here are the videos taken of the “Doctor Who” panel.

PLEASE NOTE: These videos aren’t mine. Credit goes to the owners of course. Thank you for sharing!

I ain’t gonna front, I was a mess after watching Michael Jackson’s memorial service yesterday! He was a big part of the soundtrack of my life, just as he was a part of everyone else’s. I had a lot of very vivid & fond memories, & his music was prevalent throughout my 34 yrs. Back in Manila, growing up, I bonded with my neighbor across the street over MJ’s music & dance moves. I remember coming home from school every afternoon, and I would hear “Beat It” blasting through his living room window. He would dance up a storm, and my uncles, aunts, and I would watch him from our driveway. He would come over the house at times and he and I would dance to “Beat It” & “Thriller”! choreography and all! He even taught me how to moonwalk! And I’m proud to say, I can still do it! He was a huge fan. I wonder how he’s holding up right now.

Michael had a lot of eccentricities, and a lot of his actions were looked upon as strange or weird. But sometimes, I think most of these actions were done on purpose. Part of a publicity stunt. Regardless of what has transpired in the past 10 years, as far as his life is concerned, he is undoubtedly a musical genius. He was an amazing singer, even at 11 years old – very souful and expressive. And his dancing is just unparallelled. No matter how hard you try, when you watch him dance, even with dancers all around him, you cannot help but zero in on him. He just pulls you in and you are just mesmerized. I’d have to agree with Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Michael is the greatest entertainer that ever lived. Unfortunately, we will not see anymore of his brilliance. However, his music will continue to live on and on. He has changed pop culture, and was the bar that every one wanted to live up to.

When I learned of his death, I immediately thought, "did anyone talk to him about Jesus Christ and presented to him the Gospel?" However, I ran into a tweet by Sheila E., fantastic percussionist, a believer, and a friend of Michael’s, on the day of MJ’s memorial service, in which she said, and I quote, “Michael received Jesus B4 he passed. I will attend his home coming. Pray for his family.” If this is true, and I pray to the Lord it is, it would’ve been the best thing that had ever happened to Michael. No matter what happened to him while he was still alive, receiving God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ definitely had set him free from all the burdens he has been carrying all these years! He is now in the arms of Jesus! The best place to be! No more pain, no more sorrow. I can just picture MJ, moonwalking on the streets of gold! That would be something!

Ever since his death, I’ve been listening to his songs and have found a new appreciation for them. I listen more intently on the way he sings a song, the amazing basslines and guitar riffs of his more upbeat songs like “Beat It”, “Billie Jean” or “Smooth Criminal”. I guess it also comes with the fact that I’m older, and know a little bit more about music compared to when I was 7, 8, or 9 years old. His music and legacy will continue for a very long time.

Rockapella Concert - Lewis Family Playhouse, Rancho Cucamonga, Ca - June 14, 2009

This was actually a show that I wanted to go to, but just neglected to purchase a ticket in advance for. I headed over to Rancho Cucamonga around 5:30pm. There wasn’t much traffic at all on the way and I got there without a hitch. I parked my car and then headed to the box office to purchase my ticket. Thankfully, there were quite a few tickets left, so I picked where I wanted to sit, paid for it, then with a few minutes to spare, headed over to Forever 21 and bought myself a cute pair sandals, which I immediately wore. After I made my purchase, I headed back to the theater and freshened up in the bathroom. Walked in to the theatre, found my seat, and just waited. I sent Sherry a quick text to find out where she was. I look up, looked towards the front and found her on the 2^nd row, somewhere in the middle.

The show was great, as usual. But for some strange reason, it was just a little more sentimental for me this time around. I was enjoying it a little bit more, more than usual & I was singing along to pretty much every song. When they sang, “California Sad-Eyed Girl”, I got very teary-eyed. Kevin sang it so beautifully! It tugged at my heart-strings. I’m still getting a bit teary just thinking about it. The off-mic stuff was just plain incredible! I kept trying to hear Jeff’s part. I know exactly what part he sings and try to hear it. But he blends so well with everyone though, it’s really hard to hear him.

