The Hashtag

I joined Facebook way before everyone did. It looked crappy and I only had 3 friends. I had Facebook before I even had Friendster. Even if I avoided joining Twitter for years, I kept on using hashtags on Facebook, even on Blackberry Messenger, to the irritation of a lot of people. They say that it has no use because hashtags are not counted or tracked on Facebook. Despite knowing the apparent uselessness of hashtags and the irritation it causes, I still used hashtags for putting a different context to my status in an effort to be witty.

A month ago, when I finally joined Twitter (to avoid some Facebook friends) and learned how hashtags worked, I felt shy to use them in the manner that I was familiar with (see photo above) because I knew that my hashtags will not be trending. Nor will other people search it to find useful and related information. When I finally did use them, I used hashtags to shamelessly promote (Ha!) my blog entries here.

Whenever people search the words #gaysharks #himym #swanqueen or #ouat, one of my tweets will pop up eventually and, hopefully, my blog entry will be read, spreading my very important thoughts across the globe. This is how powerful the hashtag is.

I'm surprised that people in, as far as, Germany read my entries.

However, while the hashtag has helped me gain a bigger audience, I resent the way it has been abused by our generation. It has been used to popularize weird...inventions such as selfies and Throwback Thursdays. Aside from the apparent narcissism, I hate selfies and throwbacks (which are, mind you, not limited to Thursdays!) because they are not necessary. Everyone can post whatever he or she likes to post on the Internet without the use of hashtags. No justification is needed to post anything. You want to post a picture of you 10 years ago. Go ahead. Do it when you please. You need not do it on a Thursday, for godssakes. You crazy people are flooding my news feed.

Not only that, the epidemic has spread to the other days of the week: i. e., #TakeBackTuesdays, #FlashbackFridays and #SteppingBackSunday. I know people will soon come up (or maybe they have but I don't know it yet) with hashtags for Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. When that happens, I believe hope the novelty will wore off and we will all go back to normal and post old pictures on any random day of the week.

When the hashtag is abused this way, it loses its power to inform people. When a person posts an old picture of, let's say, their cat and use #throwbackthursdays, and another person poses an old picture of their mom and use the same hashtag, it won't make sense because the only thing that the pictures have in common is that they were posted on a certain day of the week. And it could be really random. Twitter's edge--the ability to categorize useful information on a certain topic and make that information easily accessible to millions of people across the globe--is lost. The hashtag is now used as a tool to popularize a fad that need not be popularized because it means nothing (Who cares what you posted three or four Thursdays ago?) and it's very temporary.

Despite these setbacks to the hashtag, I still believe that the hashtag is a good and powerful tool to spread information.  Let's not abuse it.

Hello, Taiwan

When I was applying for the UP Law, the LAE required a one-page handwritten (using a lead pencil!) essay. I wrote about the decline of the success of Philippine basketball in the Asian scene, and suggested ways on how to improve it.

One of my suggestions were to focus on the development of the national team, composed pool of players from our professional league. Every time the Philippines wants to join an international tournament, the coaching staff will choose from this pool of players based on readiness (talent-wise and team-chemistry-wise) and availability.

Gladly, this was supported by current PBA commissioner Chito Salud and other Philippine basketball officials. I knew the team was on the right track when multi-titled PBA coach, Coach Chot Reyes went on board to coach the Smart Gilas team. In addition, players from different ball clubs in the PBA started sending their top players to train for Gilas.

In last year's Jones Cup, Gilas finished as champions, with LA Tenorio awarded as the Most Valuable Player. The future looked bright for Gilas.

And then, something happened off the coast of Batanes. A Taiwanese fisherman was shot by a member of the Philippine Coast Guard. This seems a little unrelated to basketball but, no, it is related. The repercussions of this shooting incident will undoubtedly affect overseas employment and tourism. But what surprised me the most what that this shooting's impact has now spread to basketball.

Why, you ask. Because Taiwan has decided to be childish. It revoked Gilas' invitation to play in the Jones Cup. Although the Jones Cup is not a pre-requisite to the Gilas' Olympic dreams (the FIBA tournament is), the team sees it as a great opportunity to scout the other teams, and to train the current pool of players considering recent injuries. And of course, as defending champions, Gilas deserves to defend their title.

