Before I Go.

Today is Halloween. For 364 days, people act and speak creepily. Today is an excuse for these same people to dress creepily.

Today also marks the last day of work for the month. After 5 pm ---at least for most people--- the long holiday weekend begins. November 1 and 2, which are Thursday and Friday respectively in the calendar, are declared non-working days. It is a four-day stretch of no work and all play. Yipee!!!

I will not be heard from in the next four days. I have an aversion to opening my computer on a non-working day. It interrupts my restful mood. Opening my PC while on vacation is like opening pandora's box. No sooner have I opened my computer will I find myself drafting pleadings and motions and thinking of work.

Before I go on this much needed period of rest, I'd like to write a few things in this journal.

-----oOo-----

The Last Few Days. The past three days or so, I have been trying to complete my entry for my 41st Must Blow guy. Unfortunately, I could not finalize it. For some unknown reason I could not upload the photos I wanted to include in the article. The problem is peculiar because I was easily able to upload photos for today's blog as well as another blog that I had just finished and published (AskMen 2007). What a bummer.

The last two days, too, that I went to the gym I missed Delio. He didn't go to the gym at all. My guess is that he went on vacation. Maybe he is in Boracay right now. Or Singapore. My hope is that he hasn't cancelled his membership. As an eye candy, he has inspired me to work out more.

Though I haven't seen Delio I was able to cull some information about him. Somehow last week I was directed to his journal on blogspot. He is new at blogging and has published only four entries. The good news about it is that I found out his real occupation (he is a party planner, and not a chef as I earlier suspected) and got his cell number. I read his latest blog entry but I couldn't bring myself to finish it. By the second paragraph, it was clear to me that Delio cannot write. That is the bad news about my discovery.

-----oOo-----

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Picked-up a few weeks ago from the net that Jake Gyllenhaal will be featured on the pages of Interview magazine. I happened to be in the mall yesterday and I saw a copy on a magazine stand. I do not read Interview so I did not buy a copy. Maybe, for purpose of posterity, I will buy a copy when back issues are sold in Book Sale.

I included photos from the issue (downloaded them from the web) in today's blog. The images of Jake rowing that small boat or carrying that bike seemed appropriate for today's title, Before I Go. The images fully capture the sentiments I wanted to evoke. Escape. Calm. Peace of mind.

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Incidentally, Jake's movie, Rendition, is presently showing in theaters. The film also stars Oscar winners Meryl Streep and Reese Witherspoon. I haven't seen the film and am not excited about it. I didn't like the trailer. Maybe I'll see it, maybe I won't.

-----oOo-----

The Promise. In July of this year I rejoiced at finding elusive photos of one of my favorite porn actors, Todd Winters aka Tristan Thrust from Unzipped. I quickly declared him to be "the new man in town" and one who would be regularly and prominently featured in this blog. Somehow, I failed to live up to this promise. I haven't blogged about Todd since July. Mea culpa.

Todd remains, for me, one of the sexiest porn actors. Among American porn stars, he is probably my favorite. I hope that American porn stars look more like him. Sadly, that is not the case. Most are sagging gay guys who very seldom succeed in getting me aroused.

I am still waiting for Todd's next video appearance. The only film I have and know he did was Take One for the Team where he played the role of a rookie that every jock wanted to win over and play with.

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Must Blow 41: TJ Trinidad..

The local showbiz industry is not lacking in goodlooking actors. There is an abundance of them who could easily play your next matinee idol or heartthrob. Their abundance pervades on magazine covers and the bevy of telenovelas permeating the local programming. I am not complaining, of course. I myself never could turn away from an eye candy.

But if one wants to actually watch a program ---in full, without setting the sound to mute or occasionally changing the channel when the actors overact or the scene or situation as written is too contrived--- the lame script should at least be overriden by intelligent acting. On this aspect, I have seen very few matinee idols score. Not even the famed and lauded Piolo Pascual.

One actor that I can positively note who ably conveys intelligence onscreen and, by ear, able to make himself rise above poor writing that characterizes most soap operas is TJ Trinidad. Not only is this actor handsome, he is actually able to act. As I often wrote here, I very seldom watch TV. And when I do tune in, the probability is even less that I am watching a local show. But on the rare occasion that I see TJ emote onscreen and deliver his lines, I actually find his technique tolerable and his drama watchable.

