robbieissalvador - Tumblr blog

[robbieissalvador]

LISTEN UP

Just because you are from a science degree program does not make you better than someone with a humanities degree program. It does not make you smarter, and it does not necessarily mean that the humanities person has it easier than you. You simply chose different paths, and you honestly have no right whatsoever to dictate that you make better life choices than anyone. People make choices differently. Deal with it.

To the girl I met this morning who thinks that her program is better suited for medicine than mine because she focuses on the sciences more. Don't think too highly of yourself. Medicine is for people who love it, persevere for it, and are just meant for it. Do not think that the description is only confined to the likes of you. Because honestly, it isn't.

[robbieissalvador]

I am in college and I don't know what it's like not to have anxiety

I’m getting college anxiety and I’m not even in college yet

[robbieissalvador]

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

It has been two years since I watched this show, and it just flashed in my head out of nowhere, while I was reading about the anatomy and physiology of the brain. Now that I think about it, why didn't I make a review of this movie earlier? After all, I loved it and I watched it several times more.

Okay, so here was the premise. There was this cheerful, talkative girl, Naruse Jun. She visited a castle-like love hotel and saw her dad and another woman there. In excitement, she told these sights to her mother, interpreting the situation as a fairy tale where her father is the prince, another woman is the princess, and the mother a witch. This resulted in the divorce of Jun's parents. Jun's father blamed her for it. After which, an egg approached Jun and cursed her by zipping her mouth and telling her that she was going to suffer when she talked. Many years later, Jun was a glum, mute girl in high school. Each time she spoke, she suffered from a stomachache. Along the way, however, their school hosted a musical. Jun could not talk, but she discovered that she could sing. She met three other characters, Sakagami Takumi, Tazaki Daiki, and Nito Natsuki, who also took part in the play. Now, these three people definitely changed her life forever.

First impression from the trailers? Definitely a tear-jerker. Reality? Well, the impressions are not exactly wrong. It was definitely a roller-coaster ride for me, not only because the movie was naturally a melodrama but because I related to it on a personal level. It was real. It did not shy away from exposing life's harsh realities, as well as adding elements of fantasy to them. It does not hesitate to bring to light the things that people would rather not talk about, and I love how the characters were able to say all the things that most of us were too scared to say. Parents separate. Their children get hurt and grow up broken in some way. People go through emotional turmoil. Lastly, people love but it does not mean that they will be loved in the same degree too.

Speaking of the last statement. Yes, I have problems with the ending. No, not in the way most people think. I think that Takumi rejecting Jun is perfect. It happens. Takumi choosing another girl instead? It happens. I was bummed for Jun, but when I look back in retrospect, Takumi did not actually show signs of being particularly attracted to her. He clearly cared for her, but his body language did not feel it. Many people criticize him for leading her on but honestly, I would do the same nice things he did to Jun to my guy friends, without me necessarily harboring feelings for them. Why? It was because they are my friends. Likewise, Takumi thought of Jun as his friend. He even accepted Jun and her feelings, because that is what friends do. Only, he did not return them.

What I don't understand is Daiki confessing to her. I am not saying that it was random, but their dynamic lacked development. I would be fine with this plot twist if Jun and Daiki had a little more screen time. No, I'm not saying I want a love triangle, either. I just wanted a more convincing execution of Daiki developing feelings for Jun, if that makes sense. Even if it is just in the way he looks at her, or his body language with her, it would be fine! Since this element was lacking in Daiki, I would much rather have nobody confess to Jun. She was going to be fine, whether somebody fell for her or not. Honestly.