Tenorio is upset by this recent development, and he has a right to be. I see this as a great step back not only for Gilas but also, and most importantly, to Asian basketball. The shooting is still under investigation yet Taiwan has decided to come to its own conclusions and avoid contact with the Philippines, as much as possible.

Taiwan must be thankful that it is not a country because it is not required to have a team to field in the FIBA Asia Championships in Manila in August. Therefore, the Philippines cannot revoke any invitation to them as retaliation. Ha.

Final(e) Thoughts: The Last Before The Last

Last year I wrote a series of blog entries on the different season/series finales of my favorite shows. That was supposed to be one-time thing since Chuck, House and Desperate Housewives were ending and I thought How I Met Your Mother was, too. But I decided to do it again this year for lack of better things to do. Ha.


In its 8-year existence, each episode of How I Met Your Mother follows a similar format: one main plot and one or two (rarely three) subplots. Season 6 followed this format to the letter, as shown here and here. Predictably, "Something New" followed this format.

I. Main Plot: Ted reveals to Lily Lily figured out that Ted will move to Chicago the day after Barney and Robin's wedding because he can't get over his feelings for Robin. Lily has always been the heart of the group. And Ted's the whiny mouth, by the way. She has a special connection with each member (hello! she's married to Marshall), knows them very well (think: "Where's the poop, Ted?" and Lily knowing Robin's lying voice) and they, rightly, turn to her for advice (Robin and Ted) and listen to her advice, even the unsolicited ones (think Barney). This time around Lily cautions Ted, as he gets excited about giving the locket to Robin as the perfect wedding gift, "Be careful, Ted."

Ted, not being careful, despite Lily's warning.

 
When Victoria came back in Season 7 I wished she was the Mother because she knows Ted and the group really well. She knew them well enough to figure what Ted has been trying to figure in the past 6 years: the reason why he's not ready to meet The One, Robin. I will always look back to that moment in "Ducky Tie", when Victoria tells Ted that whatever this thing he, Barney and Robin are doing doesn't or will not work, as one of the greatest turning points in the history of the show. And I feel that this moment, when Lily tells Ted to be careful, will be really important come season 9 when Ted decides to finally let go of Robin.

The locket is Robin's something old. For Ted, it symbolizes something new.

How I Met Your Mother writers, Bay and Thomas, have previewed that season 9 will be the longest wedding in TV history--focusing on the last 56 hours before the wedding, the wedding itself, and the last minutes (or an hour tops) after the wedding. Considering I've spent six years religiously following the show (except for my short-lived self-imposed How I Met Your Mother break in season 5 after Robin and Barney broke up), I will willingly endure a season just to find out how Ted met the Mother.

The countdown to the wedding begins

II. Subplot No. 1: Marshall and Marvin travels to Minnesota to spend time with Judy before they leave for Rome. While he was there, he receives a call informing him that he is going to be a judge. And he needs to be physically present in New York. Therefore, it's going to be Rome vs. New York; Lily's dreams vs. Marshall's dreams. Although we did not see the conclusion to this plot, this is a good preview of what season 9 will be about for Marshall and Lily. These two have gone through a lot in the past eight seasons we've known them but this challenge (Lily's dreams vs. Marshall's dreams) will be their toughest so far. We know that these two will work this out eventually (because hello, they're awesome!) but figuring out how they will do so is worth seeing.

Also, props to Jason Segel for his great comedic timing in the scene where he's trying to convince the New York judiciary guy if there's a way he can be in Rome with his wife and still be a judge in New York. Good thing Segel will be back for season 9.

Where will the Eriksens be a week a season from today?

III. Subplot No. 2: Barney and Robin bond over their efforts to break-up an obnoxious couple by using a very familiar trick, Ring in the Champagne Glass.