After the show, I wandered around for a bit, and then proceeded to head outside, just for some fresh air. As I was walking out, I saw out of the corner of my eye, someone who looked very familiar. I couldn’t see his face that well because he had his hat on. I kept walking closer to the door, then, finally looked and realized it was Jake Moulton, former vocal percussionist and baritone of m-pact (my other favorite a cappella group), now with The House Jacks! I stepped out for a bit, to make a phone call, then walked back in and decide to look for Sherry and co. On my way to look for Sherry, I walked past Jake, but didn’t have the guts to say “hi” to him at the time, as I didn’t want to bother him. I just went and looked for Sherry.

I saw Wendy & Jeff again, gave them a quick hug, and then, found Sherry with her other friends, whom I hadn’t met before. Quick introductions were made and then we just stood in line, waiting to say “hi” to Pella. As I got closer, I decided to get out of the line, and give other people a chance to say “hi” to them. I have seen them a couple of days prior anyway, so that was enough for me. I waited behind the rope (their MnG table was roped off) and watched Sherry introduce one of her friends, and first time Rockapella concert-goer, to the guys. I did manage to do my wave/smile combo to both JB and Geo, and then, Kevin. I gave a quick wave to Jeff, who said “hi” back. Talked a little bit with another friend of Sherry’s (his name escapes me at the moment), then decided to leave. As I was saying my goodbyes to the new Pella friends I had met, I saw Jake Moulton again, walking towards me this time. I decided to just go up and say “hi” to him. I said, “Hello, Jake. Just wanted to come up and say, ‘hi’.” He smiled and shook my hand, very firmly, and held it for a while. He then, asked me what my name was, so I said, “My name is Aura.” Then, something clicked in his head, I guess. He said that he remembers me. At first, he thought my name was “Aura Lee” then he realized it was the title of a song. LOL Anyway, I told him that I’m a huge fan, and had seen m-pact quite a few times, and he is my other favorite vocal percussionist, besides Jeff. (And that is the truth!) We talked for quite a bit, asked him why he left m-pact, how he got the gig with The House Jacks, where he went to school, Kickshaw (which he founded), his vocal problems (poor thing, he’s having a hard time singing!). I told him that he needs to take care of his voice because it is just beautiful (another truth!). It was quite a long, and enjoyable (for my part, at least!) conversation. We must’ve been talking for at least a half-hour. He said that he was there to see Jeff, with whom he’s been friends for a long time. He also said that he’s been a fan of Rockapella since the “Spike Lee & Co.: Do it, A Cappella” days, and wanted to do what they’re doing. I thought that was really cool. Finally, Jeff approached us, and I suppose he was quite surprised to see me talking to Jake (or vice versa). So, he asked Jake, “Do you know this young lady?” Jake said that he did know me. Then, he looked at me and asked, “So, are you a fan of his many, many groups?” So, I told him that I am. Then, they started making plans, so I excused myself, so they could plan where they were going. But before I got a chance to walk away, Jeff grabbed me and gave me a hug, another nice one, and said, “Thanks for coming, sweetie. It’s always good to see you.” I said that it was good to see him too, and that I will see him again at the next gig. I tried to pull away, but he was hanging on tight, so I stayed there, in his arms, for a little bit. Then, I finally wiggled my way out, and looked over to Jake and said, “It was nice talking to you.” Offered to shake his hand. I’m not sure if I was imagining it, but he just stood there, looking at me, with arms wide open. I guess, he wanted a hug, so I said, “Oh, let me give you a hug too!” So, we hugged it out. He gives good hugs too. Then, as I walked away, I reminded him to get to working on booking gigs for The House Jacks here in the Los Angeles area (which is his job, booking gigs) and he said that he would.

I went to find Sherry one last time to say “bye”, found her talking to Scott, so I stood there for a bit and listened in on their conversation until Scott finally had to leave. He gave me a hug. Then, he was off.

