The Eligible Bachelor

hello ladiessssss.

Cruised in his Porsche 911 down the street. Got out of his car and did a red carpet entrance. Cladded with designer clothes, flanked by his bodyguards and his drop-dead gorgeous date. Striding across the hall with his I-own-this-place-attitude. Smiles. Nonchalant. Elegant. Making his presence felt. Everybody's looking his way. And everyone gossiped about how he was worth a billion bucks... He suddenly smooches his date and did a little PDA that shocked the mob. Ok, I made this last sentence up.


But you know who I am talking about.


PNoy is a bachelor. Some may argue the most eligible bachelor. Being the patriarch of 90million hopefuls hope-fools, with literally an army to back him up, he emulates power in every goddamn way. Who wouldn't fall for someone like him? Gulp.  :|


Now, the real issue for me is quite pressing: Looking at Pnoy makes me wonder what would it take to be an eligible bachelor. I know that applying many people's standards won't even put PNoy under the term "eligible" for some obvious "homer" reasons.  


By eligible I mean someone who's gonna knock you off your feet without much effort. Someone who's been there, financially and emotionally stable. Someone who can carry a decent and meaningful conversation. Someone who's slick, even sarcastic, and confident. Someone who exudes masculinity and tempered silence. Smirk on his face knowing that everyone looks at him with admiration and wishful thinking. Proud of himself yet humbled by who he became to be. 


Eligible means ready. Cut-out to become your McDreamy. A big fish. One that's really hard to find. One who's a keeper.


Why would girls drool over such a catch? Because men like those are scarce. Seldom found. And what would it take to be someone like that? A billion bucks? Harvard education? Executive directorship? Pondering about these questions led me to believe that men have the birthright--or maybe more appropriately curse--to be the breadwinner... not just for families, but for themselves... To strive for success. To strive for QUALIFICATION. To strive for stability. To prove themselves capable. To become the man girls will line up to get a piece of.


Ladies drool over McDreamy for the qualities he brings to the table. And these qualities often pertain to looks, stature, and potential. Romanticized. 


More and more I find it very difficult for men to become eligible. You girls have criteria all over. Height. Hair color. Complexion. Overall looks. Accent. Clothes. Money. Career. Car. House. Attitude. GUYS: Have all of those... and ladies will go gaga over you. Most people say men are superficial. Well I've got news for you: so are women. 


To become an eligible bachelor, you must have compelling characteristics that make girls want to take you home to their parents and get married the day after (Haha :|). That is why I think many guys get married at 30-35 years old. That way you have experienced around 10 years of your career, been where most people strive to be, had everything under control. Really independent of anything. Stable and satisfied. 


It really would make sense. 


But most people decide to get married way before the "eligible" stage and they seem to be happy about it. They can enjoy the kids more because they are still young. They spend the day with the wifey and enjoy each other's company without being concerned about getting tired too early. And I admire those people. Many of my friends are in fact getting married soon (some are already married) and I can't help but be proud of the things they sacrifice in order to be together.


It really would make sense to wait and become the eligible bachelor who has everything girls would really drool about. But in the end it's the question you have to answer by yourself: are you eligible enough to get married or not? Sometimes it's just a state of mind. Sometimes it's just a matter of choice. Oftentimes it doesn't even matter. And if you guys find someone who would accept you not as McDreamy (or like PNoy :| ), like the "eligible" bachelor this world defined it to be, and just accept you for who you are a-la-BrunoMars... then she might also be a keeper like you always are. 


I admire girls who would look past those superficial and worldly traits...


And for girls who are apparently superficial: our post-midlife-crisis President is still available. Or... you can wait all you want for the so-called (but highly disputable in so many angles) Mr. David-Beckham-of-the-Philippines all you want... But for all I know, his namesake is not all that true anymore 20 years from now. 


So what does it take to be an eligible bachelor? absolutely NOTHING. Every guy deserves to be considered eligible (although anyone can use a Porsche, or a TonyStarkAudiR8). Every (caveat: nice and sincere) guy should have a chance to sweep you off your feet. 

Teenage dream

my teenage dream

You're 14. What do you know about love? Okay, that's rhetoric. I'm almost twice that age and i still don't know what I know about love. Ask your parents, or grandparents. What do we know about love? Socrates may have the answer, because he said "all I know is I know nothing."