Aside from it being a homage to season 1, the Ring in the Champagne Glass subtly ushers us to the show's reaching full circle. We started with how I met your aunt Robin (Ted's first The One) and will end with (finally!) the one, The Mother. Barney and Robin's latest outing as a couple gave us a glimpse of their mindset coming into the wedding. Everything seem flawless (except for their wedding dance, which Barney is striving hard to perfect) and they both seem ready to take the leap.

Barney and Robin being awesome

However, as we know from previous flash forwards from season 6 and season 7, the last few minutes before the wedding is when they will break. And they will both, rightly and ironically, turn to Ted for his final assurance that they are both doing the right thing by being with each other. I think part of the reason why both Barney and Robin will experience last minute wedding jitters is that they're worried about Ted. I think part of them knows that he's not okay with all this and he's barely making it through, and they need an assurance that it's okay for them to want to be happy with each other, even at his expense.

Being happy means being selfish. Fact.

IV. Special Sub-subplot: Also, the Mother nonchalantly makes her first appearance while buying a ticket to Farhampton with her trusty yellow umbrella in hand.

At least she's a brunette.

If only for this moment alone, I would not have believed that she's the Mother because it was too much of a give-away and fans of this show know that with How I Met Your Mother things are not always what they seem. But when I did research (aka visited the show's Facebook page and checked out TV Line), I found out that she is really the Mother.

This big reveal of Cristin Millioti as the Mother is not well received. I think this not the actress' fault. It's because in the past 8 seasons not only have we seen what Ted (and the gang) went through but we all had enough time to conjure our own images or ideas of who the Mother is or what qualities she should have. After losing his first great love to his best friend, Ted ultimately deserves someone as awesome as Robin, if not more. And, our expectations of who the Mother is so great that no actress (no matter how great she is) can ever measure up. Thankfully, great writing by Bays and Thomas can.

It is with this mindset that I urge my fellow fans of How I Met Your Mother to welcome season 9 as a great opportunity to get to know the Mother. I may not be biggest fan of the show's decision to extend up to season 9 (I believe the 7th should have been the last) but I trust Bays and Thomas enough to know that they will not mess this up and will not let us down. So, fellow fans, let us think of season 9 as our friend Ted's lengthy yet surely funny and heartwarming way of introducing his future wife to us, his best friends. 

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You may want to read:

Final(e) Thoughts: Glee 4
Final(e) Thoughts: The Big Bang Theory 6
Final(e) Thoughts: Once Upon A Time 2

Final(e) Thoughts: Hooked

Last year I wrote a series of blog entries on the different season/series finales of my favorite shows. That was supposed to be one-time thing since Chuck, House and Desperate Housewives were ending and I thought How I Met Your Mother was, too. But I decided to do it again this year for lack of better things to do. Ha.


I fell in love with Once Upon A Time the first time I watched it. Aside from the concept of modernizing fairy tales, I fell in love with Henry Mills, Emma Swan, Regina Mills, and even Rumplestiltskin. The only cons I had then was its length (40min-on-average) and the possibility that writers Kitsis and Horowitz will ran out of stories to adapt. But 44 regular episodes and 2 specials later, I am still very much interested.

Of all the five finales I've watched (the four others were Glee, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and Community), this one gave me the most finale feels. The possibility of Storybrooke being wiped out off the face of the earth paired with the constant What's-Greg-and-Tamara's-Deal feeling kept me on the edge of my seat bed the entire time I was watching it.

These are the reasons why I loved Once Upon a Time's finale "And Straight On 'Til Morning."

1. Captain Hook

At first, my love for Captain Hook was because of Colin O'Donoghue's British accent, his hairy chest and (believe it or not) his eyeliner-accented eyes. But knowing Captain Hook's background story gave me a better understanding of how his mind worked. Seeing how he treated and valued Baelfire, even after surrendering him to the Lost Boys, made me realize that humans are inherently good. That before bad guys became bad guys, something sickeningly bad happened to them making them choose to be the victimizer rather than be the victim. I see now why I love Megamind (but I abhor Will Ferrell).

The Different Angles of Captain Hook

After a Baelfire-induced epiphany, Hook decides to join the Light side to help them look for Henry as they travel to Neverland. In season 3, we will see if he has truly forgiven Rumple for killing Milah (I bet he has not), and how he will react to seeing Baelfire after, what, ten thousand years.

