Christmas Carols... Este Memoirs Pala

My first and only anticipated Dawn Mass where I served... December 22, 9pm at the Manila Cathedral

Invoce at the Manila Cathedral... December 22.

My five kittens finally framed after 5 years after crossstitching was completed!!! December 23, 2008.

Awww... Absent si Jongster, ang lalabs kong teammate on the Christmas Eve shift, December 24, 11:30 pm. Nawalan kasi ng boses, kaya hindi makapag-calls... huhuhu


The first batch of gifts I wrapped; December 18.


View from the eighth floor of Vivere Hotel... December 16. Wala ako tulog for 36 hours nyan... (What else is new?!)

My College Alma Mater, PATTS College of Aeronautics. I visited December 10 after 2 years. So much has changed, whooo hooo...

After the Divisoria Christmas shopping galore... Eto ang design ng tren na sinakyan ko... December 15. This looks rather familiar...

The PATTS Chapel... Dyan nagpraktis ang PULSE for the Vivere competition... December 10.

I sang with The Singing Christians at EDSA Shrine for the installation of Fr. Nilo Mangussad as the Shrine's Rector and the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception feast. December 8.

The PATTS Universal League of Singing Enthusiasts after the Vivere competition December 16. Ano masasabi nyo sa costume namin?? Espacially the girls'... walang bra yan... hahaha!!

Si TL Rey.. Na unang tl kong mabibigyan ng straight 100% eval for a month... wai! wai! wai! December 23, final eval for the month...

Feeling Santa Claus

Hapon na at nararamdaman ko na ang paglamig ng panahon. Alas kwatro pa lang ng hapon eh basa na ng kakaibang lamig ang hangin. Disyembre na nga. Magpapasko na...

Handa na ako sa aking dapat gawing ngayong hapon. Heto at nakalatag na sa sahig lahat ng mga gagamitin ko...

Apat na piraso ng gift wrapper, iba-ibang kulay...
Gunting...
Scotch tape...
Apat na lumang kahon...
Isang napakalaking plastic ng mga pinamili galing divisoria...

Gets mo na gagawin ko?!?

Edi magbabalot ng mga regalo!

O diba, feeling Santa Claus lang ang drama. For the first time in my life, nagbabalot ako ng mga regalong ako mismo ang gumastos at namili. After 23 years of receiving gifts during Christmas, ako naman ang magreregalo, for a change.

Boring ang hapon dahil masyadong tahimik ang paligid. Kumuha ako ng isang cd mula sa cd rack at isinalang ko ito sa dvd player. Pagpindot ko ng play sa remote control, nagsimula ang tugtog. Wari'y nanghaharana ang boses ni Jose Mari Chan sa buong bahay habang umaawit ng mga kanta sa Christmas album na ito.

[My idea of a perfect Christmas, is to spend it with you...]

Isa-isa kong tinanggal ang mga tag ng mga pinamili ko at tsaka ko nilagay sa mga karton ang bawat isa. Sapat lang sa tatlong tao ang mga regalong nabili ko. Meron para kay Papa, meron para kay Ate, meron din para ka insan Peps. Apat na kahon ang kailangan dahil may karamihan ang regalo ko ke Papa. By request kasi eh. Alam nyo na, tumatanda na tatay natin, kaya go lang sa lahat ng gusto, basta keri. Tinape ako bawat karton para hindi agad mabuksan ang mga regalo. Un bang mag-e-effort muna ang makatatanggap bago makuha ang regalo.

[Whenever I see girls and boys, selling lanterns of the streets...]

Bigla akong nalungkot habang binabalot ang unang regalo.