As I walked out, I, all of a sudden, realized that I was sandwiched between my two most favorite vocal percussionists in the entire world! Wow! I couldn’t believe it! I was walking towards Starbucks, thinking to myself, “Jeff and Jake just gave me hugs!” Soooo looney! A very memorable Rockapella/m-pact/The House Jacks rendezvous, indeed!

Rockapella Concert - McKinney Theatre, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA - June 12, 2009

When I first found out about this show, I originally hadn’t planned on going at all. I’m not sure why, and I never purchased a ticket in advance. However, it sort of worked out because I found out a few months later that my 4-year-old nephew was to graduate the same evening from preschool. This further confirmed that I wasn’t going to attend this show.

Then, a couple of days before the show, I sent a text to Sherry, and told her that I might try to make it to the show, but it all depended on what time my nephew’s graduation festivities will end. I left it at that, and just kind of let it simmer in my mind.

The 12^th came. I went to work, as usual, then left early so that I could make it to my nephew’s graduation ceremony in time, but got a bit confused in the process because there were two preschools in the same area in Cerritos, and I went to the wrong one! After making a quick phone call to verify the actual location, I headed over to the school with plenty of time to find family and settle down from being a bit frazzled.

The ceremony ended around 7pm, with a small reception after-wards. Around 7:15pm, I sent another text to Sherry to ask if it’s worth it to drive out to Mission Viejo and catch the show. She replied and informed me that it might not be worth it, because earlier that evening, the 5 Freeway was a pain, they were stuck for a while, and the show was to start at 8pm. My family/relatives all stayed for the reception and we ended up just hanging out. Then, they all started to leave, one by one. I found myself standing next to my car with nowhere to go, so I just decided to hop in and drive to Mission Viejo in the off-chance that they would have extra tickets and possibly just miss the first 15 minutes of the show. I tried calling the box office at McKinney to see how long they will be open ‘til and if there were still tickets to be purchased. However, no one answered, but the automated voice announcement said that the box office will only be open 1 hour prior to the start of the show! The show started at 8pm, I didn’t leave Cerritos ‘til 7:45pm, by the time I would get to the theatre, the box office would’ve been long closed already and I would’ve missed 45 minutes of the show! I had to decide quickly, as I didn’t really have much time to think about it, so I just told myself to just go anyway.

The flow of traffic was smooth all the way to Mission Viejo, but it felt like I was driving forever! I kept looking at the clock to check what time it was. I finally arrived at Saddleback College, but I ended up on the wrong side of campus. I had no idea where the theatre was! I believe, I arrived at Saddleback some time around 8:20pm, but since I didn’t know where to go, I ended up driving around for another 10-15 minutes, just looking for the theatre! I finally found the place, and just ran to the theatre. Obviously, the box office was closed already, but I was hoping that people that worked there would be walking around so I could ask them if it’s possible to buy a ticket. There was no one in sight, but I saw that one of the doors into the lobby was wide open. I looked around to see if anyone was there, but there was no soul in sight. So, I walked in, but hesitated to just walk into the theatre, so I waited for another 5 minutes to see if anyone would show up. No one did, so I finally walked in and found a few empty seats on the fourth row (from the back), and just sat in one of the seats. I can’t remember which part of the show I walked in during. Anyway, I was just happy to have made it, and actually get a free show in the process!

“My Girl/”Beg” – this was fun. The fake-out was actually pretty good. Of course, Geo made me swoon when he rumbled “Hey, how you doin?” to the girl they picked out (Still waiting for my turn, guys!). Kevin was fixated on the girl’s “cork” shoes, and called them “boat shoes” (am I right, Sher?)! Kevin’s just random like that, and that’s one of the things I love about him.

Before one of their songs, Kevin pointed out that not only does Scott have nice hair (which he does, I have touched it, Bumble and Bumble!), and a voice that only dogs can hear (‘tis true), he also has a 28-inch waist, to which Scott corrected Kevin and said, “26-inches”. Ummm… I almost died! His waist is as big as one of my thighs! Good lawd, I may have to feed you next time, Scott!

Jeff’s VP solo during “Carmen” – for some strange reason, it just struck me at that moment how much I really admire this man. Seriously, he never ceases to amaze me and that night just reminded me why he was my initial favorite (they all are, now)!

