Saturday, July 31, 2004
happy birthday harry potter. & j.k. rowling.
am here in cavite, sleeping over at charry's (the birthday girl) and staying for the weekend. exhausted with playing with her super kulit kiddo chin-chin. *sigh*
had brownies, barbecues, spaghetti for dinner while surrounded by shiny, happy people.
i miss my jokester. haven't heard from him all day.
*sigh* again.
Friday, July 30, 2004
just came from the airport to send him and my boss off.
i feel lonely. *sigh*
they're due to arrive in about two hours.
hope the weather there's all right.
i'm breaking out my csi collection later, to drown out this bout of loneliness. i don't know why just the knowledge of having him a plane ride away makes me sad.
oh, happy birthday charry.
Thursday, July 29, 2004
went to the mall with the jokester. he's leaving for bangkok tomorrow for a 7-day taping.
i miss him already.
on a happier note, i saw this packet of semi-precious stones in stitches n' things that went for P85 each - a steal 'coz it's assorted stuff and i always wanted a bracelet made with those.
i was vacillating between buying them ( 2 packs of stones, 2 cuffs for P90, and 5 yards of string for P38) and not because of feelings that i might be committing social sin but jokester decided for me.
he told me to go ahead and do whatever makes me happy. *sigh* you make me happy.
i'm going to miss you.
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
some of you may not have noticed that i now have a tag board.
well, i do. so tag me. i want to hear from y'all.
Monday, July 26, 2004
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Wal-Mart.
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.
"What?" Mom asked.
"Let 's run through the rain!" She repeated.
"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain,"
"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.
"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.
"This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?"
"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!"
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes.
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.
Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.
And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
- so that's what it was. we needed washing.
okay, okay, i admit that the previous posts are evidence of my fondness for personality quizzes, pointless and inane though they may seem. anything to make you laugh, dear readers, or not.
anyway, the day started out alright with me excited as anything about getting the vcd's of csi las vegas seasons 2-4. the guy i was in contact with said i had to meet him in glorietta because he was sneaking out of his office for lunch and he had no other free time today.
so around 12 noon i persuaded jokester to take me to glorietta on his motorcycle. he was hesitant because the dark clouds meant rain and we all know bikes and bad weather don't mix very well. we were going on a more or less hurried (but still safe) pace and we reached glorietta in less than half an hour from pasig.
as soon as the guy handed me the vcd's it began to rain. against my better judgment, i decided to tell jokester to go on ahead and ride the storm. hnh. it was a storm alright. driving through edsa in the rain is no joke and i actually had my eyes closed the whole time. i now know what blinding rain exactly meant. sob.
turns out, the weather just decided to play a big (not to mention un-funny) joke on us. as soon as we returned to pasig drenched to the skin, the rain stopped. even the roads were noticeably drying out quickly. grr. good thing jokester didn't resent me for what i put him through.
as a consolation, i can watch csi-vegas anytime i want for the next ten years or so. i can almost hear jokester grunt. oh well. the things we do...
I was supposed to go to cavite tomorrow for my godson's first birthday party. The operative term here is 'supposed to' which means that as of the moment, my plans for tomorrow has been cancelled due to unforeseen developments. (Definition: WORK)
And here I am already with a gift, though not yet nicely wrapped, but a gift nevertheless.
But then again, who am I to complain? The thing I will be working on tomorrow will be on a new show, a travel show for a change and I am both nervous and excited because, well, after three years of writing a public affairs/documentary show, the voice will be different and the tone less dark and I don't know if I can;t do that without sounding forced and too sickeningly cheery.
Of course, I am excited. A chance to travel at last. I actually can't wait for the actual shooting. Of course, there's a lot of nitpicking to be done first but maybe, just maybe, I will be a certified SCUBA diver by next year, at the very latest. Yay!
Thing though, am scared of not having a sandy bottom between my toes. Even the 14-feet pool in the dive shop leaves me a nervous wreck. I am the type of swimmer (ha!) who goes around the pool while holding on to the edges for fear of drowning even though the deepest pool I've probably been in is six or seven feet at the deepest end. Besides, I wonder if I'll look remotely like a human being and not a dolphin or a butanding when I am in a wetsuit. Horrors!
