the winning streak

it's 2009

and people say you should start out with resolutions.

i never really keep em.

but i've had a great year in 2008.

just living life.

so i might as well keep the winning streak.

things were good. not all good. but pretty damn good.

i graduated. whoop-de-doo.

fell madly, deeply, head over heels in love. with edward cullen. just kidding. baptiste, of course.

i backpacked and saw the world. (or just asia. but still. it was more fun than i could have imagined)

turned 21. legal age. i can legally marry without my parents' consent, as the Family Code says. hardiharhar.

i had epiphanies and wake-up calls.

got into law school. (although that might be more bad than good. jury's still out)

joined the ateneo human rights center.

passed my first semester of law school.

it had its downsides.

lost karl to dengue (my immersion kid) and lola jenny. r.i.p.

and other personal stuff.

but no regrets.

i'll keep my resolutions simple.

1. be zen.

law school has the nasty habit of stressing me out, putting me on edge, teaching me arrogance. 

i don't want to be a lawyer to push people down just to claw my way to the top.

i'd like a life that's calm, that helps, that has dignity and integrity.

Woman: But where does your money come from? Who gives it to you?

Little girl: The world.

--34th St Subway Station

2. enjoy the little things in life.

i like getting excited over fast food, cute kids, a good book, great conversation, that one particular song, a cool website, friends, laughter, a soft bed, me time. you know, the little things people overlook.

the unsung heroes of life.

they win over flash every time.

College girl: When we get back to the dorm, let's eat a bunch of stupid snacks.

College guy: Yeah, not smart snacks like Nurti-Grain bars, but stupid snacks like Pop-Tarts and Easy Mac.

College girl: Sooo stupid.

--110th & Lexington

3. stay in love.

not just with baptiste. with people. with family. with friends. with life.

no holds barred, crazy person, defend to the death kinda love.

it's the sedate people who have no fun.

Guy on cell: I love you...(defensively) Yes I do!

--Columbus Circle

4. cherish my friends and be nice to people in general.

there are friends i will keep for life that i've had for a while, some i've had for only a few years, others i've only just met. there are friends i'm waiting to meet.

but all have that feeling that you've known them forever.

they get you and your weird sense of humor. 

that's how special they are.

so you keep em forever.

Bus driver: Good morning passengers! You may have heard recently that bus drivers have been put on a diet to make them nicer and more helpful. Now this doctor has told me, "No more bacon and eggs, but a nice bowl of oatmeal. Oh, and lots of water, fruit. And instead of stopping for some pork fried rice in the afternoon, with chicken wings, a nice piece of flounder, maybe with some butter and herbs." Now it's been 15 days, and I am so much more polite to passengers, saying "Good morning. How do you do?" I'm even nicer to mama when she gets home. Helpin' her with her carriage and bags; lowering the bus for people at the curb. So I just want to thank you and let you know to bear with me for another 15 days. Thank you and have a nice day.

--B61 Bus

5. me-time.

not enough to keep me sane.

more this year.

a sigh isn't just a sigh. 

we inhale the world and breathe out meaning.

while we can.

-salman rushdie

happy new years, everyone.

like father, like son

Father, to five-year-old son: I had no idea you liked AC/DC!

--Penn Station

stand out from the crowd

running shoe

gaydar

Thug teenage dad, about baby staring at effeminate Asian man: Oh shit, she's already got her gaydar on.

--4 Train

clever little tea tags!

i'm not a greeter. but it's xmas! (or it was, at least) belated merry xmas!

it's been a while since i've been this curious to watch a movie

the curious case of benjamin button

"I was born under unusual circumstances." And so begins "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story, set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man's life can be. 

This is where religion and I butt heads

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - - A suggestion by Pope Benedict XVI that homosexuality is as much of a threat to the survival of the human race as climate change sparked outrage among gay rights campaigners on Tuesday.

"It's the latest homophobic attack by this pope," said Gustav Hofer, co-director of a documentary on the life of a gay couple in Italy called "Suddenly Last Winter".

"The Vatican talks about homosexuality or transsexuality as if it were a whim, never as suffering," Hofer told AFP, adding that the Roman Catholic Church "reduces sexual orientation to the sexual act as if it had nothing to do with a person's identity."

