Potted Potter

It's been exactly a week since I got to see the last Potted Potter show here in Manila and I still have these little flashbacks of the funny moments that stuck with me. Like, that Snitch joke about the little girl Seeker from the audience - "She's got 99 problems, but a Snitch ain't one!" Yes, we played live Quidditch at the show! It was hilarious! And that was just one of the things I loved about the whole production!

I was really amazed at how simple the whole play was, yet it was really very entertaining! Jesse Briton and Gary Trainor, the two actors in the show were brilliant comedians! I guess it was the Potterhead in me and the fact that I'm easily amused that made me enjoy the show so much. If only I can watch it over and over again, I would never have to feel even the slightest bit of sadness. :p

Here's a 70-second preview of the 70-minute show for those of you who missed it or just want to reminisce, like me!

Dan Clarkson and Jeff Turner (seen in the video above) who were the creators of Potted Potter sadly weren't able to do the show personally here in Manila (they ended up being double-booked, with other shows going on in New York during the same dates) but they sent the two best acts they could find to play themselves, and as you can assume from my previous exclamations, watching Jesse and Gary play the parts was still very much worth it albeit them being only alternates.

For us Potter fans, I guess we're lucky that the love for one boy wizard is universal because we still get to enjoy lots of different Potter-related entertainment even though the books and the movie franchise have come to an end.

Finally, I just want to include this quote from Jo Rowling - I believe it to be true as long as Harry and the rest of the characters stay in our hearts: "No story lives unless someone wants to listen. The stories we love best do live in us forever, so whether you come back by page or by the big screen [or by other means, I guess], Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

It Ends Where It All Began

I just finished re-reading the few last chapters of "Deathly Hallows" and right now I feel like I'm ready to take on the final movie. I had all sorts of emotions cross my face while reading. I was so into it at one moment that I was echoing Molly Weasley as she was battling Bellatrix while I was cheering her on. Imagine how I would be when I watch it on the big screen!!!

Seeing all these final promotion stuff going around as July 14/15 approaches, I fee like I'm too excited to finally see the last movie that I want time to speed up but at the same time, that feeling of realizing that it's the END makes me want to slow down things a bit. I'm a mess, I know. Just from watching this new trailer, tears flooded my face already.

So here it is, the final draw... In a matter of a little over one month, the last and final Harry Potter movie will be shown in theaters and I will cry like a baby as much as I would laugh and cheer and maybe cry some more. I am very proud to have grown up with the golden trio and I am very much thankful to none other (Queen) Jo Rowling for letting us share with her all the magical experiences that she brought to life through her impeccable imagination. 

Harry Potter will not end this coming July, not really. I believe it will be passed on to generations after generations and our children's children's children and their children will experience the same awe and amusement and fascination as we all experienced when we first turned those pages of the "Sorcerer's Stone" or when we first entered the magical world of Hogwarts through watching the first movie installment.

"The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well."

And I know all will be well in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter even after those final credits roll out.

WE RUN THE WORLD

When this song first came out I didn't like it much because the sample (Major Lazer's Pon De Floor) was too repetitive. Then I got to watch B perform it live at the Billboard Music Awards. Now, guess what? I cannot stop listening to the song!! And then I got to watch another live performance for Oprah's final show. WOW.

Srsly, people who have doubted Beyonce in the past are probably sitting behind their computers watching these things again and again as well. And if they're not doing that they're probably busy "hating" because they can't dance like that. I know I am, but I'm actually hating/praising her at the same time haha.

Looking forward to hearing the rest of her new album called '4' out in stores June 28th.

Make me sing

Hello there! So here are a few of my favorite songs as of late. You can find me humming/singing these tunes right when I wake up in the morning or when I'm in the shower or when I see their videos on MTV or another music channel.

Sara Bareilles - Uncharted

Maroon 5 - Never Gonna Leave This Bed

The Script - Nothing

Jessie J feat. B.o.B - Price Tag

Maroon 5 and The Script are currently on tour right now and they'll soon be visiting the country. I wish I could go see both shows but sadly, I'm short on money, money, money. I'm on the lookout for contests/ticket giveaways though, so hopefully I get lucky. ;)

The Taylor Swift Experience

Hi!! I've been so busy after the weekend that I haven't had the time to blog about the Taylor Swift concert! Before I go to bed, let me just share with you what happened that amazing Saturday.

My friends and I met up at UST and we arrived at Araneta at around 3 PM. We saw that there were already loads of people in line so we went straight to the GA gate and found out that, yes, there was already a line, a very, very long one. So we went in line and after some several minutes, they started letting people in. We still had to wait in line inside though, because they can't let people get in the arena itself until 6.

Fast forward to Sam Concepcion (opening act). When the lights went down and he came out, the arena went nuts. It was sooooo loud!!! He sang Yeah 3x by Chris Brown, Kung Fu Fighting, his song Even If and Firework by Katy Perry which he dedicated to Taylor.