But I am told, the last thing on divers' minds are their appearances. I wonder if I can actually learn to breathe through my mouth.
Last Wednesday, I spent an exhausting night printing out materials for a presentation.
The venue: Mulawin Hall, Dusit Hotel
The time: 3 PM
We arrived mga ten minutes before three and we thought na we were already late. Iyon pala, kami ang first to arrive there. Wala pa ngang tao from the organizing committee. Okay, so I can say it now.
My Bigger Boss kasi made it to the short list for the KBP Ka Doroy Valencia Broadcaster of the Year Award and the people who nominated the finalists (three in all) are supposed to present something to make the judges decide favorably on the nominee. The Ka Doroy award is probably one of the most coveted honor for all broadcasters here in our country and I'm proud to say na finalist nga si Bigger Boss.
So. My Boss made the presentation and my services were, thankfully, unnecessary. But still, I was glad to be there. (In my No-Run Pantyhose that cost P44.75 - it really did not run, in fairness.)
After the presentation, My Boss was feeling great and felt that we had a really good shot at it. We had dinner at Italianni's. Yum.
I ordered a Watermelon Shake (average) and for everyone, a large platter of Calamari Ceasar Salad (P395) which was absolutely heavenly! I'm still dreaming about it. And then we has my Boss' favorite, the Angel Hair Pomodoro (yummy), Chicken Italianni (hindi ko natikman), Grilled Salmon (which came on a bed of vegetables) which was sooo delicious.
For dessert, we had the chocolate cake (I forgot what it's called) which I didn't get to finish kasi I was plain bursting with good food. Sayang nga e. Anyway, it was a good meal but of course, pretty expensive. Our bill came up to at least P3,000. We were five in all, so pretty pricey. But anyway, it was worth it.
Bigger Boss won.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Due to this unforeseen hectic schedule I am now blogging while standing. Hmmm...
And tomorrow, I shall have to wear pantyhose. The last time I did was when I was in high school, during our baccalaureate mass and graduation rites.
I haven't even bought one yet.
The reason why this post is obviously choppy and incoherent is that I frequently have to walk three steps to the printer once its done printing a page or else it will spit it out angrily and the next page would be eaten up by the voracious and old HP810c printer we have. If it does, I will have to repritn it and it's no picnic since I'm printing 80 pages (10 copies of speech outline) and God knows I want to hit the mall now and not tomorrow morning!
Thing is, I kind of have a suspicion that I will be printing stuff all night because Little Boss is coming and is bringing more things to print for tomorrow's biggie day. reminds me of the night before thesis defense back in college. We shall be facing a panel tomorrow (can't divulge specifics) and boy, will I have sweaty palms!
When Ernie Baron became popular some years ago as Mr. Know-It-All, gag shows kept coming up with spoofs of him that showed him in a radio booth with a harried assistant. When people would call and ask a question, the assistant would find the right page in the right reference book and point to the exact paragraph where the answer can be found.
Mukhang ganoon ang role ko bukas. *sigh*
Anyway, wheeee!!! I'm done with the 80 pages. But wait, there's more....Sheesh.
With this new Blogger post-creator thingie, the cute icon that precedes my title seems to be missing. I miss it. I think it kinda looks cute.
Alright then. I know, I know, zip with the inanities, the personality quizzes, the photos...I seem to be stuck with a Blogger's block and there's nothing really interesting to write about, unless you find A Day in the Life of Ms. Hermit fascinating. It happens that I don't.
I mean, what's to write about today?
Let's see...
8:30 AM Wake up, heat water for bathing, sleep again
9:00 AM Read Winnie-The-Pooh
9:30 AM Shower
10:00 AM Write article due yesterday
11:00 AM Have a Jollibee brunch. Yum.
11:30 AM Receive call from Boss to make sure I am working
12 NOON Send article to Boss
1:30 PM Bigger Boss arrives
4:30 PM Bigger Boss is generous: offers a Jollibee snack. Yum. Again.