After the show, I caught up with Sherry, et al. Then, I checked out the merchandise table to see if they had anything to sell that I still don’t have, and I found a sheet music of “People Change”. It only cost $5 so I bought it to have the guys sign. I got back in line to meet the guys, and finally met Wendy and Jeff (Sherry’s friends) and chatted with them for a bit. As I got closer, I felt myself getting a bit nervous. I’m not sure why. It’s probably because I hadn’t done a meet-and-greet in a while. The last MnG that I did was probably in Dec of 2007, at the Lewis Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, and I didn’t even get to say “hello” to all of the guys, only a quick hug to Scott, and a brief chat with Jeff. I took out my phone and asked Sherry, who was standing behind me, to take a pic of me with each of the guys. After giving me a hard time about it (thanks, girl! LOL), in jest, of course, I finally found myself standing a few inches away from Scott, who was the first one at the end of the table. However, before I was able to say “hello” to Scott, Jeff saw me, so I smiled and waved at him. He mumbled something like, “I’m going to get up and say ‘hello.’” So, he got up and went around, and gave me a really nice hug. He said that it was a pleasure to see me, as always, that I looked good and that he liked my hair. This, of course, made me “squee” inside. He excused himself (after saying “hi” to and hugging Sherry behind me) and went about his business, not sure what it was. Now, that I think about it, I’m not sure when he signed my sheet music, because he did. Hmm… Anyway, I digress. So, I stand in front of Scott, did my wave/smile combo, and he immediately says, “Aura”. He is too cute! I love the fact that he remembers my name! As he was signing the sheet music, I pointed to it and asked him if he was ever going to have sheet music for “Don’t Tell Me You Do”. He said that he’s working on it and remembered that it is my favorite Rockapella song ever (can’t believe he remembered that too!)! I asked him about his shirt, a pink shirt, with the words “purple and yellow” on it. Sherry wanted to know if he wore it because of the Lakers. So, I asked him if he did wear it because of the Lakers, but he said that he didn’t realize it until I pointed it out. I proceeded to ask him if it would be easy to transpose “People Change” to a key that’s suited for a women’s ensemble, because my group and I would like to attempt to sing it. He said that it should be easy, especially now that we have the sheet music. Then, he went into more of the technical aspects of ensemble singing and said that we wouldn’t really need the bass thumping through, or some such. He kept going on, but I noticed that I was holding up the line (yes Sher, I was the one holding up the line, which is not entirely my fault because Scott kept explaining stuff to me, I didn’t want to just walk away! *winks*). I apologize to those who were behind me.

I was hoping I would get to talk to JB but by the time I finished talking to Scott, he had left his seat and was talking to someone else. Bummer! However, next in line was Kevin! So, I immediately went around and said “hello” to him and gave him a hug. I, then, asked him, “What? No straight hair?” This was in reference to a conversation we had about a Kevin look-alike I saw on the BART (Bay area’s transit system) a couple of months ago, that had straight hair. I asked him if he ever thought about straightening his hair and he said that he thought of it, and asked me if I thought it would look good. Anyway, when I asked him at the MnG why his hair wasn’t straight, he chuckled and said, “Noo… I got a lot of e-mails about that and they didn’t like the idea.” Too funny! I wouldn’t want him to straighten his hair anyway. His curly hair is one of the many reasons I love him. We were just having a silly conversation about straightening his hair, that’s all! We took a picture together, and then I told him that I would post it up so he could see it. I gave him another hug, and before I walked away he said, “You smell really good!” What is up with ‘Pella smelling me?! This isn’t the first time I got the “you smell good” comment. LOL He asked what the scent was and where I got it, so I told him.

