Waiting...

 ...for "Golden" by Jung Kook of BTS.

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by PAM

As the world holds its collective breath for the official release of the first solo album of the ultra talented golden maknae of BTS, Jeon Jung Kook (or simply "Jung Kook" or "JK"), I would like to look at videos of the iconic live performance of the late 'King of Pop', Michael Jackson (MJ), and the heir apparent from the early 2000s, Bruno Mars (BM), and see how JK compares to these legendary artists. I think this is the best way to dissipate tension, and to keep the long wait bearable. 

First up, the late 'King of Pop' in his legendary performance of his multi-awarded song,"Billie Jean", at the 25th anniversary of Motown back in 1983 where he unveiled his iconic dance step, "moonwalk", which changed many things in pop music and pop culture per se.  

"Billie Jean is not my lover.

She's just a girl thinks that I am the one but the kid is not my son."

I was in Junior High School when I saw this iconic performance for the first time.  Although I was already a big fan of Jackson Five since the first time I heard "Rockin' Robins", and has been a fan of MJ, after watching him in this performance, I became a big, big, BIG fan!  After this, the room that I shared with my sisters was covered with his posters, and all my school stuff were decorated with MJ stuff. I bought glittery stockings and socks... and wore them with leather loafers.  I was a total fan girl!  But in those times, who wasn't?  Anyway, this iconic performance changed many things in an entire generation... and whenever a turning point in pop music history is unveiled, this becomes the 'reference'.  

When Bruno Mars broke through the music scene, all (myself included) were impressed by his impossibly wide vocal range that rivaled that of MJ.  As such, like MJ, he is able to cover many genres effectively.  Like MJ, he is a prodigy.  He is one of the very few artists who make his songs sound better when he performs them live.  He has so much confidence in what he can do, and he slams you and your imagination with them... and what a slam dunk it always is!  And he seem to enjoy performing, too, so that anyone who watches him live is taken 100%. He just brings on the joy in the music he sings, and it's terrific!  He has a naturally humorous personality, too. That adds to the awesome experience of watching him perform his music live.     

"I'm too hot (hot damn).  Call the police and the fireman.

I'm too hot (hot damn).  Make a dragon wanna retire, man." 

 

Ah, that was good, right?  So good!

And now, JK - the K-Pop prodigy whose beautiful vocals and dancing skills with good looks to match make the global phenomenon BTS music so irresistible.  These days, as the group is on hiatus due to their mandatory Military Service, the world has the opportunity to listen to the 'distilled' voice of the BTS golden maknae in its 'pure and concentrated' form.  The world is completely taken by him!  So far, he has been breaking many records and setting new ones with his first official solo single, "Seven (featuring Latto)", released last 14 July 2023, and the follow-up single, "3D (feat. Jack Harlow)" released on 29 September 2023.

"So, if you're ready and i you'll let me, I wanna see it in motion, in 3D."

He is good, huh?  In my book, he is the rightful owner of that crown as "King of Pop" of his generation.  It is incredible, given that he is Asian, and that he is not an English speaker.  And yet, his global appeal is something that the world has not quite seen before.  Although he has 10 years of performing as a music artist with BTS, he has only started working on his own when he sang with Charlie Puth in that collaboration that produced a huge hit, "Left and Right", released in Summer of 2022.  And then, he sang the theme of the FIFA World Cup 2022, "Dreamers" (featuring Fahad Al Kubaisi).  JK performed the song live in the opening ceremony in Qatar with Fahad.  The 22nd World Cup saw the phenomenal Lionel Messi win the coveted prize in the 'beautiful game' - finally, making him a real contender for the Greatest of All Times title.  And, with a solo career that technically began with "Dreamers, JK is now fast-becoming as one of the strongest and most credible contenders for the "King of Pop" accolade of his generation.  

JK's debut album, "Golden", shall be a testament of his talents and capabilities as a solo artist.  We shall see in  a few days.  I am confident that his star shall shine even brighter.

***

Video credit:  The owners of the videos above are indicated in credits - thanks, and thanks to YouTube for providing the link. 

***

     

"Seven"...

 ...days a week, starting today. Game?

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by PAM

"Every hour, every minute, every second

You know night after night, I'll be lovin' you right

Seven days a week..."