5:00 PM Bigger Boss leaves. *sigh*
5:30 PM Blogging
And here we are...pretty interesting Sunday. Oh wait 'til the evening, I've got some fancy stuff lined up:
6:30 PM Eat dinner of corn on the cob slathered with generous amounts of butter such as to induce
heart attack. Corn left by Bigger Boss.
7:30 PM Begin watching CSI videos. Looking forward to Episode 17.
9:30 PM Surf the 'net
11:30 AM Try to sleep (Although the actual time would probably be closer to 1 AM than anything else.)
If this were a payday weekend for me, you'd find me at the mall, window shopping. Really.
I just think this is a really nice story.
What goes around, comes around...
He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.
Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you.
He said, "I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson."
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him.
She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped.
Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.
He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "And think of me." He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.
A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her.
The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude.
The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door.
She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: "You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you."
Under the napkin were four more $100 bills. Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written.
How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's gonna be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson."
Animal Spirit Guides -- Which One Calls To You? The Hummingbird spirit calls to you. Hummigbird represents optimism and sweetness. Being able to roll with the punches is an attribute of the Hummingbird. The Hummingbird's Wisdom includes: the ability to heal by using light as a laser from the mouth, endurance over long journeys, and the ability to fly into small places to heal. The Hummingbird sings of joy, happiness, and love. The Hummingbird is also a messenger and a stopper of time.
Saturday, July 17, 2004
Uy, bagong Blogger. May pa-color color ng nalalaman. At may font ng paiba-iba.
Nice as it is though, I happen to like my current template very much and maybe the only thing that I'll occasionally change is the color.
Haven't got a lot of time in my hands right now kaya halos puro photos muna ang ina-upload ko. So I decided to lessen the number of days that one can see from the main post para naman less download time ang kailangan. Minsan kasi nakakatuwa to just upload photos and put tiny captions instead of the lengthy posts I have had in the past.
Shoutouts to Dolphin Girl who has e-mailed me and told me that she has "discovered" my blog. Muah! I have discovered yours too and in fact, I've linked your Live Journal to mine. The only bummer thing is that I can't comment on your post and you can't comment on mine. Weird.
Anyway, on to a more serious topic. Our TV program, Kasangga Mo ang Langit is currently looking for donors for about eight DEAF students studying in public schools in QC. A scholarship costs Php7,500 for one child for one school year. This amount includes transportation and school supplies expenses. If anyone is interested in helping, e-mail me! Would love to hear from you. Good Karma awaits you. ;-)
bag of beans along the main road some distance from tagaytay proper...loooved their pies! and the atmosphere is fantastic. still dreamin' of summer...
this is me and dolphin girl, taken march 2004 when we went to tagaytay for flo's despedida day trip.
these are my sisters, ceres and tara taken with my friend's digital camera/webcam. i cropped the pic and colorized it to become sepia-toned. i think it makes for a nice effect.
because rainy days are here again, this is my wallpaper-of-the-moment. actually, it's just something i downloaded from the net and i really don't know where this wondrous photo was taken but i really am dreaming of the beach amidst this day of rain and thunder and lightning...
How Would You Murder? Weapons are not your thing. You would prefer to pummel your opponent to death with your fists and feet. You show a lot of Honor but some power still eludes you. I can give you this power, I can make you stronger, join me.
My inner child is ten years old!
The adult world is pretty irrelevant to me. Whether I'm off on my bicycle (or pony) exploring, lost in a good book, or giggling with my best friend, I live in a world apart, one full of adventure and wonder and other stuff adults don't understand.
You have an entrancing kiss~ the kind that leaves your partner bedazzled and maybe even feeling he/she is dreaming. Quite effective; the kiss that never lessens and always blows your partner away like the first time.
Am okay. More or less.
Thanks Slaybelle for that wonderful comment. By the way, is aurie_slayer who I think she is (Tina)? I can't seem to post a comment on her blog (and your blog too) because I seem to have been banned by virtue of being an open proxy (di ko alam ibig sabihin nun!) Anyway, I have this feeling na siya yun at ni-link ko na siya without her leave. Teehee.
I bought a clear quartz crystal pendant yesterday (P99) as part of my foray back into all that is mystical and wonderful. Even performed Tony Perez's chakra centering for my office mates. They loved it.