So kiddo, you're 14 and you "fell in love" with a girl in your school. She used to be your seat mate back in second grade and you once lent her your pencil. You teased her a lot--about her weight, her bad breath, her ridiculous accent, her sticky skin, her crappy hello kitty notebooks and most of all her big bulky curly hair. 

But after six years of growing pains and boyhood you realized the opposite sex is called the "opposite sex" for something. That somehow your being a tool's got to change fast. What was that feeling? Every time you see the girl you used to beat the crap out of back in grade school is growing to become a fine woman, there was an adrenaline rush... something came up (no pun intended) and it's called a teenage dream. Smitten by her long black hair, white teeth without braces, sparkling eyes, suddenly she smells great... she's now taller than you, growing in all sort of places you used to puke about.  

My oh my how she's grown to be someone you never thought you would like. And that feeling is priceless. Savor it. It's not first love. Might be puppy love. But what it really is... is your only fond memory of your innocence on attraction. Naivete. What do you know about love? Let me guess, it's the longing for someone's attention, for some connection, for something you and the other can share. The feeling that you should spend 24/7 with that person. The only one who matters. The world stops and your heart skips a beat. You've never felt this way before. And you'll die tomorrow if you can't let this all out today. You had to try and say it. Nothing is more important.

My friend, you are dead wrong. Like you were wrong about the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus. Like you were wrong about wrestling and Superman. It gets complicated. Talk to me after 10 years and tell me what you think love is. Talk to me after 20, 30, 40 years and tell me something about love. You will never look at love the same way you look at that girl who caught your eye in high school like living will never be the same again. 

I just wish it is as simple as that. Back in high school you just have a crush, and for all you know she's already the one. We've all been there. I get it that Katy Perry sang about living a teenage dream. It's when life is so simple that you don't have to worry about getting married, having kids, paying the bills and amortizing your house. It's the only time you don't have to worry about not getting along, compromising, and breaking each other's neck for all you care. The only thing you care about is the two of you... the world can end.

10 years later, you're 24 (obviously I can add). At this day and age it's hard to find a teenage dreamy feeling. The world's not as simple as it was back in high school. Besides, the girl in your teenage dreams might have ended up looking like an elephant 10 years later. Kidding aside, ignorance is really sometimes better. Innocence is better. Because the world is not as great as advertised. You would want to be a 14-year old loser all your life because the world is a bigger bully than all the jocks in high school combined. 

And if you're looking for the girl of your dreams.... sure there are plenty of fishes in the sea. The perfect woman is maybe out there. But love is hard to find. It's okay to feel teeny dreamy every now and then but it shouldn't rock your world like when you were 14. Be mature. Enjoy. In the end we all know nothing about love. About relationships and how it's going to turn out. We just don't. It's a good feeling. But a teenage dream is still just a dream. You will have to wake up sooner or later.

So be sure to choose the right one. Take your time. Don't rush it like a teenage dream. Because remember... there's always a bigger fish. Make sure you won't regret eating a catfish when a caviar comes along. 

If you're 14 and having a teenage dream, enjoy. If you're my age and having the same dream, wake up. It's probably a bad one. But if you can't help it, I just hope you have a dreamcatcher. It might be worth the try. 

The Perfect Woman

she's right up there

No boys, it's not Anne Curtis Smith. Although in my list she might be right up there.  It's not Ximena Navarette. Although the title she represents puts her in that position easily. It's not Miranda effin' Kerr. Although everybody envies Orlando Bloom for snagging that one (really good job Mr. Bloom). 

It's certainly not Pokwang (at least according to Mo Twister). Not even Queen Latifah, Hilary Swank or Julia Roberts. Certainly not Vice Ganda (although the category might not fit him/her in the first place). And no "although" in this paragraph.

The bottom line is, we men are superficial at first. We know a good one when we see it. We appreciate physical beauty. But that's just the surface. Because in the end, looks account for nothing if you don't bring in the substance. 

And the criteria's not the same for everyone. Some like it hot, some like it simple. Some guys like the smile, some like the dimples. Some like big bold eyes, some are into Chinitas. Some like girls with short boyish hair, some people prefer long black hair. Some guys prefer fair complexions, while others are into morenas. 