So, here we go, Jung Kook's record to launch his career as a solo artist is rounding the frenzied airwaves and cyberspace since 1:00 PM (KST) of 14 July 2023.  So, basically, it's been about 24 hours as of this writing... and the frenzy seems to heighten, especially as the world waits for the Official Performance Video... with hints from Scooter Braun that it's going to 'shock' the faint of heart.  

The Official Music Video (MV) revealed how good and natural JK is at acting... it just brings smile to one's face.  Well, he's not 'golden maknae' for nothing, right?  Right! The MV has now garnered about 40M views and 5.7M likes on YouTube as of this writing.  The same MV has become #1 trending for music only about three hours after its official release, and stays as such. Crazy? Totally!  Awesome?  Man, must we ask?  It's JK, of course, it is awesome! 💜

Okay... work beckons!  'Gotta run... later! 😅

***

Video credit:  The video featured above is the official MV for the song, "Seven", by JungKook (featuring Latto).  It is owned by Hybe, accessed through Bangtan TV of BigHit Music - thanks.

***

A 'personal tradition' ...

 ...as life goes full circle.

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by PAM

I think that I already established the fact of my 'shallowness' in happiness.  Simple little things make me happy... the simpler, the bigger the happiness.

Six years ago, 2017, on the same day as today, June 27, I found this wonderfully heartwarming TV movie by Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.  It is titled "Christmas with Holly", and it starred one of my fave Hallmark actors of all time, Sean Faris, who played the character of Mark Nagle, and that versatile actress, Eloise Mumford, who portrayed Maggie. The movie came out in 2012 as a 'Hallmark Hall of Fame' movie but I only got to discover it on YouTube in 2017 while recuperating from a terribly  'jealous of a flu'.  For some reason, that seemingly simple TV movie had an incredible impact on me, and I began watching it every year on the same day that I found it on YouTube.  I never talked about this favorite 'personal tradition' of mine though... until today.

Mark:  "I didn't know anything about raising a kid.

She said you just start

by loving her.

The rest will follow."

It's amazing that, after six years, I still found the movie engaging, touching, beautiful... magical!   

To me, that long-haired Sean Faris in the movie is still one of the prettiest men in the universe, from whichever angle you look at him... uhm, including his back. 🤭😅😂  He also did well portraying Mark - the single guy who lived in Friday Harbor that became an instant Dad when his elder sister, Victoria, who was a single Mom was killed in a vehicular accident in Seattle. He had to stand in as parent for his orphaned niece because he was listed as legal guardian by his sister.  I still think that the twin child actresses (well, child then, that is), Lucy and Josie Gallina, who played the role of six-year old Holly - Mark's niece, were superb.  They conveyed so much emotion even without speaking a single word - amazing acting there! The same is true with the actors who played the role of Mark's brothers, Scott (Dana Watkins) and Alex (Daniel Eric Gold).  It wasn't exactly that Hallmark 'formulaic' TV movie as it did have a wonderful story line that deviated a bit (or, a lot?) from the Hallmark 'cookie cutter' of movie production, and it's great.  This is probably because it was based on the novel, "Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor" by Lisa Kleypas. It is the first book in the Friday Harbor four-book series of the New York Times bestseller author. 

The movie counterpart had all the 'cuteness Hallmark armada': grown-up brothers who all lived in a huge dilapidated house by the water who bantered so comically on a daily basis because that was their way of preventing a deluge of love for each other lest they embarrass each other if they showed emotion; a beautifully vulnerable woman, Maggie, whose heartbreaks made her believe that she wasn't as amazing as she was... until a very good-looking guy with a heart of gold, Mark, came along to give her back her faith in herself by letting her show him how to find his own confidence in himself in raising this child who was thrown off by fate and was groping around, looking for true love to hold on to that only he can give; the cutest of all little girls who was so emotionally broken but spiritually whole because of true and unwavering love from his uncle; and a dog that knows what it wants and knows how to get it!  Simple plot, simple scenes, no deep intellectual points to ponder, no pretentions... uhm, yeah... I know, I've mellowed... and I love it!   

These days, it amazes me that one of my favorite BTS songs, "Magic Shop", which was partly produced by Jungkook, has an almost the same name as the toy shop owned by Maggie,

Magic Mirror Toy Shop. The new shop that Maggie built in Friday Harbor was pivotal in the story because that was where Holly found her inner strength to speak again after her Mom's death confused her so badly it afflicted her with temporary muteness.  She just shut down, and only trusted her uncle Mark, and later, her two other uncles.  When Mark and Holly met Maggie at the ferry, on their way to Friday Harbor from Holly's home in Seattle, Holly seemed to have opened up to Maggie.  It was a slow process of gaining trust and giving trust between Maggie and Holly... until that day when Holly fully gave her trust to Maggie... and to life itself again. Holly spoke again, and her first word was her mother's name, 'Victoria'. The safe and magical environment that Maggie created in her toy shop that encouraged Holly to hold on to the love she was offered was quite similar to the 'magic shop' of BTS for their ARMY... and it's amazing! 