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
I am in a muck and I can't seem to get out of it. Sometimes I wonder if I have a bipolar disorder, something we used to discuss in PSY class in college. We did our thesis on that too, interviewed people with clinical depression, duly praised by the "top dogs" of the panel.
From what I remember though, I'm hardly depressed. I haven't slashed my wrists yet and the hopelessness I feel is confined to work-related things lang naman. But sometimes, sometimes I feel as if, what's the freaking point? Why go on? Why hope? Why dream? Why should I keep on living?
I really can't explain it, I just feel it. I feel like I'm in the middle of a deep, dark pond and I'm terrified because I can't see my feet, I can't feel the bottom of the pond and it scares me.
I remember my first snorkelling experience in Anilao. It should have been one of the most exhilirating experiences of my life, because, well, I saw Nemo. But it wasn't. I couldn't feel the bottom of the ocean, I couldn't have the reassurance that when I let go of the boat I won't sink to the bottom and drown. I simply couldn't let go of my fears and let the sea take me along for the ride.
I really can't explain how I feel and yet, I just feel so sad, so inexplicably sad and angry and frustrated and i don't know what else. I feel resentment, envy, and I hate it. I hate myself for being this way.
One always says that it's no good comparing myself to others. It's no use trying to be like another person. It's no use wishing for something you cannot have.
BUT still!
Why do I always pale in comparison to them? Why do I feel as if they have it better than I have? Why am I so insecure as to base my happiness on other people? Why do I have to depend on money and material things to make me happy? Why do I feel so empty, as if I cannot go on, as if there is nothing more for me?
I hate having to be in this rut. The thing is, I'm here most of the time, I just try to ignore it. But somehow, this time, there's no escaping it.
Why do I hate her so much it makes me tremble? Why do I envy her so much it makes me hate myself? Why don't I want to see her happy? Why do I even care?
Why this anger?
Why this pain?
Sunday, July 11, 2004
Well, I did. I got the first season of CSI-Las Vegas and CSI-Miami! Wheee! Is fun.
Watched eight episodes of CSI-Vegas in two days. I decided to take break for a while 'cause it might take me another month or so to get the second season and I don't want to twiddle my thumbs just waiting for the next installment without having anything I can watch while I'm at it.
I've been reading the recaps available on Television Without Pity and I must say I'm really excited to have the 2nd season also. Who am I kidding? I want everything, the whole four seasons!
*Sigh.* Thanks to Ben, the VCD guy who now works as a programmer, I can now rest easy in my mind that I will never miss another episode of CSI again. Ever.
Tralala...
On CSI yesterday at Studio 23, they aired the episode that launched the CSI Miami show ang, guess what? I didn't get to see it. Darn.
Had a meeting that ended at 8:44 p.m. so naturally, there was no point in rushing to a TV to watch the remaining 15 minutes. Sheesh.
Fortunately, my Sup here told me that I can get VCD's from this guy who sold her Meteor Garden CD's. She's buying the five seasons of Charmed pa nga e for only Php1K. And CSI's in the guy's list which she told me I can get for about P30-35 which isn't bad at all but if I get 4 seasons right away he might give me a good discount. Anyway, I'm hoping he can give me a good deal on that. Yay!
Sayang nga lang kasi I don't think the show I always wanted to watch but never had the chance to (Queer Eye) is available. Hmmm, Slaybelle? I think you mentioned something about watching an episode of Queer Eye while having lunch? Is it possible that you have CD's or tapes of it? I hope so. And is it possible for me to borrow it and have it copied in our hi-tech facilities? I'll return it before you can even miss it, promise! Ü
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Poetry reading.
Pablo Neruda, of course...Ü
XXV
Before I loved you, love, nothing was my own:
I wavered through the streets, among objects:
nothing mattered or had a name:
the world was made of air, which waited.
I knew rooms full of ashes,
tunnels where the moon lived,
rough warehouses that growled 'get lost',
questions that insisted in the sand.
Everything was empty, dead, mute,
fallen abandoned, and decayed:
inconceivably alien,
it all belonged to someone else - to no one:
till your beauty and your poverty
filled the autumn plentiful with gifts.