2. Regina (and Emma) saves the day...again

Since the Pilot episode, I loved how Lana Parilla played Regina Mills and the Evil Queen. In season 2, I loved her more for being so emotional while holding back her emotions. She does not show that the Queen is hurt through her actions or words but the slight shift of her eyes and the quiver of her lips exposes how the Queen is, deep inside, simply Regina.

I teared up twice in the finale and both scenes involved Regina. Both were in the mine--first was when Regina was saying goodbye, sort of, to Emma, and second was when she was saying goodbye to Henry.

Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen

Season 2 was all about revealing who the Evil Queen really is--how she grew up, how much she loved her mother, how she decided that she wanted a son.

Regina joining the good side, albeit how fleeting it is--I'm sure we'll see her, once or twice, blindside the Charmings in Season 3--was a refreshing and gradual change. First, she helped Emma and Snow return back to Storybrooke. Now, she joins forces with the Charmings and travels aboard the Jolly Roger to find the boy, Henry.

SwanQueen saves the day!

3. Storybrooke's almost-end

I thought Storybrooke would be gone and everyone would start off in Fairytale Land or Wonderland. But no, Belle remained in Storybrooke to cloak it from the likes of Greg and Tamara. I look forward to the the crossover episodes, if any, of Once Upon A Time with Once Upon A Time in Wonderland.

4. Rumbelle

I don't really dig Rumbelle--mainly because Rumple is old enough to be Belle's dad or, to stretch it, granddad. However, when Belle drank the blue-colored drink and remembered who she is, my heart may have skipped a beat. With Mayor Mills, Sheriff Swan and Ruby gone, I guess Belle will have her hands full by being the mayor and sheriff.

5. Glimpse of Aurora and a veiled Mulan

I hope this glimpse of these two interesting yet underused characters in final seconds of "And Straight On 'Til Morning" means they will be used extensively and their stories looked into in Season 3. My fears listed in the Cons part of QNBS were wrong; Kitsis and Horowitz will not run out of fairy tales to tell.

Hey Mulan what's with the veil?

6. Peter Pan as the villain

In almost every story, and particularly in fairy tales, the key is having a great villain. For two seasons, we've seen the Evil Queen and her mother Cora be the necessary foils to Snow, Charming and Emma. With the demise of Cora (and her possible reappearance in Wonderland as the queen) and with Regina joining the light side, the gang need a villain to go against, and based on the Lost Boys' fear of Him, Peter Pan seems kinda scary.

The scariest Lost Boy

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You may want to read:

Final(e) Thoughts: The Big Bang Theory Season 6
Final(e) Thoughts: Glee Season 4

Final(e) Thoughts: Bon voyage, Lucy!

Last year I wrote a series of blog entries on the different season/series finales of my favorite shows. That was supposed to be one-time thing since Chuck, House and Desperate Housewives were ending and I thought How I Met Your Mother was, too. But I decided to do it again this year for lack of better things to do. Ha.


The Big Bang Theory has always been about Sheldon, Leonard and Penny. Their relationship is what season 1 to 3 focused on. In season 4, we welcomed Amy and Bernadette to the group. In season 5, we saw Howard and Bernadette got married. Season 6 was, rightly, Raj's season. It started with him going on a date with Lucy and ended (SPOILER ALERT!) with him soberly talking to the girls about the break-up.

Ok, let's back up a bit.

"The Bon Voyage Reaction" focused on the gang's reaction on two voyages.

1. Leonard's Voyage to the North Sea 

This is the second time Leonard goes away for scientific research but this is his first time going alone. Penny is supportive. Sheldon, obviously, does not like Leonard to leave because he caters to his every whim. Howard keeps pointing out how "space beats water." Bernadette suggests Leonard and Penny get married. Amy was too excited to see Raj's brain to care the where/why/how of Leonard leaving. Raj couldn't care less as he was focused on convincing Lucy to meet his friends or at least one of them.

