Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Running Away From Happiness

Why does someone run away from happiness? This is a weird question from xxxHolic.

Another weird question: If you won one billion pesos worth of lottery would you claim it or not?

For a person who would run away from happiness, that person wouldn't probably claim it. And why on earth would a sane person refuse to claim the prize? Answer?

It's simple, in order to receive happiness, it takes an equal amount of effort; compensation is required. You must also experience the same amount of unhappiness as payment for whatever happiness you incurred. This ladies and gentlemen is the law of equivalent trade.

You alway have to pay your debts even if you are the receiver. This means that you have to also reward your sufferings that you have incurred from your choices. If you win the lottery, claim the prize as that is your compensation. If you owe ten thousand yen, you must pay ten thousand yen. If you deserve 300 million pesos then receive 300 million pesos. Any discount will dusrupt the balance. Disrupting the balance would only reak havoc.

That is why some people refuse to receive happiness. The good parts are the parts that you must pay for. One who refuses happiness is someone who refuses to accept the responsibilities incurred from receving happiness.


If you ask me, that person is quite smart. Every action is well calculated, but one false move could only lead that person in some deep problem... but on the bright side, proper compensation comes: happiness.

So how can someone run away from happiness exactly? Take for example the girl from xxxHolic. In order to risk the reward of getting promoted, she allowed herself to be in an accident so that she would miss that very stressful presentation. She could present very well and even succeed in it but she doesn't want the responsibilities that comes with being promoted. See? Her careful plan had lead to a desired conclusion of neutrality. The balance wasn't even shaken one bit.

Another learning from xxxHolic.

Fate

“Coincidence is but an illusion.
There is only fate.”

I have always believed that things happen for a reason. There are no accidents or mere coincidence. Everything that occurs is a chain reaction and an event is the result of than reaction. Life is like a wheel that continues on rolling and there is a path that we must follow. Life is a sequence of events.

But I also believe in free will. Fate can only bring us too far as to encounter a certain event but it is in our hands and our own choice to choose to have fate work or come into reality. This is just like meeting the girl/boy of your dreams, a person who is perfect. You met that person because of fate. But it’s up to you if you talk to that person or not. Either way your choices will lead you to another chain of events and so forth. We do have a choice, and every choice we make counts.

But one thing is for sure. Our death is inevitable. No choice we make can save us from death, and it is in this manner that fate takes hold of our life.

Things happen for a reason… but the reasons are unclear…

Words are Powerful

I have been watching xxxHolic lately and I want to share some learning that I have derived from it:

“Waves. Things that rise and fall.

Waves. Things that proliferate from a source.

Waves. Things that can’t be fought against.

Living things are restrained by Chains:

The laws of nature

The flow of time

The vessel known as your “body”

And the existence called your mind

The one chain that people can wield: WORDS.”

The waves that are mentioned here are words. As I interpret these statements, I have come up with this. There are many kinds of words. There are words that are positive and words that are negative. And these words come from one source: our own self. Words are powerful and they cannot be stopped. We as humans have many weaknesses and these may even inhibit us from reaching our full potentials. The laws of nature prevents us from doing some things like flying or being invisible for example. The flow of time restricts us from undoing what we have done in the past. Our bodies are fragile and it won’t last forever. And our mind has its own limitations. But words… we can use this for our own advantage. We can say that we can’t do something and we will definitely fail because we don’t have faith in our self. Or better yet we can say I can do this and things will turn out better. Negative words will only restrain your self. How will you know that something will turn out bad when you never tried? Nothing will be accomplished by being pessimistic.

“Words are living things. Chains can be used for more than tying down. They can be used to connect, and tie together. Looking forward and speaking positively makes all the difference.”

Words can bridge people together. Saying positive things will attract people to you and would be more at ease speaking with you and this will form a relationship between you two. How will you know people when you don’t talk to them because you already say that they dislike you?

“Words are amazing. However, words don’t only affect the one using them…”

But words can also come from other people. Other people can say hurtful things that could put you down.