Naalala ko pa noon, siguro mga grade 6 ako, kinanta ko ang kantang Christmas in Our Hearts sa isang bonggang-bonggang Christmas party kasama ang karamihan sa mga kamag-anak namin, maternal and paternal side. First solo performance ko yun in a crowd (30+ katao yun, kala mo ba, at napagkasya sa aming mumunting tahanan, ahihihihi). At kahit na pawisan kong natapos ang kanta, standing ovation naman, ay mali (feeling amp!), round of applause lang pala. May nga palaro, may kainan at may paregalo ang nanay ko sa mga kamag-anak, as in lahat ng kamag-anak na nadoon, lalo ang mga bata. Sama-sama kaming magbalot ng regalo, kakain ng sama-sama, magtatawanan ng sobrang lakas, bibong-bibo ang mga chikiting sa mga palaro. Galanteng-galante ang pamilya namin noon, sobra. At dahil lahat ng kamag-anak eh kalapit-bahay lang, madali lang silang maimbita sa bahay.

[Long time ago, in Bethlehem...]

Years ago pa yun, decade na nga eh. Ngayon, mag-isa na lang ako nagbabalot ng mga regalo, iilang tao na lang ang kailangan regaluhan, kami-kami na lang sa bahay ang magcecelebrate ng Pasko at ang pinakamasaklap, wala ako sa Noche Buena at maging sa Medya Noche.

Nanlulumo akong umuwi kahapon dahil pagtingin ko sa schedule namin para sa susunod na Linggo, kailangang pumasok kami ng alas onse y medya ng ika-dalawamput apat ng Disyembre at alas dose y medya ng madaling araw ng unang araw ng Enero. Kauna-unahan Pasko at Bagong Taon ito na hindi ko idadaos sa bahay. Malungkot man isipin, pero kailangan gawin, kesa mawalan tayo ng trabaho diba, mahirap ang buhay ngayon, kahit na sabihin mong may rollback ang pamasahe (make sense?!?). Ndi ko lang maimagine kung paano ang bumiyahe sa Bagong Taon na may mga paputok all over the place... scary...

[Pasko na, sinta ko, hanap-hanap kita...]

Times change talaga. Hindi na pwede ibalik yung dating party with the whole clan sa bahay. Una, halos wala nang kamag-anak na kasundo ang pamilya ko, for all reasons I may never know. Kung mayroon mang in good terms, malalayo naman sa amin. Ako naman, may trabaho na, graveyard shift pa, kaya pag-uwi ko kinaumagahan ng Pasko, siguradong pagod ako, tulog mode agad ako. At higit as lahat, wala na si Mama na laging nagpapahanda tuwing Pasko. Mula nang nagkasakit at sumakabilang-buhay ang nanay ko pitong taon na ang nakalipas, wala nang nag-aasikaso. Ang hirap talaga na ilaw ng tahanan ang nawala; lagi na lang madilim.

[Ang Disyembre ko ay malungkot...]

Kunsabagay, kung nabubuhay man si Mama ngayon, alam ko proud siya sa mga kinahinatnan naming magkapatid. Si ate, sa Singapore na nagtratrabaho, dollars na ang profit. Ako, nakapasa na rin ng Board Exam, may trabaho na rin, kumikita. Si papa, petix mode na lang sa bahay, kahit hindi na gaanong mamasada, tutal dalawa na kaming may trabaho ni ate at wala na sya pinapaaral, go lang kung ano na gawin nya. Ngayon, ako na nagbabayad ng mga bills, nagbabayad ng lupa at kung anu-ano pa (Uy, ulirang anak na hahahaha).

Ganon lang siguro talaga. Everything has a price. Maunlad nga at nakakaluwag na sa pera, nawalan naman ng oras sa pamilya.

[Ang Pasko ay kay saya kung kayo'y kapiling na...]

But then, what the heck! Sabi nga nila, Krismaskipaps. Kahit paano kailangang maicelebrate ang Pasko, sa anumang paraan. At syempre, we have to bear in mind na anuman ang kalagayan natin ngayong Pasko, dapat pa rin itong ipagdiwang hindi dahil sa saya na dulot ng mga regalong matatanggap natin, kundi dahil sa pag-asang bigay ng isang Batang isinilang sa sabsaban. Ni minsan ay hindi humingi ng regalo ang Batang yun. Pagmamahal mo lang, ayus na.