TJ must have a good head between his shoulders. I have seen him in some other shows where he appears as himself and I truly admired the way he composed himself. His intelligence shined in a quiz show I saw him win. His demeanor whenever he appears in interviews and answers questions can only be characterized as classy.

It is a sad reality of showbusiness then that TJ's talent and intelligence are overshadowed by other actors of his generation whose only assets are their abilities to twinkle their eyes, sing lipsynch and knot their eyebrows to convey intensity. That was why it took me a bit of a surprise to see TJ play a very small and limiting role in the Aga Muhlach-Maricel Soriano starrer, A Love Story, a few months back. The role seemed too insignificant for a performer of his caliber. But then again, no role is too big or too small for an actor serious with his craft. Even Meryl Streep played a fool of herself in Stuck on You.

I really do hope that TJ gets to appear in better projects in the near future. He has genuine talent that he should be able to showcase on film.

[Now if I could only upload the photos I have been trying to paste here in the last five days and finalize this blog, TJ will be one step closer to the recognition that he very much deserves.] [PPS. The pictures didn't load but I published the post anyway. 11/05/07]

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Living in the Book.

Left work last night feeling a little heady. There was a small celebration in the office and bottles of expensive hard drinks --which for months remained untouched in the cupboard of our lawyers--- were opened and shared. I had about four double shots of scotch on the rocks and afterwards, as I walked from the parking lot to the gym, I felt the effects of this late afternoon and early evening drinking.

Ordinarily, I would pass on the chance of a workday drink, especially one that begins during office hours. But I am presently reading a book recounting the extraordinary friendship of writers F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. It was amusing to find how alcohol played a major part in the lives of these literary geniuses. In Fitzgerald's words, I tried to "live in the book" (do as the characters in the book I am reading did) and took some swigs in the midst of my working hours. I didn't get drunk, though, enough to make a fool of myself as Fitzgerald (or "poor Scott" as Hemingway would have put it) often did.

I still resolved to go to the gym afterwards to burn the calories of the oily food and expel the alcohol from my system. This is what I have become: fully conscious of my calorie intake for each day and ridden with guilt unless I have assured myself that an equilibrium has been reached once again.

I woke up before 7 a.m. today with the image of my ultimate man crush, Alvin Patrimonio, shirtless in my room, standing next to my bed and getting ready to straddle me. I am not sure whether it was part of my dream or my very first (sub/un/)conscious thought on my waking moments. Whichever, it was a very welcome image. I closed my eyes again, willing for the thing to continue. It did not. What came afterwards was the image of me kneeling in front of and sucking off 2003 Playgirl centerfold Brent Dupuis. Brent is a total hunk so I am making no complaints about it.

The next time I woke, it was already 10 a.m. I was too late for work. Fortunately, I had no meeting or hearing scheduled in the morning. I just had to report for work because it is Thursday.
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-----oOo-----

I'd like to think that I am making progress with Delio (my gym crush who looks like Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers, thus the photo below). As I earlier wrote, I've often caught him looking in my direction. At some points, he even looks directly at me, at my eyes or face. Still, I remain uncertain as to how to respond to this. On these occasions, I am not sure whether to wink, nod or smile back. At this point, an acknowledgment seems inappropriate so I am holding off.

I'd like to think that it is progress that is being made. My plan is working positively and I am gaining his attention. That I am no longer just another body sauntering (I love this word. I catch myself using it more and more these days) in the gym. To him, I now have a face.

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Delio strikes me as a fashionista. It is obvious in his clothes, whether the ones he wears when he enters the gym or the ones he puts on for his workouts. I am not a fashionista. I never considered or envisioned myself as one, though I always check with Details, GQ and Out that my clothes and style are not dated, tacky or in bad taste.

Still, I thought that if Iwant to mate with a duck, I had to quack like a duck. So, in the past weeks I added more style and accent to my clothings whenever I went to the gym. If before I went straight from the office to the gym in my work attire, now I sometimes change in my car to rugged and fashionable jeans and some shirt, put on a recently bought sneakers and ruffle my hair a little. Before, working out in cotton shirts was fine with me. But since taking notice that Delio always paired his gym attire, I bought a few Nike dri fit training and soccer shirts to pair with my arsenal of Nike and Speedo shorts.