Indeed, this is all that we need in life... nah, not magic. It's love.  It is central to the story... love in many forms... but in whichever form, love's effect is the same - beauty and happiness in life - in all forms.

So, yeah... this is a sweet tradition that I intend to keep for the rest of my life.  

***

Video credit:  Thanks, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, for the video and photos.  Thanks, YouTube, for the video links.

***

Saturday photo

 

Stunning...

Yep, 'stunning'. That is all that I'm gonna say to describe how I feel about this photo. The view certainly left me speechless, I just had to capture the moment from where I was standing... at Diamond Hotel Manila. I was there for a week - for work. And, this view gave me the most compelling reason to limit work strictly until 5:30 pm. I just had to watch this view unfold right before my eyes.

The Manila Bay sunset remains to be one of the most spectacular scenes one would ever find in this part of the world. Too beautiful for words! But the fact that it took me nearly two months to share this here indicates how work has once again taken over my life, and it's absolutely ridiculous! Nothing beautiful about that to be sure... and yet, these days, I feel I have no choice. But right now, this very moment, I just had to free myself from the bondage of work and reconnect with 'my soul'. And so, here I am. Ah, stunning!

***

Photo credit: I own this photo. I took the shot and did the processing with very minimal color enhancement to remove the glare from the glass window.  This may not be used for any other purpose.

***

Saturday photo...

 ...not!

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by PAM

Milestone!

 

For the first time, I experienced what it's like to preside over the Solemn Investiture of a Graduating Class as a 'top administrator' of the University that I have been serving since 1989.  I presided over the Solemn Investiture of the Class of 2023 of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) where I teach!  I recited the 'formula' in conferring a Bachelor's degree and shifted the tassel of the candidates' graduation cap.  It was an incredible experience, and I am very grateful! 💛  

As past immediate Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, it was my role to present the candidates for graduation during the Commencement Exercises since 2013.  The last time I did that was for the Class of 2019.  Although I remain Dean of the Faculty until 2022 (but on Sabbatical Leave in AY 2021-2022), because of the pandemic, I did not get to do this for the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021.  When I returned to the University in July 2022, I assumed a new assignment under the Office of the Rector of the University.  Apparently, this qualified me to act on behalf of the University in granting the degrees of our Graduating Class during the Commencement Exercises.

In my 7-minute speech, I spoke about the Class of 2023 being "Bulletproof"... with inspiration from the most popular boy band in the world:  BTS.  💜  It was an incredible opportunity... because how many ARMYs can express their admiration for BTS while passing a major milestone in their professional career?  Perhaps, not so many.  As such, I feel blessed... and I thank God for this incredible opportunity.

***

Image credit:  The photos in the collage belong to me, Tomasinoweb and a colleague at UST - thanks!

*** 

     

Important and Urgent, from the Prince of Wales

"...we need 'earthshots'.  We must harness that human ingenuity and purpose, and turn it with laser-sharp focus and urgency on the most pressing challenge we have ever faced: repairing our planet.... together, we must protect and restore nature... and fix our climate.  

"...some people are motivated to act by crisis, but for many, the incentive to act only comes when they believe that change is possible, that it isn't a lost cause.  

"So, now is the time for each one of us to share leadership... every single one of us has a role to play."  This coming from one who was born to such unimaginable privilege, yielding his 'unique position' and turning his privilege to service that is dedicated to restoring our beloved planet in order that future generations can enjoy it is truly inspiring.  

His Royal Highness, Prince William, the Prince of Wales is truly an inspirational human being. He may be imperfect (and who isn't?) and may come up short of the tremendous expectations that come with the "HRH" attached to his name no matter how hard he tries to measure up, but we know, especially now, that he is all about service.  