[Fall on your knees, O hear, the angel voices...]

Ayan, natapos ko na balutin lahat ng regalo, redi na idisplay sa Christmas tree, bahala na sila magbunutan dyan, lagyan ko na lang mamaya ng pangalan.

Siguro nga, kung hindi man maging masaya ang sarili kong Pasko dahil sa kaeemote ko dito sa sala, sana Pasko naman ng iba ang napasaya ko. Sa mga kantang inawit ko kasama ang koro, sa mga mumunting bagay na ginawa ko na ikabuti ng mga minamahal ko sa buhay, sa mga salita kong nagpagaan ng problema ng isang nababagabag, sa mga bagay na binigay ko ng buong puso; sana'y isang tao ang nabigyan ko ng isang makabuluhang Pasko...


Paskong Walang Hanggan
Ryan Cayabyab

Tinanong mo sakin kung ano ang gusto ko
Upang mapaligaya ang aking pasko
Bakit mo pa kaya sabihin sa akin yan
Para namang kasi hindi mo pa alam

Ang aking araw-araw ay iyo nang iniba
Mula pa noong ikaw ay aking nakilala
Pinasayaw ang ikot ng aking munting mundo
Binigyan ng dahilan ang bawat oras at minuto

Ang bawat kong pangarap iyong pinalitan
Binigyan ako ng lakas, tiyaga at tapang
Na harapin ang bawat tanong at pag-aalinlangan
Dahil alam kong ikaw ay katabi ko lamang

At sa tuwing pagsikat at paglubog ng araw
Nagsisimula at nagwawakas sa salitang ikaw
Kaya’t huwag mo nang itanong kung ano pa sa akin ay kulang
Dahil bawat araw kasama ka ay Paskong walang hanggan


Maligaya at makabuluhang Pasko sa iyo!!

Makati vs Libis; Hydra vs Shohoku

Makati PBCom; Team Hydra; TL Errol Villanueva

Libis CyberOne; Team Shohoku; TL Reynaldo Cruz

Isa na siguro ako sa mga maituturing na NPT ng mga ahente sa kolsenter. No Permanent Team. Sa siyam na buwan kong pagsagot ng mga tawag, tatlong team na ang nagkanlong sa akin. Pero hindi naman ako nalipat dahil pasaway ako o dahil hindi ko naabot ang sapat na antas ng kumpanya kundi dahil kailangan lumipat ng buong shift sa ibang site. At hindi sinabay-sabay ang lipat, ginawang per batch. Nangailangan lang na ako'y magpaalam sa aking orihinal na team dahil kailangan ko nang magresign upang ipagpatuloy ang aking tinapos na kurso. Sa kasamaang-palad, mukhang matatagalan pa na ako'y makalipat sa mga paliparan at aprubado na ang pagkatanggal na ako sa original na team kaya ako'y nailipat sa ibang team. Pansamantala lang ang pananatili ko sa nilipatan kong team dahil sila ang maiiwan sa site. Siguro isa't kalahating linggo lang ang tinagal ko. Nang dumating ang oras na lilipat na ang huling batch ng mga teams sa patutunguhang site, kinailangan na uling mailipat ako sa panibago nanamang team. Kaya ito, nasa ibang team ulit ako.