My plan must be working. Yesterday, I went to the office GQ style and not in my usual barong. I wore strapping shirt, tie and coat, stylish faltfront pants and shiny leather shoes. Everything about me said successful and smart young professional. I was oozing with confidence throughout the day. I did not change clothes after the office party and went straight to the gym. While walking across the workout floor to the changing room, I noticed that Delio was eyeing me as I made my progress. He must not have believed who it was who just walked in.

And my happiness did not end there. He actually followed me to the changing room. I'd like to think that he watched me as I undressed and changed to my workout clothes. Delio remained at the drinking fountain, angled in my direction, at the pretext of taking a drink. He was there a few minutes longer than was necessary. At one instance during the night, we happened to go to the comfort room at the same time. While I went straight to use the urinal, Delio went to the sink to "wash his face". I was so conscious of myself while peeing, for all I know, he must have been observing me from the expansive bathroom mirrors.

-----oOo-----

Julian of the Day. I miss Playgirl, I haven't bought a new issue in the last four or five months as none has reached my suppliers. The same goes for the other titles. I miss my porn. I want my porn.

To cheer myself up a little, I have decided to post a picture of my latest favorite model from the magazine, the incomparable Julian Fantechi.

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AskMen 2007.

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About two weeks ago, I wrote my two-cents worth on the survey being conducted by AskMen on the 25 hottest women of the era (1990 until 2007). Since the same site is conducting a parallel contest on the hottest men of the same era, I am disclosing my vote here today.

As in the women's division, AskMen also included in its launch-announcement pictures and short bios ("hottie moments") of 25 celebrities it considers highly eligible for the title. I read through some of the descriptions and it is obvious that the half-hearted descriptions were prepared by male copywriters who hardly have any admiration for these guys. How else to explain the submission that the hottest moment for Hugh Jackman was when he played the berserker Wolverine in X-Men? True, he exuded raw sexuality in that film but compare that to him hitting some golf balls wrapped only in a white towel and revealing his plentiful but well groomed chest hair in Swordfish.

From the 25 nominees picked by the site, the following are my top 5:

1. Hugh Jackman

2. Matthew McConaughey

3. Christian Bale

4. Johnny Depp

5. Jake Gyllenhaal and Ewan McGregor (tie)

I have earlier asserted that Hugh Jackman is the sexiest guy in Hollywood right now. I still stand by this claim. Thus, he gets my vote for this poll. Jackman, Bale and Gyllenhaal have all been named to my elite SpeciMen list. McConaughey is an early nominee in my Must Blow list.

I could not break the tie between Ewan and Jake for the fifth spot. Ewan is an early crush of mine after seeing his performances in Moulin Rouge, Down With Love, Big Fish and Velvet Goldmine. On the other hand, Jake is simply irresistible in Brokeback Mountain, Jarhead and Zodiac.

The other guys in the list I would have voted for are Brad Pitt and Colin Farrell. A lot of people of any sex or gender find Brad Pitt really hot and sexy; he is on top of their lists. Though I sometimes find Brad adoring, such as in Legends of the Fall, Meet Joe Black and Troy, he never ascended to become my ultimate guy.

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With Farrell, I am voting for the youthful sexiness he displayed in his early films such as Tigerland, Phonebooth and S.W.A.T. and not for the unkempt look in Miami Vice or the bald performance in Daredevil.

Though they wouldn't get my one vote, both Patrick Dempsey and Denzel Washington are fully deserving to be included in the top 25. Dempsey is the most delectable guy on TV in the last three seasons. And with the strength that his show, Grey's Anatomy, is presently showing, he may well represent the sector of hottest TV actors of the era along with George Clooney, who rose to fame as Dr. Doug Ross from E.R. (1993 to 97?).

With the absence of Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Sabato, Jr. and Orlando Bloom, though, I find the list deficient. How could one ignore Mark Wahlberg after he redefined masculinity in his gigantic Calvin Klein billboards in the early 1990s? Or Sabato who took over Wahlberg ? His ads inspired in men both envy and realization to spend more time in the gym.