“You are responsible for your own choices. So much pity when you are tied down. If you enjoy living like this, there’s no harm in staying tied down. Your immediate comfort is not telling yourself “everything will turn out great and the joy it brings when you’re right.”

But you can choose to be affected or not. You have the power to break free from the chains of negative words that other people throw at you. If you don’t like the things that people say to you then prove to them that they are wrong and stop yourself from unconsciously fulfilling the things that they say about you.

Words are really amazing. They can bring people together or they can bring us apart and even start disagreements. Words are like wild beasts that are once released cannot be taken back or controlled. Words can spread like wild fire and if it’s negative then be ready for things to get worst. That is why we should always think twice before we speak because it only takes a few seconds to say hurtful things but the impact on your relationship with the other person will last for a lifetime.

I can totally relate with this quotes from xxxHolic. But there are times that you must really speak out what you feel because the longer that you keep your anger and frustrations inside you, the feeling will grow and will end up in an ugly outburst and you will really regret it. This usually happen to the silent and kind type of people. They let people abuse them and they really become really angry when they lose it and may even end up killing the other person.

We can always use words to express ourselves but we must use them with tact so that we won’t offend others. Use words cautiously. We must be affirmative but never offensive…

Hmm… So much wisdom… I really love xxxHolic!

xxxHolic Review

I really have enjoyed watching xxxHolic. I haven't finished watching the series yet but I could say that it is a work of art. The graphics are excellent and the music is perfect. The combination of the two portrays a perfect world of magic and real life. CLAMP, the producer of the said anime, is really amazing. It really makes you think and your imagination can just run wild.

And who ever said animè isn't educational? Well xxxHolic can prove you wrong. It showcases the rich culture of Japan by embedding in the plot the different legends and myths in Japan. The way of life of Japanese people are shown and their different food, dresses, and customs are shown. It really amazes me how Japan can be so high-tech but they still are able to preserve their own identity, culture, and history.

Also xxxHolic is a perfect place to study philosophy and humanity as it exposes some morals and truths of what truly is being a human being. I will share some learning that I have derived in some of my other posts.

Totally amazing! I really love xxxHOLIC and I am quite inspired when I watch each episode that is full of wisdom and zest.

I rate it with a perfect five out of five! Why don’t you guys watch it and see for yourselves what I’m talking about.

Plot

The series' protagonist, Kimihiro Watanuki, is a high school student who is continually plagued by supernatural monsters (youkai) and spirits which are magically attracted to him. The creatures are invisible to all but him, and as a result he feels extremely burdened by them. When he quite literally stumbles into a shop that grants wishes, his life changes drastically.

Within the shop is the seductively beautiful Yūko Ichihara, a witch of many names and esoteric renown. The seemingly all-knowing witch soon gets down to business: she offers to grant Watanuki's wish to be rid of his ability to see spirits. However, a price equal to the power required to grant the wish must be paid. Yūko discovers that Watanuki is very skilled with his hands and a hard worker. As a result, Watanuki soon finds himself forced to perform housework and odd jobs for Yūko until he has done enough work for his wish to be granted.

Shortly afterwards, other characters become involved with Watanuki's position, including his love interest, Himawari Kunogi, and his "rival", Shizuka Dōmeki. The three become increasingly "friendlier", despite the amount of times Watanuki gets annoyed with Dōmeki's unflappable attitude.

Another recurring theme in the manga storyline is that Watanuki's growth and change will be because of his experiences of meeting one person. Yūko, according to a fortune teller in Volume 2, is the one that will change Watanuki. However, it's implied that he will be linked to both Yūko and Dōmeki and that all their connections were foreseen.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

High School Musical 2 Phenomenon

Again Disney has made it big time with the big success of their sequel, High School Musical 2. Even it’s album was a great success reportedly “outselling Justin Timberlake and Beyonce and Rascal Flatts and everything else.” If you don't know what High School Musical is then I'm sorry to tell you that you really need serious updating with the happenings of the world.