Leonard and Penny saying goodbye at the car was done with the right amount of emotions to show that they do care and love each other and did not want to spend 4 months apart but it was not too overly done (think Rachel and Finn at the station in Season 3) to make it mushy. Bringing in Sheldon, to deliver the funny lines, was what did the trick.

The Big Bang Theory's brand of goodbye: Funny but still heartfelt

The effects of Leonard's voyage to the group dynamics will be evident now (except for Sheldon's vehement refusal for him to leave) but we will surely see the effect when they come back in Season 7.


2. Raj's Voyage

In all the six years I've been following The Big Bang Theory, I was always looking forward to the moment when Raj will be able to speak to a girl not biologically-related to him without the assistance of alcohol or performance affecting drugs. I figured expected it to be a big moment, preceded by glimpses of Raj's social development. I was wrong but I was happily wrong. The moment just happened and it was so characteristically The Big Bang Theory-esque. It was similar to when Sheldon gave Penny a hug after she gave him a table napkin used by Leonard Nimoy for Christmas.

In the end, Raj was too heartbroken to care.

To be honest, in the moments leading to the realization that Raj can soberly speak to Penny, I was holding my breath hoping that this won't lead to another Penny and Raj hook-up. And I was so relieved that it was not. It was so much better.

Lucy may have broken our beloved Raj's heart but her existence in Season 6 has served its purpose. Through hers and Raj's botched relationship, Raj was able to find a connection with the girls, enabling him to talk to them sober. And for this, we have Lucy to thank.

Girl talk

Thank you, Lucy.

Last year's season finale, despite having the Howard and Bernadette wedding, felt lukewarm to me. I wanted Season 6 to be better. And I was not disappointed.


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You may want to read:
Final(e) Thoughts: Glee Season 4

Final(e) Thoughts: The End of an Era

Last year I wrote a series of blog entries on the different season/series finales of my favorite shows. That was supposed to be one-time thing since Chuck, House and Desperate Housewives were ending and I thought How I Met Your Mother was, too. But I decided to do it again this year for lack of better things to do. Ha.


I start this year's festivities with Glee's Season 4 finale, "All or Nothing".

glee by Brittany

Going into "All or Nothing" everyone expected a Klaine proposal by the end of the episode/season because of all the sneak previews and shit, but we didn't get that instead we had:

1. The Catfish Storyline Coming to An End (Thank god!)

The world's worst kept secret was finally revealed to the lone person who didn't know as Unique admitted to Ryder that she is Catfish. Ryder was so enraged he decided not to talk to Unique ever. I think he would've been less mad if Jake was Catfish.

I think this storyline was dragged out a couple of episodes more than necessary but, to look on the brighter side of things, because of it I appreciated Blake Jenner as an actor. He wasn't super good but he was more than average. Too bad, he may not be returning next season, as Ryder announced he will officially leave glee club after Regionals.

Uh Ryder, I think you can leave glee club even unofficially.

2. Regionals

Jessica Sanchez aka Frida Romero, despite owning the New Directions' sorry asses with her two-song performance, places 2nd (ouch) to the New Directions.

If our love is a tragedy, why are you my remedy?
If our love is insanity, why are you my clarity?

3. Wemma Wedding (Finally!)

Mr. Schue and Emma finally tie the knot in the choir room with the New New Directions and Kurt, Santana, Mercedes and Mike. Notably absent is Finn Hudson who was on rehab during the filming of this episode too busy studying to be a teacher to actually come back for his best friend's wedding.

No more running away.

4. Brittany Saying Goodbye

The episode surprisingly centered on Brittany. It started with her MIT interview, then her demand for solos, two Fondue for Twos (first with Mr. Schue and Coach Sue and second with Santana), and ended with a heartwarming speech for everyone in show circle and her and Santana walking off the stage after the New Directions win Regionals. With all the airtime she got just to say goodbye (it was more than what Rachel, Finn, Kurt, Santana, Quinn, Mercedes and Mike got in Season 4's finale "Goodbye") and of course the rumors that Morris will not return for Glee's Season 5 to focus on her impending motherhood, I am 75% sure this is Brittany's last Glee episode.

