Katherine Heigl

I saw Katherine Heigl on the movie The Ugly Truth last night. I love watching her, just watching her makes me feel good. She's a real rom-com girl.

Anyway, there's this trailer I've been seeing on TV with her on it. While it didn't register to me, what that new TV series is, she is shown with a stern look on her face. The role she's getting into seems like a CSI character. I thought, why is she getting into that kind of role? Is it job security? Like there is nothing promising for her staying on the chick-flick scene.

What I'm thinking is that once she gets into this kind of role, she couldn't turn back. It's a death sentence. I'm not saying she won't be successful taking on serious fictional roles, but it's like she's saying goodbye to those that she's become known for. And that's sad. Of course, only she knows what's good for her. It's a career move, it's a total shift from the way it was, but that's her choice.

Back to Blogging

It has been more than a year since I posted here. This is like a forgotten blog because I still have it, although, I rarely visit it. I still get page views, mostly from the posts of song lyrics I did years ago. I'm no longer that mommy. My daughter is now in second grade. She has grown up, and we seldom watch TV together anymore, although I do watch TV all the time, still. Two years ago, she went to school, and I went to work full-time (from not working for six years). I've been working 40 hours a week since November 2013, and now, I'm realizing that I need a break. I can't work and work and not have time to do other things, things that I like. (To be honest, I don't like my job, but I stayed because I love the concept of having a job, and making money.)

Anyhow, I'm still watching a lot of TV. I'm really not on TV shows, but I watch a lot of movies, nowadays. I got HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax. I also subscribe to Netflix (stream). I also watch a lot of football, since it's football season. and that means happiness, happiness, happiness. I guess that through the years, TV has been a source of my entertainment, enlightenment, and education.

I'm cutting back on my hours working full-time, so I'm expecting to post more on this blog. I feel so blessed to be writing a post again, so thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm glad for today.

Disney Channel's Sitcom Plot

I was talking to a fellow mom like me, who has teenagers, and I like it that we share the same view regarding Disney sitcoms/shows. Disney channel is supposed to be wholesome and apt for entire-family viewing, but it has been my personal opinion that the plots (i.e., Wizards of Waverly Place and Good Luck Charlie, among others) portray the parents to be lesser people.

The mom I was talking to said she thinks the fathers are depicted as dumb. I agree. This is very demeaning because fathers are supposed to be the head of the household and must be key decision makers in the house. So why are they the laughingstock?

With regards to mom, they're also minimized in their roles; instead of them being portrayed as role models to their teenage daughters, they're turned into ambitious, no-clue characters, who got nothing good to impose upon their offspring.

All these in the spirit of comedy?

I think Disney channel should know better than alienating children from their parents, and vice versa.

Cable Bill Increase

Lots of TV-watching going on, even if I have been busy with other things. College football had kicked off, U.S. Open's championship games would be this weekend, and NFL would start next week.

Our family enjoys watching TV. But today was a letdown. I received our cable bill with an increase of $16. My basic cable fee was up for no reason, and of course, I will make a call, and demand for an explanation.

Every year fees go up for any reason. Electric, water, HOA, insurance. It's okay if salaries increase as these fees do, but they don't. And raises are hard to get, most of the time you have to battle in order to get one. But these providers, they call the shots, they just send you the bill, and they expect you to pay it.

Not to sound too negative here. I'm always able to pay my bills, but the businesses that provide us the services must be accountable.

Busy TV Nite

I was in and out with three channels yesterday: NBC, CNN, and ESPN. Yes, I was watching the NFL Kickoff with Giants and Cowboys, the Democratic National Convention, and the match between Federer and Berdych.

Yes, it was a busy TV night-watching while my two girls were fast asleep. My team didn't win but I was not the bit disappointed. As I know now, it's not how you begin the season but how you finish it.

I did enjoy Bill Clinton's speech; though it was too long. And I was kind of neutral about Federer losing in the quarterfinal of the US Open. He won the Wimbledon and he is still the greatest tennis player there is. Well, arguably.

Toddlers and Tiaras Hooker Outfit

My daughter who is fourteen really likes this show. I watch it with her and it is pretty entertaining.

I have something to say about that Pretty-Woman-outfit buzz. I think trashing the mom dressing her little girl as a hooker is way off and way too much. The heart of the movie Pretty Woman is not about prostitution. Come on. It's a love story and it is played by Julia Roberts, a wholesome famous actress.

But of course, the image of a hooker is what stays in the audience. Or perhaps, what rival moms wanted to focus on. Oh well, pageants are stiff competitions and I guess, one gains by putting the others down.

2011 Wimbledon, Nadal's Loss

Today is a sad day for me. Okay, the whole day is not really bad. It's July fourth weekend and the family is together. We even went out to see a ballgame and our hometeam (Rays) won. But that's not the game that I'm concerned about. It's the one that happened earlier that I watched on TV. It's not here but in England. It's the championship at Wimbledon.