Judging physical beauty is complicated. It really is in the eye of the beholder. But what makes a difference is the way she handles herself. If she reveals her true aura. Because girls--no matter how pretty--are still insecure. But if girls could just move past those insecurities and reveal who they really are, then it's a whole new ballgame. Men (well at least I speak for my not-so-superficial self, who can be found every now and then) also like character. Not just legs, fronts and be-hinds although those would be nice. Okay that's a little hard to accept, but if you're looking for smart-straight-eligible guys, prolonged affection should be supported by character.

Sad part is, guys only find a girl's real character after several dates, several months... several years. or even more. In economics, this problem is called Asymmetric Information. A guy may know something that the girl doesn't and vice-versa (and it's easy to take advantage of the situation because of this). There's no such thing as perfect information. If there is, then the market is operating under a perfect condition. We are always correct, and we always get what we paid for. So guys (like girls) have criteria for defining a perfect woman and it may include a lot of fronts, backs, aboves and belows, but it's incomplete. Girl may be all those, but she's keeping something that will be discovered after a long period of time. Guys are like that too. 

Girls are famous for their usually high standards for guys, e.g. tall dark and handsome (which is I consider poetic since I don't have any of those... haha). Then they have the smart, independent and rich criteria. But in the end they end up with bad boys with tattoos and a killer instinct. But this is another story. Girls are famous for their standards, and guys have their own. But really, what are standards for? 

I'd gladly have a girl who's 5'7" tall, fair-skinned, with long black hair and killer smile, eyes worth a million bucks and a pair of legs to die for. But that doesn't stop there. The list goes on and on. And the irony of it all is you throw it all away just for anyone. For someone you met at the bar, or for some childhood friend in your teenage dreams. Standards are just there to confuse us guys from defining what we want from what we need. Substance should make or break a budding relationship. Substance prolongs attraction. Substance REPLACES attraction. 

The perfect woman may be someone who will take care of us like our mothers. Someone who will accept us for who we effin' are and not just who we can be. Someone who will give us independence and room to grow. (alright I turned out to be a girl after all). In the end it can be anyone's guess. I'm no expert and your guess is as good as mine. 

But seriously, the perfect woman exists... in our dreams. And looking for her is like betting in the lottery--where the probability of winning is essentially the same whether you placed a bet or not. The problem is we still look for them because someone actually wins. Someone's lucky enough to rake it big time. 

The perfect woman may be perfect. But the real thing may even be better. So Anne Curtis you, if you are out there, don't be shy to give me a holler. A chance at reality is all we can ever get. In the end I don't want the perfect woman, I just want the right one. 

Mr. Brightside

you're amazing just the way you are

One of the things I always remember in evaluating my life, planning the next move and diagnosing the future is everything is self-fulfilling. If you think you're going to screw it up, then you are screwed. But if you think tomorrow is going to be a bright day, then make sure to pack your sunglasses because sunshine is exactly what you are going to get. 

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst, this is the usual mantra. Hope that everything will be alright. But it's not that easy to be optimistic when inefficiencies and hangups surround us. It's so easy to be insecure. 

Exhibit A: girl weaves through dozens of wardrobes to look for the perfect (for the lack of better word) get-up, takes a few hours, looks in the mirror and puts on different shades of make-ups, can't decide what to use, takes another hour. And then she becomes upset that her closet isn't big enough, the mirror's making her look fat, and every dress she wears reminds her of her asshole ex boyfriend. Don't even get me started with shoes and bags...

What is this phenomenon? It's called "analysis-paralysis." We analyze too much. We all do, not just girls. 

Exhibit B: Guy's in his car, parked in front of his date's house, waiting nervously for the girl (introduced by his colleagues), thinking about appropriate things to say, trying to smell like a million bucks, cleaning up his trunk and leather seats, playing the third song from his custom-made playlist. With the i-never-been-on-a-date-for-a-year attitude painted on his forehead, he rehearses his "you look amazing" speech, thinking he's in big trouble. 

Yes you are. You are in big trouble because of your insecurities and analysis paralysis. We are all guilty of this in one way or another. But you know what, it doesn't help and we know it. We're so paralyzed by our own thinking that we can't move forward. In the end, you will get what you don't want to get and exactly the opposite of what you ordered. 

But the other way around works. Works like magic. Make a call, like saying "this night is going to be awesome" and don't pretend. You know you are awesome. You should be. And no one's going to steal your thunder tonight. Then walla, we hear music and magic. 

