I learned PHP several months ago in my quest to build a dynamic website capable of deploying web applications. At the course of learning the language through self study which includes reading books, researching in the internet, and watching YouTube videos, I was able to build (to which in my opinion) a fully functional web application.

Talking in Codes - PHP

A couple of days ago, I revisited the codes that I made and I was both amused and amazed looking at it, wondering how I was able to write those lines. It is like stumbling on an essay made during college years and marveling the depth and eloquence on how it was written, and while you are definitely sure you wrote it but you are not sure anymore if you can still compose such document — and this is the same feeling I had looking back at the codes.

I want to maintain familiarity with the language so I decided to have some practice. Unlike in human language it would always be a pleasure to talk and hear your own voice as you speak the language, computer language simply reclusive — you have talk to yourself by pounding the keyboard with the associated symbols representing other symbols, where the dollar sign represents functions and combination of characters represents commands. You write your thoughts in logic and statements answerable by yes and no. It may seem easy (or was it?), but in the programming world an excess dot or a missing character can spell trouble rendering your project inoperative.

In my attempt to review my skills, I have had decided to restructure the codes and rename functions. I am satisfied to be able to deconstruct and reconstruct with about 95% of positive results. I am still figuring out the remaining 5% that I need to debug and correct the codes.

It is a wonder how 0 and 1, yes and no, can create structures, systems and programs.

I could have written something work-related, and it could be volumes, but I have this self-imposed gag on anything about work. I am currently reviewing a transportation contract that I was asked to comment, I am however not comfortable with the structure of the contract as I feel it lacks discussion on the subject of transportation as it is obviously copied from a construction contract template. I am surprised to read about use of explosives, proper waste disposal, scaffolding and the likes but little discussion on the transportation operations that I am expecting… Ooopps, did I say I do not wish to talk about work?

Anyways, it is Wednesday and end of the week, rest day tomorrow so I have all the time to blog — and I have to race the clock before it turns 12, else this post will be marked tomorrow.

Going back on the subject, perhaps it is not proper that I make a review on a movie, that I do not even like to watch (not even when I was still a kid). I can even recall that as a kid, the high pitched singing voices of the chipmunks does not appeal me and I do not think it will change my opinion on it as an adult.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011 Movie)

Though as a responsible parent to my kids (lol), I have to be with them sometimes watching a film like this, even if it gives me the same level of discomfort accompanying my wife last week to watch ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1′ (double lol).

Sucker Punch (2011 Movie)

“Sucker Punch” is an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and her incredible adventures blur the lines between what’s real and what is imaginary. She has been locked away against her will, but Babydoll (Emily Browning) has not lost her will to survive. Determined to fight for her freedom, she urges four other young girls-the reluctant Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), the outspoken Rocket (Jena Malone), the street-smart Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens) and the fiercely loyal Amber (Jamie Chung)-to band together and try to escape a terrible fate at the hands of their captors, Blue (Oscar Isaac) and Madam Gorski (Carla Gugino), before the mysterious High Roller (Jon Hamm) comes for Babydoll. Led by Babydoll, the girls engage in fantastical warfare against everything from samurais to serpents, with a virtual arsenal at their disposal. Together, they must decide what they are willing to sacrifice in order to stay alive. But with the help of a Wise Man (Scott Glenn), their unbelievable journey-if they succeed-will set them free.. — (C) Warner Bros

I had been reading a divide on opinion about the movie. Even ‘Rotten Tomatoes’ indicates (as of this posting) that only 48% of the audience liked the movie with average rating of 3.1 on a scale of 5.

It is my personal opinion though, as a moviegoer who watches a movie at least once a week, that the film is indeed great and a must see. Perhaps I have a different preference or personal bias towards sci-fi flicks. But let me enumerate why I think the movie deserves my nod.

1. The visual presentation is spectacular.
2. The movie soundtrack is great.
3. I always love to see girls in action.

As for the plot, yes it is plain simple (yet I am both amazed and amused reading some comments that it is confusing and can not understand the plot). Incidentally this movie reminds me to some extent another recent great film “Inception” — with its twists and turns many levels deep. Sucker Punch however limits itself to three levels. First the ‘real world’ as mental patient, second the imagined life on the club as dancer, and third the life as warrior on mission which happens every time music is played and that ‘Dabydoll’ dances (which is the imagination-within-the-imagination plot) . Although this third realm has various scenes and time-lines — and that makes it even more interesting.

It is such a sight to see the beautiful ladies maim and kill and kick some ass of those giant Samurai warriors, Nazi zombies soldiers, dragons and knights, as well as those robots. I personally prefer these characters compared to a ‘Bella Swan’ crying or a ‘Hermione Granger’ using her wand mumbling some strange words.

The mix and use of technology on a given era is clever, such as Samurai firing bazookas and machine guns, use of high-tech robots with the Nazis, chase scene between a dragon and a fighter plane.

I am also someone who appreciates music on the category of metal, electronica and trance. And it is very pleasant to have these all in the movie.

Preview of the movie from YouTube (fan made):

For the reasons enumerated above, I would rate the movie 4.5 on a scale of 5, and in my opinion a must-see movie.

Meantime, while I am satisfied with the original sequencing (as shown on the cinema), the following links are deleted scenes that I found on YouTube:

• A sing and dance number: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OZ1EpKbe60
• Extended version of the ending: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFMsR02Ggx4

Last week I purchased a running shoe, hoping I can do some running (or at least walk first as my wife says). But hmm, I seem can not fulfill this desire since last week (but I will try to do it soon — I promise — and post some proof here, ha ha.)

Unused, I can still put on top of my laptop - tomorrow it will get some dirt :)

But perhaps I can wear this tomorrow and walk to the theater as I have had scheduled myself to watch “Sucker Punch”. I hope I will not be late to require me ride a bike (or ride the car). Speaking of which, I am supposed to watch it tonight (scheduled at 8PM), but at past 6PM I decided to take a nap only to wake up at 7:30PM then decided to skip it for tomorrow. Tomorrow, it will be shown at 6PM.

What I did though tonight was to do some housekeeping with this blog, where I tried to organize my posts by categories.

2012 is “Year of the Dragon”, though technically it would start still on the last week of this month (Chinese New Year), this year is a bit ‘special’ to me as I have had completed 3 cycles of the Chinese zodiac already (and this post actually gives my age, ha ha).

Not that I am a fanatic on Chinese zodiac nor that I believe in feng shui and stuffs like that, but it is a good point of reference though — on how time flies. So fast that I can not even recall much of what I did when I was 12, yet I know I am too young and too naive to know things better. Perhaps the fondest memory I have is that I completed my primary schooling (graduated as salutatorian of my batch of about 250 students) and had the transition entering high school.

Fast forward to another cycle, when I was 24, I am already part of the workforce here in Saudi Arabia as an Overseas Filipino Worker, to which interestingly later before the year ends I got married, which is another transition for me from singleness to ‘being taken’.

Now on the third cycle and on this year of the dragon, I wonder what transition (if any) is in store for me. I hope it will not have anything to do with the Mayan calendar with those apocalyptic prophecies, lol.

Happy New Year! 2012 AD

The ‘toys’ shown above are currently displayed at my office. I bought the dragon from Florence while the Templar Knight from Venice on November – later to find out just this week that 2012 is year of the dragon.

He who fights too long against dragons becomes a dragon himself; and if you gaze too long into the abyss, the abyss will gaze into you. – Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals