Pleasant Surprises from Overseas---Kob Khun Khrap! Merci Beaucoup!

Since the start of the year, I've been receiving surprises from friends I know overseas.  Heartwarming, and humbling at the same time.  I meant to write about each item in separate posts, but since I found a commonality amongst them (and the fact that I suffer from blog inertia the past couple of weeks), I'm writing about them all in one go.

The first of them was the greeting card I got from my client counterpart.  In the official greeting card of our client (which bore their logo), she said she thanks us for the good work we have done and she hopes we have a good holiday season with our families. It's a surprise because well, we didn't really send them anything this year.  There has been some changes and issues in the team that I completely forgot to send out cards during the holiday season.  I remember her boss sending me a card two years ago, greeting me a Merry Christmas.

The second item that came in was a Japanese postcard from my Thai friend, Thiti.  He was my flatmate before when I was assigned to this Singaporean project.  He always sent cards during the holiday seasons, most of them from the places he has been to.  I kinda envy the guy for having that much time (AND money) to go travelling when he can.  He's been to Indonesia, Tibet, etc. and just now, Japan.  *Sigh* And I can't even make up my mind if I can afford a summer trip to Bohol with my mother.

The one that came in last week was the most surprising.  I have not heard from Weena, my other Thai friend, in years.  Of course I see her in the email threads when someone in the group greets someone a happy birthday, but that was it.  Last Friday, I checked my mail folder in the office, and found a large envelope from a Weena with a different surname.  I didn't think it was her since her surname was different.  When I opened it, lo and behold, I found a gorgeous folder containing this

It's the Thailand Commemorative Banknote for their King's 80th Birthday!.  A cool collector's item no doubt.  It's uncut, containing 1-Baht, 5-Baht, and 10-Baht denomination.  As per the notation, I have one copy out of 15 million sheets produced.  When you compare that against the N billion people in the world, I feel lucky!  It's even going for 6 British Pounds on E-bay!  So cool.  I had to log-in YM and thank Weena first chance I got.

No TV and The Couch Potato Picks for 2007

I haven't watched television for three straight days now.  The one in my room conked out a week ago and it's still with the mom-and-pop repair shop as of this writing.  Anyway, even if it was working, I don’t have cable television at home.  Truly, I only get to watch HBO, Starworld, ESPN, AXN and the lot when I’m assigned onshore.  Be that as it may, there are really some noteworthy shows I really appreciated on Philippine Free-TV last year.  Here they are.

• Maging Sino Ka Man.  I just love Anne Curtis, and the story and ensemble were magnificent.  The best drama series for 2007.  Joins the ranks of “Kaytagal Kang Hinintay” and “Kung Mawawala Ka”.
  
• Day Off.  I remember blogging about this show, wishing they take me out for a day off.
  
• Kid Nation.  Like Survivor or Pinoy Big Brother, but more entertaining and less-scripted.  I really liked the way Alex, Jared, Michael, Laurel, Olivia and Anjay acted throughout the season.  Cool kids indeed.
  
• Ysabella.  Good story.  Never thought anyone can make a nice story out of a chicken dish.  Connie Reyes carried the whole thing I think.
  
• Ka-Toque, Lutong Barkada.  They make cooking look so easy.  It made me try enrolling in the free dessert lessons in the office but it’s always fully-booked.
  
• Light Talk.  I’ve only chanced on this program three times and I liked the discussion.
  
• Princess Hours.  As always, I can relate to the third wheel, which is Prince Troy in this case.  I hear this is based on anime.
  
• Ju Mong.  I didn’t get to actually start this, but I got the hang of it as I watched it everytime I came from work (it was the only thing left to watch aside from the news).  Good production value and story.
  
• Heroes.  Yes, I joined the craze.  My fave is Hiro.  Then Hayden Penitiere.
  
• House M.D..  Really cool, sarcastic lines.  Another TV character I look up to.
  
• Brothers and Sisters.  Even if Callista Flockhart is here, the humor is not Ally McBeal weird.  I really liked the dialogues.  Good show, good show.
  
• Rounin.  Yes, it flopped.  But it’s a good show, both story-wise and fight-scene-wise.
  
• Maalaala Mo Kaya.  Story-wise and production value-wise, this is really superior to Magpakailanman.
  
• Japan Screen Topics.  Very informative show.  I used to watch this as a kid.  Now it’s back again.
  
• Bandila.  The show on air when I finish dinner after coming home.  Good format.
  
• LOST.  I’m still not making any sense of it all, but I guess that’s what makes it interesting.

Original DVD-Worthy Movies of 2007

Ah didna’ really watch tha’ much movies this year.  Bu’ ‘ere are some films worth spendin mooney in buying orig’nal DVD copies of.  Ah mean, in the wurds of Derek Zoolander, “really really really really really ridiculously” guid.

Ah actually all-ready bought some of ‘em. Ahm waiting for the others tae be released soon.

• Transformers The Movie.  A’ firs’ ah thought it would be ol aboot the bigjobs.  It turned oot tae be me secund-most-favorite film for ’07.  I ha’ the 2-disc metal-case DVD package.  Havnae used it yet.
  
• 300.  The best movah o’ 2007 in mah book.  Ah also ha’ the two-disc DVD package.  No’ the metal-case one.
  
• The Departed.  Brootal.  Raw.  Un-a-po-lo-ge-tic.  Guid.  Verrae Guid.
  
• Pirates Of The Carribbean: At World’s End.  The culminatin’ installment of Jack Sparrow.  Ah just go’ the DVD last Christmas.  Wuz supposed tae watch “Curse of The Black Pearl”, “Dead Man’s Chest”, an’ this one one aftah anotha while waitin for the New Year’s Eve festivities but Ah fell asleep, waking jus aboot two hoors for the fireworks.
  
• Little Miss Sunshine.  Joins the ranks of “Crying Ladies”, “Zoolander”, and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” in terms o’ hilarity. 
  
• The Prestige.  Really cool.  Really.
  
• Stardust.  ‘tis verrae far from the Neil Gaiman book but wuz Hilarious.  It made me laugh so much Ah’ll forgive its unfaithfulness tae the original material.  Ach, I havnae checked if this ‘un is released yet.

Seriously, Good Haul This Year!

I remember this as Ron Weasley’s comment as he opened his Christmas presents in Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince.  I had the same sentiment for this year.  I open presents on Christmas Eve, ever since I was a kid.  Surely at this age, I’m not expecting gifts, as I’m the one that should be giving them out now, but I really appreciated the stuff I was given.  Yes.  At a certain time in your life, getting material presents aren’t given that much importance.  You’d appreciate things that are free but you sometimes lack.  Peace and quiet, for example.  Or time off work.

Cool!

I found a new cool site. It's the Heroes graphic novel,online.  It's actually on Chapter 66 now, but I guess I should be starting from the beginning.  Hm. Another worthy find.   And another reason I can think of why I really need my own laptop and a DSL connection.

Pringles

Ever seen the new Pringles lately? The packaging's kind skinny now, and with those skinny packs, you're sure the chips aren't that big anymore.  Goes for the same price though. *Sigh*. That's inflation for you.
Checked out their official website, as well as the .Wikipedia entry.  Kewl.  Even chips have their own web publicity.  I'm thinking now if it's still worth buying Pringles as against Ruffles.  Hm.  Actually put both in the shopping basket.  Hehe