The Head and the Heart - Rivers and Roads

Rivers and roads

Rivers and roads

Rivers till I reach you...

Goodbye, Chuck!

If there's one show who's good (great, actually) at doing endings, it has to be Chuck. Since they never knew on the fly whether they'll get canceled or not every season that there has been, each season finale was always written as if it was the last episode that will air. As a big fan, I'm glad the show had the chance to do a proper goodbye on their own terms and they did it amazingly.

After watching the very jam-packed (action- and emotion-filled, with the right amount of comedy in between) finale, I couldn't help but google some post-finale blogs/write-ups to help me cope with the sudden loss. While reading and nodding to every word they said, I'm just like, why do I get so invested in these things? You know why? Because they're not just mere TV shows, they're not just there to entertain you. They actually teach you lessons in life and love and heartbreak and simply everything in between. And they make you soft on the inside, and if you're already soft, they make you softer and softer that you end up being just gooey in the end, like me, but I love it.

Even though I did not get the ending I was expecting, I actually loved every minute of the 2-hour finale. I had to pause almost 3/4 in the first half because I simply couldn't take it. When I resumed watching and continued on to the final chapter, it became a full-on sob fest! I'm not even ashamed to admit that I cried like a freaking baby up until the closing.

If you haven't seen the last two episodes or have any interest in starting to watch the series, please, for the love of Buy More and Subway sandwiches, do not read more!

Spectacular Pyromusical Showcase

The closing ceremony of UST's Quadricentennial celebration, also deemed as welcoming the university's Neo-Centennial, was a special one for Thomasians because of the best pyromusical we have seen yet.

The show was choreographed by an alumni, Don Villarosa, who's a graduate of CFAD batch 2009. Like UST Pyromusicals on Facebook!

I especially loved the moment when Coldplay's "Yellow" was playing and along the lines "Look at the stars, look how they shine for you," the fireworks looked like falling stars! It was so beautiful!

The 4 different spots in which the pyro were set up are actually the 4 landmarks declared National Cultural Treasures by UNESCO: the Arch of the Centuries, the Main Building, the Grandstand, and the Seminary Gym.

Too much TV!

Last Wednesday felt like a summer day since I spent almost the whole day watching TV. Well, watching TV on my computer to be exact. My classes that day ended up being suspended because of Velada Tomasina in UST so I just stayed at home. I know, it's so KJ of me to not attend the program but I had been feeling sick since Tuesday night. So what do you do when you're sick and can't go outside? Curl up in bed and watch your favorite shows, of course!

I ended up finishing Friends season 3 and I also watched episodes of my Tuesday guilty-pleasures. Yes, I have shows to watch every day of the week, except for Monday.

My Tuesday shows include:
Gossip Girl - Season 5 is easily becoming one of my favorites, and one of the best, too, with lots of the drama having much more depth.

Pretty Little Liars - One of my favorites!!! There's nothing else to say, really.

Hart of Dixie - This will probably be my new "One Tree Hill' just because it's starting to make me cry in every episode, just like OTH (yes, I think it was either season 7 or 8, maybe both, where I cried a lot while watching consecutive episodes). Also, Rachel Bilson is fantastic as her character, Dr. Zoe Hart!

Wednesday shows:
Glee - The show is starting to feel like how it was in the first season, and I'm liking how it's now more focused on character development (e.g. Harry Shum Jr.'s Mike Chang, Naya Rivera's Santana). Of course I love the music that has been featured this season. Very much looking forward to the "Michael" episode this coming week! Ships: Klaine, Finchel, Wemma

New Girl - Funny enough to keep me watching. Besides, Zooey Deschanel is always enjoyable to watch.

Thursday shows:
One Tree Hill - As I mentioned earlier, OTH is ending soon and this last season is only making me crazier and crazier with every episode!!

Modern Family - Hilarious! Brilliant cast! They definitely deserve all the awards!!

Friday (aka Supernatural day) shows:
The Vampire Diaries - One of my favorites as well! Although the show's current pace is kind of slow. Favorite ship: Stelena!

The Secret Circle - Good witchy show! Kind of intense plotlines. I like it.

Saturday hit:
Chuck - Forever favorite!!! The last two episodes are waiting for me to watch them... Will spare myself from probably crying myself to sleep and watch them tomorrow instead.

Obviously, I watch too much TV. But I still have other ones in line that I'd like to start watching, too, including: How I Met Your Mother (I know, I'm probably the only person left in the world who isn't hooked with this show yet), The Big Bang Theory (same with this one), Once Upon A Time, Sherlock, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, 2 Broke Girls, and Smash. I plan on starting with House and Grey's Anatomy, too, in the future.

Having friends that are as much of a TV addict as me makes it much more enjoyable to watch these shows. Not only do we have the same taste in music, we also like the same shows. So you can expect that our daily conversations revolve around 2 things: music charts and what happened in the latest episode of our favorite TV show of the day.

What shows are you currently watching? :)

The California Dreams Tour

While I'm feeling sick right now, what makes it bearable is the happy thought that I was able to go see Katy Perry perform for the second time here in Manila. Last night was the final date for her California Dreams Tour and it was an amazing show!

It was my first time going to a concert without being prepared, meaning, still not having a ticket in my hand while on my way to the venue so I was panicking already when we got to MOA at around 7:30. Me and my friend ended up going inside at a little over 8 o'clock and DJ Skeet Skeet (Katy's opening act) had already started with his set by then. He finished at around 8:20 or so and said something like, "And for the last time in this tour I'm gonna say, Katy Perry's up next!" Then the crowd went wild. But we ended up waiting for her up until 10pm because there were some technical difficulties with the cameras and they had to solve a certain security issue (according to Katy's tweet).

