Class performance

Warren Ellis’ run of the Thunderbolts is such a good run that it bears re-reading. I have some of those comics on single issue, but when I chanced upon a collected edition of Caged Angels in Booksale I knew it would be foolish not to score it, especially at such a ridiculously low price. Today I started re-reading it.

Was on leave from work today to watch the kiddo perform at school. It was a dance performance, about the importance of family bonding in the midst of handheld technology. It was a good performance. The kids gave their all and you could tell by their faces that they wanted to impress the audience, which was their parents and teachers. I could only imagine the grueling one-month almost-daily practice they had. My kid was not able to attend all of them, as she came down with a flu that sidelined her for several days, but she still performed well, and for that we are proud of her.

Actually, we’re proud of them all for that awesome show. What a way to build camaraderie among these kids. Seeing them hug and congratulate each other after their two-hour performance was a sight to behold.

And with that my Christmas season has officially started.

Miss Universe fever

Continued with Venom: Along Came a Spider today, a trade paperback I started reading last week. Finished the story arc about Hybrid. Digging the 90s feel of it, but not much.

Catriona Gray fever here today in the Philippines. Many thought her winning this year’s Miss Universe pageant was the next best thing that ever happened to our country since Pia Wurtzbach won the same crown in 2015. Indeed, much has been said about beauty queens and our mad love affair with them. My thoughts on Catriona? She really deserves the title. Also: Wow, those legs.

In other news: Attended a Christmas party today. Won P5,000 in the raffle. Not bad. Of course I had to come home late and sleep late because of it. Considering that I need to be up by 2:45 a.m., I expect tomorrow’s shift to be a long one. Strong coffee will come in handy.

‘Sundays are different’

Ditching the usual weekend bullets to try a different tack. Why wait for the New Year to try something new, anyway?

The “new,” as I visualize it, is to churn out semi-daily posts with a comic issue as a jump-off point, then go on from there. The issue may be the best one I’ve read up to that point, or the most notable for one reason or another. Or it could be the only one I read, like “Sundays are Different,” the Jamie Delano-penned issue #33 of Hellblazer and the only comic book I’ve read on this particular Sunday.

This Sunday is indeed different. I was feeling good from having spent a night at the F1 Hotel Manila at the swanky Bonifacio Global City. It was our 12th anniversary, and the wifey and I decided to celebrate it with a little “staycation.” Yesterday, with our little nine-year-old in tow, we watched Aquaman at Uptown Mall, dropped by Filbar’s for my weekly comics fix, had merienda at the Hello Kitty Cafe, and watched the Disney-themed light show at the Ayala Triangle in Makati. We could’ve done a lot more, as the night was still young, so to speak, but the kiddo was already tired and grumpy, so we went back to our hotel room instead where the wifey watched a local movie about aging lesbians on cable and I fought and eventually lost a battle with sleep. So much for celebration.

And now it’s Sunday. Toyed with the idea of going to Megamall for the last day of the Toycon Christmas Toys & Collectibles Fair 2018, but the thought of heavy traffic and huge crowds turned me off. I’m not happy about it, but I gotta save energy for Monday.

And then I remembered I still have an issue left before I finished Volume 4 of Hellblazer.

Weekend bullets #3

Man, they’ve surely leveled up on the CG these days. Imagine, I’m sort of head over hills over Shank of Ralph Breaks the Internet. And Gal Gadot giving voice to the character is just part of the attraction. It’s her looks, and her poise, and the way she talks… Jesus, this is crazy. And to think in high school I smirked at those who claimed to have developed a crush on Veronica from the Archie comics.

Anyway, other highlights of the weekend:

• Saw the Avengers: Endgame teaser and was floored. April 2019 can’t come any sooner;
• Went to Megamall with the wifey and had lunch at Zubuchon, the latter memorable for my first taste of baked tahong in a long while. Made a mental note to try their baked scallops next;
• Scored a bunch of comics from Comic Quest and Filbar’s Megamall. I know I do this every week, but this one was different as the wifey was with me, and she herself scored a bunch of Coffin Hill back issues;
• Three movies: the aforementioned Ralph Breaks the Internet plus Peppermint and The Nun;
• Did a little toy photography on Sunday morning.

And that was that. Nice to have written about my weekend again after two weeks of absence. What can I say? The last two workweeks had been hectic, and up to now I’m still reeling from it. Plus, this being the Christmas season, there are just so many things to do. If only I could sleep December off, wake up when all the madness is over.

Then again, why miss the fun?

Sunday time travel… sort of

It’s interesting to note that in this day and age of glitzy, ginormous shopping malls, some commercial centers stand and operate as if the last 30 years didn’t happen. Marketplace Shopping Mall in Kalentong is one such place.

I’ve no idea how old Marketplace is, but judging from its facade it looks like it’s been up since my mother was a coed at nearby Jose Rizal University (formerly Jose Rizal College). It looks, well, dated. Either it’s really old or it cares little about upkeep. Regardless, me and the girls found ourselves there one lazy Sunday afternoon to attend a kiddie party.

Though my nine-year-old daughter had some funny observations about the place, I found Marketplace oddly charming. The stalls that sell cheap RTW and assorted wares from China, the dingy corners, the drowsy atmosphere… it’s a breath of fresh air, so to speak, even if the air there smells faintly of roaches. For some reason the place reminded me of a bygone era when things were far simpler. If it weren’t for the videoke machine blaring old pop hits in one corner and the smartphones in the hands of the salespeople there, the illusion that I’ve stepped back in the early 80s would’ve been complete.

Later, at the kiddie party, surrounded by cheerful kids, I realized I am missing my childhood. Sigh.