I'm sad for Nadal losing the finals. I'm definitely happy for Djokovich--No. 1 in the world and a Wimbledon title. Nevertheless, Nadal's fight is not about Djokovich, it's about him topping his best. It's his race to the hall of fame, of securing his place as the greatest tennis player of all time. And him getting another Wimbledon trophy would add to that. The eleventh grand slam was so close at hand but Nadal didn't get it. It was such a disappointment.

I felt the same way back in 2007 when he played with Federer. Nadal lost. But he won all the succeeding finals that he would play again. Until this one.

Luck

I watched the Masters show of Oprah on OWN once and what really struck me was when she said she does not believe in luck and luck could only be associated in winning the lottery. She denies that she is lucky. In my own words, I understood that what she has attained in life is a product of her certainty of what she wanted to do and the universe working to hand it all to her.

It was last week or so when I watched an interview with Judge Judy and it really astounded me that when asked by the interviewer what had landed her on television, she answered it was luck, being at the right place at the right time.

These are two powerful, influential, successful, wealthy, and famous women and they have differing opinions on what brought them to where they are.

I could not totally discount luck in my belief because there had been times when things would happen to me and I could definitely say it was luck--good or bad. But then, some of my fortunes, too, were the direct or indirect outcomes of my labor. So for me, my life is a blend of both.

Extreme Couponing --so unreal!

I watched the first episode of Extreme Couponing on TLC and never watched it again. I was turned off by this woman who cleaned up the shelf of mustards.

Come on. Is it this woman or the producer of the show? Can't they just be real? Mustards do have an expiration date printed on their containers. This woman who was getting hundreds of bottles of mustard in one shopping wasn't just getting them for family consumption. I am fully convinced she was getting them for the purpose of reselling them. If not, she is just downright greedy. And for no reason because if indeed her aim was to save money to feed her family, all those mustards would surely go to the trash. I know because I have a family of four and a bottle of mustard lasts more than a year.

I am not averse to couponing. I clip coupons here and there but not to the extreme. I do save but I play fair. I don't, in any way, abuse the system.

As the husband of the woman complained, why a lot of mustard when he does not even eat it?

Insane...crazy... and what a show.

Lewd Conduct

I was appalled to hear from the six o'clock news another politician falling from grace. It was that of Rep. Anthony Weiner, a New York congressman, being exposed of his sending lewd photos of himself over the internet.

I'm thinking this news would be a break from the ones I constantly hear on Arnold Schwarzenegger just because it is similar in nature. Now, there's something else to talk about especially for entertainment news and TMZ.

Men from high and low places are all weak to the flesh but those who are in high position seems to be vulnerable. They have no excuse, they are supposed to act decent and ethical at all times. Our leaders mst be moral and honorable. People look up to them. And not only that, they are under a watchful eye.

The media are always watching. If politicians are caught doing something lascivious during their moment of weakness, then their woes would have begun. The media would be there to devour them. They are always hungry for something to report, to analyze, and to talk about. And they are unforgiveable.

French Open 2011

I'm following the French Open. It sure is getting exciting. One of my fave tennis players, Marion Bartoli, won the quarterfinals today. She is up for the semifinals round with the defending champion, Francesca Schiavone.

For the other women in the match, I also like Azarenka and Petkovich. I wouldn't mind Maria Sharapova winning the match, either. It's high time she wins another championship and a French Open trophy for that would lead to a career grand slam. It would set her up above the rest. And this is the right time for her to win--with not a lot of great competition out there.

I hope Rafael Nadal wins in the quarterfinals tomorrow with Robin Soderling. It would be a great match, difficult to watch. Nadal hasn't been playing well. Soderling has always been a tough opponent and had been a finalist in the French Open for two consecutive years.

I hope everything turns out well.

Another Loss for the Giants

And I've given up. One last game and that decides it all. It is yet a toss in the air whether the New York Giants would be in the playoff. I am not crossing my fingers or holding my breath on that one. After they lost to Philadephia in such a big horrid way, I've decided to just watch my favorite team with detachment.

That's what's painful with being a sports fan. Your heart and mind and mood get affected. It's a rush everytime you watch your team. You get so happy when they win and so sad when they lose.

But what's more with the players? It's a roller coaster with them. They have to be tough-- physically, mentally, and even emotionally.

My heart goes to them.

Woe to the Giants

That loss of New York Giants last Saturday hurt. It is really painful that I still keep thinking about it even after two days.

I was thinking what had gone wrong? Is it the coaching that needs to be improved? They were too close to winning and it spins my head how victory got out of their hands in the last seven minutes or so of the game.

I tell myself, at least, they are still in the playoff. Luck should be in their way.

Treatment of Parents

My 13-year old spends about four hours watching television on weekdays, that includes an average of 30 minutes before going to school. On weekends, the hours go up to ten in a day.

Because of this, I've watched most shows myself (can't avoid it). I have a feedback on the stories and plots, generally, on all episodes: children don't respect their parents. In the shows like Wizards of Waverly Place, the kids treat their father and mother like their own age, like a peer they could get smart with, treating them as stupid and without respect.

I was thinking that only the profanities are missing and that's just because Disney channel is supposed to be a child-oriented station. I don't consider myself old-fashioned or from a medieval era. But if I did not talk to my parents like that when I was a teenager, then so be it. Also, one thing I never did was to make faces at them if I was scolded, even at their back.