And who could deny Bloom his place in the A-list of Hollywood males? Every movie he has made did not only make blockbusters and sell popcorns, it also teenagers to scream and women to go looking for younger men. Certainly, these three men deserve the spots that the site gave to passing fancies such as Justin Timberlake.

Another peculiar absentee from the list is Tom Cruise. He remains one of the biggest stars of the era with at least five movies earning no less than $100 M in the United States alone. And admit it, he still looks good. Jumping on Oprah's couch could hurt one's career this much.

Who do I think will come out on top? Given the prevailing popular opinion it is a toss-up between Clooney, Depp and Pitt. But if there is any justice in this poll, Jackman or Depp will end victorious and Wahlberg, Sabato and Bloom will still make it to the final 25.

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Guilty Pleasure: Supernatural.
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As they say, old habits die hard. Since Leslie, my second ex-girlfriend, returned to the country, we have been spending quite a lot of time together. Having dinner or brunch, watching movies, doing DVD marathons, shopping, driving her around town. It is not with any romantic agenda on my part (i.e., getting back together and continuing where we left off). We ended amicably four years ago. Her family is in Italy and she doesn't have that many close relatives in the country. Most of her friends are married, with children. All it sums up to is that I am the most consistently available companion that she could have. Whenever she calls or texts to invite me, I happen to be available. I must admit that I still have feelings for her. And so I am just as ready to play the role of dutiful ex-boyfriend and escort her around.

Last Saturday, she dragged me to a sale in a mall in Manila to accompany her get some bargain in Mango (the clothing store). She bought quite a lot of clothes for both work and casuals. It was not a good time for me to shop since my lone credit card is still maxed up. (I just have one credit card in order to feasibly limit and track my charges. Also, I have yet to pay the bill.) Nevertheless, I bought two shirts from Van Heusen and three DVD boxed sets.

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The DVDs I bought were: (1) the 2nd season of Entourage; (2) the 7th season of Friends; and (3) the 2nd season of Supernatural.

I saw the first season of Supernatural last year on TV. From the moment that the opening credits rolled --promising the handsome cast of Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, I knew that I would be glued in to the show. And I was not mistaken. I watched episode after episode (but still missing some), trying all my best to be home at 9 pm when the show starts. But it wasn't only Jensen and Jared that attracted me to the show. The intelligent, consistent and intriguing writing, as well as the impressive production kept me coming back for more. It was no wonder that the show had such high production quality, Kim Manners, who was also behind the successful The X Files of the 1990s, is also the show's producer.

However, when the second season was shown on local TV, I wasn't able to catch as many shows. I must have seen only two or three episodes during the entire run. Thus, the DVD.

I got to watch the first episode of the 2nd season yesteday, Sunday, and I did not regret my decision to shell out a thousand pesos (roughly $ 25.00) for this DVD. The episode was great - Dean Winchester (Ackles) gets a near death or out-of-body experience when he lies limp as a vegetable on a hospital bed. The first season ended with the brothers and their father meeting a road mishap and the second season begins precisely from there. Dean and his father were seriously injured. Sam (Padalecki) survived with only minor injuries.

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Supernatural is one of the few shows that I thoroughly enjoy. Ackles and Padalecki, though both are relatively young and inexperienced, are surprisingly able to sustain the interest in the show. Of course both are incredibly handsome, Ackles and Padalecki were both honored in this blog as Must Blow males (# 12 and 20, respectively), but it is the intensity and chemistry of their characters and the ease by which these two young actors are able to portray them that holds the show together and explains its success.

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Anyway, I got this picture of shirtless Jensen and Jared on the web; this scene better be in the DVD that I just bought:

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-----oOo-----

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On another matter, I received text messages and missed calls from Jersey (my two-night stand) last Saturday and yesterday. He was asking when we could see each other again. And of course, hooking up in bed again. Since I was still with Leslie Saturday busily rummaging the mall for what we could buy, all I was able to reply to Jersey was a smiley. I couldn't think of a "right" answer then so I just sent the smiley via sms. I intended to send another, more intelligible reply later that day but the matter slipped my mind.

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When I received his text and calls yesterday, I was watching Quincy's basketball game live and so I didn't hear my phone ring amidst the frenzy of cheering fans. Quincy scored two points off a jumper and his team narrowly won. We celebrated by not joining his team for dinner and heading on our own to an Italian restaurant nearby.

