Turning Ten

Turning 10 is a huge deal. It's the first step into the world of the 2 digits. It's the big 1-0. It's that point in life when you feel like you've hit semi-adult and yet people still treat you like a little kid. *sigh*

A milestone like this deserves another beyond-awesome gamer cupcake set. And... a song.

And we'll fight

Keep defending through the night

We'll fight the good fight

Live

We're all driver to survive

We'll fight the good fight

I'll keep going, just stay by my side

I get you, big boy. I get you. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :)

The coolest Minecraft cupcakes from Midnight Snacks.

The loveliest original Minecraft song, Cube Land, from LauraShigihara.

Taal Volcano Tour: Photography and Documentary by a Middle Schooler

You know how I rabidly plan weekend adventures for my kids, right? Well, my worthy opponent --the school's Saturday Club-- won this round. Pushing the envelope, they brought a busload of giddy students to... TAAL VOLCANO!
Holy Crabs, Taal Volcano has been on my list of family trips for like forever! And the school's Saturday Club beat me to it! Well, both Miro and Kenji were bubbling with excitement so I had to admit defeat and let them go. I knew they would have fun and that they were in good hands.

But... but... what about photo ops? I've always been the family's official trip photography and documentary person (my sons lovingly call me 'The Memory Keeper' --yeah, I'm proud of that title). Apparently, I can be replaced in that area, too. Miro, armed with his father's camphone, was unstoppable!

So for now, I'm taking a step back, and letting Miro do the blogging.
Presenting the Taal Volcano Tour!

Neat, huh? Looks like my son can replace me as a blogger, too. :P

Parenting Tip: If you can trust your child with a camphone --and if the school will allow it-- let him carry one for his field trips. For a change, get a whole new perspective on things through his eyes and words. It will definitely be, as they say, epic!

We Are The Night: Old School Review

When I was a kid on Career Day, I told my teachers (nuns at that) that I'd like to be a vampire when I grew up.

Nothing much has changed when I became an adult. I still love vampires, and I still never became one. But that love for the fanged undead almost fizzled out when it became some kind of cinematic fad.  Everyone and his uncle was jumping into the vampire bandwagon with... with... embellishments!
I was ready to give up. That was until We Are The Night graced Popcorn Night at the household last night.

We Are The Night is a 2011 German film that is a sweet return to the romanticized version of vampirism.

No samurai-wielding vampires.

No gun-slinging vampires with clan issues.

No cheesy, head-over-heels, my-dead-heart-thumps-only-for-you lovestruck vampires with clan issues.

Just a lovely return to powerful beings embracing their immortality.

A return to the glory of blood-sucking.

A return to good old fashioned 'missing the sun and dying from it'.

A return to the traditional vampire training and twisted relationship between mentor and apprentice.

It's Lestat and Louis all over again! And I absolutely love that movie! Both flicks also shared the identity crisis that comes with vampire transformation. Which makes it all the hell more personal and real.

Sure, there is still a love angle here --because this is a vampire movie. And vampires are by far one of the most romantic creatures conceived. But it wasn't overplayed into tiring sequels. It was only highlighted in the end when viewers were left guessing if Lena (protagonist vampire and lost girl) turned Tom (protagoist cop and suave love interest) in order to save his life.

We Are The Night is old school in the new world.  Just the way vampires should be.

Bonus! The femme fatales of We Are The Night killed using the purity of brute strength and deadly fangs. But Charlotte (my favourite) got creative and sliced a man's throat with a page torn off a book.  Death by paper cut! In-saaaane!

Get We Are The Night on DVD. Highly recommended for those who wished they could be vampires when they grew up. What --I can't be alone in that, can I??