Right now, the world is bracing for the so-called wedding of the century: that of crowned Prince William of England and Kate Middleton, the bride to be who is of working class descent, and the lass who had ensnared the heart of the royal prince.

As a matter of fact, there is a burning frenzy among most television networks right now as they show snippets of the planned celebration — the invited guests, the wedding dress, the solemnity of the church, and other enticing details — but if you ask me, I think that the novelty of this union, which is hinged on the unrequitedness of love (think Notting Hill here), is a little overrated.

If you ask me, monarchies have since dissipated from the collective consciousness of modern democracies, because come to think of it really, people no longer believe in the ancient concept of predestination when it comes to rulers.

Yes, yes, I know that this is a purely romantic thing, but at the end of the day, we also need to remember that in today’s modern society, monarchies have become a thing of the past. The political power, after all, has considerably shifted to the laypeople, and in some parts of the world, there have even been clamors to dismantle the monarchical institution as a whole.

Lest I end up sounding like a grinch who has motives of sabotaging the royal wedding and dampening people’s moods altogether, I better end here. And oh, they actually look cute together. That, at least, is my only consolation.

My grandfather, who I tend to blog about lately because of how senility had finally caught up with him in his old age, has just recently been incapacitated to eat on his own.

The drastic changes in his health have finally rendered him incapable of eating on his own, because apparently, he no longer has the energy to chew his food, most of his teeth have been chipped away, and he can no longer grip his spoon and fork to feed himself.

When I look at him, I actually feel his pain — because my grandfather, back when he had full control over his faculties, loved to eat. As a matter of fact, back when he was healthier, he would randomly travel to the nearby municipalities for fiestas and other parties that he was invited to.

During these instances, he would travel by himself, painstakingly look for the house from his memory, and he would succeed each time.

Which is why looking at him now, I know his past self would not like how he eats right now. As a matter of fact, his food intake consists of different vegetables, fish meat, and fruits that are blended until they become very fine, liquid-y even, and they are suctioned inside his tummy by means of an NGT.

Personally though, I feel that it would be best if my grandfather had a Medicare plan so he can have the best medical options available for him, and he would not need to shell out huge sums for his treatments. These plans, I think, are viable options for people who wish to avail of the best medical remedies for relatively less dollars.

Three valuable lessons that I’ve learned from this entire experience are:

First, life seldom gives you warnings before a big blow strikes you.

Second, in adversity, you will know who truly loves you.

And third, getting old is not so hard when so many people love you.

On the 21st of this month, I will be turning 27. Am I ready to turn another year older?

Normally, I feel excited each time my birthday would come up, because I always associated this with more life experiences (hopefully) and a new lease on life — but as of late, I think I feel more jittery than I am excited because obviously, I am nearing my 30s.

I am not saying that there is something wrong with turning 30, but it’s just that I often feel undeserving to turn 27. Why, you may ask?

It is simply because I used to have all these grand dreams for myself when I was in high school — for example, profession-wise, by the age of 30, I would be a lawyer, and a good lawyer at that, and I would already have carved my own niche in the legal profession.

But nay, little did I know that my path had a lot of crossroads along the way — and sadly, I sometimes chose the wrong path. I cannot claim for certain that I did not know that I was treading the wrong path, but I feel that at times, I just wanted to know what the other side of life tasted like. I wanted to break free from my comfort zone, and just try to have a taste of the indulgent lifestyle.

Anyhow, I hope my 27th will be a better year. I’ve got so many things lined up for me this year — most prominent of which is my law schooling — and I just hope that it’s not too late yet to realize what I aspired for as a young kid.

Wish me luck!

Last night, what initially started as an innocent get together for dinner with close high school friends, ended up with us watching Pixar Animation’s latest offering, RIO.

At first, I was reluctant to watch the movie, because I was extremely disappointed with the last movie that I saw — all because the trailer was alluring. Demmet. That movie was Sucker Punch, and true to its title, it was a movie that punched suckers in the end.

That movie was so awful that I walked out of the theatre halfway through the entire ordeal (yes, it was not an experience, but an excruciating ordeal), and I promised my friends that I would be reimbursing their tickets, because I was the one who assured them that that movie would be kick-ass.

In order to fend off the possibility of being disappointed in the end, I stepped into the theater without any expectations. Although the trailer was thoroughly inviting and RIO had an all-star cast, I was conditioning myself that it was not going to be any different from most movies.

Perhaps, this was what had made me like the movie so much.

It was an adorable movie that beautifully hemmed together the themes of self-actualization, passion, and unconditional love. The storyline was peppered with hilarious punchlines, and in the end, I found it to be one good film. Not great, but definitely one of the better animated films that I’ve seen in a while.