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The New Brent.

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Yesterday, I was in the gym early again after my hearing. It was still too early to meet anyone else --people were mostly still at work--- and so I took the time to shed some calories.

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As usual, I tuned in to the TV while doing my cardio. At one point, I had to glue in to the local Big Brother show. They were ushering into the house a really really hot male model, Jon Mullally (a.k.a. Jon Avila). He was being sent in shirtless and he looked really good.

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Jon is a male model who entered the scene last year. He played a major part in an underwear campaign of a known local brand and has appeared in some magazines, including a photoshoot for a mildly racy gay magazine. Though he has been modelling for a while, I was not really taken by him. He looks good but that didn't seem enough to engender a crush.

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But seeing him yesterday on TV could be the start of a beautiful (but imaginary) friendship between us. He pulled in that boyish charm that I am always unable to resist. He said goodbye to his mom, for crying out loud. And of course, as I wrote earlier, he was shirtless.

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Jon's appeal, it strikes me, is very similar to young model Brent Javier who dominated the industry two years ago. They have both that boy next door aura that makes both men and women blush. Their bodies are almost similar, taut and athletic but not really ripped. Bodies that are products of regular sports activities, proper diet and good genes rather than endless hours in the gym. Jon is this season's Brent.

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A few blogs ago I wrote rejoicing about the inclusion of Will Devaughn, another young hunky model, in this year's Big Brother celebrity edition. With the addition of Jon, it calls for a double celebration. Now the question is, who do I vote for to keep in the house?

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-----oOo-----

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For the second straight time, I woke up this morning with a very astounding hard-on and a lingering thought of Mark Herras. I do not know why he should have such an effect on me in my sleep when while I sometimes like this guy, I do not really have a huge crush on him. I woke up very early today and so I had some time for myself, if you know what I mean. Wink, wink. Wank, wank.

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Must Blow 40: Derec Alexander.

My printed porn is generally limited to three brands: Playgirl, Freshmen and Men. I don't buy them indiscriminately. I first check the websites of these magazines to see if there is any featured man that falls into my type. It is only then that I put the issue in my buying list and ask my suppliers to save me a copy, or if none is forthcoming import one especially for me.

I have featured here in my blog quite a number of centerfolds, hot young hunks, discovery and MOTY from Playgirl. I have also pasted here pictures of Freshmen notables such as TJ Austin, Josh Elliot and Roman Heart. Reviewing my blog, I have not featured any favorite from Men.

Perhaps my favorite among all the lads featured in Men (aside from my own 2006 Man of the Year Julian Fantechi who also posed for this magazine but is more notorious for his Playgirl appearances) is Derec Alexander. He appeared as coverboy and centerfold in the August 2004 issue. In January 2005, he was heralded as the MOTY in spite of some very stiff competition.

Derec is definitely very much my type, with his overall jock-like persona. He reminds me of all those varsity players I watched sweat in games during college. As well as the basketball thugs I mingled with in high school. Derec has a well-toned athletic body that I would want to play with. The variety of games I can concoct with his bat and his balls is boundless. Our bedroom games will certainly be foul and subject to successive overtimes. Gatorade will be a worthy sponsor in our virtual olympics.

After his appearance in Men, Derec was also featured as a "Hot Young Hunk" in Playgirl. He was clad in nothing but the star-spangled banner in his very patriotic photoshoot. Of course, Derec's flag pole was stiff enough to raise the flag and make me pledge my allegiance.

I was also able to come across a video featuring Derec. It was aptly titled Monsters and Size Queens. Though Derec did nothing more than look at the camera, fix the TV and video player that aided him, and jack-off, I found his sequence satisfying. As I earlier said, Derec is very much my type. It was a real turn-on watching him pleasure himself. It was very alluring catching him in a very personal act in an equally personal setting (the place very much looked like a dorm or a bachelor's pad).

In the last year, I have not encountered any new work or appearance by Derec. No new magazine spread, no new video released. My guess is that he made a silent and graceful exit from the industry. Which I hope he did. Maybe he just took enough money to pay for his college, or start a business or buy that car he had always coveted. That porn is not the life he wants to lead.

