Fantastic Beasts

Finally, I saw "Fantastic Beasts." Newly released films don't tempt me to sit in a crowded theater anymore. Nowadays, I always wait until it's not a main headliner. It's cheaper to watch matinee. Plus, it's quieter.

I've had my fair share of long lines waiting to go inside the theater, and I couldn't find a nice seat to watch the film. Worst, everybody talked out loud, giggled, made noises of some sort during the featured presentation. How irritating! To think you are paying for almost $15 for a ticket and another $15 for food and drinks, it's better to stay home.

Unfortunately, there are films that need a big screen for absolute viewing pleasure. One of them is "Fantastic Beasts." I've been an avid fan of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, and "Fantastic Beasts," being in the HP universe, is a must-watch. Too bad there's no sequel to it. Maybe, someone will produce "Tales of Beedle the Bard" in the future.

Anyway, I'm a fan of all screen special effects, but not cartoon nor comedy. There's nothing unique in "Fantastic Beasts" since it resembled the same effects with the HP movies. Still, the whole movie gave me that excitement. I honestly haven't read the book version, but now I've seen the movie, I'm curious to read it. Normally, I'd read a book first then watch the movie, but it doesn't happen like that all the time.

I love the vast possibility of having so many unique creatures in that suitcase. Ah, magic. Why can't it be real? Yeah, I dream a lot. Can you imagine being Rita Skeeter and have an internet-quill to write a blog with? Yeah, like I said, I dream a lot. The HP universe is and will always be a must-watch film, no matter what.

Oh and yeah, my New Year's resolution for 2017 is to blog more. Here's a start.

Jas 

Company Holidays

Being a forever employee, my experience with company holidays have grown, and they can be considered mini-TV drama episodes; they are scenes contributed by the different companies I've worked for. Mostly, the incidents are on the comedy side, but occasionally there are horrific parts.

Here are several incidents from the past, and I'll let you be the judge if it is funny or not. I'll add my short opinion about it.

1. On Drinking Alcohol - A few co-workers got wasted and acted out of character during the party. They became loud which was the complete opposite of their character in the office. My opinion: Buy your own booze and drink it at home.

2. On Bringing Dates - Two incidents. First, one co-worker brought a beautiful lady date. At the end of the party, his lady date left with someone else. Second, another co-worker brought a date who carried ziplock bags and took home food to-go. My opinion: Be sure your dates represent who you are as a person. Let's face the truth: People judge others, and they will definitely judge you.

3. On Eating Buffet Dinner - One ex-male-co-worker acted like he hadn't seen food for a month. He made multiple trips to the buffet table, and at the end, he made multiple trips to the bathroom. My opinion: Eat a meal for yourself and not for your whole department.

4. On Dancing - Everybody's excited to hit the dance floor. Of course, the booze helped loosening things up. Most of the time, everything got too loose. My opinion: Never mix alcohol and non-rhythm appropriate dance steps together. Oftentimes, the result is a disaster.

5. On What Clothes To Wear - It's a party, but it's supposed to be a professional company business attire. Seeing stripper doppelgangers was a bit shocking. My opinion: There's Google. Research a better wardrobe. Or, hire a wardrobe stylist for a day. It only happens once a year.

6. On What Shoes To Wear - Just like clothes, shoes can be a hit or miss, especially if they are platform high heels that make you taller than Andre The Giant (R.I.P.). Yes, there were ex-co-workers who wore those during holiday parties. They waddled to the buffet table and slowly snail-crawled to the dance floor. My opinion: Wear shoes that are comfortable. You'd have more fun in them. 

Well, that's all I've seen so far. Do you have anything to add?

Jas

Relationships and Finances

Had an interesting lunch with two of my co-workers earlier. Most of the time, my ears communicated while my mouth ate the delicious soup and sandwich combo. The two ladies conversed all throughout and the topic they delved into was "How do you talk to your partner about money matters?" Like I said, I was all ears, not because I have financial problems with my life partner. In fact, Mr. Keen and I have a great financial relationship. We both work the kind of work we want; we buy the stuff we want to use/buy; we share the stuff we want to share; we don't police each other about money. We are both secure with ourselves. So, the topic was interesting.