If you have similar or different perspectives regarding this particular part, please leave it in the comments below. I would love to hear from you. 😀

Other than that, I actually love the movie. The cinematography is okay, but there are other things that caught my attention more. The soundtrack, for example. My bias is Tamago no Naka ni Wa, based on Around the World by Nat King Cole, mostly because I always loved the latter. Everyone in the main cast (except Nito Natsuki 😒) undergoes significant character development. While yes, it is obvious that Jun transformed the most, Tasaki also came to terms with his baseball issues and Takumi began to be more honest about what lied in his heart. I also love how the movie is clear about its theme, that words are powerful, double-edged weapons that can hurt or heal. Words caused Jun's parents to divorce. Words caused Jun to shy away from words, because they are unpredictable swords. Words also were the reasons why Jun finally found an outlet in expressing herself. Moreover, speaking involves more than just words. It involves the expression of the heart. For the most part of the movie, Jun barely spoke, but she was eager to express herself so much that her message eventually got across. She even got to actually speak again, and this is something which was beyond what she wanted. Also, Takumi, although he could speak normally, shied away from expressing his true sentiments for majority of the movie, and ironically, it was Jun who helped him speak.

Again, I apologize for not posting in a while. My college requirements are eating me up, hahaha! 😅

[robbieissalvador]

In my uni, there was a shoot going on. I casually asked for a selfie from the celebrities there. Lol

how do people approach celebrities on the street like i can’t even approach a worker in a store when i need help

[robbieissalvador]

Ahhh, Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii AKA Wotakoi. Another anime I got into this Christmas break. I heard about this anime sometime last year. I have to admit, it caught my eye because of its graphics. However, it took me a while before I could give it a go. It was because of college, of course.

Anyway, here was my expectation for the show. There would be a guy-and-girl pair who moved heaven and earth to hide their otaku identities. Nevertheless, some friends found out. They all eventually fell in love and lived happily ever after. You get it.

However, what happened in the show was not exactly that.

Although the synopsis said that there would be attempts to hide the otaku identity in this series, it was not the major theme. The major theme revolved around being an otaku in the workplace, in the adult world. Romantic relationships began fairly early, maybe too early for my taste. After all, when the relationships were established, the characters were not yet thoroughly explored. I was a character development type of person, before anything else. I had to come into terms with the fact that the characters here were not complicated people. However, they still had their own quirks. They had different personalities as well as tastes in the otaku world. This was what kept me interested. Also, I loved how the romance scenes were actually realistic. I was relieved that there was minimal presence of the tropes that romance animes were usually made of. The only cliches I remembered from this show were the childhood friend trope and the hair movement effects in romantic situations. Other than that, none. Also, this anime emphasized that feelings were not the core foundation of relationships (though yes, they helped forge romantic relationships). It was actually friendship, trust, and understanding. After all, it was a josei anime, and I did not expect less.

My only complaint was the ending. It felt like a show whose production stopped midway. I wanted a conclusion, okay? It did not matter whether it was open-ended or not. However, the show had none of that.

Moreover, the story of Naoya and Kou was not thoroughly developed. The duo randomly popped in the picture. Fine by me. What was not okay was the way they were allowed to fade into the background eventually. They felt like extras, and I knew they were not supposed to be extras. They were supposed to be supporting characters.

Apart from that, I liked the show. It was not my favorite romance anime. However, it was definitely a breath of fresh air from other romance anime that only relied on romantic feelings, despite the duo having little to no similarities. It also strayed from all cliches that I was getting too exhausted with. It also showed that romance anime did not need to focus on romance alone. It could also focus on the characters, their friendships, their workplace, their interests, and so on. In fact, these other aspects enhanced the romance instead of subduing it. Wotakoi also presented a story of characters with prominent flaws. However, these flaws only made the characters more fun, interesting, and relatable.

[robbieissalvador]

Gakuen Babysitter. Another anime I got hooked into in my Christmas vacation. Then again, I did not really have the time last year because I was preoccupied with a lot of things that ranged from college to holiday preparations. Anyway, here is my anime review.

I first heard of Gakuen Babysitter as I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed. Out of nowhere, there was this short clip of a baby doing his best to bring his older brother's lunch box to him, since the latter forgot to bring it. One word: adorable. I could not stop squealing.

Then again, I saw that video during midterms week of my first semester in college. Which was why I put it off until recently.