Just as well. Being a porn star has a limited shelf life anyway. And Derec's short credits and brief appearance in porn are enough to kindle a lifetime of my fantasies.

-----oOo-----

Still isn't over with Delio. I still look his way whenever we do our separate exercises. Last night, he wore his red Puma shorts, which matched my red Nike shirt. We left the gym at the same time and shared an elevator. Too bad that the unit was full when we stepped in. If there were only two of us I would have introduced myself and engaged him in a conversation. If the conversation went well, I would have even offered to drop him at his condo unit, which I suspect is only a few blocks away from the gym.

Maybe I will get a much better chance next time. I still want to ask him out.

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A (Male) Model Week.
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For the first time ever, I was able to endure a whole episode of the show Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency. I was able to beat the color-coding scheme again so Iwent to the gym very early today before reporting in the office. I tuned in to JDMA while brisk walking on the treadmill.

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I would usually turn the channel whenever I pass by JDMA being broadcast on screen. No one annoys me more in television right now than Janice Dickinson. She is one of the more worthless persons I have ever get to see on TV. I do not know how Tyra Banks is able to endure her.

The only reason I was able to survive today's episode is that it featured seven of Janice's male models being picked to do an ad campaign for the famous underwear brand, 2xist. The models, all ripped and handsome, travelled from New York (I gather that is where the modelling agency is located) to Catalina for the photo shoot. The reality camera followed their exploits as they travelled and prepared for the shoot.

I easily picked out two models from this bunch that I liked. They are TJ Wilk (above) and Brian Kehoe (left). Their pictures, from the show's website, appear here. My web search efforts yielded photos of Wilk from his sexy DNA magazine appearance in its 80th issue. I will paste them here in a separate blog entry.

-----oOo-----

Opened my e-mails earlier today and got this hilarious Top Ten from the The Late Show with David Letterman weekly newsletter. The show's Top Ten always gets me laughing.

.Top Ten New Fall Shows On Al-Jazeera

10. "The Love Goat"

.9. "Third Rock From The Sunni"

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8. "Jihadin' With The Stars".

7. "Bionic Camel"

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6. "Two And A Half Mullahs"

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5. "Betty Who May Or May Not Be Ugly As She's Concealed By A Burqa"

.4. "Wings"

.3. "The Abdul Van Dyke Show"

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2. "Let's Rob Cat Stevens"

.1. "Pimp My Turban"

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I laughed loudest on the 10th, 8th, 5th and 1st entries.

-----oOo-----

Though it is Tuesday, it is only the beginning of the week for me, coming from an extended weekend. Last Friday was a non-working day, owing to the celebration of a Muslim holiday. Went to Tagaytay with friends last Friday, and then I was off to Subic Saturday and Sunday with Leslie. I was on leave from work yesterday, too, to rest my weary body.

Last night, I caught some parts of the local Big Brother's 2nd celebrity season. I am glad to know that male model Will Devaughn (Must Blow 25) is part of this year's cast. I have never been a fan of this show and definitely never voted. But with the addition of Will in this batch, I think I will watch the show every now and then. Probably, I will even vote just to keep Will in contention..

-----oOo-----

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Precious Find. Finally, yesterday, I was able to purchase the June 2007 issue of Out. The famous cover features Chad White in an Equus-inspired horse ride. The photos inside are also great. Interviews and profiles of Hugh Dancy and Mamie Gummer, for whom I raved in last week's blog for their performances in Evening, are also featured in the magazine.

-----oOo-----

Writing about how the first two days of the week has been, it appears that gorgeous male models abound to make the days remarkable. Yesterday, I had Will Devaughn and Chad White. Today, I have TJ Wilk and Kehoe to start it.

Copy and related rights to photographs and digital images appearing herein pertain to their respective authors, photographers and copyright owners. No commercial purpose or financial gain is intended by their inclusion in this blog. All accompanying texts are protected by copyright and related intellectual property laws in favor of saturdayconfessions.

AskWomen 1990-2007.

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AskMen, a men's lifestyle and fashion on-line magazine, is conducting a survey of the hottest women of the era beginning 1990 until 2007. Though it is an open poll, the site gives the voters a rundown of 25 American women that it considers frontliners in the category.