*sigh*
Monday, July 05, 2004
this pic looks almost like a detail from a painting. master cuaron at work...
i loved the care bears when i was a kid. i still do. i remember having a sticker book that i religiously filled with the requisite stickers that cost a fortune. i got good grades in school so i could have my mom buy me the stickers. my younger sister had a barbie sticker album. i was happy with care bears. used to watch the show every time it's on. *sigh*
Joke time.
Five cannibals get appointed as programmers in an IT company.
During the welcoming ceremony the boss says: "You're all part of our team
now. You can earn good money here, and you can go to the company canteen
for something to eat. So don't trouble the other employees". The cannibals
promise not to trouble the other employees.
Four weeks later the boss returns and says: "You're all working very hard,
and I'm very satisfied with all of you. One of our developers has
disappeared however. Do any of you know what happened to her?" The
cannibals disown all knowledge of the missing developer.
After the boss has left, the leader of the cannibals says to the others:
"Which of you idiots ate the developer?"
One of the cannibals raises his hand hesitantly, to which the leader of the
cannibals says: "You FOOL! For four weeks we've been eating team leaders,
managers, and project managers and no-one has noticed anything, and now
YOU ate one developer and it got noticed. So hereafter please don't eat a person who is working.
Sunday, July 04, 2004
There is a two letter word that perhaps has more meaning than any other two letter word – it’s “UP.”
It’s easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we waken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.
At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special, and this is confusing. A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.
We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP. To be knowledgeable of the proper uses of UP, look UP the word in the dictionary. In a desk size dictionary, UP takes UP almost 1/4th the page and definitions add UP to about thirty. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don’t give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When it doesn’t rain for a while, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I’ll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so I’ll shut UP.
-- From A Joke A Day
Clean.
I went Antivirus happy today.
Since our office lacks someone who can troubleshoot PC problems because, well, we are not a high-tech company when it comes to PC's (though we have top-of-the-line non-linear editing machines and digital video cameras), I often have to take care of our aging but resolute PC's so they won't fade away into the night and zap our scripts into Never Never Land.
Not that I profess to be an expert. I just happen to be the only one here who knows how to wield mouse and keyboard to my advantage when it comes to trouble-time.
Anyway.
So today I noticed that my officemate's PC is exhibitng acute symptoms of VIRAL INFECTIONS. Yikes! It has been dragging itself along for many days now and I haven't yet done anything about it because I didn't have the time nor the inclination to figure out what to do.
Pop-up ads that take forever to close, programs that launch themselves, etc. These have been my officemate's PC problems since it has been connected to the net.
Well finally I did something today, installed Norton Antivirus, updated it through the net and voila! 421 files were exterminated of buggers. Actually, some of it were just quarantined while others were completely cleaned but I'm just counting my blessings that I was able to do it at all.
I only hope someone from the office not wise enough to know the dangers of downloading unsolicited programs doesn't make the same dumb mistake of clicking YES again. Sheesh.
Which Forgotten 80s Cartoon Character Are You?
You are Custard from Strawberry Shortcake! Ahh, you live the good life. You're cute, loved by all, and you enjoy simple things - a warm bed, sunny days, yummy desserts, and a good belly-scratching.
(Thanks, Berry.)
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Dysfunctional.
Being a head sometimes necessarily means you have to wait for the people you are heading. *Sigh*
This is why I did not get a chance to watch Monk tonight on RPN 9. It's supposed to be on at 8 pm but then...
Anyway, had just been to their site and the first season is now available on DVD. *Sob* If only I have a credit card then I could buy the set AND the DVD player. Sometimes, semi-poverty sucks.
Okay, let's play, Solve-It.
The Case of the Mobile Murder
It was 8 a.m. and Special Agent Grooms had just sat down at his desk. The phone rang, as if on cue. "Agent Grooms? I made up my mind - just this minute as I'm heading to work. I want to testify. Not that I know that much. Sal didn't introduce me to many people. But it should be enough to put a few of them behind bars."