In his end-of-year speech at the Vatican on Monday, the pope said gender theory blurred the distinction between male and female, and he called for "an ecology of the human being" to protect mankind "from self-destruction."

Gender theory, which Benedict referred to in English, explores how society designates fixed roles to people based on their gender and many gay groups see it as helpful to improving tolerance and understanding.

Amid a global financial crisis, "does it really seem appropriate to talk about 'gender' to all these poor folks who are unemployed or vulnerable and don't even know what the word means?" left-wing lawmaker Paola Concia wrote in an open letter to the pope.

"People need words of comfort," she said.

British campaigners including some priests from the Church of England also took the remarks as an attack on homosexuality.

Reverend Sharon Ferguson, chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, called the comments "totally irresponsible and unacceptable."

"When you have religious leaders like that making that sort of statement, then followers feel they are justified in behaving in an aggressive and violent way because they feel that they are doing God's work in ridding the world of these people," she said.

Reverend Doctor Giles Fraser, president of the pro-gay Anglican movement the Inclusive Church and vicar of a London parish, said: "The pope is spreading fear that gay people somehow threaten the planet, and that's just absurd.

"As always, this sort of religious homophobia will be an alibi for all those who would do gay people harm. Can't he think of something better to say at Christmas?" he asked.

Mark Dowd, campaign strategist at Operation Noah, the Christian environmental group, said the remarks were "understandable but misguided and unfortunate."

Dowd, who is gay, said: "If you study ecology seriously as any intelligent man would do, and the pope is a fantastically intelligent man, you realise that ecology is complex, it has all sorts of weird interdependencies, and it is the same with human sexuality."

The pope's remarks "betray a lack of openness to the complexity of creation," Dowd said.

The Catholic Church has repeatedly spoken against gender theory, but Monday was the first time the pope referred to it directly.

"We are people like everyone else and should not be designated as sinners just because we are trans-gender," said Vladimir Luxuria, a transsexual actress and former communist lawmaker.

Monday's remarks follow hard on the heels of the Vatican's refusal to join a United Nations appeal for the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality launched on December 18 by 66 countries.

More than 80 countries have laws against homosexuality, including nine in which it is punishable by death.

The Vatican is a staunch opponent of the death penalty, but fears the proposed UN resolution would encourage gay marriage.

i crush rahm emmanuel

When Barack Obama asked Congressman Rahm Emanuel to be his White House chief-of-staff, few political insiders were surprised. The Chicago politician and chairman of the House Democratic Caucus has been described as a profane, hyperactive attack dog — and his supporters argue that this steamrolling personality would make him an effective, formidable gatekeeper to the Oval Office. Emanuel's lengthy political background and knowledge of individual lawmakers — not to mention his fund-raising prowess — don't hurt either.

Fast Facts:

• 48 years old, married to Amy Rule, a woman he met on a blind date. They have three children.

• He studied ballet in high school and was offered a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet, but went to Sarah Lawrence College instead, where he earned a bachelor's degree. He has a master's degree in speech from Northwestern University.

• As a teenager, he severed his right middle finger slicing meat at Arby's and went swimming in Lake Michigan before getting stitches. After the wound became severly infected, Emanuel had the top of his finger amputated and spent six weeks recovering.

• Has served in the White House before, as a senior advisor to Bill Clinton. On Emanuel's 38th birthday, Clinton gave him a photo with the following tongue-in-cheek inscription: "Now Mr. President, how many times do I have to tell you, say it this way?" Clinton wrote. "And, by the way, wish me a happy birthday. Always gently, Rahm. 11/29/97."

• Before working in the Clinton White House, Emanuel worked for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. He was first elected to Congress in 2002, and is the fourth-highest ranking House Democrat.

• In between his stints in Washington, Emanuel got rich working as an investment banker. He once sat on the board of Freddie Mac and recuses himself from any Congressional votes on the mortgage giant.

• Orchestrated the Democratic takeover of the House in 2006 and is known among colleagues as "Rahmbo."

• A devout Jew, Emanuel was so intent on negotiating the passage of Congress's $700 billion-bailout bill that he got a special waiver from his rabbi to work through Rosh Hashanah.