Why is it hard to be optimistic? Because society teaches us to be cynics. Bad experiences. Inexperience. Personal incapacity. Social class. Money. But if we just move past those, if we could just expand our horizons, we'll be a lot better. 

I am Mr. Brightside. I know (we all do) the future is uncertain and there will always be bumps and stopovers along the way.  We know it's not perfect, but it doesn't help if we raise our eyebrows every time we are uncertain about what's going to happen. The bright side is it could have been worse, everything is going to be fine. 

You want an example that's not relationship-based? Look at the stock market. It's full of self-fulfilling prophecies based on calculated risks and analysis-backed valuation. But in the end you have to make a call yourself. And if you believe in it enough that everyone also believes in you, you might just be right. Right now the market is optimistic, bullish, because of PNoy and the economy. Everyone joined the bandwagon. And walla, all-time highs almost everyday for the stock market index (PSEi). 

So choose your pill: Red or blue. Positive or negative. Because there's no turning back. You yourself predict your future, and it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Forget your weight, forget your smell, forget all the number-crunching statistics. In the end, we make our own fate. And if you believe in it with all your heart, you might just get lucky. 

My MBA life in Barcelona...

Barcelona, with Torre Agbar

...would have been great. But like I said earlier, I opted for Plan B. A new career instead. It's hard to regret not having an MBA degree from one of the best business schools in the world in a great city like Barcelona if my plan after the MBA is to get to where I am now. So touche.

But before deciding the ultimate fate of my career back in June, I wallowed at the fact that I've been offered a slot in this year's class in IESE Business School. I've met great people (Tim, Cesca, and Aimee) who are now enjoying their first taste of the Barcelona life as 1st yr IESE MBA students. I've talked to a lot of people about my options, but it all boiled down to what I really need and what I can really afford. But I enjoyed looking at details about the school, the program (and don't worry, I knew most of the details about the program even before I was offered a slot as I should), Barcelona and everything it was advertised to be. 

IESE Business School, Barcelona

The IESE MBA is a bilingual MBA (English-Spanish) program. The school specializes on strategy, business economics, and entrepreneurship. Pretty much like any Ivy-league school in Eastern US right? But what makes IESE MBA different is its graduates are on average allegedly not paid as much as its US counterparts (like Harvard or Wharton). (well, this is partly true although this is not really the differential I would like to point out) Kidding aside, what makes IESE different is its corporate culture that emphasizes on business ethics and the social responsibility of business. Students are taught to focus on what they can do for society, while making reasonable profit, and not on obtaining the highest salaries and bonuses possible. This is, for me, the hook. Because seldom do business schools look outside the window and actually point out social responsibility as a core value of their curriculum and overall business school experience. Also 80% of the students are non-Spanish (talk about being international). Not to mention, Barcelona is a great city.

By European standards, living in Barcelona is relatively cheap. You can rent a really nice and decent 1Br flat by yourself at around 400-700EUR. Plus utilities and adsl (which are all I need), you'll probably have to cash in 800-1KEUR all in all. In Paris, London or Geneva, you'll probably pay at least double the amount for the same flat. So Barcelona was I guess okay. But that's around 60K pesos every month. Definitely way above my pay grade in Manila, but considering other European cities are even more expensive, Barcelona seems to be a great option for economically-challenged-developing-country-dwellers like Filipinos aspiring for first-world business education. 

ordinary night in Barca

So besides nice "cheap" flats, what else is interesting about Barcelona? It's filled with culture. And by culture I mean not just Gaudi and his La Sagrada de Familia church and Park Guel, not just the remnants of the 1992 Olympics, not just the beach (dubbed the best beach city by the National Geographic), not just architecture. Not just form, but more importantly the substance. I heard the parties and events are just sick. Music festivals, sports!!,! street dancing, parties!!!. I also want to learn how to play the Spanish guitar. 

I was excited to get around the city while driving a "moto," riding a bike, or taking the bus (like in most European cities, the moto is the best way to travel around the city with style). I imagine VickyCristinaBarcelona every time I day dream about how I wanted to explore the city during the first few months of my stay in Barcelona. Of course, I wouldn't mind having Scarlett Johansson show me around. I want to stroll down those brick-laden streets and eat some tapas en vino. Bocadillo y pollo. I heard the climate is not that harsh. And Spanish girls are also something. In parties.