Grooms nearly dropped the receiver. For the past four months, he'd been trying to talk Lana Salvatore into telling the F.B.I. what she knew about her ex-husband and the Boitano crime family. And now, out of the blue... "I want you to come down to my office," he said.
"I'm on my way right now."
"What? You're calling from a cell phone?" Agent Grooms started to sweat. "Those things aren't safe. I want you to drive straight here. Don't stop anywhere. Don't call anyone else. I'll meet you out front."
Lana laughed. "Don't worry. I've taken my own precautions. Be there in 20 minutes."
An hour later, Grooms got the report: Lana Salvatore's car had been found off the side of a country road. It had broken through a wooden guardrail and crashed into a tree. 10 minutes after Lana's call, Hap Orleans, a computer consultant whose house faced the country road, heard the crash. He ran outside and found Lana behind the wheel, not wearing a seat belt. The air bags had gone off, but they hadn't been enough to save her. By the time the ambulance arrived, the would-be witness was dead from massive internal injuries.
"I was just getting out of the shower," Hap explained to the highway patrol. "I heard this crash. No squeal of tires, just a crash. It took me no more than three minutes to get dressed and outside. Right away I saw the broken guardrail and the car up against the tree. There were no other cars or people in sight."
Grooms rejected the highway patrol's theory of accidental death and went in search of Adrian Monk, the police consultant. He had had his run-ins with Monk in the past. But if the San Francisco police could use his talents, so could the FBI.
"It's a job," Sharona told her boss for the tenth time. "You interview a few people, look at the crime scene - and maybe you'll be able to pay my salary on time." They were standing in the lobby of the Staytight Cement Company.
"I pay your salary on time," Monk said, looking a little hurt.
"Yes, you do... if this was 1999. But it's not."
Their bickering was interrupted by the arrival of their prime suspect - Sal Salvatore, Lana's ex. The cement company executive was tall and blond with an open mid-western face -hardly the standard mob type. Monk asked him for his alibi and he smiled. "At 8 this morning? Sure. I just got off a plane. Business trip. I was driving in from the airport on the other side of town. You can check with my boss, Mr. Boitano. At a few minutes past eight I was on my car phone calling into the office. Here's my plane ticket. I'm sure the phone company has a record of the call."
Big Tony Boitano, the mob boss, also had an alibi. "I was in the office, like Sal said. We was having an early board meeting. Sal called in and I put him on the speaker. A dozen of my guys can swear Sal was on the other end. How many times I gotta tell you jerks. I run a legitimate cement company here."
The last interview on their list was Pauly Adidas, Lana's boyfriend. Monk and Sharona found the young man lying on a couch in his living room, covered with a blanket, looking pale and in great emotional pain. "Lana and me just got engaged," he whispered. "Just yesterday. She drove off this morning while I was still in bed. I tell you, if I'd known what she was up to, I would've stopped her. You don't mess with these killers."
It seemed like a typically impossible problem. Even if the mob had somehow overheard Lana's cellular call, how could they have intercepted her car so quickly?
A further complication came that night. Monk was at home, relaxing, when Agent Grooms telephoned. Monk switched off his vacuum cleaner and answered. Someone, it seems, had broken into Lana and Paulie's house. The dead woman's fiancée had fended off the intruders but had been severely beaten.
Pauly was admitted to the hospital with two broken ribs, multiple bruises to the chest and stomach as well as a fracture of the left clavicle. When asked if the wounds could possibly be self-inflicted, the doctor shook his head. "From their position and severity, I'd say impossible. One of the wounds is infected. Mr. Adidas could have died if he hadn't come in when he did."
Pauly gave a statement from intensive care. "My car's in the shop, so they must've thought the house was empty. I was upstairs when I heard glass breaking down in the living room. There were two of them wearing masks. I grabbed a baseball bat, but they're better fighters than me. A neighbor heard the noise and called the police." Unfortunately, the neighbor never actually saw the intruders and Pauly couldn't give a good description.
Sharona looked on the bright side. "If they broke into her house, it means there was something they needed to find. Maybe a diary naming names. This case isn't over yet."
