It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas...well....

aIt actually doesn't really look like a Christmas I've seen before. However, I do have with me my two Christmas requirements and am thus armed to have at least a semblance of a proper Christmas. What are these things? Only the two greatest Christmas movies EVER.

No, not ACS, not White Christmas, not that silly Jimmy Stewart movie either.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (anim. by Chuck Jones, with the voice talents of the infamous Boris Karloff, Thurl "Tony the Tiger" Ravenscroft, and June Forey as Cindy-Lou-Who)
and
Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (you know Jim Bakus? aka Thurston Howell III)

I happen to be absolutely in love with these movies. It's basically a life long relationship, and we're very happy together. Not only can I sing all of the songs in both, but I can quote you the Grinch from start to finish, movie or book, take your pick...

So anyway, back to the topic. I did something rather stupid the other day. A momentary lapse of intelligence. I was coming to the IC the other day and saw off in the distance lights in the shape of a palm tree. Stupidly I thought, how quaint, thinking the lights were pre-arranged like that as some sort of lights you might use at a summer barbeque or something. Yeah, it sounds stupid and I bet you can guess where this goes. It turns out, since they're in quite an abundance here on an ISLAND, they really were palm trees with lights hung on them. The funny thing was they were in front of the VCMC hospital which is quite decked out for the holidays, no joke intended. There are lights everywhere, stars in trees, a huge nativity scene and to top it all off, speakers blaring Christmas music. The music is mostly techno and modern pop-ish versions of some classics, really weird sounding actually. I wonder how blasting music at ten at night helps the older people admitted there. I mean, don't get me wrong, music is a great healing aid, but I'm not sure in this capacity.

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but they've erected a rather interesting, rather large Christmas tree in the center of the round-about at Fuente Osmena. It's made of some Filipino-ish items including huge flowers and some traditional light shaped luminaries (I forget what theyr'e called). Most of the decorations are made out of shiny foil paper. And to top it off the Bradford Church at the entrance to the CENDET complex is lined with deep red lights, something I'm not used to seeing on churches.

The odd thing is that it still doesn't feel like Christmas. My mind knows what time it is, hence why I am concious of needing my movies. However it doesn't really feel like Christmas. I guess part of that is that it's only the beginning of December, and I have yet to attend an Advent service at the church. But I am always thinking that it's Summer when I'm here, I don't feel I have to tell you why. I wonder how things will progress in the coming weeks. We shall see together.

The only other grand thing to write about is the great time I've had working with the cultural group for the mobilizations during the ASEAN summit. We have been working on a mural and some jigantes, or effigies. Right now we're working on one of Gloria Marcapagal-Arroyo and George W. Bush. They've created a rather likened image of him, I think it's the mouth. It's very funny to be papier maching a large head of the president in a different country, but it's a funny life I guess.

Coming up, Bohol and my dear friends Helen and Debo. I have no idea when I'll be leaving, but I can hardly wait.

Peace I hope