Movies For The Holy Week StayCay

We’re staycationing, and the best way to enjoy it of course is to get our movie on. Here’s the list more or less. Some of these movies I’ve already watched and were chosen from conversations I’ve had with Jill. Sometimes we talk about current issues and I reference people, usually lawyers for some odd reason. I then download the movie so she can see for herself.

Brewster’s Millions – (Watched two days ago) The movie’s premise was the question Richard Pryor’s character had to deal with. While on his last leg as an aging minor league baseball player, a rich uncle he never knew passed away leaving him an inheritance of $300M on the condition that he first spend $30M in 30 days. Easy you’d think, except (from the Wikipedia page) ‘he may not own any assets that are not already his, and he must get value for the services of anyone he hires. He may donate only 5% to charity and lose 5% by gambling. And he is not allowed to tell anyone, even Spike (his best friend). Brewster decides to take the $30 million challenge.’.

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Happy Birthday Baby

I’m feeling very proud of myself for pulling of a surprise birthday party for Jill. We had it last Saturday night, the night before her birthday April 6.

Almost everyone I invited showed up except for one, which is a good result imo. And it was super easy to do as well. I made a reservation at Borgo Cafe, which is owned and managed by Jill’s HS classmate Ryan. He was great of course and gave me a discount, but primarily I wanted it set up there because it’s an up and coming landmark restaurant and serves great food. He was also just an FB message away and is super convenient. I didn’t even check what the menu was and just said yes when he offered me an 8-10 pax package.

The rest of her friends were also an FB message away, and after I sent the complete time and date they were all excited and said yes. It was all just a matter of keeping it from her for the few days before that. Even the hours leading up to it was exciting as I kept looking at the clock wondering how to waste time until dinner. I even pretended we needed to go to the grocery to no avail since she had already gone that morning. We drove around aimlessly pretending to look for a restaurant before we finally got there as I had around 30 minutes I needed to waste.

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300 Rise Of An Empire 7/10

The most compelling thing there is in the first 300, after all the special effects and whatnot, is Gerald Butler. As King Leonidas he had this ironic, wry toothy grin plastered on his face that’s so effective it can make you overlook the senseless dialogue and laughable delivery, made worse by an idiotic faux British accent everyone tries to make exotic by rolling their Rs and Ss.

It’s sort of what you would expect if you made a WWE wrestler recite his threats in a Dracula accent. Stupid, and if you try to decipher what they are saying, even stupider.

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7107 Rrrrrocked

This is the text that started it all (background is Keidis et al doing their thing).

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A good friend texted me that on the evening of the 22nd explaining the original owner, another friend of ours, was unable to go, and instead of selling his two tickets opted to give it to him instead. It took a few texts back and forth to confirm he wasn’t shitting me before I said yes.

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Happy Valentine’s Day My Love

Like I said when we were abroad. Without you I wouldn’t do anything. Without you I wouldn’t go anywhere. I’d spend my days at home thinking about what I should do and where I should go, but I wouldn’t do it.

You make me go and do it. Without you I would just fade away without consequence. With you and with our beautiful perfect little boy, I finally have the family I had dreamed of, and consequently the people who will back me up whatever I do.

I love you baby. Thank you for being patient with me.

The Long Awaited Hanoi Motorcycle Post!

Well, long awaited by myself mostly.

I’m a vintage scooter / motorcycle geek, and Vietnam is scooter heaven. Here I’ll compile some of the interesting ones I found during our short stay in the Old Quarters, Ha Long Bay and the trip going there.

Let’s start with the most amazing find ever, an actual ‘i never thought i’d see one in my lifetime‘, Mobylette.

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Hanoi!

We’re in downtown Hanoi!


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Until the 9th. Just had breakfast where Ace made a few friends. It’s Tet however, the ‘most important celebration of Vietnamese culture’ according to Wikipedia, so most of the shops I was told are closed.

The weather is a very Manila December like 20 degrees more or less and it’s almost like we never left.

Ok some random pics. Here’s a view from the balcony.

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January 2014

I don’t have anything planned to say, I just wanted to blog. Right now it’s Sunday and the wife and boy are at her parent’s house where all the relatives are as well. I will be joining them later in the afternoon or when I am summoned whichever comes first.

I wanted to say how happy I am at how things are at the moment. Of course everything can theoretically be better, but that’s just negativity talking. For sure though things can get worse, I’ve been there often enough to know that to be true.

It’s hard not to gush as a first time Dad would at Ace’s progression these past months. He’ll be 8 months this 15th and he is as round and cute as ever with the added ability of now being more interactive with those around him. He is just a step shy from starting to crawl after which he will eventually walk and then run, an event his months older cousin is starting to show as well. The minutes I spend with him urging him to crawl at our other empty condo with play tiles for this purpose, or just walking around the swimming pool make me happy and content. He has filled our lives with happiness just by being around and when I look at him I marvel not only at him but also at that amazing fact.

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