Now, my daughter thinks this is okay just because she sees this on TV everyday. I hope the writers and directors of these shows would realize the impact of what they are modelling to children.

Insane Amount of Money

Watching the news, sometimes I cringe how some people make insane amount of money.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in meritocracy. This country benefits those who, by hard work, brilliance, charm, or accident, were able to rise economically. That, despite the financial gloom in America.

I heard of a singer-reality star turned entrepreneur who has built a billion-dollar empire out of a fashion label. I heard of a free-agent baseball player who just signed on a 142 million-dollar contract for one year (he would be paid $115,000 for every game he plays next year). I heard of the social networking site founder, someone who is considered the wealthiest of the wealthy, going into philanthropic work.

I ask God every night that this kind of luck would rain on me one day. And I believe that if I do pray hard, he would. Really. There is nothing that I could lose. I just have to get ready. And right now, I'm already bracing myself.

Elizabeth Edwards

The local news announced that Elizabeth Edwards died. And there I was, suddenly sad. I excused myself from my two daughters playing in the living room who were not a bit interested in the news. I hid in the bathroom and cried.

I don't know a lot about Elizabeth. I knew all the news and gossips about her. I watched Oprah when she promoted her book. I made no judgment on her husband nor the woman involved. I thought it was part of life. The most thing I knew about Elizabeth was her cancer. I believe that if ever one had that, ultimately, she'd die.

And so it happened today.

Makes me remember my bestfriend, who, the first day of December last year lost her life, also to a lifelong illness. She wanted to live, longed for it, fought for it--but her body just succumbed to her illness. She was brain-dead for two days before the doctor unplugged the life-supporting device.

But my friend was not like Elizabeth Edwards. My friend was poor, was blind, was on disability check. But like Elizabeth, she was a mom, too. She was a friend. She was somebody special.

After my friend's death, I made a pledge that I would live my life to the fullest; do everything that I could. My life is only as good as my body is good. And yes, I'd take care of it, too. It's a promise to a friend which I uphold. And when I look back, I think I did fulfill it. I have to give myself credit: in less than a year, I've authored a book.

I want to dedicate my life to all people who have passed away, not only people I personally know. I want to honor them with doing the best with what life I have. That includes Elizabeth.

Giants Lost

It's a sad night tonight because my team lost to Philadelphia Eagles. Yes, I'm talking about football.

The New York Giants have been losing two games in a row (the last one, they played with Dallas Cowboys). I thought they were going to win but in the end, the score was 27-10, making their standing 6-4 in their division. I still hope the Giants would go to the playoff; there are still six games to go.

Nonetheless, tonight, it's a bummer for me.

The Big C Last Episode for Season 1

I just watched the last episode of The Big C over Showtime on on-demand channel. It drove me to tears. I remembered crying in the previous episodes but the final one was really moving.

I can relate so much to the main character, Cathy, although I have no cancer. I had been gravely ill before, painfully sick and bedridden for weeks that I thought I was going to die. But I did not. Here I am fully recovered and healed and everyday just seems to be a celebration of life. When Cathy said she wanted to win (to live), I wanted that, too. In this life, I want to win something--before I go--and if that meant working hard to get the prize, then, by all mean, I'm all for it.

The biggest turning point to any person is facing death. It makes you value life so much more. It gives you strength to tackle on the great challenges in life. It makes you able to move mountains. The question is, if I have to die tonight, what would I do at this very hour, at this very minute?

And yes, I want to put on a good fight. I will go trying to make my life better, leaving a legacy to my kids, not wasting on the life that was given me. If I have to face God, I would like to be able to tell Him that I have lived my life in the worthiest sense. And that He did not give me this life in vain.

Showtime is My Time

I have been watching TV again for the past month. I am into my second novel but somehow, I have this great writer's block that keeps me away from it. I can't just walk into the scene so I need brain stimulation. Aside from reading, I found watching TV as equally stimulating.

As I already informed you, I'm a stay-at-home mom, so I basically own all of my hours. My youngest (the reason I became home-bound) is now three years old and she sleeps really late--about 1:00 AM--so she sleeps through noon. I know, I know, it's not good. I have to correct her sleeping habit. More so because she's going to school next year.

But as I'm saying, I have all my hours so what I do first thing in the morning is to watch a movie on Showtime. I like the movies on Showtime because they are light drama, not really high-budgeted films, but have interesting plots. The movies there could be vulgar, too, but that's because they mostly show restricted ones. I try not to watch Showtime when my 13-year old daughter is around.

So, my hubby is at work, my teenager is at school, and my little one is sleeping: it's my Showtime.

I can't believe

It has been that long since I posted here. A year ago? Time flies. I haven't been watching TV now as I did before. The year actually passed me by. The new prospect for me was to write a novel.

The good thing is, I finished my book just on the deadline. Severed Wingsis now available on Kindle (I'm sorry for the blatant promotion.) But I did write the novel and sacrificed the hours that I would otherwise be spending on watching TV.

I'm no longer a TVMomma. I have another title now. What about, novelist? Please check it out.