tis the season to be jolly, or so they say
My mother has just finished adorning the interiors and exteriors of the house with every Christmas decoration possible. We’ve got the requisite plastic Christmas tree inside the house; outside, sparkly red Christmas balls hang on some trees in the garden.
The front screen door has exactly 51 small bells, I kid you not, while the door to the den has 10. Even the stair railings have bells on them.
“Para tayong sari-sari store,” one of my sisters complained as she held up two “Merry Christmas!” signs that my mom had asked her to put up somewhere. I’m not sure where the signs went, but I won’t be surprised if I see them posted on the gate tomorrow morning.
All in all, though, we’re pretty jolly this season. Or at least I’m making a conscious effort not to go on Scrooge mode despite the string of disasters that happened this year and the fact that this is our first Christmas without my Lolo Romy, who passed away last January after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. There are just so many other things to be thankful for, and other things to look forward to.
Anyway, I had initially intended to write a Christmas wish list, but I’ve come to realize that all I want for Christmas–aside from world peace–is money, glorious money. And maybe a chainsaw, ’cause you never know when zombies might strike. Come to think of it, though, my family would probably be sufficiently warned–thanks to the bells on the doors.
this is my destiny
A couple of weeks ago, the office had an overnight team-building trip to Tanauan in Batangas. The whole experience was pretty memorable, but my favorite moment was when an officemate who checked out the bedrooms early said in disbelief, “Oh my God, like, our rooms are extremely predetermined.”
This was my destiny:
‘Nuff said.
starting with the cullens
yes, vampires and the occult were significant parts of my childhood
There was a time, I was 13 I think, when a part of me actually believed I was–waitforit–a vampire slayer. I was the fastest runner in my batch, I could jump incredibly high, and I could open softdrink bottles when nobody else could.
Why having those abilities led me to conclude that I must be some mythical figure destined to battle evil, I do not know. But it was fun for a while, because my bestfriends joined the fantasy. I had a sheepish Willow (my shy best friend H), and a goofy Xander (my sometimes-boyfriendish-friend J). I had a yaya who “taught” the “spells.” All that was missing was some stakes and crossbows. And of course, vampires.
for the future
The Sam Raimi classic “The Evil Dead” scared the living daylights out of me when my dad made me watch it when I was 10. I remember having nightmares about the zombified Linda’s hysterical laugh and vowing to stay away from cellar doors–even though I’ve never seen one–in fear of Cheryl coming out.
no, this isn't from "The Exorcist"
I also remember wanting a chainsaw for Christmas.
Watching ” The Evil Dead,” however, was a painful but necessary initiation rite into the wonderful world of zombie movies. George Romero is now one of my heroes. You’re not my friend if you haven’t seen “28 Days Later” and/or “28 Weeks Later,” the best zombie movies in recent years. And I now judge a vehicle by its capacity to protect me from zombies.
My sister, who is almost as into this as I am, agrees that there is wisdom in having a panic room just like in “Diary of the Dead.” Tweaked according to my personal preferences, the room would include the following:
1. Dozens of screens showing views from hidden cameras strategically placed in various parts of the house. This is a must for all panic rooms.
2. DVDs, lots. In case I get bored monitoring the cameras. DVD collection to include “Mean Girls” and “Kung Fu Panda.”
3. All kinds of firearms imaginable, with tons of ammo to boot. Also, a crossbow would be nice. It won’t be very effective against zombies, but it would be…nice.
4. A sword! A samurai sword!
5. Mountains of food, including the ever-reliable chicken adobo, chocolate chip cookies, and ingredients for making pizza.
6. A personal computer or a laptop with Internet connection and all the music files I need to keep me sane and cool. That reminds me: room will also include drums and a guitar so I can hone my musical skills while I’m stuck there.
6. Books.
7. One to three companions; preferably male, decent-looking, smart, funny, and reasonably strong.
I am so saving this list for future reference.