Even after the credits rolled and we were on our way out of the movie house, we still found ourselves laughing over some of the more hilarious parts of the movie. It was such an uplifting movie, that little did we know at that time, we needed that perk-me-up because something bad was about to greet us later that night.

My friend, who brought a ride with him, was aghast to find out that someone had vandalized his car, while we were away for dinner and the movie. A visible scratch was etched in the driver’s door, and needless to say, the sheen and texture of his SUV, which was just recently purchased by the way, was tampered with by a mark that would clearly cost him thousands to be removed.

Instinctively, I asked if he had at least a cheap car insurance. He just swayed his head, as though defeated, as he told me that he was still in the process of getting one for his SUV.

It was a beautiful start for a night, but in the end, we had to console him because of this unfortunate incident. In the end, we ended up having a couple of beers as we talked about the movie, all the while consciously blocking out the unfortunate night-capper that had marred our good spirits.

To the person who had nothing better to do that night, I hope the universe slaps you with the bad karma that you deserve. And I hope it happens real soon.

But anyway, RIO was kick-ass. You should see it for yourself.

When I was growing up, I’ve always loved the summer season. Apart from the fact that it always meant a hiatus from schoolwork for two marvelous months, summer time was also my opportunity to learn new things.

Not a lot of people know this, but I was actually a sports junkie growing up. Ever since I was in primary school, I was into a lot of sports. I started off with volleyball in third grade, and once I got the hang of it, I became obsessed with the game. As a matter of fact, I became the captain ball for the school varsity in elementary and high school.

When I entered fifth grade, my dad introduced me to two sports: golf and lawn tennis. I particularly liked golf, because more than just a physical exercise, it was also a test of one’s agility and, err, intelligence. You see, in golf, you need to be extra strategic with your strokes, and not go overboard nor be too conservative with each stroke. You need to be calculating.

Lawn tennis was probably the sport that I felt like I had not mastered the most. I think it was in sixth grade when my dad enrolled me in a summer clinic where we were trained by a professional — and soon after, there was a mini tournament where we all competed for the top prize: a two-dollar trophy, if I remember it right, that was shaped like a rocket ship.

I was surprised that in the end, I emerged as the winner. I thought back then that this was probably because I was the oldest kid in the bunch. But anyway, I was just grateful that I got to learn how to play lawn tennis — because shortly after learning the basics of a ball and racket game, I proceeded to learning badminton and table tennis.

The latter, more specifically, was my ultimate indulgence in high school. I breathed table tennis — and I couldn’t be any happier that right now, my younger brothers have opted to take table tennis lessons. That is their summer plan.

This weekend, my dad plans to buy them a table tennis table, and I intend to tag along with him when he makes that purchase. Because law will devour me whole this June (and for the next four years), I think I also need to have this summer breather. And when I am given the chance to play table tennis all summer long, hey, there’s nothing left to complain about.

Here’s to a fun summer, everyone.

I may be no Grammy Award winner, but I sure do have my own opinion when it comes to the contestants’ performances this season. Here’s mine for the Top 9 performances, although I will try my best to just keep my comments short and concise (and probably brutal):

Theme: Rock and Roll

Jacob Lusk: Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson

To be completely honest, I do not like him. He may be a great singer, but he does not have the complete package. Jacob is not marketable, he prances around like a drag queen, and he just has this ethos that makes you appreciate his singing, but not make you itch to vote for him. I’d rather vote for another contestant, thank you very much.

Haley Reinhart: Piece of my Heart by Janis Joplin

I felt like it was a little screechy, but the song choice really helped her a lot. She sounded great with the tempo, and she knew exactly where she wanted the song to go to.

Casey Abrams: Have You Ever Seen the Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival

For two weeks in a row, I don’t think his performances had been exemplary. I think he is too self-conscious, to the point of holding back and not letting his natural instincts guide him through his performances. The culprits: America’s stupidity for making him the bottom contestant during the top 11 results show and the advice of the judges for him to stop growling.

I think he sings best when he adds that kind of flavor to his songs — that is who he is: a renegade artist who has soul and is unapologetic about it. Let’s admit it, his voice is not the most distinct among the bunch, but during the early parts of the competition, he was able to successfully infuse flavor into his songs.

But right now, it seems like he just wants to play it safe all the time, in hopes of not getting America’s ire (or apathy) for his being fearless. If he lets this continue in the coming weeks, then without a doubt, he will become forgettable and predictable sooner than he can let out a grooooowl.

Lauren Alaina: Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin

I used to think that this girl had the range that can propel her all the way to the finals. Her performance tonight though, was an eye-opener for me, and it confirmed so many deep-seated doubts that I had about her and her capabilities as a potential artist.

Her performance failed to deliver (obviously not up to par with Aretha, or even with Kelly Clarkson), pretty predictable (she did not know which notes to sustain or fire up), and just so-so.

