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Grungella arrived at the restaurant early, so she chose a corner booth next to the table occupied by Hot Guy and his date. Ernie arrived a minute later.

Grungella: Note that this booth has an excellent view of the hot guy at the next table.

Ernie: Yes, he is hot, but he knows it too well.

Grungella: (Craning neck to observe species in his habitat) You’re right, he is much more involved with himself than with his date.

Ernie: The most attractive guys are the ones who have no idea how attractive they are.

Grungella: Or have the grace to make fun of themselves. Then again, some gargoyles think they look like Christian Bale.

Ernie: Have you seen Harsh Times starring Christian Bale?

Grungella: No, what’s it about?

Ernie: I’ve forgotten it entirely except for Christian Bale. (Seizes glass of cold water and quaffs it.)

Later, when they had left the restaurant:

Grungella: I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation at the next table because the hot guy had one of those American accents that jam all signals. This is what he talked about for an hour: Me me me me me me me me me me me me me me.

Ernie: Typical.

Grungella: And all his date said was, Hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi.

Ernie: It means, How long must I endure this before you take something off?

Baru, originally uploaded by saffysafina.

I’m not into motorcycles, but if they threw in monster truck wheels, the instant direction-changing thingy, and Christian Bale, I’d get one.

Watched The Dark Knight with Ernie, and then Otsu. Both loved it and swore to see it again, but they had the same beef. The ferry sequence, the passengers’ choice—they found it unbelievable. (Otsu’s other beef: They took DNA and fingerprints but no one thought to wipe off the Joker’s make-up so they could identify him? Also I must apologize on behalf of Ernie, who belatedly cried, “Omigod, he’s Two-Face!” at the screening. He’s read all the Batman comics, he just had a long day.)

What do you think would be the most realistic outcome of the ferry dilemma? Why? (Assume that the ferries are not Sulpicio Lines and choice is possible.) What does this say about humans? Obviously you have to have seen the movie to know what I’m talking about. Post your scenario in Comments (no length requirements). The best three answers (to be chosen by Ernie, Otsu and myself), get Batman T-shirts, to be mailed to a Philippine address.

Winners will be announced on Tuesday afternoon.

First, the city would have to be in chaos. The rule of law should have broken down. Anarchy must reign in the streets. The criminal syndicates would have control of the economy. A small, embattled police force must defend the citizens against the ganglords and against their own cops.

Fortunately I am not describing Manila but Gotham, a city so sick that it needs a mysterious vigilante in a bat costume to patrol its streets at night. A society gets the heroes it deserves, and this hero is a freak.

Review of The Dark Knight in Emotional Weather Report, today in the Star.

Research shows that lack of sleep produces false memories. It’s not the sleep deprivation itself that causes inaccurate recall, it’s the act of retrieving memories from storage. Coffee helps a bit.

In my experience, the way to remember information is to go sleep after learning it. But I believe that sleep solves everything. In short, don’t have an insomniac on your college quiz team.

matbigeyes.JPG, originally uploaded by saffysafina.

Mat, my sweetest, best-behaved cat, has a secret life. When I’m around he acts like he’s afraid of heights. Put him on a table and he looks uncomfortable. He curls up on the floor, on the couch, and on the bed, nothing higher. When I carry him, he meows as if he’s being kidnapped.

But when I’m not around or I’m not looking, he climbs bookshelves. A couple of times I got home early and caught him walking on top of the highest bookshelf. He quickly jumped to the floor and acted like nothing had happened. Cats have this “What? You’re imagining things” look. And then yesterday at dawn I was awakened by a noise, and I saw Mat perched on the highest window sill, sharpening his claws on a wooden frame. When he saw that I saw him, he ran back to bed and pretended to have been asleep the whole time.

In the daytime he’s not cat-like, but at night he’s a cat. Mat’s secret identity: Catcat!

In the New York Times: Pill-popping pets. (Not in my house, we’re happy to be insane.)

I haven’t seen all the movies in competition at Cinemalaya, but there are two you absolutely must see.

Jay by Francis X. Pasion. July 16 at 1530, July 17 at 1245 and 1530, and July 19 at 1530. Hilarious, clever, with an excellent performance by Baron Geisler and the best use of an unfortunate accident in the cinema.

100 by Chris Martinez. July 15 at 1815, July 17 at 1530 and 2100, and July 19 at 1530 and 2100. You’re laughing, you’re crying, you’re laughing, you’re crying. . .
All screenings at the CCP. Go.