I walked around Geo and just said “hi” to him. I didn’t really have much to say to Geo since I am not as well acquainted with him as I am with Scott, Kevin and Jeff, but I thought, “what the heck?!” and asked him if I could take a picture with him. So, I grabbed my phone and took our picture, “self-portrait” style. The first one didn’t turn out well, and I was cut off, so he suggested for me to take another one. I thanked Geo and walked over by the merchandise table once again, stood there for a bit, while checking out to see if the pictures that I took turned out well. While I was standing there, I saw Jeff walking towards me, so I went up to him and asked him if I could have my picture taken with him. I was going to do it “self-portrait” style again, but I saw Rudy (one of Sherry’s friends, who I hadn’t met yet at that point) and asked him if he could take our picture. As I stood next to Jeff, he tells me, “This is your color.” – pointing out the color of the sweater I was wearing, which was purple. After three attempts, Rudy gave up. He was shaking! It was too funny! He actually got one OK one, a bit blurry, but I still like it. Jeff and I had a brief conversation about iPhones (since I have one), and asked me if I knew about the 3Gs that was coming out this month. I told him that I knew about it, but I probably won’t upgrade since I had just gotten my iPhone (regular 3G), and I didn’t want to pay $399 to upgrade to a 3Gs. After that brief convo, he gave me another hug (which I love!), called me “sweetie”, and excused himself to handle the money, I’m guessing from the merch & ticket sales.

After Jeff left, I thanked Rudy and introduced myself to him, and Jeff (not Thacher), Sherry’s friends, who are incredibly nice and fun to talk to. I was about to leave when Rudy insisted that I hear the “octopus” story that Kevin told during the show. So, he walked up to Kevin and said, that he had a friend who got there late and missed the first part of the show, and didn’t get to hear the “octopus” story, and if he wouldn’t mind telling the story again. He asked Rudy who the friend was, and he pointed to me! I didn’t know Rudy did that! So, Kevin looked at me and said, “You missed the first 20 minutes of the show? Well, that’s too bad. I’m not going to tell the story again!” So, I said, “Fine, I’m never, ever coming to see you guys again!” Then, I turned around, pretending to leave. But then, I went back and I said, “C’mon! I would like to hear the story, please?” So, he said, “OK, OK, I’ll tell you the story.” He, then, proceeds to tell me the whole “octopus” story, which was hilarious! One-on-one, story-telling time with Kevin. It’s the best thing ever!

So, I chatted a bit more with Rudy and Jeff, then, decided that it was late and I had to go home since it was still a bit of a drive for me. Didn’t get to say “bye” to Sherry since I didn’t want to interrupt her conversation with Scott, but I sent her a text to let her know I had left. Rudy and Jeff walked me to the car, which was really nice of them, gave them hugs and said my goodbyes. Another Rockapella Rendezvous to remember.

Hatton should find a new coach.

After the devastating loss Ricky Hatton suffered in the hands of Manny Pacquaio last Saturday, May 2nd, Floyd Mayweather, Sr., in a couple of articles I read online, put down his own boxer, saying that the reason Hatton lost to Pac Man was because he (Hatton) didn't listen to him (Mayweather, Sr.), and urged him to retire already because he's tried and lost twice: first, to his son, Pretty Boy Floyd, and then to Manny (who he considers "lower" than Pretty Boy, hmph).

Some coach Hit Man has, huh? Very sad for Hatton to have someone on his side who kicks you when you're already down. And for him to be your coach, someone who's supposed to be on your side and supports you, no matter what? A piece of advice to Ricky Hatton: look for a new coach.

I survived, barely.

The flu hit me like a ton of bricks a couple of weeks ago. I'm such a weakling! I always, ALWAYS get sick during the winter. It never fails! I need to take better care of myself. It's my own fault, I admit. I do not sleep early. For me, "early" would be 1am. Don't know why. I promised myself that I was going to work on sleeping early for 2009. So far, I have not been successful. Please pray for discipline on my part. I need it.

The flu's long gone, but now I'm coughing. It doesn't help that I feel a draft coming through the window around the early hours of the morning. Thank God for the electric blanket that April got me for Christmas. It has helped me these past few days.

Prayer requests:

1. For our church, Olive Christian Church. We need a revival, BIG TIME. Pray that each member realizes that the Lord's work is serious business and not just a weekend activity that's optional or attended to whenever one's personal calendar allows it.