Brittany started as a non-entity, the other blonde Cheerio who danced Single Ladies with Kurt and Tina. Who would've thought that her goodbye would be one of the most central storylines in the show's season finale episode four years later? Who would've thought her relationship with Santana would start the phenomenon that is Brittana and inspire thousands of fan fictions? Who would've thought Brittana would mean more, much more, than just fans wanting to make their own stories by borrowing their favorite characters?

Like many Brittana shippers, I hated the horror that was Brampocalpyse and I was convinced that Brittana is endgame. I honestly cannot watch the scene where Brittany said goodbye to Santana without feeling anything close to sadness. Words were not spoken because they were not needed. Heather Hogan said it best: [t]heir truth transcends words. Silence does speak louder than words ever could.

Goodbye for now, Brittany.

As I watch Brittany and Santana walk off the stage silently with their arms around each other, I mourn for the end of an era but I am also grateful to Glee for giving us Brittana. 

The end of an era.

Glee has had its faults and flaws. Season 4 was hard for it was the first time it tried to balance the need to maintain it's character as a show about a high school show choir and the need to follow the lives of Rachel, Kurt and Santana, and to an extent, Finn--characters that are very special to the fans and the show itself. Sometimes it succeeded in creating that balance but most of the time, it did not. It is precisely because of its rare moments of greatness (for example, "The Break-Up", "Shooting Star" and "All or Nothing") that I cannot let go of the show completely knowing that it can be great. I hope Glee's Season 5 (and Season 6, too) will bring the show a step closer to this greatness.

QNBS: What Would Ryan Lochte Do?

I started the Quest for the Next Best Series to find a replacement for Chuck. Ten TV shows and eleven reviews later, I decided to watch Once Upon A Time. But having the opportunity to criticize anything in a justified manner is so addicting that I have decided to continue my QNBS. I will not rename it because I don't have enough creativity to think of a new one.

I will adopt the original QNBS method for judging a show. 1. A friend recommends a TV show or I see an interesting review, or hear a sarcastic rant about it in the Internet. 2. I watch two episodes. 3. Write down what I think, Pros-Cons style.

I will add a one-liner (or maybe more) at the end of each QNBS review called The Verdict, which will serve as my verdict, my opinion, on whether you should or shouldn't watch the show.

Many series exist in TV world but today I will write about What Would Ryan Lochte Do?

Plot from Pilot: We follow the life of Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte as he trains with his coach, bonds with family, parties with friends and tries to find the love of his life.

E!'s newest reality show

I learned of Ryan Lochte not when he won his Olympic medals but only this summer when my blockmate (the same person who suggested Sherlock and tries to get me to try Doctor Who) tweeted that she is watching this show on mute. Ha.


PROS:

1. The reality TV show charm. Not all reality TV shows work but when they do, it's magic.

2. Ryan Lochte. He has gorgeous body but it is his smile (and dimples) that I like best. Also, he's surprisingly funny in a Is-He-Stoned kind of way.

Lochte showing off his shoes.

3. The show averages around 20 to 25 minutes per episode. Well within my attention span.

CONS:

1. Lochte is not the brightest diamond in the rough. When he was asked, What is the Ryan Lochte edge, he answered, "I honestly have no idea." He also has this habit of stopping mid-sentence and asking aloud, What was I talking about?

2. The show is pointless. I don't expect character growth for Lochte. I don't expect the show to go past 3 seasons. I think the show will end once the thrill of his Olympic victories wear off.


THE VERDICT: If you want to waste time but don't want to think will doing so, go watch this show. It has its funny moments. Jeah!

JEAH!

You may want to check out other QNBS reviews:

Smash
Pushing Daisies 
Spartacus: Blood and Sand 
Freaks and Geeks 
Once Upon A Time 
Game of Thrones 2 
Sherlock 
Suits 
Game of Thrones 1 
IT Crowd 
Rizzoli and Isles 
Awkward 
New Girl 
Outsourced 

Brave

Not all stories have happy endings. Not all brave men and women, honored. Not all good deeds, rewarded. Not all feelings, reciprocated. But whenever I see one person take the risk, I am inspired to do the same because knowing that you are ready to take the leap or taking the leap is a victory on its own.