Michael Emerson Way Back in High School

Who wants to see Michael Emerson's high school pictures? Raise your hands if you do!

I just had to smile when I saw DarkUFO's tweet:

So I clicked on the link and I was transported to a blog run by Ryan and Maria - a couple, I think. Apparently, Maria's father went to high school with Michael Emerson! In Iowa! She scanned the relevant yearbook photos and posted them.

I love the part where she said Michael hated being in the debate team and preferred the thespian club. Eating an entire tube of toothpaste to get out of a competition? Oh, my gosh.

Everyone, click on the link below to check out Michael Emerson's high school pics!

Ryan and Maria - "Bet They Don't Call You 'Squirrelly' Now"

Enjoy!

Defence! Defence!

Oh, this is very interesting...

Your Defense Mechanism is Sublimation

Compared to most people, you handle your problems very well. You're good at channeling negative energy into positive energy. You know how to change your perspective. You turn bad events into opportunities. You find strength in dealing with your problems. You are inspired and productive. Some may describe you as a "tortured genius" - but you're not that tortured.

What's Your Defense Mechanism?

Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

Felice Anno Nuovo!!!

Goodbye, 2009!

While 2008 was a year of healing and 2010 is a year of hope, 2009 was a difficult year. It was difficult for everyone affected by the recession, but it was especially difficult for me.

I started seriously looking for my own place, even without enough money. I didn't - still don't - have much support from my family because they don't think I'm mature enough to live on my own. I lost one unit I liked because my brother took forever to definitely refuse to help me. Every time I mention the words "condo" or "condo hunt," my mom and my sister wig out. It is painful that other people support me in this matter, while my own family doesn't.

Then the government of British Columbia announced that it is harmonizing the Goods & Service Tax (GST, at 5%) with the Provincial Sales Tax (PST, at 7%), thus creating the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST, at 12%). It is effective starting July 1, 2010. The HST announcement led to a surge in real estate sales, reducing the inventory and turning the real estate market into a seller's market - which means, it's not helping me at all. The government is insisting that HST is good for the economy, but more British Columbians disagree with it than those who accept it. For more information about the HST opposition, please go to this site.

Also, the recession's effect on the construction industry affected my work days and my salary. To prevent more layoffs, my employer entered us in the Work Share Program and cut our working days by one or two days. Employment Insurance is paying us for those days, but it does reduce the money I put into savings, part of which is for the condo hunting.

The above may not match other people's difficult experiences this year (e.g. the Typhoon Ondoy/Ketsana victims in the Philippines, among others), but these were very difficult and painful for me. This is just half of all the pain I experienced in 2009, at least those I can talk about without getting chewed out.

These difficulties did teach me/remind me of a few things:

• God has control and sovereignty in my life. I can't impose my will on His.
• Everything happens for a reason and that God answers prayers in His time.
• God does not give me trials that are beyond me. He has gone through everything He makes me go through.

In 2010:

• I will have a better quiet, devotional time. I usually do it in the morning, before I leave for work, but I feel it's not enough.
• I will register for more editing or writing courses to develop my skills. I'm not sure about the SFU Certificate in Editing program anymore, because it will cost me at least $4,000.
• I will write more - and edit more.
• I will change my sleeping habits for the better. The more sleep, the better.
  
• I will improve my time-management skills.
• I will spend less and save more. Except, of course, if it relates to LOST. *Wink wink*
• I will fix that emotional unavailability thing.
• I will make other necessary changes in my life. *Wink wink*

Lord, I thank You for all the obvious blessings and blessings-in-disguise You bestowed upon me in 2009. *Sigh* More of the same for 2010? Hmmm...

Goodbye, 2009! Hello, 2010!

Felice Anno Nuovo!!!

Buon Natale!!!

That's MERRY CHRISTMAS in Italian!

So, Christmas has come and gone. It`s one of the quietest Christmas I've had. 'Twas neither too exciting nor too boring.

On Christmas Eve, we went to the encore presentation of our church's Children's Ministry Christmas play entitled The Best Christmas Present Ever. It was a hit, just like last Sunday's presentation. My niece sang in the choir and spoke a bit towards the end of the play.

Then we went to our churchmate's - and family dentist's - house for a Christmas dinner party. The C's came with us and I mostly hung out with them. Other churchmates attended the shindig and we wished each other a merry Christmas. I missed MuchMoreMusic's broadcast of VH1 Divas 2009, featuring Kelly Clarkson, Adele, Jordin Sparks, and Jennifer Hudson for this party.

We left with Christmas gifts - mine was suspiciously shaped like Purdy's chocolates - at around 11 PM. We stopped by Shoppers Drug Mart for about half an hour so my sister could get the antibiotics that our dentist prescribed. Then we went home.

We opened the presents just after midnight, after a couple of Kodak moments (i.e. picture-taking sessions). I gave my nephew the Casio watch (a.k.a. Usher's watch) that he wanted, a $50 iTunes gift card, and $100. I gave my niece a copy of Rhythm Heaven Nintendo DS Game and $100. I gave Miss KC a $50 iTunes gift card and $100, because she only asked for money. I gave Little Mr. JC a Rex the Dinosaur collectible figure from Toy Story and $40.