Crime Scene Report
The point of impact was on the passenger side, although the force had been enough to crush the grill and hood and shatter the windshield. Blood was splattered on the dashboard and smeared across the airbags. It was the same blood type as the deceased's, O negative. In addition, one make-up mirror was in the down position. Both of the deceased's high heeled shoes were recovered from the front floor.
There was no damage to the car other than that noted. There was no sign of sideswiping by another vehicle, and the brakes were in working order.
Autopsy Report
Death was caused by massive internal injuries, trauma, and loss of blood.
Note: The deceased was wearing makeup, but only part of it had been applied. The lower lip, for example, was free of lipstick.
Search Area Near Site
One-half mile from the crash site, the police inspected a public phone booth and discovered traces of human blood on the receiver, coin slot, and dial. It matched the victim's blood type, O negative. Three cigarette butts, one also bearing a blood smear, were found on the ground. No liftable prints were recovered from the phone or the butts.
Phone company records show a call having been made from the phone booth to the Boitano Cement Co. at 8:21 a.m., approximately 15 minutes after the crash.
Solution
(1) What's the story behind Pauly's attack and injuries?
His injuries came from the car accident, not a mob attack.
(2) Who killed Lana?
Pauly Adidas.
(3) How was the murder committed?
The driver, Pauly, used the seat belt to save his own life.
Explanation
Lana's fatal mistake was not realizing that her boyfriend might also be a Family member. After the Salvatore divorce, Tony Boitano enlisted his handsomest young soldier to woo the divorcee and keep her under control. All the while Agent Grooms was trying to get Lana to testify, Pauly was doing his best to talk her out of it.
Pauly was in the process of driving Lana to work when she made her call to Grooms. Several facts point to Lana having been a passenger: the lowered makeup mirror, her half applied make-up, and the high heels left on the floor.
Pauly heard Lana's call and went to work. He had to silence Lana before they arrived at F.B.I. headquarters and without exposing himself. An obvious murder would throw too much heat on the family. It had to look like an accident.
Pauly fastened his seatbelt, leaving Lana's unbuckled. Then, with a flip of the wheel, he sent the car off the road, smashing the passenger side into the tree. His own fractured clavicle was a result of the seat belt's impact on his left shoulder.
Lana died almost instantly. Pauly dragged her body over to the driver's side, thereby accounting for the blood smear on the airbag. He then hobbled off.
Pauly walked to the nearest pay phone and put in a call to Boitano. The three cigarette butts showed that someone had been waiting there for a while, perhaps waiting for a ride.
The seatbelt had saved Pauly's life, but he desperately needed medical attention. Going to a doctor, even a discrete Family doctor, would have resulted in bed time, bandages, and police suspicion. So Pauly faked the attack on himself to account for his injuries.
The cigarette butts got Monk focused in the right direction, but it was a twenty-five cent piece that sealed the case. When he had the FBI open the pay phone's cash box, they discovered a bloodstained quarter.
Perfectly preserved on one side of it was Pauly's right thumbprint - framed in Lana Salvatore's blood.
--
Whew. Ü
i personally like warrick better than nicky the milky boy...this pic from Elyse's CSI site also
Morbid Me.
Had a chance to watch CSI last night over Studio 23. Our office doesn't have cable so free TV's my only chance.
Anyway, people in that network apparently do not care about airing the epsiodes in sequence. It's still Season One and last night was the I-15 Murders.
Interesting quotes...
Grissom: "How's your old job?"
Brass: "Ah, I can sling scum all day long. You?"
Grissom: "I curse more."
Catherine: "You know how you're always pushing that Holy Trinity stuff?"
Grissom: "The Father, Son, Holy Ghost?"
Catherine: "Victim, suspect and crime."
Grissom: "Oh, that one."
According to Elyse's CSI site, the episode aired on January 12, 2001.
If only we had cable...
Limited.
Ooohh. Busy day.
Yesterday the electricity kept going on and off, wreaking havoc on the office PC's. Igme sure is mad about something.
Wasn't able to accomplish anything but a short article yesterday so today is my deadliest deadline...
I'm listening to Tracy Chapman...reminds me of high school when I first heard her voice. Sigh.
Give me one good reason to stay here...la di da...I called you many times...
Ooops, the light's blinking again. Have to sign off quick..