...I did not expect the melodrama at the start of the series. Honestly.

In most cases, anime usually started on a peaceful note. It did not matter how it ended. The beginning had a pattern. However, this anime deviated from that pattern. The beginning was sad. After all, it contained the backstory of the main characters.

My question was, "Why was it placed here? It could have been introduced later on."

However, as the show went on, I realized why the sad portion was placed at the beginning. Gakuen Babysitter was not supposed to be an emotionally-charged melodrama. It was supposed to be a light-hearted anime with lots of baby fluff. If the drama were placed later where the audience would probably be emotionally attached to the main characters, the anime would not have the childlike feel that it has. The negative emotions in the anime would be more pronounced, especially with Ryuichi and Kotaro sharing a backstory that was actually pretty intense. By placing their past story at the start, the anime was able to successfully convey to the audience that nope, this was not going to be the highlight of the show.

Anyways. Throughout the course of the show, I was just squealing. I loved it. It was not because of the animation, nor was it because of the music. The anime was average on these matters. However, what caught and kept my attention were the characters. They were all endearing and unique at the same time. The portrayal of the babies were definitely accurate-at least for me. Kamitani's annoyance with his younger brother Taka was also relatable. Ryuiji and Maria were the exact people I had in mind when I envisioned a couple for my upcoming story (everything was accurate, I am not kidding). Though that does not mean that I shipped Ryuiji with Maria, or anyone in the show. It was just a coincidence which I thought was worth mentioning, since it startled me.

Having said that, I just wish that Ryuiji was given a more pronounced flaw or quirk. He was an angel, but he seemed too perfect- with the way he handled himself and the kids. I took care of kids for my entire life and I was never as "perfect" as him. There were times when I just got flat out pissed with the kids, and I did and said things that hurt. There were also times when I just shut the kids out. If Ryuiji was not portrayed as an all-enduring human being, or if he was portrayed as an individual with interests outside babysitting, I would find his character more believable.

In general, though, I liked the show! It was too cute to not write about. I definitely recommend!

[robbieissalvador]

I am Earth dominant and I lack a lot of Water. I can say this is 100% accurate

Lacking Elements in Astrology

Those who lack water are drawn to…. bodies of water, the moon, taking baths, swimming, a fascination with the ocean and sea, a love for underwater creatures, drinking fluids frequently/thirst, thunderstorms, the colors black, blue, green, and purple, eating soups and liquid-y foods, water influenced people Those who lack fire are drawn to… bonfires, candles, heat and warmth, sunlight, warm foods and drinks, having a light on when sleeping, hot/spicy foods, shades of red, orange, blue, and yellow, exercising and exerting themselves, fire influenced people Those who lack air are drawn to… traveling, having a fan blowing to sleep well, windy weather, meditation, fresh air, amusement park rides, breathing exercises to calm down, cultural foods, open spaces, the colors blue, white, purple, and grey, long car rides, air influenced people Those who lack earth are drawn to… nature, the outdoors, soft fabrics, gardening and cooking, herbs and spices, filling and comforting foods, eating natural foods, veganism, animals, spiritual practices, shades of green, brown, yellow, black, and grey, earth influenced people

[robbieissalvador]

Hello! Yes, it is my first post in Tumblr for a while, thanks to major adjustments that I needed to make in college and thanks to the fact that I was actually busy during my Christmas break. Now that I’m back, I am here to review another Studio Ghibli film...yes, When Marnie was There.

I was hesitant to watch this, to be honest. This Christmas break, I wanted to watch shows that contained light themes. Which, by the way, When Marnie was There was not. I knew that just by looking at the trailers. However, trust me, the emotional load of its trailers was nothing compared to the actual feels content of the movie. Still, I decided to give it a go, for two reasons: 1) The graphics looked amazing. I liked the richness of the color schemes, as well as the details placed in the locations and individuals involved. 2) I thought that the drama in the movie was not going to be that bad. After all, I did not cry a lot in movies. 

Boy, I was wrong.