2. My prayer life. I have to admit, my prayer life could be so much better. I don't spend as much time in prayer as I would want to.

3. My health. For me to take better care of myself.

4. My mom's health. She's been doing well so far. Lots of 'maintenance'. Praise God, her gout hasn't been bothering her!

5. God's leading in my life. I would like to have more of a clear direction in where He wants me to be, and what He wants me to do at this point. Would a move be a possibility?

6. In Harmony and Papuri. God has been refining us. And I know that there's a reason why we've been on hiatus for a while. We all have issues. I pray that we get things right, individually. We need to put God as top priority. We've been focusing on so many things, that we've lost focus on Him. It's hard to minister to people, when you're not willing to work on your personal relationship with God. I understand that God accepts us for who we are. But He also wants us to become the kind of people He's called us to be.

I'd appreciate the prayers! :)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Well, the day is coming to an end, I hope that everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. I survived it, being single and all. I actually had to work for a little bit today. Almost had a situation to which I had to do damage control. Praise God, things went really smoothly.

After work, I had the urge to drive around, go to L.A. or something, but I decided to just do a bit of grocery shopping and then head home. I ended up watching the NBA All-Star festivities on TV while eating some of the leftover pork sinigang my mom made for me for my birthday.

Thus, ends my Valentine's day festivities. I'm gonna hit the sack. Have to get up early for church tomorrow. Good night!

Birthday fun-day at the Magic Kingdom.

So, I just celebrated another birthday. No fancy celebration for me this year, not even a dinner or anything. I just wanted to do one thing, go to Disneyland! As you may know, Disneyland has this special deal where you can get in to one of their parks for free on your birthday. So, that's what I decided to do. I haven't been to the Magic Kingdom since 2006, so I thought I would take advantage of this special deal they have and go for my birthday to see what's new since the last time I was there.

I was joined by my niece, Nevaeh, my friend Vanessa (who took a half-day), my friend Gidget and her husband and son. We rode most of the "thrill" rides they had, except for Indiana Jones because Nevaeh wasn't tall enough to ride it. I was a bit apprehensive in having her ride the "thrill" rides with me for fear that she might get scared. But Nevaeh's a trooper, she loved every single ride we rode on! She especially loved Space Mountain! I love it! I had so much fun, and the fact that I got to spend it with my little niece, just made it even more special.

My Grammy commentary.

First, let me get this out of the way... I HEART COLDPLAY! I've always liked their music, but after being featured on the show "60 Minutes" tonight, right before the Grammy telecast, I am now a bigger fan. "Viva La Vida" is such an awesome tune! I'm glad it won 'Song of the Year' even if it meant that Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" didn't win. :(

U2 rocked my socks off!

Whitney looked good and healthy. Still a little cooky, but it's good to see her doing well. When's the new album coming out?

Was it just me or did they have the weirdest on-stage collaborations tonight? The Jonas Brothers with Stevie Wonder? Cringe-worthy. Don't get me wrong, those Jo' Bros are talented kids, I'm still waiting for Joe Jonas' voice to fully grow out of puberty into full, grown-man voice, but I would've waited 10 more years for them to take the stage with Stevie Wonder.

I have beef with the Grammy producers. Why in the world were Boyz II Men relegated to mere back-up singers, and Justin Timberlake got to share the spotlight with Al Green?! Umm... something's wrong there. Apparently, that performance was pulled together last-minute because Chris Brown and Rihanna were no-shows, but still.

Two-words: Kanye's hair.

Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus' duet - surprisingly cute.

John Mayer won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance over Jason Mraz. I love both guys, but this caused me to raise my eyebrows. And I thought Jason was going to perform, "I'm Yours". :(

will.i.am's quip: "congratulations to Obama." Have some respect, man. He is the President of the United States, please address him accordingly. He ain't your best friend. Just because you campaigned and voted for him, doesn't mean you have the right to address him however you want to.

Overall, it wasn't the best Grammys I've seen. I missed those days when they would televise performances from other genres besides the mainstream stuff, like classical, jazz and gospel.