Around 45 minutes after his set, it was finally time to see Taylor. When we saw her, we just started going crazy. Everyone was screaming and once she started "Sparks Fly," all we can really hear was our own voices screaming out the lyrics. It was a blast! She definitely put on a fantastic show. I loved how she knew several Filipino words as she welcomed us to the Speak Now Tour with a "Magandang gabi Manila!" and even said "Salamat!" to the applauding crowd. :)

One of my favorite parts of the show was when she did "The Story of Us." She had this really nice intro about how we all experience love and heartbreak, no matter how far we live from each other, the different languages we speak. Then she said something like, "No matter what love and heartbreak throw at me, it's gonna be alright!" And cue the unending shrieks and screams. I also loved the whole "Speak Now" choreography! She wore a blue dress and she also had white gloves on and she was dancing with Liz and Caitlin. It was so cute!

We prepared a banner!

Waiting in line

There's Taylor!

Singing "Speak Now"

Playing the ukelele during "Fearless"

Too bad we weren't lucky to get a pass to the T-Party but I guess it just isn't time for us yet to meet Taylor. I hope during her next tour we'll finally get the chance to be enchanted. ;)

Here's a video blog from Taylor herself chronicling the whole of her Asian tour including her stop in Manila:

I'm also a KatyCat

Katy Perry was also present at the Grammys and she didn't disappoint with a very sweet and loving performance. She sang Not Like The Movies live for the first time while sitting on a swing. Then she was raised to reveal a curtain and it was a wonderful surprise when a home video of her & Russell Brand's wedding in India started playing on the background. She then closed out her performance with Teenage Dream saying, "This one goes out to all the Valentine lovers!"

Watch the video below:

Oh, and by the way, I wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day! May your hearts always be filled with love and affection wherever and whoever you may be. :)

Proud Rihanna Navy

The Grammys this year was a flop. Well, not totally, but it wasn't that much entertaining for me and my friends. The only interesting things were Rihanna's performances, yes, she performed twice. And her winning a Grammy for Best Dance Recording with Only Girl (In The World), which was actually announced in the pre-telecast so there was no acceptance speech. I was really rooting for Love The Way You Lie (and I'm pretty sure I wasn't alone on this) to at least win in one or two categories it was nominated in but alas, I was only disappointed. But Eminem won in the Rap Album category though for his top-selling album, Recovery. He even thanked Rihanna for "helping to propel the album to where it's at now."

Yup, that's my girl. So despite this year's show flubs, I'm still happy with the outcome. Rihanna gained another Grammy to put under her belt and she killed it with her performances on the show together with Eminem and Drake. Watch the videos below.

Eminem & Rihanna with Adam Levine - Love The Way You Lie (Part II)

Rihanna & Drake - What's My Name

Survival Instinct

I still can't get over how good the movie 127 Hours (from the Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle who gave us Slumdog Millionaire) was. I still can't get over how great James Franco was in it. And I still can't get over how the story really happened to someone in real life. Needless to say, I'm pretty much still stuck there at that place and at that moment, with my arm trapped by a boulder.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, meet Aron Ralston. This was his story.

"There is no force on Earth more powerful than the will to live."

I couldn't even begin to imagine how I would survive if I were to be in that position (which, I hope, in God's name, wouldn't ever happen to me). In order to be freed, Aron had to amputate his upper right arm. It was fully documented in the film with Franco's amazing performance. But as amazing as it was, I just couldn't bear to really watch it since it really was bloody (I apologize for that mental image). After that whole scene though, you pretty much get over the cutting-off-the-arm thing since you kind of get a high from Aron finally being free of that boulder after, well, 127 hours.

It is such a wonderful film that's definitely worthy of the accolades it's already gotten and hopefully, will soon receive in the future. James Franco really gave an award-winning performance. If it isn't obvious yet, this movie gets a two thumbs up!!

Watch the trailer below:

Melancholy

I had just finished crying my eyes out (again) from having seen My Sister's Keeper for a third time when I came across this wonderful yet very sad new song by Adele called "Someone Like You," which goes something like this:

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you
Don't forget me, I beg
I remember you said,
Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead

And now I have it on repeat. That last line in the chorus couldn't be more true.

Adele is golden. Her talent is simply pure perfection.

Meet Ellie Goulding

Hello world, I'd like you to meet Ellie Goulding, one of UK's fresh rising stars. I'd first heard of her on MTV with her single "Starry Eyed" several months ago, which to be honest, I didn't like that much. After that, I never really paid attention to her until this morning, when I heard her version of Elton John's "Your Song" (a personal favorite). I absolutely loved her voice so I decided to listen to some of her other songs and the one that I also liked is called "Guns and Horses". Oh, and she's also really pretty!

Ignite the light and let it shine

Yesterday I was feeling somewhat nostalgic and I started missing Katy Perry (just goes to show how I attached I get with my favorite music, soon there's going to be a Rihanna post as well, I assure you) that I started watching all of her old video blogs again. I love watching those v-logs, vlogs or whatever... (I apologize for sounding like a creep though.)