At first, I thought she had the range that can help sustain her — but lately, I’m beginning to think that she never had it in her in the first place. If she can prove to America that she has the capacity to challenge herself and that her high notes are as sultry as her low registers, then perhaps her chances of making it far can improve.

James Durbin: While My Guitar Gently Weeps by George Harrison

I don’t like this dude. Arrogance personified. He has not even made it big yet, but he already thinks so highly of himself. Attitude problem perhaps? Yes, I know, he may be able to hit the high notes and shriek like a kid who is still approaching puberty, but I am perfectly content with Adam Lambert, thank you very much.

Scotty McCreery: That’s Alright Mama by Elvis Presley

He got lucky tonight that he was able to sing an Elvis song. I know that the judges constantly tell him that he is not a one trick pony, but it is obvious, even to a nincompoop, that he is the king of all one trick ponies.

If you look back on his performances for the past five weeks, all he did were country songs that were mixed with soul, rock, and other half-genres. I don’t know about you, but it baffles me why the judges seem to be hard on the other contestants to explore other genres, but when it comes to this country boy, they are all praises. This, for me, even begs the question: Is this show scripted?

Pia Toscano: River Deep, Mountain High by Ike and Tina Turner

Personally, I felt that that was the best performance of the night. Like the judges, I was a little bit worried that for the past weeks, she seemed to be only capable of doing ballads — but beautiful ballads, mind you. So for this week, she worked the stage like a pro and sang her up tempo song with impeccable sheen. Pia also has a distinct sound to her voice, one that is neither generic nor forgettable.

The judges comments: She needs to watch how the greats do their concerts. How Mariah, Celine, Whitney all move when up on the stage — because, apparently for them, she still needs to push it further. Didn’t she push it already with her song choice this week, not to mention she did her ‘pushing’ really well?

Given that most of the judges’ comments to almost all of the contestants that night were positive, their reception to Pia’s performance may be misconstrued by the American public to be one of the poorer ones that night. Gah. It seems like with her, they will never be satisfied. I need to stop, before all the blood gets to my head.

Stefano Langone: When a Man Loves a Woman by Percy Sledge

He is definitely one of the best contenders this year. In my book, he needs to be in the Top 5 — if only for his distinct voice quality, his range, and his charisma. I seriously do not get what the judges meant when they told him in a previous episode that there was a disconnect in his performances.

Sometimes, Randy and Jennifer give very abstract critiques, and they do not even offer a plan of action so the ‘imagined’ problem will go away. He sings well, he’s not just an AI winner material.

Paul McDonald: Fulsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash

I really, really, really like this bluesy singer. If only for his distinct voice quality, and his emotionally-drenched performances, I think he deserves to go far, say Top 5 or 6.

Tonight, he delivered again. But I do agree with the judges that perhaps, it will be a challenge to convince America that his uniqueness can be the real deal.

He is unconventional, but that does not mean that he is not good. If ever  he gets cut soon, it’s not because he has less talent. It just means that America, just like in previous seasons, would have it wrong again.

So there goes my three cents worth for AI’s top 9 performances. If you agree with what I had to say, then well and good. If you don’t, then hey, I’m no Simon Cowell — so chill.

Two nights ago, I became a little bit sentimental. It was a night like no other. The stars were beautiful, people looked splendid, the food was amazing, music was soothing, and the party was understatedly elegant.

I was with my high school friends, and we were in one of the most sentimental gatherings that we’ve been to for a long period of time now.  It was the fifth wedding anniversary of my high school friend, Miguel, and we were simply amazed at how time flew so fast.

The last time I remember, we were convincing Migs that being married at 22 would mean losing out on so many things, and that he ought to tie the knot and commit to someone when he turns, say 30, or even 35.

‘You’re still so young. 22 means parties, and excursions, and being irresponsible, and sometimes being juvenile’, I remember our last attempt at convincing him that it was wrong for him to push through with being weighed down by the proverbial big ball of chains.

But getting married, they did — and since he convinced us that there was no turning back, we supported him and attended the wedding ceremony anyway. But, at the back of our minds back then, we were uncertain as to how things will pan out eventually.

But during that night, in the midst of love that seemed so palpable, and the celebration of commitment even when it seems to be so evasive nowadays, we were happy for them, and the happiness that seemed to show in their faces.

Of course, I did not wish to go there empty-handed, so I had to scour for the best 5th anniversary gifts. There was actually a lot to choose from, but in the end, I chose ‘Reasons I Love You Stones’, which were beautiful and appropriate for the wedding anniversary party.

At this day and age, where commitment has virtually been reduced to a mere ideal, and forever seems to span only a few years, theirs is a love story worthy of celebration.

To Migs and Razel, happy fifth wedding anniversary to you guys.