Itinuturing ko na ring swerte ang pagpapalipat-lipat ko ng team. Kahit na paulit-ulit na mag-adjust ako sa mga miyembro at sa TL, ayos lang, sanay naman tayo diyan eh. Kelangan lang flexible, bukas ang isip, at madaling maka-adapt. Buti na rin yun at exposed ako sa mas maraming tao, iba-ibang leadership styles ng mga TL iba-ibang ugali ng mga ka team. Nakakatawa pa nga, kasi kahit na malipat-lipat ako ng team, parang may katumbas; yung mga taong magiging ka close, mga pinanggalingan, mga kinahihiligan. Hindi ko alam kung may ganoon talaga o gawa-gawa ko lang ang mga bagay na ito. May analogy ba kumbaga; (tama ba term ko?). Kung may Toni sa Hydra, may Jongs sa Shohoku (mga lalabs kong asst team leader); may JM sa Hydra, may Richard sa Shohoku, (the gwapings); may Felrose sa Hydra, may Jalyn sa Shohoku (the sweetie gals); may Ate Marlo sa Hydra, may Mommy Des sa Shohoku (mga thunders ng team na lalabs ko rin ahihihihi); may Beng sa Hydra, may Jen sa Shohoku (mga lesbo cuties). mahilig magsulat si TL Errol, mahilig kumanta sa choir si TL Rey, kaya madali nilang nahuli ang aking soft, artistic side na laging sentro ng chika kapag may coaching. At parehong pang Pasigueno ang dalawang TL ko (hmm hitchhike ito hahahaha).

Sa totoo lang, hindi ako nahirapang magadjust sa mga tao, sa lugar lang. Kung tutuusin, mas pabor ang bagong cite. Mas mura ang pamasahe. Kumbaga eh tumambling lang ako mula sa bahay, nasa opisina na ako. Iba na kase ang view, may konting kaingayan, mainit ng kaunti, (kumpara sa dati na parang nasa North Pole ang floor!!) at may kasikipan din ng mga stasyon.

Pero shempre, hindi pa rin dapat isaalang-alang ang stats. Saan mang team ako malagay, saang site man ako maitapon, kailangang pagbutihin ang trabaho. Kailangan lang sanayin ang sarili sa mga pagbabagong hindi mapasusubalian. Aba, sayang ang bonus ba? Minsan lang ako matanggap sa isang galanteng kumpanya, kaya karirin na. Dapat na ring gawin ko itong sanayan para sa inaasam-asam kong trabaho.

Kailangan lang maghintay, at magsanay...

Igalang Natin si Manny!!

Marco Antonio Barrera
Héctor Velázquez
Juan Manuel Márquez,
Fahsan Por Thawatchai
Erik Morales
Oscar Larios
Jorge Solis
David Díaz
Oscar dela Hoya

Ilan lang sila sa mga napatumba ni Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao sa banyagang ring.

Kabog!

In fairness naman, malayo na rin ang narating ng ating kababayan sa larangan ng boksing. Mula sa pagiging bagitong manununtok ng Mindanao eh bumubulaga na ang ating bida sa padaigdigang boksing. Ngayon eh alamat na hindi lang ang mga laban nya kundi ang mga katagang binibitiwan nya pagkatapos ng laban ('ya know... ya know...'), na minsan talaga eh may pahangin effect pa. (Aminin, nakarinig kayo nyan!!) At in fairness at in fairview pa rin, hindi lang sya ngayon sikat na boksingero, kundi commercial model, aktor, host at kung anu-ano pa. Balak atang gawing National Artist for Entertainment si Manny.

Ahahaha.

Sa sobrang galing nga ng taong eto eh mukhang nakakasawa nang malaman na panalo sya sa mga laban nya. Parang nasusuya na ang mga Pinoy sa bawat panalo nya. mapapancin natin na hindi na maririnig ang mga kapitbahay mong nagsisisgaw sa kada suntok niya. Pero iba itong kakatapos na match niya with Oscar dela Hoya. Pinagusapan talaga; kesyo mismatch daw, malaki daw masyado ang itinapat kay Manny, mahaba ang braso at kung anek-anek pa. Pero wag ka, walong rounds lang at sumuko na ang kalaban. At ito pa, pati laban ni Manny eh ginawa na ring business. May mga sinehan nang nagpapalabas ng laban nya live via satellite, (shala dbuh?) kaya nawalan ng kwenta ang mga telebisyon, delayed telecast daw kasi. Naalala ko pang nagalit ang tatay ko kasi pagkauwi ko nang Linggo ng umaga eh inunahan ko na sya ng balita, "Pa, panalo na si Pacquiao, ruond 8, plakda si dela Hoya wahahahaha!!" Nasa sixth round pa lang noon sa tv kaya pinaghahahampas ako ni Papa ng dyaryong hawak nya. Nawala daw kasi excitement nya.