And what did I get?

Aside from my mom's early Christmas gifts during Black Friday, she also gave me Ferrero Rocher. Yum! As I guessed, my dentist gave me Purdy's Hedgehog chocolates. Double yum! The C's gave me the Inglourious Basterds DVD and He's Just Not That Into You Blu-Ray disc. Then the A's gave me Stephen King's Under The Dome and Jennifer Weiner's Best Friends Forever. Yippee!!!

At least I got four items from my updated wish list. Hehehehehe... Didn't get the BlackBerry Curve 8520 or the first issue of Y: The Last Man, though. Oh, well. Maybe I can get these on my 27th B'Day? Hehehehehe...

After all the excitement from the gift-opening, we sat down for a bit of eggnog and coffee for the grown-ups and hot chocolate for the kids. Then I brought my Blu-Ray player to the living room so my bro-in-law could hook it up to his Bose system. Then we watched the He's Just Not That Into You disc. We finished the movie at about 3:40 AM and they went to bed. I stayed up until 4:30 or 5 AM, then I fell asleep.

I woke up at noon on Christmas Day and stayed in bed until about 1 PM. Then I went upstairs to eat. I went back to my room to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and the rest of the trilogy. However, partway through Disc 2, I fell asleep. I didn't wake up until 10:30 PM. I was hungry, so I went upstairs to get some food to bring to my room. I  continued the trilogy; it's now 5 AM and I'm watching The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Disc 1.

I must finish the movie, and maybe get some sleep before tonight's party.

Buon Natale! And Happy Boxing Day!!!

Only Eight Days Before Christmas!

Now that I have the Blu-Ray player, I think it's time to update my Christmas wish list.

Of course, I still want the new BlackBerry Curve 8520 or the first and subsequent issues of Brian K. Vaughan's Y: The Last Man. Oh, and $25,000. Hehehe...

You know what else I want for Christmas?

DVDs/Blu-Ray Discs

• Angels & Demons
• Burn After Reading
• Inglourious Basterds
• Public Enemies
• He's Just Not That Into You
• The Reader
• Rachel Getting Married
• Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

 Books

• Under The Dome (Stephen King)
• The Lost Symbol (Dan Brown)
• Salem's Lot (Stephen King)
• Duma Key (Stephen King)
• Best Friends Forever (Jennifer Weiner)
• The Road (Cormac McCarthy)

Phew! Wonder if I'm gonna get anything from these lists? Hehehe...

The Golden Globes? Not So Golden. (Hmph!)

Well, LOST scored only one nomination: Michael Emerson for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television. Congratulations, Michael! (Hmmm... Me thinks the Emmy win helped. That is, aside from the awesomeness that is Michael Emerson. Hehehehe...)

But, yeah, only one nomination. *Sniff sniff*

The good thing about the year's Golden Globe TV nominations? Glee is nominated for four - FOUR! - categories!!! The series is up against 30 Rock, Entourage, Modern Family, and The Office for the Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical award. Matthew Morrison (Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical), Lea Michele (Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical), and Jane Lynch (Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television) are also nominated. Jane Lynch better win or else... (Mwahahahahaha)

I'm happy that Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama and that Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) is nominated in Michael Emerson's category. Yay!

Oh, one more thing: Where are John Noble (Fringe) and Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)? Hmmmm...

LOST better be nominated next year! If not, I will summon the Smoke Monster! Hehehehehe...

Spanish LOST Promo Rocks

I admit I should have watched this once I heard of it, but I've been busy. So here it is - the Spanish TV network Quatro's promo for LOST's sixth and final season.



(Video clip courtesy of YouTube user campetin.)

Carlton Cuse even called it the best LOST promo he's ever seen. Wow.

Clarkson and Rowland Net One Grammy Nomination Each

Oh, happy day!

Two of my favourite singers ever - i.e. Kelly Clarkson and Kelly Rowland - are nominated for a Grammy Award each!!!

The 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards nominations were announced tonight on CBS via a music-filled concert. (Yes, I know, I'm from the West Coast. It's all over Twitter and celebrity sites, though.) Beyonce Knowles leads with 10 nominations, including Record of the Year for "Halo", Album of the Year for I Am... Sasha Fierce, and Song of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)".

Back to my favourites...

Kelly Clarkson's fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted, is nominated in the Best Pop Vocal Album category. I totally, totally, totally love this album. I don't care much about its competition (The E.N.D., Breakthrough, The Fray, and Funhouse - well, except Funhouse) and I really, really, really want Kelly to win!

Image via Wikipedia

Kelly Rowland, on the other hand, is nominated for her collaboration with French DJ David Guetta - i.e. When Love Takes Over, which became a Song of the Moment in my house - in the Best Dance Recording category. She and Guetta face stiff competition from the Black Eyed Peas (Boom Boom Pow), Lady Gaga (Poker Face), Madonna (Celebration), and Britney Spears (Womanizer), though. All the nominated songs are so darn catchy!

You can view the rest of the nominees here. The ceremony will be held on January 31, 2010, and will be aired on CBS from 8 PM (Eastern/Pacific).