In the past year and months, Prince William's graciousness and strength of character was put to the test in a very public character assassination that involved no other than his own brother, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex.  From many parts of the world, the perspective was that Prince Harry unfairly lambasted Prince William publicly in a bonfire of self-serving and attention-grabbing parade of private family matters 'orchestrated and scripted' to get people cruelly see things out of context in exchange of $$$.  For whose benefit?  Ah, we all can use our imagination to answer that question. For anyone in this world who is family-oriented, what Prince Harry and... uhm, not sure if the name is even worth mentioning here... so, I wont!  Well, what Prince Harry did was a breach of trust... and he did it without remorse, too - striding cockily in Westminster Abbey a few days back like a Hollywood celebrity. Wishful thinking!  It was full of drama that the world did not need.  Personally, about a decade ago, I did believe that Prince Harry had finally grown up and became a responsible person after a string of embarrassing controversies. Of course, he looked grown up around the positive influence of his older brother and sister-in-law.  And then all that rubbish happened, and it got me thinking... "is the old selfish, irresponsible Harry back?"   We all know the answer to that... so, I will 'spare' you the details. 

The Princes may have been reared in a difficult family situation as children but they were still surrounded by positive influences from which to draw good judgment regarding their situation.  Therefore, we can only hope that things will be right again someday with the Princes.  After all, there is something that they both share that cannot be changed no matter what: they are each other's brother.  

Amid all the cruel and very public accusations, two gracious human beings who are worthy of emulation (re-)emerged:  Prince William, of course, and his equally wonderful wife, Catherine, the Princess of Wales.  They consistently soldiered on, serving the United Kingdom quietly and with a smile despite the obvious heartbreak.  We have seen Prince William evolved from being this larger-than-life British Royal to 'just being among us' by quietly bearing the personal pain caused by his own brother, and carrying out his duties and responsibilities without 'loud' 'hollywoodish' PR stunts - much like his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.  He worked with such perseverance and diligence, effectively earning whatever title bestowed on him by virtue of his birth, if he didn't earn it yet, that is.  With the quietly elegant, and brilliant in her own right, Princess Kate, alongside him, we have seen him evolved from this young man who is born into privilege but grew up to be of substance and with a strong sense of responsibility to this wonderfully mature Servant Leader and a wonderful father to a growing family.  He is worth-emulating for his humility and focus on service despite his heartache; admirable for his vision for the world and his brilliance in articulating it; and inspirational for his love and devotion to country, family and God.  

While he is and will always be the son of Diana, the "People's Princess", the son of Charles III - the reigning British Monarch, and the grandson of the legend that is Queen Elizabeth II, he has effectively emerged from the shadows of his parentage and ancestors - owning his birthright with such graciousness and clarity of purpose as a world leader while keeping his reverence for history and respect for traditions that makes UK a one of a kind country that it is then and now.  I do not exactly know what it means to be the King of UK and the Commonwealth, but I can certainly see Prince William to be a very good world leader.  Thanks to the difficult situation with his own brother, he has 'emerged from his cocoon', and now the world sees him for the wonderful Servant Leader that he is.  

I am a chemical engineer with specialization in food engineering, an educator and a scientist, and I stand by Prince William.  Like him, I commit to doing the best I can, using my knowledge (as limited as it may be) and my small influence as a humble servant leader in my small part of the world to help restore and nurture our planet back to good health. May God bless Prince William and his family, and may God bless us all. 

***

Video credit:  The owner of the video is indicated in the video itself, The Earthshot Prize - thanks.  Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.

***

Saturday Photo

 

How our purple hearts bleed... longing for our golden maknae.

Ah, JungKookie!  Where are you, and what have you been up to?

It's been more than two months since we saw this young man 'doing his thing' in the cyberspace that brings happiness in our lives... in that distinct way that only he can possibly do.  As the youngest in the family, he will always be 'the baby'... no matter what, and whatever the circumstances, he will always be that one 'kid' who is capable of making everyone happy with his antics, sweet gestures and golden maknae-ish perfection.  He will always be that one who can bring smile to any family member's face - even in his 'brattiest' moment... not that JK is ever bratty.  We are also protective of him, and we hope and pray for his happiness, safety and well-being.  And so, when we don't see him often enough, we worry about him, we miss him... we long for his company.  Right now, that's how I feel... and I hope to see him soon. 

In the meantime, I hope and pray that he is keeping well... happy and healthy, and enjoying life as he always should. 

Come home, JK. 😊💜

***

P.S.

