During lunch, I was about to cross Glorietta into the Landmark with two friends of mine, Tina and Red, when there seemed to be a scuffle a few hundred feet ahead of us. Four security guards appeared to be pushing this well-dressed gentleman towards the exit. He looked affluent enough, fit with a leather man-bag slung over his shoulder, and he was held at each elbow by one security guard.

We all stared as the three guards led him across the street into the Landmark, where the four disappeared into the throng of people. The consensus of the people talking around the area was that the fellow shoplifted an item, either from the Landmark or from Levi’s, which was the first boutique store to the right upon entering the Glorietta-Landmark entrance.

Based on what we saw, it seemed plausible, but we couldn’t believe it based on what the fellow was wearing and how he looked. Tsk tsk. Who says crooks have to be dingy and shifty-looking? *cough government officials cough*

Got more than 1,000 hits yesterday from people looking for Jennifer Hudson’s Oscar speech. Glad to be of service, guys. Hope you’ll stick around.

After the slipups of the birthday weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday all had high carb meals for me), I’m back on South Beach. I don’t know how much weight I’ve lost, but I know I’m looking forward to a life of health and happiness. So cheers!

Looking for Jennifer Hudson’s Academy Award acceptance speech? Here it is, based on what I’ve been able to piece together. Congratulations, Jennifer!

“Oh my God, I have to just take this moment in. I cannot believe this. Look what God can do. I didn’t think I was going to win. If my grandmother was here to see me now. She was my biggest inspiration for everything because she was a singer and she had the passion for it but she never had a chance. And that was the thing that pushed me forward to continue.”

“But I’m so grateful to have my mother here celebrating with me. My boyfriend, my sisters and my brothers back home and I’ve got two of them here. Thank you all for being here and supporting me. I would so like to thank Bill Condon, our director. Oh my God, unbelievable cast. I’d like to thank the Academy, definitely have to thank God I guess again. I can’t believe this. Wow, I don’t know what to say, but I thank you all for helping me keep the faith. Even when I didn’t believe and God bless you all. Jennifer Holliday, too!”

Despite a dress that critics slammed, Jennifer Hudson has won the Oscar! Ladies and gentlemen, Jennifer Hudson has won the Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar for her role as Effie White in Dreamgirls!

Hudson was slammed for her metallic python bolero over a floor-length chocolate gown by Oscar de la Renta, picked out by Vogue’s Andre Leon Talley. Fashion critic and E! commentator Jay Manuel dissed the jacket/gown combination, saying “I love you, but there’s too much going on here.” Personally, I’m not a fan of the bolero either, but she looks good in the chocolate gown.

In becoming the first Afro-American actress to win an Oscar since Halle Berry won a Best Actress Oscar for Monster’s Ball, Hudson defeated Cate Blanchett (Notes on a Scandal), 10-year-old Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine), and Babel’s Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi.

Hudson’s new album is dropping fall 2007. Congratulations, JHud! This is your moment, girl! LIVE IT! See, we don’t care what y’all say. Cathy and I are happy JHud won this Oscar, and I’ll take it as my nice little birthday surprise.

Note: JHud, you said on Tyra the other day that you Google yourself. Girl, if you find your way here, please leave me a note or an email, please, please, please. My wife and I have supported you and loved you since Idol. Throw two Asian fans some sugar. ;D Make it a birthday gift for me.

I welcome my 30th birthday with a Trojan.peacomm virus wreaking havoc on my computer at home. To all people who spend their time and resources creating viruses, worms, and other malevolent things that do terrible things to other people’s property and precious time, I hope the day comes when you find Christ and are wracked with guilt over the awful things you’ve done.

God will forgive you. Whether I will, however, is, well, still up for discussion. (Of course, I will. But right now, I can’t help but burn with righteous anger.)

Anyway, it’s a great birthday! Threw a party Saturday, had a party thrown for me Sunday, and I’ve received one of the four gifts I’ve been praying for. Got a baby girl coming up! (Now all I need is that bathroom scale, the 300-CD booklet/holder, and Cathy’s permission to get a fourth tattoo, and I’m all set.)

My birthday prayers are: 1) for wisdom for my wife and me to raise our family well, 2) that everyone around me continues to have good health; and 3) those virus-creating people get a swift legal kick in the butt.

Happy birthday to me.

I would not want Cathy to be Kris Aquino right now.

The wildly popular Philippine television personality almost went into labor yesterday, complaining of stomach pain that, according to The Buzz co-host Boy Abunda, doctors claimed was false labor brought about by stress.

Aquino was ordered to get immediate bed rest for the next few days, and virtually ordered to avoid any contact with media, resulting in her complete media blackout, including reading tabloids and watching television.

The reason for the stress? Aquino’s husband, basketball player James Yap, has been accused of having an affair with a beauty clinic facial attendant going by the name of as Hope, who appeared on the GMA-7 talk show Star Talk to reveal details of her purported affair with Yap. A full interview with Hope is scheduled to air on Saturday.

While this is none of my business, I will say three things:

• Yap has admitted to ‘mistakes,’ but what these mistakes are and the extent of the mistake are not known, so I suggest we just let James and Kris be, and instead pray they can work things out.
• Marital infidelity is a serious, serious issue - but staying by an unfaithful man shows a strength of character rare in these times. I applaud Kris’ decision to try and work it out.
• Aquino’s daily shooting schedule, while not as hectic as others’, is very taxing for a woman in her sixth month of pregnancy. She doesn’t need the extra cash; ABS-CBN and her brother Noynoy, for whom she promised to campaign, should allow her to take time off to devote herself to enjoying the last few months of pregnancy. Take a tip from Sharon Cuneta when she was pregnant, Kris, and rest. Your brother should win on his own, and Channel 2 should come up with something new. Nothing is worth losing your baby and/or your marriage.

Some people, including my wife, are not fans of Kris Aquino. Me, I love the woman. So what is in her best interests, should, in my opinion, shape her activities for the next few months.

Rest, Kris, and work on your pregnancy and marriage. What do you say? Deal, or no deal?

Cathy had an ultrasound today, and it’s official: we’re having a girl! It’s my birthday wish come true! (Although I’m still holding out for a bathroom scale, a 300-CD holder/booklet, and Cathy’s allowing me to get a fourth tattoo.)

We’re particularly psyched because girls are very, very rare in our family. Cathy’s the only girl in her family, we have no girls in ours, and all Nathan’s cousins are boys save one (the daughter of a half-brother of mine).

Earlier today, Cathy had a bit of a scare, with blood present in her latest phlegmy cough. We went to Olivarez Hospital, where her very capable ob-gyne Dr. Lea Loteyro practices, and got a clean bill of health from Dr. Loteyro. Turns out Cathy scratched her throat. The doctor prescribed some antacids to deal with her achy-breaky stomach, then we went to get an ultrasound.

Not soon after, the doctor found the ‘hamburger,’ which verified my second child is going to be a girl! I KNEW IT!

As a postscript, we also have a name for our soon-to-be-born daughter. As soon as the doctor told Cathy she was having a girl, a name popped into Cathy’s head. She told me afterward, explaining why that name was what flashed in her mind, and I, thoroughly touched, approved of it.

Pending further revision, our daughter’s name is Nicola Jean (pronounced NI-kuhluh, not ni-KOE-luh, then JEEN, not jhawn). It means “victorious and gracious.”

Why Nicola Jean? Nicola, in honor of my father, Nicholas; Jean, in honor of both our mothers (Jean and Jane).

My father managed to reach Nathan, but he passed away before he met his second granddaughter. I think he would’ve been proud.