Pero ano ito?!

May mga kumakalat nang text kesyo may sumpa daw lahat ng panalo ni Manny. After daw nya manalo, may mga sakunang magaganap. Andyan ang Wowowee stampede, paglubog ng MV Princess of the Stars, at ngayon naman pati pagkamatay ni Marky Cielo eh associated din sa pagkapanalo ni Manny. At ito pa, ang siste pa eh binenta na daw ni Pacman ang kaluluwa nya kaya may kapalit na mga buhay ang bawat tagumpay nya.

Kaloka naman yon...

Sa halip na gumawa ng kung ano anong tsismis at haka-haka eh sana hindi nating nakalimutan pasalamatan si Manny. Aba, hindi madaling tumanggap ng suntok sa ibabaw ng ring ba? At dahil sa mga panalo nya, umaangat ang estado ng atletang pinoy sa loob at labas ng bansa. At hindi ba dapat nating ipasalamat na sa bawat laban ni Manny eh walang trapik sa kalsada, zero ang crime rate, tumataas ang piso sa pandaigdigan pamilihan? At higit sa lahat, marami nang nakakaintindi sa matigas ni Ingles ni Manny, kaya hindi ka kailangang mag-effort magpaka-slang ang mga Pinoy para maintindihan ng mga banyaga.

Ahihihi.

Anjan Ka Pala!?!

It was a table full of laughter at the dining area of Brooklyn Pizza in Tiendesitas. And yes, the laughter will be so loud, it covers the sound of the rain outside. Flunked with all the members of TSC, or The Singing Christians, this long table is the witness of the celebration of the choir's thirtieth anniversary.

Thirtieth... Wow!

While everyone is enjoying the multiple-flavored pizzas, pasta, garlic bread and spicy chicken, I approached Kuya Ronan, the choir's musical director, sitting on the far side of the table. Holding my K770i, I reread to him the text message I recieved from my boyfriend just a few minutes ago,

"Kuya, pinapatanong po ni Jon yung about sa school", and shows him the message on the cellphone.

"Ay, oo nga pala. Sige, pakisabi tawagan nya tong number na to", he picked up his own cellphone and showed me a number from his phonebook. "Pakisabi kailangan tawagan, huwag itext at hindi sya rereplyan nyan. Paki sabi kako siya yung student kong piyanista na nirefer ko..."

I felt apalled on the no-text, just call statement; this person must be too important not to waste time pushing buttons on a bussiness talk. While I was taking down the number on my phone, a question popped out of Kuya Ronan's lips.

"Saan kayo nagkakilala ni Jonathan?"

Whoa... I was surprised that question popped out of thin air. I swing my eyes sidewayd to see if anyone on the table was looking for me to answer..

"Uhhhmmm, common friend kuya." That answer was lightly sounded, but determined.

"Boyfriend mo ba sya?"

That statement seemed to have killed the talk on the table, everyone was looking at me, an answer they anxiously waiting. TSC doesn't know I'm bisexual; I'd rather be quiet about that issue, else being brought up. It took me seconds to answer that question, jokingly.

"Why not kuya? Hahaha!" That was a fake laugh, ignoring the reaction from the choir.

But then, a heartful laugh burst on the table.

"Phillippe, ikaw ha, may sikreto ka, hahaha!" says one of the members.

I myself gave a half-hearted laugh. Kuya Ronan faced me again, "Ako ata nagulat dun ah."