• Has been known to send out cheesecakes from Eli's Bakery in Chicago to campaign donors and the many Democratic candidates he has recruited over the years. Once, when a pollster made him angry, Emanuel sent him a dead fish.

• His brother, Ari, is a high-powered Hollywood agent and the basis for Jeremy Piven's character in the HBO series Entourage, Ari Gold. Emmanuel himself was the basis for the character played by Bradley Whitford in The West Wing: Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman.

Quotes About:

"We joke that someone should open a special trauma ward in Washington for people who've worked for Rahm."
— Jose Cerda, former Clinton staffer, on the notoriously enormous demands that Emanuel puts on his staff (Rolling Stone, Oct. 2, 2006)

"Rahm smelled blood. He latched on like a pit bull and never let go."
— Chuck Fant, press secretary for Representative John M. Spratt Jr. of South Carolina, on Emanuel's decision to attack the Bush administration for letting an Arab company manage U.S. Ports (L.A. Times, July 5, 2006)

"I don't need an alarm clock anymore."
— David Axelrod, political consultant, on Emanuel's early-morning phone calls during the 2006 Congressional race (TIME, June 4, 2006)

Quotes from:

• "I said to him, 'You're not one of those tri-bathletes, are you, Mr. President? You know — steam, sauna, shower?'"
— Recalling a 2005 conversation with George Bush in which each took jabs at the other's athleticism (Fortune, Oct. 2, 2006)

"I'm weird. I do my office hours at grocery stores. I don't go do town halls."
— On his unorthodox method of connecting with voters — greeting and talking with them at supermarket entrances (New Yorker Conference, May 9, 2008)

"In the White House, you can be on the pitcher's mound or you can be in the catcher's position. Put points on the board. Show people you can govern. Deliver on what you said you were going to deliver on."
— On Barack Obama's need for an aggressive agenda to fulfill his campaign promises (Politico, Aug. 27, 2008)

"I wake up some mornings hating me too."
— On his reputation as a Democratic attack dog (Chicago Tribune, Nov. 12, 2006)

cam gigandet is so hot right now. and cuddly. i want to hug vampire james!

too many moments of these lately

really, its powers are for good, not evil!

i do like mccain. but i can't resist.

Little boy: Mommy, John McCain likes Abba.

Mom: Does he really now? Then you two have something in common.

Little boy: Noooooo!

--College Walk, Columbia University

at least no one threw a shoe at him.

the things people come up with... are cool!

the deschanel sisters. you just have to love them.

Female student #1: Yeah, I think I'd sleep with a guy just so he wouldn't kill me. It'd be pity sex.

Female student #2: That's not pity sex, that's rape!

--Columbia University Library

i can't get over sylar being spock. weird.

What Makes a Man Fall in Love

 When a man falls for a woman, he falls hard. Men love to be in love. While men often get stereotyped as single-minded sex-seekers, the truth is that a man's stomach churns like a slushy machine when he's in those initial stages of the perfect relationship.

When you consider that half of men say that they're currently not with their soul mates, that means a heck of a lot of slushy machines are waiting to be turned on. What are they waiting for? What makes a man fall in love? After you rule out the obvious intangible laws of chemistry, attraction, and being in the right place at the right time that kick-start many a relationship, I think the question really becomes this: What makes a man fall -- and stay -- in love? What kind of woman does a man really want? With full acknowledgement that men's tastes in women are as unpredictable as the plotline of "24," these are some of things that many men value in "the one."

A Woman with a Passion in Something Other Than Him

Yes, it's nice to be doted over. Yes, it's nice to be pampered. Yes, it's nice to be with a woman who showers you with compliments, neck kisses, and all of her attention. But there's a virtual Great Wall of China between a fleeting, flirtatious glance and the kind of attraction that can last a lifetime. Many men say they like a woman who's immersed in something else other than the relationship -- be it her work, or her sport, or whatever her "thing" is. Why? The passion she shows for something else confirms her inherent goodness, her personal drive, her independence. All pluses in the woman we're hoping to spend a few decades with.