For the first thirty minutes, all I was doing was grumbling to my laptop screen, “Marnie, when are you going to show up?” I have to admit, the pacing of the movie was slow at first. Sure, the main character, Anna, was a troubled kid with a lot of inner turmoil going on (I am not going to elaborate on that). Her struggles actually hit too close to home. Still, I think the movie did not start until Marnie showed up, which was in the middle part of the movie.

Sure, I already saw Marnie in the trailers, but when I first saw her in the movie, I automatically got a girl-crush on her. She was pretty. She was definitely a living doll. I also liked the way her character was animated. The movements of her hair and body, as well as the range of her facial expressions, just made her fascinating to look at.

Moreover, when Marnie appeared, that was when the movie began picking up its pace. The emotions involved began to swing from one intense end to another, from bliss to emptiness to despair and back again. I have to admit that at some point, I lowkey shipped Anna and Marnie. However, when I began to realize what could possibly be going on between them, I stopped. Regardless of the situation, I still loved the combination of Anna and Marnie in this movie. They were two different individuals, but they were able to get along and help each other grow into better people. They were able to do this despite their apparent flaws. The feelings involved in the movie were all wrapped up in the end in the movie’s bittersweet ending. I have to admit, it was one of the saddest endings that I witnessed in the history of Studio Ghibli films. I did not expect to cry over it, but I still I loved it.

[robbieissalvador]

After a while of not posting anything (I’m sorry but yes college has been busy af), I finally had my eureka moment when I watched the Studio Ghibli film Ocean Waves. Yes, I watched several movies ever since the start of college, but I just want to talk about this film. Not because it is better than the other movies that I have watched since the onset of college (actually, I have seen better movies than this in college). However, this is one movie which I want to ramble on about for some reason.

For this movie, we have the following tossed in: three main characters, two boys, and one girl who shakes up the lives of said boys that is enough to cause a love triangle. Sounds cliche, right?

Actually, not quite.

More like, this movie presents love triangle in a way that is different from the way most love triangles are portrayed. Based on reviews that I get from other people, they complain that there is a lack of chemistry, drama, and romance.

Still, isn’t that exactly what makes this love triangle different?

After all, it is portrayed in slice-of-life scenarios that people can actually relate to. Let us face it: reality does not have much of the bling that we see in romance movies. Moreover, reality focuses on other things other than love, because honestly, life just does not revolve around that. Ocean Waves does this too. Aside from love, it focuses on growing up.

Another aspect of the movie that I love are the subdued colors used for the film. Add to that the soundtrack. Together, they produce a calming piece that makes you want to look back “in the good old days”.

However, there is one thing from the movie that bothers me: it is the female protagonist.

In my opinion, she just ruins the movie. Sure, she is pretty, smart, and sporty. She has a lot of issues. However, that does not give her any excuse whatsoever to get her way all the time and that does not give her any excuse to be an ass. What bothers me more is that she is rewarded with two boys who are still head-over-heels for her. For me, this plot shows that it is okay to be a douchebag for as long as you are pretty, smart, sporty, and plagued with family problems. Honestly, I would have been okay with an ending where the guy protagonist is revealed to simply be looking back at a time when he loved the girl. Call it bland, but the guy protagonist deserves better than this girl who bosses and manipulates him around. I’m also fine with the guy ending up with someone else...

Other than that, I love the movie. It is not one of Studio Ghibli’s stars, but I actually adore it to pieces. Definitely a must-watch for someone in a rush and someone who is seeking a calm, heartwarming coming-of-age movie.

[robbieissalvador]

When in College 5

Worrying all the time just because.

[robbieissalvador]

Accurate

seeing someone u like in public

*tries to stealthily escape, runs into a trash can, falls over into it*: INTP, ISTJ, INTJ, INFJ

*smiles super awkwardly and gives a forced greeting when said crush sees them*: ISFJ, ISFP, ESFP, INFP

“So…this weather, huh!”: ESTJ, ESFJ, ENFJ, ENFP

All three, in that order: ENTJ, ENTP, ESTP, ISTP

[robbieissalvador]

"I'm so tired of falling in love alone."