Syndie (not her real name) shared to us about an invitation she received from a male friend, who asked her to go on a vacation out of state. Syndie said she didn't have the money for the trip, and the male friend offered to pay for the round trip tickets. Well, that's great, right? Syndie was ecstatic about the offer, but in her mind (she shared to us) she still can't afford the "other" trip expenses aside from the ticket. She didn't know how to tell the guy about that dilemma. She sought our opinion if it is too much to ask her male friend to pay for everything during the trip (hotel, meals, etc.), since, according to Syndie, the guy is rich anyway. 

My other co-worker, Saira (not her real name either) said it's all about being true and being able to communicate it clearly. My brain cells told me Saira wanted Syndie to give it a go; let Syndie ask the rich guy to be the sugar daddy (no, I'm not being a bully nor a name-caller). I unwillingly added for Syndie to do what makes her happy. 

I said unwillingly because I didn't want to support her idea of spending other people's money, but I felt I need to be "nice" and let her hear something she wants to hear. Honestly, my reason was not important, because I already know, no matter what, she will ask the guy anyway. I'm only a co-worker. Her decisions are hers to make. Do you think she will like me if I tell her something she doesn't want to hear? 

Don't get me wrong. The whole thing bothered me. Maybe, I have a different history when money and relationships mesh together. I don't judge people and I don't want to meddle with their own affairs, which is why I said what Syndie wanted to hear to keep myself out of it. Sometimes, friendship-at-work gets a bit tougher when life principles blend in. Oftentimes, though, I find it easier to keep life principles hidden to let the day go by. If you were me, what would you have done?

Tomorrow is a different day. I will be the co-worker who said something nice. 

Jas

After Being Thankful

Black Friday: the day after Thanksgiving when it's supposed to be a peaceful day of rest, to cherish the previous evening and savor the loving warmth shared at the dinner table. Most of the residents in this country will consider staying in and relaxing, but a few won't.

Those few will wear their layered clothing, pack snacks, carry foldable chairs (even small tents or sleeping bags) and stand in line at the entrance door of big stores like Walmart, Target, Macy's, etc. Honestly, I don't understand why people do that.

Big discounts. Big sale items. Limited supplies or while supplies last.

It's all a propaganda by big corporations, a marketing scheme. The mentioned big stores want traffic in and out of their business establishments. It's a sad sight. My eyes have witnessed how people become monsters on Black Friday. They lose empathy, kindness, respect, and dignity over material things. Worst, it happens after being thankful of what they already have.

Shoving, pushing, punching, stepping on other people's feet, having an argument, cutting the line, physical altercations, and simply being stupid are what shoppers do inside retail stores during Black Friday. History proves, Black Fridays are deadly. People have died because of apathetic shoppers. It's horrible!

I'm staying inside the comfort of my house, binge-reading books or binge-watching movies, wearing pajamas, and sipping a cup of coffee. Now, that's a better picture to imagine.

Jas

Thankful

Non-working day. It rarely happens during the week, and sleeping in is one of its ingredients. I grab the opportunity to visit my favorite place, dreamland. I'm thankful that it is around. I'm one of the hopefuls who weave a whole new world in it, and infinite possibilities appear right at my finger tips. It is another thing I'm thankful for: my ability to imagine and write all about it. It is how I cherish my dreams, my imaginations.

This part, at least, is not an imagination. It is Thanksgiving Day in America today. A long four-day weekend all about family get-togethers, cultural traditions, scrumptious meals, strengthening relationships and wishful thinkings. I'm thankful to have my life partner to celebrate this day with me. After sleeping in, we are now at Mom-and-Dad's house. The whole house smells good: Turkey Roast!

We await for the big golden brown bird to come out of the oven. While inhaling the addicted aroma, we sit around the living room and watch the broadcasting of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on TV. It is understandable why every singer lipsyncs  their performance. Of course, it is fascinating to see the colorful floats and twirling dancers and performers. However, the more interesting part is the commercial segments showing festive Thanksgiving table spreads. They make my mouth drool over the side dishes.

I know that today is not all about what's served on the table. So, I will end with a list of what I'm thankful for this year:

* Mr. Keen. I love my man.
* My smart, independent Baby Keen.
* My small Keen family.
* My stable job.
* My close friends (in-person, overseas, and online).
* My new blog where I connect with other creative minds.
* And, last but not the least, for days like today when my depression hibernates.

Thank you.

Jas