A Woman with No Problem with Guy Time

Every relationship has to choreograph the time-together dance. Once a couple elevates from casual to serious, it goes through that period when most waking and sleeping minutes are spent together. But at some point in the dance, one person will call a time out from the music of coupledom, and try to spend more time with his or her friends -- while still being careful not to step on any feet in the process. Even when they're with the most perfect woman, men still crave the occasional space to spend golfing or drinking or doing whatever (64 percent of men are happy to have the time to themselves when their wives or girlfriends have plans). Men love, appreciate, and are thankful for women who respect and endorse (and not complain about) his need to have a few testosterone mixers. Don't worry, March Madness will be over in just a few weeks!

A Woman with a Strut

Her strut in the bar may have been part of his initial attraction. The strut from the bedroom to the bathroom after the first night together may have been pure visual ecstasy. But the strut that happens day in and day out is one of the major attractors for a man. What do I mean by the strut? It's that attitude, that sassiness, that confidence, that charisma, that charm that shows she can be a little bold and little daring. In a recent post I talked about the line between a woman being confident and a woman being so aggressive that she turns men away, but the truth is that in certain aspects of relationships, men want women who have the strut. Men want to be with women who challenge them, who push them, and who take the lead some of the times. And that's as true in the bedroom as it is in planning their next weekend getaway. The danger? While it can be insanely attractive, that strut of confidence can also swing a man 180 degrees -- if she uses it in other places, like to flirt with other guys, to become a relationship dictator, or to pick a fight with his mom in front of the whole family. He'll point that kind of strut right out the door.

A Woman with a Good Taste in Ties

Okay, so we don't really care about the ties per se. But what we care about is a woman's ability to give us a little-and this is a key word-gentle guidance. I know Freudian followers will say that it's a man's need to be mothered, but it's more than that. Every  relationship is a give and take, and guys will definitely take women who can warn us when our new soul patch looks stupid, who can guide us to the perfect suit and shirt combo for an upcoming job interview, who can help them make decisions without being harsh or judgmental. Guys like to project that they know what they're doing and that they don't need any help. Women who can help steer us, without aggressively grabbing the wheel, are the most treasured copilots.

i love this sidecar!

role reversal

christmas advertising

Guy in line for a play: I don't take my sunglasses off because the sun never sets on a badass

--41st & 7th

alice in wonderland

snow ghost post

sloooooowly starting to feel the christmas season...

Love Actually...

... reminded me that this season ought to be more about love than anything.

Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2008

apparently michael angarano has been kristen stewart's bf for 2 years

remember sky high dude/just jack's son from will & grace?

dunk it. dunk it goood.

lumber tree

have i caught your attention now?

A U.S. Supreme Court cheatsheet for law nerds out there

http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/

it's pretty interesting. check it out.

kerrigan

my inner geek is coming out.

ghetto art

shoot, i wish i knew who this was from.

waitress

I FULLY recommend watching waitress with keri russell! lovely, quirky, funny, romantic (not in the traditional sense) movie.

someone call peta

christ

wtf. do you really need a cake for that?

i would kinda like a tattoo

panda madness

18th Floor Balcony

I close my eyes and I smile
Knowing that everything is alright
To the core
So close that door
Is this happening?

My breath is on your hair
I'm unaware
That you opened the blinds and let the city in
God, you held my hand
And we stand
Just taking in everything.

And I knew it from the start
So my arms are open wide
Your head is on my stomach
And we're trying so hard not to fall asleep
Here we are
On this 18th floor balcony.
We're both flying away.

So we talked about mom's and dad's
About family pasts
Just getting to know where we came from
Our hearts were on display
For all to see
I can't believe this is happening to me

And I raised my hand as if to show you that I was yours
That I was so yours for the taking
I'm so yours for the taking
That's when I felt the wind pick up
I grabbed the rail while choking up
These words to say and then you kissed me...

And I'll try to sleep
To keep you in my dreams
'til I can bring you home with me
I'll try to sleep
And when I do I'll keep you in my... dreams

I knew it from the start
My arms are open wide
Your head is on my stomach
No, we're not going to sleep

Here we are
On this 18th floor balcony... we're both..
Flying away

- Blue October

Don't you love it when someone (Jules) gives you a song or you discover one that just tugs at your heart? it's like you discovered another piece of you.

haha. drama.

see, funny women can be sexy, too

this is how you go about it