Learning Spanish for my MBA should be easy since we Filipinos are exposed to many Spanish words everyday. And I earned a total of 12 units of Spanish language courses back in college, so I felt confident that I can adjust pretty well with the challenges of the tongue. That's until I found out that Barcelona speaks Catalan, which is more French than Spanish-sounding. Great. I bet it's going to be a struggle during the first few months. 

IESE Business School was ran and developed by guys from Harvard themselves. Top notch professors, case-studies that are hard to crack, personalized and mentorship approach to education, a very global mindset---these recipes are music to my ears. And IESE was by far my first choice for an MBA education. (other choices are INSEAD, HKUST, USC, UCLA, Chicago Booth). The city should be exactly what it was advertised to be. Admittedly in hindsight, my MBA in Barcelona would really have been great. In fact, I bet it would be awesome. The best business education in one of the best European cities, booze, culture, a mash of different people. What more can I ask for?

Barcelona would have been awesome. But staying and working here ain't bad either. No sighs. No regrets. What can I say, I still think Makati is the best city and the Philippines is the best country in the world. Because my whole life is here. And I wouldn't have it anywhere else.

Of buses, beauty queens, and 21 grams

At any given time, we always count how much we've won and how much we've lost (especially if you're a self-confessed economist). It's easy to count earnings and winnings if you're talking about money or practically everything. But why is it so hard to count the losses? Because at the end of the day, we can't quantify it. We just wish we never lost anything. 


So many events happened in the last 168 hours. Worked for 60. Slept for 40. And what happened in between I try to measure to recount if I gained or lost something. And one look in the mirror says that I've gained a lot in the past few weeks. Weight, that is. Losing this is probably something I'd be happy about. But we all know we gained and lost much more valuable things in the last week than flab and fats. 


For the optimists, the good news is the economy grew by 7.9% in the second quarter of this year, above all consensus and economists estimates. And contrary to what PNoy argued ranted about in his first SONA last month, GMA did need to front-load all the spending needs of the government during the first few months of this year to boost the economy. Even the prophet of boom conveyed that "it would be a sin if GMA didn't do that in the first place." And we all have to thank GMA for a job well done, but "spending millions and millions in a single district in Pampanga" is another story. The market rejoiced at the robust GDP showing, a pleasant surprise for us. And it's up to PNoy and his minions to sustain this kind of momentum. 


I don't know whether to consider Venus Raj's anti-climactic ending to the Ms. Universe campaign as a "major-major" victory for us or a "major-major" shortcoming. The entire thing was filled with drama like a telenovela when Ms.Philippines was called last in the top15-10-5. The gorgeous (but a little exotic for my taste) Venus stole the show up until one of the Baldwin brothers was tasked to ask the ill-fated question that caught our bet off-guard. It was obvious by the classic deflection maneuver--thanking Mr. Baldwin for the question and addressing the crowd. (for the record, I am all for Ximena Navarrete as Ms. Universe. just wow.) But at the end of the day, it was a warm feeling that Venus ended up in the Top5--the highest since 1999 when Miriam Quiambao fell on stage and actually bagged the first runner-up title. For the record, many people feel Ms. Quiambao also faltered in the Q&A portion which begs the question: are Filipinas cut out for impromptu Q&As and speeches? (maybe this is why it's sometimes so hard to get straight answers from girls generally when asked about.... oops never mind)


But what really shocked me during the past seven days was the sudden and tragic demise of another beauty queen, Melody Gersbach. I was never close to Mel but I am around many people who were practically sisters with Mel, and I know many people value her friendship so much. We are in the same DWTL community and for what it's worth we really just lost gained an angel. This is what I am talking about. We really can't quantify how much we've lost especially if it's (or in this case, she's) something(/one) dear to our hearts. The WWJD family offered mass for Mel, and I was--as well as a lot of people-- holding back tears as we sing One Bread and Kaibigan for Mel one last time. Also almost cried when the eulogies were read. I can never understand why something like this happens, but I know as much as you do that everything happens for a reason. God has plans for us and those left to drift the earth for years more must move on and make the best of it. I'm sure Mel had the time of her life, and she lived the 4th day to the fullest. "I never said it would be easy, I just said it would be worth it." Basta ikaw, Mel.