This is not the post about the 'freakin' shop' that I was referring to in the previous post. 😁

***

Photo credit:  I created the collage of photos in this post, which may not be used elsewhere.  JK's photo is from Weverse - available exclusively for members - thank you for the loan.  The background is my own photo.

***

TGIF!

 Thanks, thanks, thanks, thaaaaanks! Then again... 

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by PAM

I have like five (or seven?) intended posts marked as 'drafts' in this little blog of mine since November last year... sounds like two months ago was a distant past.  I have been so inundated by work that I barely find the time to sleep, let alone visit my own blog, so I am losing my sense of time!  Aaarrrgghhhh....

Thank goodness for BTS music (and the individual members' songs these days) that keeps me company every single day from the minute I wake up (if I get any sleep at all, that is) to my last seconds of consciousness (if I get any sleep at all, that is).  It's one of the things that keeps happiness, imperfect as it is, within reach.  It's Friday - a very, very loooong day!  I need a quick shot of happiness now.  So, let's go!

Alright, I know, that wasn't so quick... but it was happiness nevertheless.  Actually, it was happiness... period! 💜

Oh, and speaking of 'happiness'... while watching the compilation of BTS performances above, I opened four 'boxes of happiness' - straight from S. Korea through that 'money-grabbing' global shop called... uhm, see for yourself in the next post.  The freakin' (hahaha...) shop  is an enabler in this BTS 'addiction' that a considerable population of the world is afflicted with... making this 'BTS fever' a real pandemic, too!  Except that it is life-enhancing rather than life-threatening.  Anyway, stay tuned for the next post... if I could keep my energy sufficient to stay upright and type a few things on my laptop for this blog... if I'd get any sleep at all, that is! 😂

***

Video credit:  The compiler of BTS videos featured in this post is indicated in the video itself.  Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.

*** 

QOTD

 QOTD #29: The simple little things in which we find joy... and a lot of 'cheese'.

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by PAM

"...small things are the big things. The good things only happen from all the hundreds of  tiny steps you take along the way."

- David (Tyler Hynes), "It was always you" (A Hallmark movie)

Can you keep a secret? I have a confession to make. Ah, uhm... I'm a Hallmark TV movies junkie! Shhh... don't tell.  Haha... 

Of course, I always appreciate beautifully produced full-length 'Oscar-worthy' cinematic films, especially those that are superbly directed and edited; and with excellent cinematography and musical scoring, too. Sometimes though, especially when I'm dealing with complex matters, mind-boggling films are simply not appealing.  I just want to be entertained with some light, feel-good, wholesome, uncomplicated and family-oriented 'bite-size' movies that takes my mind away from complexities. And that's what Hallmark usually offers... and they have tons of movies to choose from, albeit formulaic and very predictable.  In that pile of 'cookie cutter' movies, there are a good number that are worth watching and re-watching with deliberate plan to enjoy rather than just to mindlessly decompress.

While I 'seasonally' like sappy movies, I remain to be that 'tough little cookie' who wears that engineer's hat underneath the big Higher Education admin hat that's humbly decorated with a passionate teacher's tiny golden apples and a (wannabe) scientist's magnifying glass. There is always room for 'simple little things' that bring enormous joy in a world where people expect you to be constantly busy thinking deeply, critically and analytically. *eye roll* Haha...  In fact, I make room for simple little things in my own life... no matter what! So, whenever time allows, and especially during holidays, my favorite thing to do is to curl up in the big chair in my bedroom with a bag of chips, a bowl of hot chunky salsa dip and a tumbler of soda... and go on a Hallmark movies marathon like there's no tomorrow!  And when the situation chooses to be stingy with personal downtime, I wrestle it to make time!  

I particularly love the heart-warming Christmas themed Hallmark TV movies that revolve around family and loved ones.  I have soft spot for those that involved cute and smart kids, and/or pets, especially dogs.  I love how Hallmark movies show that nuggets of beautiful lessons in life can be picked up from these movies without the disturbing images of violence, sex, and the lust for material things... or some 'so called documentary' of a royal family's lives from the perspective of one (supposedly) love-stricken 'royal' who refuses to grow up, tirelessly tries to invade everyone's universe while (supposedly) begging for privacy because wailing on media is so much easier and obviously more lucrative than doing actual work. *sigh*  As to how one tries to heal from mental health issues by publicly humiliating and inflicting pain to one's own family members - incredibly mean and hypocritical, and I imagine, effectively burns all bridges - is terribly confusing for me. But I digress... back to wholesome Hallmark movies!  Haha... I know, I'm too 'old-fashioned'... but I do enjoy the peace of mind that being 'old-fashioned' brings. So, old-fashioned is good for me.

I have many Hallmark TV movie favorites.  Some are really old, and mostly the inspiring and tear-jerker kind... and I've watched them like five times each! And I cried each time! Hahaha... I do have one relatively newer fave that came out in 2021 - "It was always you". It stars the fabulous Hallmark 'heavy weight', Erin Krakow (Elizabeth, or Lizzy), and the always-fascinating, Tyler Hynes (the globe-trotting David).  With two of the most reliable crowd-drawer stars of Hallmark collaborating, I knew it's going to be great.  And, nope, they did not disappoint because, as usual, they both did a beautiful job! 

Erin made Elizabeth to be this funnily conflicted highly organized predictable dentist who has a deeply guarded 'adventurous side' that wants to explore the world. Her predictable Elizabeth side fits well with George (David's eldest brother who is a dentist, too), a childhood friend with whom she was engaged. Her adventurous Lizzy side, which is the one she really prefers and what makes most of herself, fits with a 'zing' with David - another childhood friend with whom she had a 'cat-dog' relationship since they were kids. A bridge mishap that cut-off George from their island town left Elizabeth to be stuck with David to tick-off her wedding plans checklist. Their new-found closeness empowered Elizabeth to muster the courage to let her true self come to the surface, and to be true to the desires of her heart.

To make the not-so-long a story short, Elizabeth broke off her engagement with George, and set out to fulfill a childhood dream to travel the world with the hope of 'rediscovering herself' and finding out what she truly wanted, one tiny step at a time, before following a meticulously 'planned' life that strictly adheres to checklists and stern focus on her dentistry practice just like George. She came back home, resolved to follow her heart, and that led her, one tiny step at a time, to David. 

It turned out that David has been pining for Elizabeth since the day he discovered her written travel wishes and lists in between the pages of a travel book in his family library when they were 13 years old. It was this that inspired his globe-trotting adventures later. He then wrote a note for Elizabeth, expressing his affection for her, and his hope to travel with her to the places that she wished to see. He put the note between the pages of another travel book.  He hoped she'd find it but Elizabeth never did until he showed her much later when they met again upon her return from her one-year travels.  Romance bloomed... you know the rest.  

This made David's family happy as they saw from the very beginning the 'zing' between Elizabeth and David even in their teenage days when they can't seem to get along.  On the other hand, George discovered 'zing' with a co-worker that he always had a soft spot for because of shared values and passion for their profession.

Tyler's David was hilarious, adorable... and extremely charming even when he tries to be annoying. He has that effortless good looks and easy acting talent - so relaxed and natural - to pull off the combination of adjectives that befit a perfect Hallmark romcom hero, too. I like Tyler a lot. I love the characters he played in every Hallmark movie that I saw him portray.  Five of the more recent ones are his remarkable team up with Lacey Chabert in "Winter in Vail" and "Sweet Carolina", the very deliciously emotional "Time for him to come home for Christmas", and the hilarious "An Unexpected Christmas" and "Three wise men and a baby".   He has such a commanding presence on screen. He either appears to have that man's man aura about him that positively fits every damsel-in-distress' vision of a knight-in-shinning-armor, a moody and distant fellow but with a heart of gold appeal, or simply, that guy that treats a woman as his equal and challenges her to discover her many strengths in a no-nonsense, humorous and supportive way without being patronizing.

Erin's own engaging acting talents and picture-perfect cuteness fit so well with Tyler's. She has grown so well to be that highly effective actress - from lots of practice in "When Calls the Heart" for sure. She can be funny, awful, funnily awful, moving, the sweetest thing... she's just captivating.

Tyler and Erin's acting timing together was always perfect in this movie, and with just the right amount of seriousness, humor and, of course, romance. It's so adorable how they banter relentlessly only to warm up to each other, one tiny step at a time, in the end - everytime.  Their screen chemistry is fantastic, too. They didn't have to try hard to make falling in love with each other so believable. And the gorgeous location of the movie adds to the sweet atmosphere that's made for falling in love.  In the end, I was fretting that the movie was too short!

So, if you are looking for uncomplicated entertainment that makes you laugh, teary-eyed... and can provide you with your fix of falling giggly in love, this movie is highly recommended. You'll find yourself 'grinning that silly grin' without knowing it - promise. Go for it!

"...you can't force 'zing', and you can't deny it when it's there..."

***

Image credit: All photos featured in this post were screenshots from watching the featured Hallmark movie. Thanks, Hallmark.

Video credit:  The video featured in this post belongs to Hallmark Channel.  Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.

***

Wednesday Nostalgia

 ...at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

=================================

by PAM

A souvenir from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH

Finally, a little time to slow down... after that critical deadlines galore, big meetings here and there, a long string of speaking engagements, a peppering of 'painful' just-suck-it-all-in-it'll-be-over-soon events that introvert people like me dread, the release and live performance of JK's 'Dreamers', the release of RM's first album, 'Indigo'... and the 2022 FIFA World Cup where the phenomenal Lionel Messi - my idol - emerged victorious with his Albiceleste side.  He can finally be crowned now as GOAT of the beautiful game (a long post to come soon! ⚽😭🎉) with no plausible objection from anyone, too!!  Whew!  

It has been a lot of sleepless nights - literally. How did I survive the last 30 days? No clue... perhaps, just the sheer force of determination to make it through to 'the other side'! I took a deep breath, focused... and just sprinted with all my might - real and imagined... and a lot of prayers!! 

Anyway, I am putting finishing touches on our Christmas tree just a few minutes ago... in time for the 'big day' and tidying up my room as well.  Now, I gotta admit that tidying up my bedroom is a bit of a challenge that I am hoping I'd overcome somehow... especially that I keep pausing to reminisce on things that should already have found their way in the trash bin a long time ago.  I'm such a sentimental hoarded!  Just a few minutes ago, I found a box of unopened stuffs hidden behind 

Up close and personal...

a framed picture on the floor and leaning against the wall... and my heart started to beat faster. As I peeled off the thick wrappers of each little item, my heart kept skipping a beat with my mouth and eyes wide open with surprise!  Ahh... I love that feeling - being pleasantly surprised! I found items from my travels to Rome, Florence, Shanghai, Seoul and various parts of the US just before the pandemic. I didn't realize I still have these things unopened. I thought, I have all my travel stuffs unpacked a long time ago! 

I will talk about those experiences in another post. I just want to drop by here to make sure that I have something written up about the unexpected finding of this long-forgotten beautiful Christmas tree ornament - a souvenir from my first visit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio sometime in July 2019. It was a well-spent 'free time' as I visited my research students who were working on our project on 3D printed food at the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU, or simply 'Case') that time. I did stay for a week in Baltimore, Maryland before that for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) series of meetings and a few networking activities with our alumni in the East Coast. 

I remember spending the weekend browsing the

A bagful of souvenirs from the Cleveland
Museum of Art, including a set of coasters
designed with the work of some of
my favorite impressionists.

Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) at the Case campus, which has a superb collection!  The lawn was very pretty, too, and the walk from my hotel to the CMA was so interesting.  I kept finding mini monuments of guitars in the gardens.  I wondered about it... little did I know that I was going to find out in a big way!  

Anyway, after a couple of hours at the CMA, I wanted to do more. So, I ventured in the City Center with my students, and visited 'The Rock  & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum'. I studied for a year at the Ohio State University (OSU) in Columbus, OH sometime in the mid-90s, and I visited Cleveland a couple of times.  It never occurred to me then that  the 'Rock Hall' was located in Cleveland!  Apparently, it was established there to honor the man - a disc jockey named Alan Freed - who referred to the music genre that was making waves in the 1950s as 'rock and roll'. I am glad that I finally had a chance to check it out.

We saw an incredible amount of exhibits from the likes of Elvis Presley, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to the likes of Michael Jackson and Oasis, and many more in between and beyond!  Being a big R&R fan, I had a 'field day'!  But after half a day, I was so overwhelmed that I was going dizzy.  Surreal!  It's a good thing that the 'Rock Hall' is adjacent to the Great Lakes Science Center, too, where famous Ohioan astronauts, John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell and Judith Resnick... among other cool science and engineering stuffs were featured. So, we went to visit that as well... while we waited for a show at the Rock Hall to come on.  It was an INCREDIBLE experience! 

Anyway... I need to take it all in again. So, I am taking a little break. And, what better way to take a break than to drop by here in this blogsite for a few minutes to reminisce and share the experience? 

Until then...

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Photo credit: The photos featured here belong to me, and were processed for the sole use of this blog. They may not be used elsewhere.

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