Click

It's kinda funny that once-technophobe Dean is now a bonafide technojunkie. He just bought himself a new O2 XDA II Mini after his old XDA II suddenly conked out on him yesterday. Whether it was just a dead battery or some other more serious fault, I don't know... but it's all moot now since Dean up and got himself a new device to replace the failed unit... of course, without his trusty (and by now invaluable) PDA, he felt naked and insecure.

I have to admit that I myself am incredibly attached and reliant on my Pocket PC Phone. It's my communicator, allowing me to instantly reach my home, family and friends, and keep me attached and updated at work. Text, Voice calls, Internet, e-mail... it keeps me in touch. It's my entertainment center... my portable music jukebox, personal movie theater and video library and on-the-go gaming arcade. It's my life organizer, reminding me of events, appointments, friends' or family members' birthdays and wakes me up every morning for work.

Our cellphones have grown far more than being devices that allow us to communicate. They give us control. It basically is my controller of life- how we can, with simple presses of buttons, affect our lives or change paths with a press of a button. Kinda like that new Adam Sandler movie, Click, on a personal level. It's an illusion of control but it's control nonetheless. That's how important the phone has become.

And so, if indeed my phone conked out one night (God forbid, I just got it), or I lost it (NEVER!!!) or it got stolen (OVER MY DEAD..), I would probably not be at ease until I get my satisfying, not-downgraded replacement. Thus I totally identify with Dean. Anyway, maybe it's poetic that both of us got new mobiles recently, no matter what the reason (whether it be to upgrade or replace). Or maybe it's just the way things work.

Always TWO. A Master. And an Apprentice. Hehehe.

Through Hell and High Water

I woke up today looking at the dimness of the glow coming from the blind-covered windows. It was only when I checked my phone did I realize it was almost 9AM that I shot up in bed and threw open the blinds. Thanks to the storm outside, it looked like it was only about 6AM. Despite all the temptation to just crawl back into bed and just wish it were all a bad dream, I made ready to go to The Salt Mines.
Today's commute was more difficult than most, given that the MRT chose this day to apparently close down for some reason. As I was unwilling to try the obviously traffic-choked route to Cubao, I stood my ground and waited for a cab. Unfortunately, oodles of other commuters were competing for the taxis' attentions. I have to say, sexism be damned- women are EVIL when it comes to commuting. They will run in front of you, wave frantically at every cab, making it pretty clear they will get it before YOU. Finally, when every single female had gotten a cab (how come they all seem to get a ride on their first try??), some bastard guy tries to get in front of me too. BAH. It's enough to make you go homicidal. It's all compounded by the fact that I need to keep my umbrella up because of the pelting rain (too big drops to ignore) but am constantly fighting with strong gusts of wind that threaten to tear the umbrella apart. AARGGGHHH.

Anyway, it took me about four tries.

Me: Makati?
Cabbie: Baha doon! (It's flooded there!)
Me: No, it's not!
Cabbie: BAHA DOON!
VROOooom...

Me: Makati?
Cabbie: I'm only to Marikina.
Me: (Slamming Door) Mag-jeepney ka na lang!!! (Be a Jeepney instead!!!)
VROOOooomm...

Me: Makati?
Old Cabbie: No.
Me: (Slamming Door) TANDAAAA!!! (OLD FART!!!)
VROOOooommm...

When finally a supposedly always-reliable R & E taxi denied me also, I decided enough was enough. But as I was starting to walk home, another taxi came along and I made a try. Lo and behold, the cabbie agreed and we were off. Despite some heavy traffic, the trip was pretty smooth and quick. I was so glad to arrive that I paid the guy a big extra on the fare, and I was set.
Well, work goes on. Got stuff to do, some meetings to attend. Hopefully the trip home will be easier (I'll probably leave a bit late) and less stressful. Ah, the things you do for a living. Sigh.

Avatar Fix

I'm pretty excited for the coming weekend, since it'll be the premiere of the first Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. Entitled The Fury of Aang, this is actually two episodes to be shown back-to-back. As the story goes, Aang the Avatar travels with his party across a supposedly impenetrable desert in the vast Earth Kingdom. Their quarry- a secret library of hidden secrets that just may hold vast knowledge needed to defeat the evil Fire Nation. While trying to survive in the inhospitable wilderness, something happens that causes Aang to become frighteningly enraged, unleashing his awesome powers. Meanwhile, the exiled Prince Zuko and his Uncle Iroh search for the aid of a secret society.

I'm really hoping this new 'movie' is awesome; but considering how Avatar has been pretty awesome in pretty much every episode, this is probably a given. Well, I'm going to have to enjoy this one, since the next Avatar fix will be quite a ways off... in September. Sigh. Oh well.
Of course I am talking about Avatar on the net and in the wide world. Sadly, viewers here in Manila STILL are stuck in the measly weekend showings of replays of episodes from Season 1. CATCH UP, Local Nick! Avatar's the hottest show on your channel and you're flubbing it! I have bittorrent and the web to thank for my Avatar fix, since I have yet to find a local anime shop who stocks the show. Oh well. If you can get your Avatar, do so people. This series is a keeper.

BTW, Avatar has already been picked up for a 3rd Season. The third and supposedly last (as yet) 20-episode arc will be entitled the Book of Fire, and chronicle Aang's final confrontation with his ultimate enemy- the Fire Lord Ozai himself. Can Aang and his friends and allies defeat the powerful, ruthless Fire Nation in time? How will the Legend of Aang end? We'll just have to wait and see in the next couple of years, I guess.