Since that little joke, I know I'll have to confess everything this evening, at least before we part our ways, or else an issue will cloud the singing with the choir.

After that noisy dinner, everyone packed up to proceed to the next activity. We will be proceeding to the house of one of the members to have the yearly assesment through a game and a few hard drinks. At first I have to say no, because I haven't slept for the last 38 hours (Gosh, that was a record, and it seems I'm breaking it again!) and I'm feeling a bit dizzy but then, everyone was persuading me to go. After a few minutes under the rain in the middle of the parking lot, I choose one of the vans and hopped in. What the hell, I have this murky feeling that I need to go. I need to go with them or I'm SUPPOSED to go with them, I will never understand why, but then I made a decision to go.

Inside one of vans, I have to rest myself to at least a few minutes while on travel. I laid my head backwards, lounging on the middle seats together with my co-basses. In a few minutes, I fell asleep.

"Oi, gising na, dito na tayo."

I woke up with a heavy, aching head. That was the first nap in 38 hours and its really pissing me off to have my little joy taken away from me. With a blurry vision, I see the rest of the convoy parked in a subdivision in Santolan, Pasig, facing a big house, (when I say big, its big!), a two story house with a garage and a small garden. This is the house where the anniversary continues.

The choir gathered at the sala, made a few announcements and the work was divided. Some have to cook the pulutan, others to mix the drinks, others to make the activity paraphernalia, others to collect contribution and others to prepare the venue. As per the sleepless me, I have to stay at the sala, watch tv, and left to fall asleep. The tv was showing the animated CLone Wars flick, but my eyes are yearning for something more essential; a few minutes to close.

It was past midnight when I was awaken by the laughter emanating from the garage. I noticed myself slacked on the sofa, one feet on the backrest and the other on the floor, left hands on my head, right on my chest, mouth open, drooling...

Gross..

Should someone took my picture in this state, I'll look like a freshly-raped homeless hooker.

Anyway, I went to the garage with the rest of the choir encircled on a table with whiskeys and brandies with juices and softdrinks for chaser. They gave me s shot of the drinks and that first shot burned my throat and chest that I necessarily have to take the chasers immediately. I took a seat. It was just that I realized, I'm the only one waited to arrive to start the festivities.

We did a truth or consequence type of game. A beer bottle was spinned and whoever is the person who the bottle points shall pick a question. Should the person decides not to answer the question, he/she pays P20 to the choir. (so much for fund raising, eh?)

Every after two persons picked a question, awards were given to the deserving people. And we say awards, they are like...

Am Baho mo!! (Bassist who stink the worst)
Anjan ka pa rin!?! (Most tenured choir member - winner has stayed 28 years, Bow!!)
Megaphone of the Year (loudest voice)
Tira Ru (choir laughstock)

And yes, I was lucky enough to recieve an award, hahahaha.. Presenting...

Anjan ka pala!?! (most quiet choir member, hmmmm seems to work for me)

Yes, I have to wear my award on the party..

When it was my turn to answer a question, I picked from the question basket and I have to read the question aloud. And alas! My question is this...

"Was there any instance that you feel attracted to the same sex in this choir?! How did you respond?"

It was actually the question I'm dreading to answer that night; but lo and behold, its the question I'm about to answer. After a deep breath, I smiled and said,

"This is the question that I am avoiding this night, but then mukhang ako talaga ang nakatokang sumagot ng tanong na ito. Since I was a child, I know I have this tendencies of same-sex attraction, and it will be unfair for myself and for the rest of the people who care for me to deny who I really am. If there are attractions, shempre I don't have to deny it, but I have put aside what I feel when it comes to this choir; I'm here to serve God, and that's what I will do to the best of my abilities."

The applause thundered the garage.

Everyone was tapping my shoulder as I returned the piece of paper with the question on the table. It was a big surprise to them, knowing that I never was too outspoken when inside the choir. Just singing and serving is all I could do, and hopefully, this part of me that I finally revealed to them will place another point in the history. Its a good thing the revelation was accepted with open arms, and that will surely make me stay in the choir in a years to come.

Before the night ended, I was again asked as a follow-up..

"Were you attracted to anyone in the choir??"

Hmmm.. the plot thickens...

"Uhh, yes, I think I did, pero eventually nawala din, na set ko na kase ang status na hindi pwede dito sa choir, tska para wala na ring tsismis."

"Uy, sino? Sino??"

The whole choir was excited to hear my answer.

All I did was to get myself a fresh twenty peso bill from my wallet and placed it on the table.

Of Vampires and a Shining Volvo...

We, ladies, still do believe in fairytales, but this time, we don't need knights in shining armor...
But a vampire in a shiny silver volvo!!

-forwarded text

Yes, there is a Twilight mania in the country!

From the time that I saw the movie's banner in the malls, there was a hush. People were so excited to see the movie, basically an adaptation of Stephanie Meyer's series. And with the tag line saying, "The hottest book since Harry Potter", it gave everyone a curiosity too irresistible to take, since any movie adaptation having comparable to the seven-series JK Rowling blockbuster will surely raise an eyebrow to the literary and movie addicts.

It was a Sunday morning when my teammates decided to watch Twilight. We chose to watch at the Gateway Mall in Cubao to have the most accessible travel back home to everyone. It was not surprising to that 7 out of 12 cinemas shows Twilight. And with the number of moviegoers snaking the lines on the ticket booths, I could feel the excitement this movie had brought everyone. But then, never did my colleagues that I watched this movie on the very first day of screening with my boyfriend (I just can't help doing this, its HIM I'm with, come on!!), just not to spoil the weekend plan. After buying the tickets, we have to take our lunch for its almost an hour to go before the show, and that hour seems like eternity for us as we talked on what to expect with the movie, with me being so careful not to bring about information that will spoil them. We even checked on the bookstores to see if there are books available for the title, and true as what we expect, it was sold out. To our excitement, we have to go in a few minutes before the trailers started.

We took the upper middle seats to have a good view. As we walk the stairs to the seats, I could hear a buzzing noise on the crowd. It seems like most of the audience has read the book and are also have a lot to expect on the flick.

And then the movie started, and eventually ended.

Then, I thought the story will be dragging, having read a few chapters of the book prior to watching, maybe perhaps that there is a number of descriptive words to every scene that colors the imagination of the readers. But I was surprised to see that the movie was fast paced and as usual, a few points of the plot was changed. (So much for movie adaptations! And what happened to Seattle, why Jacksonville?!) But then, one could not miss the things that Stephanie Meyer has described intricately in her book; the shiny silver Volvo, Bella's ancient chev truck, Charlie Swan and his house, La Push beach and the old ballet studio to name a few. Also, Robert 'Cedric Diggory' Pattinson made the ladies scream on his first appearance on the screen and with every Edward Cullen immortal lines that he delivers like "You are my life now!" and "I don't have the strength not to be with you!" (AWWWW!). Kristen Stewart made a perfect Isabella Swan persona, where everyone was hooked up with her angelic narrative voice, her anti-Arizona complexion, and her girl-next-door looks. I don't deny this; she's too hot for the screen.

At first, one could find the story too teeny bopperish, but then Stephanie Meyer was able to put more colors to the story that made it a blockbuster. Her definition of new age vegetarian vampires, their pro-solar skins and the factions inside this blood-thirsty line apart from the usual werewolves-vampire war, are just a few of the flavors that made the plot less scarier and suitable for every age to read. And the usual course of the story, the message of love trancending from differences and the will to fight for it makes it, oh well, watching. And yes, I'm lucky enough no to finish the book yet prior to watching, as not to get disappointed with the difference between the lit and the flick.

"I’m definitely fighting fate trying to keep you alive..."
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 14, p.311

"I may not be a human, but I am a man..."
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 9, p.191