spring break

Spring break is almost over. I didn't go to Las Vegas, nor to San Diego, nor to Los Angeles. I almost went to Seattle for Cues and Tattoos, but FCBD's class was full to the brim, so I'd rather stay at the hostel.

It's been raining on and off and today it's sunny.

I haven't blogged for ages but my Acer laptop just died all of a sudden (motherboard problem) and my Samsung R540 laptop arrived yesterday night. My head is filled with so many issues I have to write about, so I think I'll rant on.

No, I haven't been to the Golden Gate, the China Town, the Alcatraz, or even the Indonesian restaurant not 15 minutes away from the hostel with bus. I was simply enjoying the time off. The hostel is very quiet and internet connection is very fast. Then again, there have been big groups that are understandably very loud. And the French... Well, they're boisterous as ever.

However, I went shopping... ONLINE, that is. Amazon is good to people in the US of A, what with its Free Super Saver Shipping and their return policy (no wait, I think Amazon's return policy is also available for international customers, but I could be wrong).

I went shopping for stuff I didn't really need. What's amazing about Amazon is that it always has good bargain. The key is to know what you need, not what you want. And no, I'm not smacking my head as I'm writing this.

When my Acer laptop was still working, I made use of my lazy days going online, browsing for cute items. And I found this: a Pamela Love's Tribal Spike cuff (bronze, USD 645). And you know, many "fashion forward" bloggers reviewed it as completely original.

Umm... The same "Tribal Spike Cuff" has been owned by Carolena Nericcio of FatChanceBellyDance since ages ago and the magnificent design and work belong to the Kohistani tribe whose women wear the spike cuff as protection against stupid people. The spike cuff is also called Gokhru cuff, since it is designed after the Gokhru seeds and leaves. Here is the original and antique Gokhru cuff from TribalSouk.com (antique silver, USD 600).

Now, my .02 is that as far as I know, the Kohistani tribesmen still manufacture such cuffs and embellishments. And then there's some "fashion jewelry maker" who makes the almost exact replica but using bronze instead of antique silver, and selling the cuff for USD 45 more! Talk about rip off.

However, if you happen to be an exec at a cheap knock-off fashion manufacturer like Forever 21 and TopShop, you might want to sell this for USD 40. And so I ordered a pair of "Warrior Spike Cuff" along with two wicked costumey necklaces from TopShop.

Now that we've got that sorted out, I have to confess that I didn't really show a sense of solidarity with my friends in Indonesia. I went to see two movies (and I think I'm going to see three more and be broke at the end of the week. I really want to see Rango, King's Speech, and Red Riding Hood).

The first movie I saw was Battle: Los Angeles, starring Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez and a bunch of hot marines *giggles*. Michelle Rodriguez was right when she said it was a cross between District 9 and umm... something else that I forgot. It was not Avatar in that it wasn't beautiful or scenic or anything (just ruins). It was a bit like War of the Worlds (the one with Tom Cruise), but not that jarring or gory. War of the Worlds also has its scenic moments. It is not as gory as District 9, but just as emotional although in a different way. I have to be honest here: I cried when watching Battle: LA. That scene where (SPOILER) Hector's father died was just so powerful. Hector's such a good kid actor.

Battle: LA has some inspiring moments and quotes, such as, "Marines never quit!" (I can totally use that level of discipline in my own bellydance regimen).

The second movie was Adjustment Bureau. I never really cared about Matt Damon, but I love Emily Blunt. Now this movie is amazing. I'm going to say that the plot can be cliche (you create your own future) and atheistic (even God will follow what you say if your will is strong enough), but its romance is strong, and one can learn so much about waiting and let Chance trigger a little catalyst. The rest, paired with our will, is what's going to define our future.

I have seven minutes to get dressed, walk five blocks to AMC Theatre and catch Red Riding Hood.

The question is, do I really want to?