Singing "Teenage Dream"
(c) Magic Liwanag Photography

But all of it was well worth the wait because the show went wonderfully! Katy's energy was superb and her vocals have definitely improved a lot! I had so much fun that a couple people were throwing me looks because I was so loud. Hahaha. But I didn't really care though since you're actually supposed to be loud and crazy at a concert! You paid to have a great time so might as well make the most of the experience. Although this time, I didn't look like a mad woman singing out loud and screaming and freaking out by myself like the last time I watched Katy's concert since I had a friend who came to watch and sing and scream loudly with me. :)

Here's last night's setlist:

1. Teenage Dream
2. Hummingbird Heartbeat
3. Waking Up In Vegas
4. Ur So Gay
5. Peacock
6. I Kissed A Girl
7. Circle The Drain
8. E.T.
9. Not Like The Movies
10. The One That Got Away
11. Hot N Cold
12. Last Friday Night
13. Firework
14. California Gurls

Singing "Not Like The Movies"
Photo from: http://bit.ly/zarkwu

Highlights for me were Not Like The Movies and Firework (which, I admit, made me tear up a bit). And of course, her quirky stint with Ivan Dorschner. Don't you just love her for being makulit? Hahaha! Will definitely do this all over again for the next tour, that is if Katy includes a Manila date again. And I think she will because she just loves us so much. <3

Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars - Safe & Sound

I think this is, by far, Taylor's best song yet. The lyrics (I'm not sure if she wrote this or not), her voice, the melody, just everything about this song basically. I love it. I think I'll love this song forever. I also love The Civil Wars. And isn't it just the most perfect lullaby?

Lyrics:

I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, I'll never let you go
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, don't leave me here alone
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

Don't you dare look out your window darling
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold onto this lullaby
Even when the music's gone

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound...

Alyssa Bernal - Hey Love

I'm sure I've featured Alyssa Bernal on some of my previous Music Monday posts but this is the first time that the song is her own. Her debut album "Love Hangover" came out late last year under Star Trak/Interscope Records. I've been following her on YouTube since early 2010, I think, but she's been posting her videos since 2006 so it's really nice to see that her dreams are finally coming true.

"Hey Love" is one of her early original songs that made the cut on her debut album, which I'm totally happy about because I am in love with this song. It has such a nice message. And you know that I'm a lyrics person.

Verse 1
Hey love, don't look so down, I'm sure In time you'll find
What you've been longing for
Hey love, what's with the long faces, I know, You're probably feeling jaded
Like love has faded away

Pre-Chorus
Don't think for a secondThat you have anything to do with this

Chorus
So keep your eyes off the hands of the clock
Don't be so quick to fall in love, no, no
Cause girl you're one of a kind no worries (don't you worry)
Cause your dreams will soon be reality

Verse 2
Hey you, I know it's been quite rough but your luck Will eventually change, and you will love again
Oh darling, don't let it get you down
Cause somewhere around
Your true love will come around, oh yeah


If you want to watch the original video she posted singing this song for the first time (back when it didn't even have a title yet), click here (jump to 1:01).

Just close your eyes, the sun is going down

So a week has already passed in 2012 and I think I started on the right track. I have been trying out this new mantra ever since I got back to school: "Stay positive and don't mind the negative, never let people get to you." And it seems to be quite working. It's still a struggle sometimes but I eventually block out all the negativity and replace them with positive energy to get me going and working, especially these days when I have so many deadlines to meet regarding schoolworks.

I've already mentioned probably several times before how I overthink things and this is one of my personal characteristics which I want to somehow change. I want to be overthinking important things (e.g. life decisions), not what people around me are saying or doing so I'm learning to pay no mind to stuff that don't specifically concern me. Obviously, it's still an ongoing process... Change doesn't really happen overnight.

Speaking of an ongoing process, I'm starting to gain back my kasipagan in studying for these last 3 months of my student life. It was a wake up call of sorts for me when one of my professors told the class that because we're graduating students, we should be working harder instead of simply waiting away the time and being lenient with ourselves in accomplishing homeworks, projects, etc. because we can't be rest assured that professors like him will be at our mercy to give us a passing grade just because we're graduating. And I agree. This is the last chance for me to pull up my grades, especially because last semester, I had been less serious in my studies that I almost flunked a major subject. I feel like I let my hair down and ended up enjoying too much during the previous semester and forgot to act responsibly regarding important matters. This year, I shall claim to be the responsible person I know I am.

Hopefully I can say goodbye to bad vibes, laziness and drama altogether this year!! But good drama is always, always acceptable! You know how I love shedding happy tears.

And you know what else I want to say goodbye to? This boring layout of mine!! I will try and make this blog a fun one (posts included, of course!) after I'm done with everything I need to do!

May we wake up to a new morning and discover something new within ourselves everyday. :)

"Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound... "

Change Is Good

I don't know what has gotten into me but it seems like since an hour ago, I've become somewhat reflective of myself and the things that I'd like to change with the way I live my life. The thing with me is when I encounter something, say a quote or lyrics from a song that I keep on hearing, that resonates with me on a personal level, I agree with it and then simply tuck it in my memory bank where it gets lost forever. So I took the time to look at some things I've saved, words of wisdom, if you may, and really think about how I want them to affect me.

In general, it all comes down to change. It is something I'm really afraid of, if I'm totally honest. And who isn't, really? Some people may not fear change as much but it's still something they think twice about, just like me. But this year, I decide to accept change in my life, whether it be small or big. It may take me quite some time to adjust to things being different but I know I'll get there.

One thing I know for sure is the first step towards change is knowing the need to change and wanting to do it for yourself and not because other people tell you so.

And so I leave you with this:

"About to blame? Stop. About to judge? Stop. About to criticize? Stop. Take a deep breath, and just be willing to see things differently."