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I have gone through the 25 names (and pictures) provided by AskMen and the following are my top five choices if I were to cast my vote today:

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1. Jennifer Aniston (To Bi For 07)

2. Jessica Alba (To Bi For 12)

3. Monica Bellucci

4. Lucy Liu (To Bi For 18)

5. Angelina Jolie (To Bi For 17)

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Though Aniston and Alba are in the topmost of my ranking, I might end up casting my vote for Bellucci or Liu. The first two women already have a horde of fans who are sure to vote for them. Or even if the polls were rigged by magazine editors, they would tend to support these more commercially viable choices. They are bound to end up in the top 5. On the other hand, Liu and Bellucci are underdogs in the race if only for a lack of consistent fan base or an efficient P.R. machinery. It would be such a waste if they will not rank well in this competition (useless though this practice may be). They are really, really hot.

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Not many guys know Monica Bellucci. For those who don't, I only have two words: Rent Malena. Breast exposures all around.

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The other shoo-ins whose inclusion I also fully concur in are Charlize Theron (To Bi For 14), Halle Berry, Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz (To Bi For 22) and Uma Thurman. They sort of complete my top ten.

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Katherine Heigl (To Bi For 06) and Heather Graham are also in the list. Though I find them both sexy, I have reservations about their inclusion in the list. Heigl is quite new in the limelight so it is premature to say that she represents the era. On her part, Graham has not had such contribution or impact to the acting industry so as to say that she marks the period, too.

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On the other hand, what is Britney Spears doing in the list? She doesn't compare to the other women!!!! Even if I were to make a list of 10,000 hottest women, she wouldn't have a place in it.

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I could think of several other actresses and entertainers who could easily and much deservingly take Spears's spot. Cate Blanchett, Scarlett Johannson, Reese Witherspoon (To Bi For 23), Eva Longoria (To Bi For 04), Marissa Tomei (To Bi For 10) and Kate Hudson (To Bi For 02). AskMen, why isn't Kate Hudson in the shortlist?

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Meanwhile, I fully congratulate AskMen for pointing out how uniquely hot and sexy Thandie Newton and Eva Mendes (To Bi For 16) are and why they deserve our consideration. Thandie was dressed down in The Pursuit of Happyness (playing the role of a factory worker and struggling wife) but I still found her appealing. This woman is such an embodiment of poise (see her scenes in Crash and The Truth About Charlie too). And the sight of Eva is always an appropriate occasion for me to use the word bootylicious.

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An Empty Theater.

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Last night, Leslie and I went to the movies to cap our exhausting days. I have never been in an empty theater before, so when we entered the cinema at The Block and found it perfectly empty, I had an eerie and surreal feeling about it. These feelings immediately vanished after we had chosen our seats and settled in. I just rumored Leslie that I had the whole facility reserved for the occasion. After all, it was the first time that we went to the movies afer she returned from Italy about two months ago.

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The movie that had the misfortune of attracting no more than three viewers (a woman walked in about 5 or 10 minutes into the showing) was Evening. The poster outside promised that it featured the best actresses alive. I had no reason to argue as the names of Vanessa Redgrave, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close and Toni Collette were all prominently displayed on the poster.

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It was Leslie's idea that we went to see the film. I had no notion what this film was about. Leslie informed me that it was the sort of film that we used to watch when she was still my girlfriend. Intimate dramas, period films, award-winning actors. So when I saw Streep, Close and Patrick Wilson on the credits, I needed very little convincing. Wilson's performances in Little Children and Angels in America were still fresh in mind so I was curious to find out how his performance in this film would be.

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True enough, the performances given by these accomplished actresses is what makes it a worthwhile film. True, Redgrave, Streep, Close, Natasha Richardson and Collette have given better performances than their work on this film but it is a moviegoer's dream come true to have them share screen space. Redgrave, though she spends most of the time reminiscing in her deathbed, was excellent. Close as a Stepford wife was composed. Collette's personal and romantic agony was not rendered too dramatically, which is much to my liking. It gave a balance to the very heavy burden that Redgrave's character had to unload before she met her creator. Streep appeared only briefly in the last portions of the film. But when she laid in bed with Redgrave to share memories and regrets, it was one of the most poignant moments in recent film.