-Anonymous

[robbieissalvador]

The best part about being an introvert is all the money you save by not doing social interactions.

[robbieissalvador]

How Does Ni work?

This is how I experience Ni, and how I observed it in Ni users I know.  Listening is hard I will often stop listening because the subject made me think about something else (something more interesting), then this new idea will lead me to another one, then another… In a few seconds, I’ll be far away in my head and will sometimes say things that’ll look totally random. I can also get enthusiastic and jump to a new subject, middle-sentence, because I got a new (better) idea to talk about (which can be annoying to other people). And having to pay attention to uninteresting things is intellectually painful because I have to make the effort to not drift away in my mind. Thinking about everything, all the time Our thought process is not straightforward unless we’re working on it to be that way (with Te’s help, for example, to get something done). We’re not thinking about a few things: we’re thinking about everything at once. Picture a black hole: no idea can escape; we think them all. It might seem to other people that we only have good ideas, or that we can’t have many ideas, because we’ll express only the best of them. We can’t trust an idea unless we’re sure we can’t think a better one. Paralysis How do you know you made the best choice? How can you be sure your idea is the best? You can’t. You don’t know. This can get us stuck. Sometimes, we miss opportunities by hesitating too long. We have to rely on our other functions to move, to do something. And we have to trust ourselves.  Hello, intensity, my old friend. Ni is deep. Sometimes, a bit heavy. It makes us drawn to intellectual things, art with a great meaning, talking about what moves people (love, their interests, hard things they experienced, things that changed them…), books on various topics… I often won’t think someone is my friend if we don’t share something special. If you’re just a body to spend time with and have fun, that’s nice, but I won’t be your friend unless I’m sure I deeply know you. Turn it off, please! Ni is all about wisdom, blah blah… I wish I could turn my brain off sometimes. I try to, mostly through my inferior Se: eating, drinking, singing (I sing so much)… I’ll watch stupid movies to give myself a break and laugh about silly things. I often avoid so-called intelligent movies because most of them fail to both amaze me and amuse me. And I’ll almost never miss a chance at watching something creative or weird. Creativity Ni needs to find the best ideas, or the best plans. The way to get to that is through creativity. Sometimes, the perfect way to go is an old, overused one, and it’s ok. I won’t try something for the sake of it being new if there is a less fun but more intelligent way. Most Ni-people I know are into arts or writing, or both. Personal arts and writing projects give Ni all the freedom it needs to fully bloom and it feels so nice.

Dedication and precision for the right things If something is not interesting, I can’t go on for a long time unless I think it’s worth the effort. I also noticed, from me and also from Ni-aux users, that for a thing to be considered as done, it doesn’t have to be flawlessly done if it’s not important (chores, meaningless work…) but some other things won’t be remotely okay to us unless they are perfectly done.

Humor I’ve been told by many people I should think about pursuing a career as a stand-up comic, but many people also don’t get my jokes at all. My INTJ friends told me that they often get taken seriously when joking, and that people can’t tell when they’re being sarcastic (so they just look like they are pretty mean or especially stupid). Both of them amaze me with how they can push the smallest thing into the most epic long-lasting joke, making fun links between things. (And watch up for self-depreciating humor from INTJs. We love that.)

Strange memory I absorb information all the time. Ni collects knowledge and, later, fishes out what is useful. Sometimes, I don’t even know how I know something. I just do - because I read about it years ago or because I made links from another bit of knowledge. I’m also the kind of person to forget whole days or conversations if they were not meaningful. I often refer to my memory as impressionist. I have many blurry memories from which I keep the overall feeling and no detail.

[robbieissalvador]

When in College 4

Feeling tired ALL the time.

[robbieissalvador]

When in College 3

Missing someone so much that it makes you ache.

[robbieissalvador]

When in College 2

Me when I discovered that I was already falling for my blockmate: