11-11-11: make a wish!

They say when the clock strikes 11:11, it's the perfect time to make a wish. Whether it's true or just a childhood myth, we'll leave that for now. What's keeping me excited is that this year, we're having the ultimate fest of elevens -- November 11, 2011 (11-11-11) -- and this happens only once in a century!

Let's do away with the end-of-the-world theories, shall we? Awesome things are brewing up; let's see if 11-11-11 makes them come true.

The Wish: Give me an epic movie!

Looks like we're going to get that checked off the list as "Immortals" hits the movies. For adrenaline junkies, Greek myth geeks, and pure entertainment buffs, the flick sure looks promising (I am a bit of all three, so YAY!). Director Tarsem Singh has received praises for his past work; pair that with the team behind "300" and we're seeing another visual feast here.

I say "Wish Granted", if only for the rush this movie promises.

The Wish: Make Bob Ong publish another book!

This one's unclear as of now. Then again, is anything ever clear with Bob Ong? From iskul bukol reminiscing (in "ABNKKBSNPLAKo?!") to memorable fiction (like "MacArthur"), the possibilities with this brilliant author are never really verified until a new book comes out.

But guess what? Last August, a video entitled "IIIIIIIII" was posted on his Multiply site, and it was supposedly a trailer for his ninth publication. Like his other trailers, it barely revealed anything about the book -- hell, we couldn't even be sure it was about a book! We could only infer it's going to have an "old-school Pinoy movie" theme, and the clip did end with a vague "11-11-11". Since then, other mini-videos have popped up, particularly on his Facebook page. What's confusing is that one of the FB videos says "Disyembre 2011", and the Multiply vid with the "11-11-11" has been removed.

Does this mean we have to wait a whole 'nother month to find out what our idol has been up to lately? *Fingers crossed.*

Update (13 November 2011): Apparently, "book 9" isn't bound to show up until December 11th. Bob Ong just posted another video, saying "wala akong sinabing '11.11.11' [I didn't say anything about 11.11.11]".

Needless to say, many Pinoys (myself included) have more to frown about now than Manny Pacquiao's recent controversial win. But I have to wonder, did I just imagine the 11-11-11 in the deleted video? Well played, sir. Well played. :D


The Wish: Let my birthday land on a cool date!

Greetings to everyone born on the 11^th of November -- that includes one of my long-time best friends, Queeny! I'm a bit envious of how cool your day will be this year: you are going to have the most awesome date of the century!

Plus, you actually share your birthday with people like Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Demi Moore, and Leo DiCaprio. How's that for a stellar day?

So let's make this year's celebration super-special! Here are some birthday ideas for you:

• Do something you've never done before: get a different hairstyle, go on an outdoor adventure, visit a new tourist attraction -- anything you've always wanted to do but never did. Now's the time!
• Nothing beats a cozy sleepover with good friends. Our favorite things to do for fun all-nighters? Hold a Kinect sports fest, go crazy over board games, and eat, eat, eat (yup, forget your diet for just one night).
• Have a party -- outdoors. Whether you hold it at a resort, at the beach, or in your own backyard, don't forget these three things: good food, good music, and great company. Sparklers, bubbles, and water guns are optional -- but absolutely recommended!

The Wish: Show the American 'Dragon Tattoo' Flick Already!

People are giddy (I know I am!), but we'll have to hold out longer for this one. David Fincher's take on "The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo", starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig, will be shown this year, just not in November. IMDB says it will come out in December 21 in the US. A tad out of place for the Christmas season, don't you think?
Regardless, the book by Stieg Larsson was great, and I trust that Fincher has taken good care of it. In the meantime, it's probably a good idea to curl up with the Millennium trilogy's second book, "The Girl Who Played With Fire".


The Wish: Let the Games Begin!

Nothing's stopping it now: the 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games will be officially kicking off in Indonesia on November 11.

This year, the Philippine team is filled with headliners like Efren "Bata" Reyes and Wesley So. The delegation also features debuts, like that of Olympic boxer Mark Anthony Barriga, who will play in the SEA Games for the first time.

But one of the most exciting things about this year's Games are the comebacks -- especially that of basketball.  During the last SEA Games in 2009, host country Laos chose to forgo this sport due to issues with facilities. Now that it's back, the Philippine team is psyching up to uphold the glory: the Filipino men's team has actually grabbed almost all the golds (with just one lost to Malaysia) since 1977! We're definitely rooting for this year's power team, led by acclaimed coach Norman Black.

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So much to wish for, so little time, right? Remember, folks, 11-11-11 comes only once in an entire freaking century! My advice: get off your a** and grant your own wishes... even just for this day. ;)

Photo credits:
For "Immortals"
For "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (cropped)
For SEA Games Team Philippines