I have nothing but hatred for bus drivers who think they can rule the road, take your lanes, and care about nothing but themselves. So many tragedies involving buses that I am starting to think that driving alongside buses might be as fatal as having a heart attack or an aneurism. 41 died in a bus crash about 10 days ago, who knows how many more died in five-or-so bus accidents I read about earlier this week. Someone please teach those reckless drivers a lesson! Mel did nothing wrong. And most accidents happen because no one but the bus driver made a reckless (and should be avoidable) mistake. geez.


Speaking of buses, 8 people died in a highly-televised 14-hr hostage taking by an ex-cop of a tourist bus. I can't even begin to describe how awful the whole situation was. It's too painful to watch, and we not just lost tourists, but potential tourists, a good and working relationship with HK and China, image, jobs for OFWs, and a lot more. The only winner in this fiasco was the so-called "free" media, who by all means catapulted us into CNN and CNBC fame while giving us an exhibit of "responsible" journalism. And where are all the celebrities and politicians who could have been there to salvage the situation and offer some "star-striking" power to the shutter-island-bound ex-cop? I bet if this hostage-taking happened before the May10 elections, it could have donned another ending. Oh well, lesson learned (I hope). And sorry, no tears or Q&As or hearings can bring those things we lost to justice. 


So how much really have we gained? How much have we lost? In 168 hours, we gained some. We lost some. That's the deal right? We can never explain how much really. One of my favorite movies of all time, 21Grams sums it all up. And I quote Sean Penn as Paul Rivers:


How many lives do we live? How many times do we die? They say we all lose 21 grams... at the exact moment of our death. Everyone. And how much fits into 21 grams? How much is lost? When do we lose 21 grams? How much goes with them? How much is gained? How much is gained? Twenty-one grams. The weight of a stack of five nickels. The weight of a hummingbird. A chocolate bar. How much did 21 grams weigh?  


Really, life may be worth 21 grams. To friends and families of Mel, and all the victims of bus accidents, and the hostages of that ill-fated bus, 21 grams cannot be measured. I wish it is easy to quantify but in the end some things are just priceless. Some things we really can't afford to lose. 


For me, screw the flab and fats. I'd gladly gain 100x 21grams anytime if it means bringing back those lives. If it means recouping all those losses.

TV shows galore

What's your favorite past-time? With the workweek over (it went by so fast that I can't even recount/remember what happened chronologically in between) and me having this inkling that I should have a well-deserved rest--or better yet, vacation--to practically recharge myself and have fresh thoughts for  my work, I resort to watching TV and playing campaign missions on the worldwide phenom strategy game StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty. Caveat: might be pathetic for some, but I do enjoy how strategy games make me think, and probably lead me to out-of-box solutions. But that's just me.


So on to the not so childish good stuff.


It's saturday again and I can't help but enjoy the time to catch up on movies, books, and TV shows. Out of sheer curiosity (or boredom, depending on how you look at it) I thought of listing down all the TV shows I loved for the past decade and write down why I loved them. It's just amazing because they reflect how I think and what tickles my imagination (no pun intended). So here are the TOP10 TV shows I love. For the record, and (insert sarcasm here:) without any bias, you should try seeing them too.


10. Grey's Anatomy - okay, a lame way to start the countdown since this one is all-drama. Some funny instances but not all that good as a whole if you're not looking for heavy-saturday night tear "jerk time" (again, no pun intended but if you think there is I don't really care and good for you). Meredith Grey is full of quotable quotes about love, life, career, future and every serious and probably boring guys would love to hear. This TV show is for the clingy types, the bookworms and the full-metal jacket emotional people who just love to indulge in self-reflection and dreamy life thinking. Sadly, I am was like that.


9. Heroes (season 1) - ordinary people discovering that they have extraordinary abilities like controlling metals, x-ray visions, regeneration, flight, god-like strength, and my personal favorite: controlling the space-time-continuum? SIGN ME UP. Heroes was very promising at the start, and I really like feeling like Spiderman/Peter Parker (who btw sports a new actor) every time I see those bunch of guys coming in together to survive the world that grows to hate them everyday. Unfortunately though, after a strong first season (season 2 was highly mediocre, and season 3 was just plain crap) this franchise never really delivered within expectations. But I do love the concept because it stirs us into believing we can be special in a way--and this would likely be a plus for us if we reach for our dreams.


