Online Deal Review: 10-Level, 30-Pair Amazing Shoe Rack

What the merchant says: For only Php 449 instead of Php 1,200, Get this Smart Deal from DealAmigos and Start Displaying your Prized Shoe Collections in this 10-Level, 30-Pair Amazing Shoe Rack…It’s “Imeldific!”

What I say: Whenever a product declares itself as “Amazing”, prepare to be underwhelmed. Another omen is that red icon that says “As seen on TV!”, which upon closer inspection actually states “Similar to as seen on TV!”.

The plastic parts are cheaply built, while the metal rod connectors are pretty acceptable. Assembly is simple enough that they didn’t bother inserting a manual. The finished product is a flimsy rack that makes me think twice about entrusting my kicks to it.

Meet the occupants, from top to bottom, left to right

Rockport, Hush Puppies,

Rockport, Tod’s,

New Balance, Puma,

Adidas, K-Swiss

Girbaud, Sanuk,

Fila, Fila,

Adidas, Adidas,

H&M, Converse,

Converse, Converse,

Nike, Nike

In case you were able to count with all your fingers and toes, the rack was only able to fit 20 pairs of size US 10/ UK 9/ EURO 43 shoes. I don’t think three pairs of women’s shoes can fit in one level either. Either this is false advertising, or the manufacturer is just lousy in math.

Rating: ★☆ (one and a half star out of five)

Wanna Die?

2001’s Korean romantic-comedy My Sassy Girl, stood the test of time and aged quite nicely. I first saw the film back in 2004 in the form of burned cd’s (3 discs!!!) shoved into my backpack by a college blockmate. A second viewing eight years later (2012 minus 2004 is eight, apparently) still gave me certain je ne sais pas feeling, particularly during the time capsule scene:

- Did you bring your letter?

- Yeah. What’s that?

- A Time Capsule. We put our letters in it and bury it here. And two years later, let’s meet here again. We’ll read the letters that day, and maybe we can find an answer then.

Below is verbatim excerpt (albeit translated to English) from my old blog after my 2004 viewing:

So what’s the moral of My Sassy Girl?

Yes, there are aliens out there (a UFO passed by)

And Gyeon Woo serves as an inspiration for all the facially challenged guys in the world. Even if he is Gyeon Woo, he still got the sassy girl

I should probably set a quadrennial viewing for this. See you in 2016, Sassy Girl.

Season Sayonara

End of Feb 2012 marked an end of an era as Tokyo Incidents (Tokyo Jihen) called it quits after 8 sonically blissful years. It felt like letting go of a part of my childhood — which is of course an exagerration because I only discovered the band in 2010. But nevertheless, Tokyo Incidents provided the soundtrack of my tumultuous post-college life and made going through each day a little bit bearable.

-o-

Tokyo Incidents playing “Desperate Situation” and “Disaster” while wearing cavemen costumes 

-o-

My friend
The space I’m in is fading
One more punch will do me in
Do it for the win

What is wrong?
You’ve come this far, now take it
One more kick and I’ll be done
Kick me, have your fun

- from “Brand New Civilization”

Late Feb/Early March, 2008

People ask me why I use this photo often, why I use this as my perpetual profile picture on a social networking site (ok, it’s facebook). This photo was taken around this time of the year back in ’08, clearance day for us graduating seniors. There I was, with my signature unwaxed hair, in shirt, shorts and sneakers. There’s that certain look of sadness in my eyes and a frown that appears more prominent when seen as a thumbnail.

Contrary to what the photo depicts, it was actually among the best days of my life. And why not? I just completed all my requirements to be able to march in a month’s time. My parents finally finished their obligation which prompted my dad to retire and come home from Japan after more than 20 years. My girlfriend and I stuck together through a rather turbulent college years. She actually took this “iconic” photo against the backdrop of De La Costa Hall benches. The world was my oyster, that is until certain events unfolded way off from the script I had written for myself.

