film break: madagascar 2

i finished doing my errands earlier than expected last weekend, so i decided to treat myself to a movie.

after a casual perusal of the movies being shown, i noted with satisfaction that Quantum of Solace was on. a second later i saw Madagascar 2’s brightly colored floor display, and surprisingly stood there vacillating in front of the ticket booth as the couple behind me began to get impatient. finally, i blurted out “Madagascar.”

as full-length animated features go, Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa isn’t exactly top-notch but at the moment i wanted something light and frothy, and the resilient bond between alex the lion (ben stiller), marty the zebra (chris rock), melman the giraffee (david schwimmer), and gloria the hippo (jada pinkett-smith) seemed to hit the right spot.

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of course, when you come right down to it, much of the movie’s charm is provided by its zany cast of support players: spearheaded by king julian the lemur (sacha “borat” cohen) and his sidekick (cedrick the entertainer), and those penguins!

the plot runs along predictable lines but it’s easy to forgive that because there are other compensating factors (e.g., rich layers of colors and details). and then, there’s gloria’s laughter in the end (that tripped me up, because i was expecting something else).

i haven’t watched a james bond movie in years. i know daniel craig is a terrific actor and the gadgets and action sequences are prime (you expect nothing less from 007 movie), but after a while the plot just tends to repeat itself. 

for your viewing pleasure

i’m quite at a loss today, so to save myself from an extensive mental workout, i just “swiped” a couple of images from the PseudoShrink’s page because i feel these pictures really ought to be seen by millions of viewers out there.

this a paean to the undiluted charms of bunny-buns (a.k.a. Temperance Major Arcana. p.s. don’t ask me what it means because i’m in the dark myself.) enjoy it.

i’m flat-out tired and exhausted. wake me up when it’s time to eat.

this is just for starters. i’ve still got caviar and crackers in my icebox. yum!

*nibble, nibble, chomp chomp*

[sorry pseudoshrink. i just couldn’t help myself]. errm, for more updates and pics, just click on this link.

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UPDATE: sad news. i’ve just learned that bunny-buns met an untimely end today, courtesy of the family dog whose natural prey drive must have led him to view the rabbit as a convenient sport.

i guess this post might as well serve as something of a memorial for a remarkable creature whose brief existence transformed the Shrink’s household into a much livelier and interesting place. i’d like to believe that bunny-buns is friskily hopping his way into the pearly gates by now.

a note from my desk

after spending what seemed like an eternity (traffic, what else?) in the highway today, i suddenly decided to drop my plans to go to makati and and went to find a study table at a nearby mall instead.

i’d been meaning to buy one these past few months but somehow i never found a table that could match my specifications and, more importantly, fit the available space in my bedroom. and since i’m relatively free this weekend, it seemed like the right time for it.

i was idly inspecting a few tables (they were either too large, small, pricey or garish), when i spotted this small, utilitarian piece in a shadowy corner; it just sat there with a mournful, neglected air and was covered with dusty plastic. ater a more thorough inspection i decided it was just what i wanted — needed really. it wasn’t grand or trendy or anything, but i liked it right away because it was the right height for me.

so now, i have placed it next to my bed, with my trusty old laptop square in the middle, and with just enough space to accommodate a study lamp and a couple of books. the only thing it needs to make things perfect is maybe a couple of drawers — but then again, that would seem too much like an office desk, so i guess it’s ok. for the moment, my room looks complete.

for the past several years my multipurpose dining table has performed multiple duties: as a surface on which to eat and prepare meals, a writing table, put-everything-on-it furniture, etc. it’s basically functional, but hardly inspirational when i’m in the grip of a writer’s block. for some reason, things feel different now that i’m using a ‘proper’ study table. i guess in some way it’s a form of acknowledgment that this is a part of me that i need to keep separate from other areas of my life.

i’m not sure why i’m blathering about my table. i guess i  just need to acknowledge its presence one way or the other.