8. CSI - Las Vegas is admittedly the best CSI but I've grown to love Miami and NY as well. The story lines were always perfect, and Grissom (LV) was always entertaining (I haven't got time to watch Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Langston but something tells me no one should replace Grissom). His character is really something. But so is H (Miami) played by David Caruso. His demeanor has sarcasm written all over, and I love it. Mac (NY) played by veteran Gary Sinise is also good. But what struck me the most is the unique theme/lighting/hue for each CSI spinoffs. LV is predominantly green, Miami is orangy-red, and NY is blue. You can see the difference watching all three. That is character. Well, with Jerry Bruckheimer at your back, everything should be great.


7. Friends - some people might actually feel offended with me placing Friends so low into this countdown. I won't argue. Many people think Friends is "the" comedy series of our generation (or in this case, more the generation before me). It is. 10 seasons of nonstop fun and crazy-ness. The fab sitcom is your laid-back show that doesn't make you think too much but is just down-to-earth funny. It makes you watch episodes all over and you won't get bored. It's something worth 10hours of marathon watching on a lazy weekend (I know I did that). I give credit to the scriptwriters, this TV show never, even for a heartbeat, lost its wind.




6. Entourage - Vincent Chase and the A-list life on Hollywood. Thank you Mark Wahlberg for this. Your typical boyhood dreams all in one show. What else would you ask for? The Entourage is every bachelor's nirvana--money, cars, fame, and girls, girls, girls (and not relationships?). But of the entourage, I see myself in E the most. I'm the serious guy, the all business, the marrying type; not to mention he's got taste on women (hehe). Entourage is for the boys and rightfully so. They're funny, screwed up, and just plain pathetic. And that's hilarious.


5. Lie to me - I must admit, I'm for the idea that being sarcastic, smart, reckless, and downright straightforward (I just described three directions here) is raunchy. Cal Lightman played by the great Tim Roth is that guy and unfortunately I am not even close to being like him. Most people don't know what this series is--at least I haven't met anyone recently who is even remotely informed of this series--what this is about. But I am currently addicted to this. The bread and butter of this series is exactly what the title says--LIE TO ME. It's about deception experts trying to make a living helping the government, institutions, billionaires and businessmen, and even ordinary people about the truth. They see it in your eyes, your smile, your body language, your tweaks, your jerks, your nonchalant attitude, involuntary responses...practically everything. Isn't that awesome?


4. Big shots - a wildcard here and basically the story is about 4 "big shot" mid-30s executives (CEOs in fact) screwing up their lives in every move they make. This is prolly the older version of Entourage except this is about CEOs really on the top of their games--not some bunch of parasites. If you haven't heard of this series I don't blame you, the network only aired 10 episodes before calling it quits in the middle of the writers' crisis in 2008. This was one of the casualties. There's not much to expect on the story line since it's also straightforward... just having fun while contemplating on the thought that someday I'll be a CEO too.


3. How I met your mother - this is a no brainer. The dudes in HIMYM are all awesome. The script was good and the cast were hilarious. Barney Stinson is THE bro. Marshall is your Napoleon Dynamite, only better, bigger, and wiser. Robin is hot and crazy (I don't know if this is a good combination or not). Lily is your big sister in the group, and she's crazy too. Ted is just pathetic. Some people would think that HIMYM can never replace Friends (well, I concede, both have the same plot and sometimes punchlines but hey, it's not the 90s anymore). For me, HIMYM cannot be compared to Friends even if the similarities are striking. For me, this series brings it. In fact, currently looking forward to next season.


2. Lost - one roller coaster ride. It ended this year with a bang. All the anomalies, the questions, the hype---all of those ended abruptly with most puzzles left unsolved. That's the point really. The concept is scary but this series makes us think a lot about everything, every single detail. This series has the "hook" and every fan knows that it gets frustrating and gratifying at the same time. The beauty of this series lies on the fact that most plots, subplots, and repercussions are open for interpretation. Some people even joke that "this series LOST me at hello." "I got LOST in space." "LOST and never found." (ok, the last one is just me) The point is, the series isn't for everybody. But if you like stirring those brain juices every now and then, better take a second look at probably one of the best-mind-boggling (literally) series of all time.


1. House, MD - when asked about the best series I've watched (and I know I haven't watched that much), I have a straight answer. It's Gregory House, MD. For me the plot----read: misery+brilliance----is very compelling. House is not an idiot, he's just sometimes deranged, sarcastic, nosy, arrogant, and most of the time a pain in the butt, and he's the only one who can fix you. He's surrounded by caring friends who are in it not because they don't have a choice, they just cared so much about House. Superb script, great mix of cast. I do have a soft heart for amazingly arrogant but brilliant bastards who are not loved by others looking from afar but really admired by those who actually know them. House is that guy, and he saves lives in the process of constantly screwing up his own. Genius.