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The younger set of actors also fared well. I don't think I've ever seen Claire Danes actually act until this film. Mamie Gummer, who played Danes's best friend and a reluctant bride, also held her own. The moment I saw her on screen, I was struck by her resemblance to Streep. I thought how hard it must have been for the producers to search for an actress who looks a lot like Streep. Now it appears that the search wasn't far and wide after all as Gummer is Streep's daughter in real life. They form the second mother-daughter appearance in this film, after Redgrave and Richardson.

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For me, though, the real revelation in this movie is young actor Hugh Dancy. He played sister to Gummer and enamored friend to Danes. It turned out later on he was also in love with Patrick Wilson (as Streep said, "Everyone is in love with Harris"), which explained his drinking. In some shots he looked like fellow British Orlando Bloom. At times, he exuded the aura of Adam Brody. But throughout the film, he was consistenly the amiable Buddy whose unrequited love for the character of Danes contributed to why she decided to sacrifice her love for Harris (Wilson). I expect to see him in more films in the future.

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The film may not have been received as well as it should (the problem was in the director's execution of the fine screenplay and the imperfect interspersing of Redgrave's past and present) but I expect it, at least, to be nominated as best performance by an ensemble in next year's Screen Actors' Guild awards.

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In the gym yesteday, I watched a Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Everton, which the former one. I have grown a fascination for soccer since last year and closely followed the last World Cup in Germany. It is more tolerable to watch over baseball, with the adrenaline of the players and the fans always at such a consistently fantastically and incredibly high level. The action just pulls you in.

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I saw the hottest guy ever in this sport and he is Newcastle's Michael Owen. Before yesterday, I thought Cristiano Ronaldo was the best eye candy this sport could offer but now I concede that Owen is king. Until this morning I have his image imbedded in my mind. It seemed that other than scoring a goal yesterday, he also scored a new fan in me.

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Googled photos of him today and stored them in my PC for future reference.

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Finally, before going to the movie, Leslie and I passed by Toby's to buy my Air Force 1 Premium Tony Parker edition. This is my second AF 1 purchase in the commemorative line released by Nike this year. I haven't worn the shoes but this morning I sat the box on my passenger seat as I drove to work. I just admired it while coursing through city traffic. I will be going with friends to Tagaytay this weekend and am planning to wear my new shoes then.

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Too Many Saturdays.
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I maintain a blog called saturdayconfessions. Last Saturday, I spent most of the day reading a novel entitled Saturday penned by one of my favorite contemporary British novelists, Ian McEwan. That, I think it too many Saturdays for just one person.

I love it when the book I am reading excedes my expectations. That is the case with this book I am currently reading. I have read quite a number of McEwan's books; he is part of my canon of literature. I have finished Atonement, Amsterdam, In Between the Sheets and Cement Garden. Yet, I did not expect Saturday to grip me tightly and blow me away this much. Of the four books, only the first two really impressed me and the latter two I consider comparatively so-so. But Saturday, I could not put down. I am halfway through the book and I hope to finish it by this weekend.

McEwan's Atonement was made into a film starring Keira Knightley (did I spell her name right?) and Vanessa Redgrave. I am eagerly anticipating the film to be shown here. It premiered last month at the Venice Film Festival and it was well received.

One other book this year really surpassed my expectation: My Sad Republic, written by New York based Filipino writer Eric Gamalinda. It is a frontrunner in my personal annual literary awards.

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The PBA season is opening next week. Quincy expects it to be one gruelling year. So the past weeks we tried to spend time together as much as we could.

Last Saturday, after my gym session, we had a very early dinner at an Italian restaurant. He came from his facial at his favorite spa. While waiting for our food, he saw my K800i lying idle on our table. He chanced upon my wallpaper, which at that time was a very happy Sean Faris sporting a black bonnet and exhibiting his full set of pearly white teeth (topmost picture). It turned out that Quincy did not know Sean. I told him I saw the guy in a defunct sitcom called Life or Something Like It. He never watched that show. Nevertheless, Quincy recognized Sean from a movie he saw in HBO, Yours Mine and Ours, which I myself haven't seen. I sent the image to Quincy's phone via bluetooth.

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I was very tired after gym last Saturday. I attended an aerobics class called Steps and it really drained all the energy I had in me. All I could do afterwards was go home, lie in bed and continue reading Saturday.