A lot of people saw Slumdog Millionaire as a romance. Where Romeo defies all odds to try and find his Juliet. For me... the more flavorful storyline was the brotherly relationship - phileos - between Jamal and Salim.
Jamal and Latika falling in love is not at all credible. Nor is it "romantic." But what Jamal and Salim shared was real, bringing humanity onto silver screen. Locking in the bathroom, selling of the autograph picture, rescuing from imminent blindness...
Who was the true protagonist in the movie? Who was the one that took charge of all situations? Who was the one that made the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good? Who was the one that was martyred?
That dancing sequence at the end at the train station... that's how Titanic should've ended.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Finding comfort...
...the pain is very unbearable when one comes to you to share they need your comfort after having their heart and soul bruised and beaten. And there's nothing you can do...
Even then, it is well...with my soul.
Even then, it is well...with my soul.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
No Fear!!
Bumped into an old co-worker today - someone I haven't seen in years. He was my lead when I first got hired into this job. Back then, we always talk about seeking adventures for an adrenaline rush. To find something that excites me... brings fear into me.
That was then...
Today when I bumped into him, first thing he asked was, "How are you?" Second thing he asked was, "Find anything that brings fear into you yet?"
I said, "Yeah... I'm expecting my first child in June."
With a smirk on his face he said, "That'll do it..."
That was then...
Today when I bumped into him, first thing he asked was, "How are you?" Second thing he asked was, "Find anything that brings fear into you yet?"
I said, "Yeah... I'm expecting my first child in June."
With a smirk on his face he said, "That'll do it..."
Monday, January 26, 2009
A true story...
In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4. Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell in love.
Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by thepunch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she leftthe supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible. He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday.
That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well, let's take the kids with us." She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet her children.
She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome. Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a different mindset..
That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with. A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids. So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl? Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona. If you tune in on 1 February , you can watch him quarterback the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl against the Pittsburg Steelers! Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person? Some athletes are also great people. It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. He has also been the NFL's Most Valuable Player twice and the Super Bowl's MVP.
Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by thepunch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she leftthe supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible. He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday.
That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well, let's take the kids with us." She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet her children.
She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome. Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a different mindset..
That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with. A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids. So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl? Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona. If you tune in on 1 February , you can watch him quarterback the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl against the Pittsburg Steelers! Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person? Some athletes are also great people. It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. He has also been the NFL's Most Valuable Player twice and the Super Bowl's MVP.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Thursday, January 08, 2009
The Power of Apology
I admit, after yesterday's meeting, I was bothered the entire night and into the next day. Kept on replaying the episode in my head and thinking, "Why am I so full of rage? full of anger?"
Immediately, today, I got to work and headed into my boss's office and apologized. "Hey... I apologize for losing my cool yesterday." And my boss came right back and said, "Yeah... I apologize too." The heavy yoke was immediately lifted.
It's amazing how a few simple words can bring down or build up a working relationship. Don't ever underestimate the power of an apology.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
My Secret Identity
Got into a heated exchange during a telecon and I screamed into my phone. My manager immediately hollered back. A typical day at work for me, I think -- that apparently took a lot of people off guard. Those that were physically there never saw that coming. Those who heard about the "colorful" meeting are in disbelief. People simply don't see me losing my cool to a point where I would yell.
"I just can't see that in you," said one of my co-workers.
Do I really wear a mask that well and hide my rage? hide my anger? Or has Character Transformation really molded me into a better person?
"I just can't see that in you," said one of my co-workers.
Do I really wear a mask that well and hide my rage? hide my anger? Or has Character Transformation really molded me into a better person?
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Eve
It's not by happenstance that in my 20+ years of living here on earth... that I have never, ever missed a Midnight Mass or Christmas Eve service; except for that one year I was blowing a 103 degree fever. In fact, since Superbowl XIX when the Niners clobbered the Fins, I don't remember ever missing a Superbowl. Heh...
There are traditionals and then there are things engrained in your DNA.
Merry Christmas...and God Bless us, Everyone!
There are traditionals and then there are things engrained in your DNA.
Merry Christmas...and God Bless us, Everyone!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Santa Claus
How old were you when you last believed in Santa Claus? I vividly remember that I was one of the innocent children to be cheated out of imagination around the age of 2. But here comes along a TV show (around 4th grade) that convincingly told us Santa DOES exist. He only doesn't exist because you don't believe in him. In fact, the show portrayed Santa visiting a child who had previously believed in him...but was convinced otherwise by his evil grandmother. That night, Santa came to visit and ran into the grandmother. He opened up his list of "children that believed", but the child's name was gone! Obviously, the grandma was to blame for this.
That year... after watching that show... I faithfully believed there exists a jolly old man with a jelly belly in red and white that lived in the North Pole. And that he'll come visit me on Christmas Eve and leave a bunch of stuff in my stocking and under our artificial tree. I even made out a list of things to put into my stocking. Of the things, I included a Jingle Bear, a blue skateboard, a blue bike...
Needless to say... I never got any of those (that year).
I can almost spin this into a religious sermon... but I'll save that for next time.
That year... after watching that show... I faithfully believed there exists a jolly old man with a jelly belly in red and white that lived in the North Pole. And that he'll come visit me on Christmas Eve and leave a bunch of stuff in my stocking and under our artificial tree. I even made out a list of things to put into my stocking. Of the things, I included a Jingle Bear, a blue skateboard, a blue bike...
Needless to say... I never got any of those (that year).
I can almost spin this into a religious sermon... but I'll save that for next time.
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