Possible runner-ups: Gossip Girl, Criminal minds, The OC, One tree hill (I know, I'm pathetic and young that time), Prison break (season 1)


Possible but haven't watched: 24, Glee, Dexter, Arrested Development, Chuck, Big Bang Theory


That's it for now, and I am psyched up to watch the new Lie to Me episode I just downloaded earlier. Please don't shoot me if you somehow disagree with this list. Create your own blog if you feel strongly about it. Take it easy now. :) Stinson out!

The Bonnie and Clyde Syndrome

What's the craziest thing you've done lately?

After watching the 1967 classic Bonnie and Clyde, I feel ecstatic (and prolly bored of myself). You have two young people (read: Clyde was 25 and Bonnie was 23 years old then), robbing banks and killing people all over Central America. They had the time of their lives--after all, they live in the Great Depression era where you see people living in their cars without a penny in their pockets while banks foreclosed all their belongings. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were AWESOME. But best of all, they were head-over-heels in love with each other. 

I always knew that their story was about two lovers-bandits-outlaws trying to emulate Jesse James in 20th Century America. But I didn't know how it really felt when I saw it in their eyes. (Ok, what I really saw were two great actors--Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty--acting as lovers. And when you have Hollywood hunk Warren and drop-dead-gorgeous Faye together in the silverscreen, it's not that hard to fall in love with their characters. But that's not my point.) Bonnie was, and if the script was at least half accurate, madly in love with Clyde. While Faye's physique (and looks) in this movie is somewhat distracting to my analysis of the love story, I concluded that what Bonnie and Clyde had was really special.

I am not writing this to offer a 40-year-delayed review of the Bonnie and Clyde film which is btw a thing of beauty. What I am most affected about is how the true story of Bonnie and Clyde were all about. Yes there were countless crazy things they've done during a 2-year hiatus of robberies, killings, and evasion from the law. Yes they were immortalized by what they did to rob banks, gas stations, grocery stores. But their true story was about love. Everything else they did were collateral damages. And for what it's worth I do hope most people find that type of love during these times. And if I have to be a criminal to find that feeling, I might still consider it. 

Funny thing is we do a lot of crazy things in life that we are aware about. Sometimes we're ashamed, most things we did we're not proud of. So I admire Bonnie's conviction to stay with Clyde--and as Jay-Z and Beyonce (circa 2003) woud put it, "all I need in this life of sin is me and my girlfriend... down to ride 'till the very end, it's me and my boyfriend." They lived a crazy life but they had one heck of a ride. And they were until their very deaths proud of it.

Those two died when they were around my current age. I can tell you now that I never robbed a bank (or a gasoline station), I never killed anyone (although I wouldn't be surprised to find out that most people have killed other people inside their heads and in their memories), I never evaded arrest (except maybe for a few MMDA/TMG traffic rule violations), but like most people I loved. I love. We love. 

It doesn't matter if we love ourselves, our careers, our families, friends, possessions, and all the worldly things. We love. And it gets crazy because love defies conventions and laws (exhibit A: Bonnie and Clyde). Love defies rationality. Love defies cultures, differences, dreams, plans, circumstances, adversities, diet, traffic rules, and even gravity. Even the Discovery Channel knows this. And when you think about it, love indeed conquers all. 

The only problem is if we loved ourselves too much. But that's another story right?

So to answer the question at the beginning of this post, I think it suffices to say that the craziest thing we did--all of us--lately is to love. Like I said, it doesn't matter who or what you loved. You just did. It is crazy. And (I hope I'm not being blasphemous by saying this) even God loves us even if it doesn't makes sense for us to be loved at all by Him (and I'm not saying God's crazy). We love. Period. Our lives are full of Bonnie and Clyde events. But I'm sure most of us just wish we could find love in another's eyes (this again is another story). 

Thanks to Bonnie and Clyde, now I realized so many things about love that I ruined my Saturday afternoon nap in the process. Cheers to one of the loveliest love story of all time (for me at least). For what it's worth, it makes me want to cry (want is the operative word here). 

Now that this is out of the way, let me get that well-deserved nap. Out.