I really enjoyed the movie and is definitely a show for the whole family because Troy and Gabriela did not even have a single kissing scene. The songs are better and the certain twists in the story are quite good. But I have to say that I liked Sharpay’s version of “You are the Music in Me” better than the one of Troy and Gabriela.

This movie is a great recommend to all of the people out there! A 5 out of 5 stars! Why? Just watch the damn movie to see how this Disney Original became such a phenomenon! If you missed High School Musical 1 & 2 then you should really watch the coming High School Musical 3!


Here’s the plot:

The summer brings jolly excitement to the East High Wildcats as they go over their plans for their break from school with the song "What Time Is It?". Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) stresses over getting a job with the price of college looming on his mind, as well as trying to make sure he and Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) are able to stay together all summer. Sharpay and Ryan Evans (Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel) plan on spending the summer at their family's country club, Lava Springs ("Fabulous"). However, Sharpay's summer plan also includes separating Troy and Gabriella by getting Troy hired at Lava Springs. What Sharpay does not plan on is Troy talking the club's manager, Mr. Fulton (Mark L. Taylor), into hiring the rest of the Wildcats, including Gabriella and her best friend Taylor (Monique Coleman), and Troy's best friend Chad (Corbin Bleu). Fulton is unable to fire the Wildcats at Sharpay's command, since her mother (Jessica Tuck) approved their hiring, so she orders him to make them want to quit. Troy offers to help his friends working in the kitchen and convinces them that they can work their hardships out, in the song, "Work This Out".

Sharpay schemes harder than ever to make the Wildcats miserable, and win Troy, who has to choose between two worlds: his own with the Wildcats and Gabriella, or another where Sharpay's family can offer him a way to college and other luxuries he has only dreamed about. Kelsi writes a duet for Troy and Gabriella, but Sharpay steals the duet from the two of them and forces Troy to sing it with her, holding his future over his head. As Troy grows further away from Gabriella, Ryan is pushed further away from Sharpay. Taylor and Gabriella even invite Ryan to the baseball game, and Chad offers him Troy's place in the game. Troy and Gabriella's relationship is strained to the breaking point, as well as Troy's friendship with Chad.


When Sharpay finally crosses the line by banning the Wildcats from performing in Lava Springs' annual Star Dazzle Talent Show, even though Ryan has been working with the group to put together a performance, Gabriella confronts Sharpay. She makes it clear that she refuses to play Sharpay's "game", and quits her job at Lava Springs. Troy overhears the exchange and tries to convince Gabriella to change her mind. However, all she can think of is how much Troy has changed over the summer, and breaks up with him. She returns the necklace that Troy presented to her at the beginning of their relationship.

Gabriella's quitting causes Troy to see the person he has become and realize everything he has sacrificed. Finally when Gabriella breaks up with him he realises the mistakes he made and the people he hurt, especially Gabriella and Chad. His relationship with Gabriella was just blossoming and he blew it. As he sets out to make everything right again, Ryan gets help from the Wildcats to conspire to get Troy and Gabriella back together. They convince Troy to sing with Sharpay in the talent show - even though he'd quit citing her ban on junior staffers' participation in the show - which he does only under the condition that the Wildcats are allowed to perform as well. Sharpay relents, and the Wildcats put their plan into motion, finally getting Troy and Gabriella back together as they sing a duet together. Troy begins to sing and then he hears Gabriella's voice and looks around, surprised. She finally emerges from the back of the crowd behind the Wildcats. After the talent show, Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Zeke, Jason, Kelsi, Chad, Taylor, Martha, and Ryan all head out onto the golf course to enjoy the fireworks. Troy and Gabriella finally share their first kiss then Gabbriella pulls him closer then they hug, and the summer ends with a staff pool party and the Wildcats' celebration of a great summer together. Gabriella and Troy jump into the pool together. They swim for hours until then.