And today I was on YouTube searching for her old performances. These are really old like 2 years ago old and it's a new artist showcase show so it's probably like one of her first shows. I remember watching these like eons ago. It feels so long ago but it's only been a couple of years. Later we'll get to the more recent stuff, don't worry... :)

I miss the acoustic Katy more than anything. I remember watching her perform live and I flipped out the most during the acoustic part of the show with Thinking of You & Mannequin. Katy + her guitar = my weakness, basically. I remember her saying she wants to do an acoustic album someday so I hope that will come to life in the future.

So now, onto the more recent stuff... Firework! I adore that song <3 Like what I told my friend, it's so GV-inducing (for a lack of a better term). Just realizing how far she's come and all the things she has achieved in the past couple years makes me so happy. From the homemade vlogs to Firework, it just makes me grateful to come to know her music. Yeah I know, I'm such a fangirl. But what can I say, I love Katy! :)

Oldie but definitely a goodie

Just earlier this afternoon I was sitting on the couch watching Channel V and Backtracks was on. Usually, I don't sit through it because I know they play really old music that I don't recognize but every once in a while they do play stuff that I'm familiar with, like music I grew up listening to and enjoying, which actually makes me feel old. Anyway, the very first music video they played was of Alanis Morissette. I didn't know the song but the simple beauty of the melody struck me so I continued watching. The song was "That I Would Be Good".

Once I heard the lyrics, I knew that it would go straight to my favorites list. Why didn't I know about this song before? It was actually first released in 1998 from Alanis' fourth record Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. Then, an acoustic live version of the song (video above) was recorded during a session for MTV Unplugged in 1999. It was released as a single for the album Alanis Unplugged the following year. Where was I in the year 2000? I think that was 4th grade and I was around 9 or 10.

As I was saying, I was simply mesmerized by the lyrics and its simplicity. I'm either a lyric person or a music person but more often than not, I guess I'm a lyric person and that's why I absolutely fell in love with this song. It just has that certain personal sense to it. No matter who you are or where you're from, I'm sure at some point you can or were able to relate to what the song says.

That I would be good even if I did nothing
That I would be good even if I got the thumbs down
That I would be good if I got and stayed sick
That I would be good even if I gained ten pounds

That I would be fine even if I went bankrupt
That I would be good if I lost my hair and my youth
That I would be great if I was no longer queen
That I would be grand if I was not all knowing

That I would be loved even when I numb myself
That I would be good even when I am overwhelmed
That I would be loved even when I was fuming
That I would be good even if I was clingy

That I would be good even if I lost sanity
That I would be good
Whether with or without you

On a high

I stumbled upon the first video (a video they made of Katy's song Peacock, from her new album Teenage Dream) via Katy Perry's tweet and I absolutely adored both the video and them. So I checked out some more of their video parodies and found another one of Katy Perry's, which is the second one, California Gays. How can you not enjoy this? They are all so gay and I love it!! They're so fun!

They love Katy Perry and I love Katy Perry and now, I love them, too!

P.S. Last Monday, I went to the mall and stopped by the record store hoping I would see Teenage Dream there and I did. Although it wasn't the same as the one available in the US (cotton candy-scented!), I'm happy I got it on the day of its release. :)
P.P.S. Congratulations to Katy for the album debuting at #1! Hoorah!!

Katy Perry - Mannequin

I don't remember actually writing about my watching Katy Perry's concert in Manila back in November of last year. (Probably because that was when I already lost all hope of ever going back to blogging.) Anyway, that night was one of the best ones I've ever had. Katy was simply amazing. She was so full of energy and spontaneity! And she talked a lot and made the audience laugh so that was a plus. Not to mention the songs she performed!! One of the Boys is one of my favorite albums and I am so glad I did what I did just to be able to watch the concert. I'm still kind of slightly bitter about her not singing Lost, though. It was one of my favorites.

But she did many of my other favorites to make up for it. And this--Mannequin--is one of my I-almost-cried-and-fainted-while-scream-singing moments. She didn't make it any easy for obsessed people like me, though, since the next song that she performed was Thinking Of You.

Happy Monday

I was reading through Post Secret and I came across this blog that they featured on the new post, it's called 1000 Awesome Things. Like Post Secret which started out as just a blog and now has published books, it also has a book available for purchase now called "The Book of Awesome". They posted a trailer for the book:

Being the hopeless romantic that I am, I can't help but not share this. I also think the "awesome things" blog is an awesome idea. I have a lot to back read, though, since they are on #524 (countdown to #1) already.

P.S. Happy Mondays is one of my personal awesome things. Since it's the start of a new week, mostly a busy week at that, everytime something makes me smile on a Monday, it seems to carry on for the rest of the week.

So I hope this little video that I shared with you makes your Monday and your week! :-)

Adele - Make You Feel My Love

<3