So why do I insist in using this particular photo? Because this is the particular moment I would want to return to if somehow I find a way to travel back in time. I feel that I need to make some necessary adjustments – adjustments that would have changed my course entirely for the next four years. Revisions in my life script would have turned that frown into a smirk, and all will be well.

2012

Luke 15:29-30

I finally found the perk of being left to fend off for myself in this cold, uncaring world by my own family — I am ungroundable.

No car to take away because there’s no car to take away.

No allowances to halt because there’s none given.

You can’t take away anything from a person you don’t provide anything. Well except maybe the house, but I’m not really that big of a douche to be thrown out.

Sadly, this perk isn’t really much of a use to me because I’m no prodigal son, I’m more of the older brother type.

Cao ni zu zong shi ba dai

Chinese friend: When a family member gets disowned, he stops receiving allowances and all sorts of financial support.

Me: So basically, I’m suffering the same fate as a disowned Chinese guy.

9 Songs

Badly Drawn Boy
Imago
Garbage
The Dresden Dolls
Weezer
Sade
The Sundays
Everything But The Girl
Death Cab For Cutie

I want to repair your desire
And call it a gift
That I stole from just wanting to live
Now I see the vision through your eyes
Your innocence no longer fuels surprise

Hanggang dito na lang
(sa muling pagbagtas)
Huwag na nating isulat
Ang maraming mali
Kung hindi makayanan
(tumalikod na lang)
Palayo sa huling sandali

I used to adore you
I couldn’t control you
There was nothing that I wouldn’t do
To keep myself around and close to you

Who could ever ever ask for more
Love without complications galore?

We’ll run away together
We’ll spend some time forever
We’ll never feel bad anymore

I gave you all the love I got
I gave you more than I could give
I gave you love
I gave you all that I have inside
And you took my love
You took my love

(Yeah and) I hope I never wake
When I’m thinking about you
And I close my eyes (dear)
Now I’ll never never wake
Why should I stop thinking about you

Oh, I know it’s not polite
To ask you where you spent last night
And if I did, you might reply that I have no right
And anyway I’m fine now you’re no longer mine
If I should tell a lie
I’ll cross my heart and I hope to die

 And I held you closer than anyone would ever get

I’m Just a Poor Boy, Nobody Loves Me

Finally, an article that pretty much sums up my view on the issue of money.

Obviously, the number one item debunked on the list is “Money Can’t Buy Love”. These lines are so spot on from that entry:

“No, money can’t buy you the actual state of being in love. But a lack of money can most certainly f*cking prevent it. It can keep you physically separated, and the unfortunate truth is that the overwhelming majority of long distance relationships don’t last terribly long, for obvious reasons. So forget the romantic movies, forget the love songs about how no obstacle can stand between us. Bringing us to the same physical location required a sh*tload of cash.”

-o-

As a kid, I once wrote “now that I’m 18, got to get that license, get the girl, and save the world”.  Now, I have to replace the first task with “I have to get out of this rat race”, which is triply hard when you’re living as a lower middle class in a third world country, and you don’t have a family business to take over. But trust me, I’m on it.

Wishlist 2011

1. 1TB external storage

This shall serve as an extension of my brain.

2. 4GB DDR3 RAM for laptop

Booooring. But I need it.

3. PS3 games

Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Uncharted 3, Modern Warfare 3

4. Onitsuka Tiger Jacket

This is a Php 7000 jacket.

5. Adidas Superstar II

Replacing my battle-worn Coffee/Brown Adidas Superstar II.. with a Coffee/Brown Adidas Superstar II

6. Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro

They don’t make them candy bar phones with physical keypads no more. Le sigh.

7. G27

To channel the inner Vettel in me

8. Roland TD-4KX2

MSRP: $1800 ~ Php 80k.

9. Lumix ZS8

The ideal travel camera. But for now, the el cheapo Lumix S1 that I bought for my mom should suffice.

10. Andre Santos Arsenal Away Jersey

I have no idea who this guy is, but I love what’s written on this particular jersey