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Okay, this is way overdue. I was tagged by Arnold a couple of weeks ago. Without further ado, here it is:

Total Number of Films I Own on DVD And Video
I’ve been waiting to come home to tally them up: I’ve got a paltry 60. I’m not looking to build a DVD library. There are really only a few DVDs that I find I want to watch over and over (most of these are the ones I watch with the children often). I’d also buy a DVD if I know it’s hard to find. If I’d like to watch a really good movie again all I have to do is rent it.

The Last Film I Bought
Constantine. This DVD was heavily advertised in video stores in Manila. I bit. I hadn’t seen the movie, and at the local price, it was cheaper buying it than renting it in the States. My mistake: I forgot about the regional coding. Aaarghh. I’d have to wait until I get my hands on a region-free DVD player in order to watch it. I’ll probably just give in and rent it anyway. (To add insult to injury, the movie was one of the in-flight movies on the JAL plane I was on the other day but with all of the distractions, I never got to watch it in its entirety.)

Five Films Which I Watch a Lot / Mean a Lot to Me
Bladerunner - groundbreaking sci-fi film.
Fifth Element - Euro sci-fi so derivative, yet so strangely unique (Chris Tucker gotta go though).
LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring - the delicate way Jackson handled the opening Shire scene let me know that the rest of the movie, and the trilogy, was going to be special.
The Prince of Egypt - the burning bush scene gets me everytime.
Okay, this one’s a guilty pleasure: The Sound of Music *cringe* - I actually force my kids to watch it in order for me to hum along to “The Lonely Goatherd.”

(Three) People I’m Passing the Baton to
It took a while for me to answer this I’m hesitant to pass it on (Is this how memes die out?). The lukewarm potato goes to Mark, Ariel and Sunny (his movie quizzes are so good, I’d like to take a peek into his collection).

We got back from the Philippines last Monday. It’s been tough fighting off jet lag. My internal clock is still messed up. Here are some pictures from our Boracay trip (7/1 to 7/3):

My wife has seen Wowowee only once before. It is a game show wherein balikbayans are tapped as sponsors for the prize giveaways. As Willie, the host, asks the balikbayans from the audience for their names and where they’re from, the returning expatriates hand over their dollar bills to him. The collected money is then awarded to the studio contestants, who are mostly needy folk. My wife expressed the desire to appear on the show when we visit the Philippines.

In order for balikbayans to appear as audience members, however, one needs to be a TFC subscriber, which we aren’t. But it just so happens that my tito knows someone in the upper echelons of ABS-CBN. Talks began and before we knew it, we were scheduled to appear on Wowowee in a matter of days. June 30 was the day that was reserved for us. Knowing the nature of the show, where the camera is right up in your face and no audience member is spared, I backed out (I’m just camera-shy like that). My father-in-law, who was also visiting the Philippines, took my place. I stayed home with the two-year old (who would have been running around the studio anyway).

Here are pictures from that day:

  
The family with the game show hosts

  
More of Wowowee’s hostesses

  
Left: Dad with hostess; Right: son with dancer (what’s up with the jiggly dancers anyway? I know, I know, they boost ratings…)

Afterwards, Dad chanced upon Ms. Oropesa at Greenhills and asked to have his photo taken with her.

Next: Boracay

Here’s how our kids are doing so far here in the Philippines:
• They’re enjoying themselves, especially in Bataan where they had many cousins to play with.
• All of them have so far endured prickly heat, insect bites (mosquito, ant and spider - only during the times we were too tired to apply Off at night), motion sickness, diarrhea, and a short bout of the flu.
• My oldest son has started saying “Aray!” (complete with rolling R’s), instead of “Ouch!” when hurt. He’s also learned to say “Tama na!” (Stop it!). Sure looks like he’s gotten into rough play here, but I assure you, it’s all in fun.
• The baby’s gotten attached to some of my aunt’s maids.
• They’ve enjoyed many modes of transportation: plane, tricycle (man-powered and motor-powered), jeepney, horse, kalesa, bangka, and private van (with two families and a couple of maids crammed in).
• All of them have warmed up to their older cousins that we stay with. They get along so well, especially when playing video games together. Their cousins, who are well-behaved boys 10 to 15 years older, give me a glimpse of how my sons will be several years from now.
• I discovered that my five year old is scared of getting on escalators. He cries out to me and his mom to hold his hand before getting on one. Kung sino pa ang taga-States, siya pa ang parang “promdi.” Hee-hee. He should get used to it by the time we get back - we spend so much time in malls here!

Bataan is where my wife’s mother’s side of the family lives. Their ancestral home is situated right by the highway. Several surrounding home structures house a good portion of the clan. The arrangement is semi-communal. The living situation is not as “luxurious” as what we’re used to in our home base in Manila. I must say however that everything anyone ever needs to live comfortably can be found here. In fact, water is plentiful - it is pumped from a deep well. This is where we were re-introduced to bathing by tabo and flushing by baldi.

In Bataan what they lack in luxuries they sure make up in other respects. My wife’s many cousins work together well. They help each other prepare and cook the daily meals. One does the clothes wash, another sweeps and mops and another washes dishes. They keep their humble abode nice and tidy daily. Puts our place in the States to shame really.

Highlights of the Bataan leg (6/23-6/28) of our trip are:
• My son’s fifth birthday bash which had a two-day preparation time. The kiddie games and videoke singing were a hoot.
  
• A visit to the family’s palaisdaan (fishery). The kids loved feeding the bangus (milkfish).
  
• A day at Raven Resort with all the cousins.
  
• A day trip to Subic and Olongapo.
   
  Dolphins and the world’s smallest owl at Ocean Adventure in Subic.