...nothing much...

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading/blogging during the holidays… 

How does your reading (or your blogging) fare in the holiday months? Do you read more or less? Do you have to actively make time to read?

During the holidays, I will be going home to visit my folks. As much as I want to read, I can't seem find the time to do it. So what I'd do is just leave all my books behind. Besides there are books at home,  so anytime I feel up to reading, I can just browse over and pick one.

As for blogging, I'm usually on a break from it not because I'm busy. I don't have access to a computer when I'm home though I can go to nearby Internet cafes but it's too much hassle on my part. I will just bring along my journal and write  whatever I want to for the duration of my stay. But most of the time, I forget about writing. I will be either preoccupied with hanging out with my nieces and nephews or catching on with sleep.

Pretty boring, eh?

...i'm thankful..

It’s Thanksgiving in the U.S.A. today, so I know at least some of you are going to be as busy with turkey and family as I will be, so this week’s question is a simple one: 

                              What books and authors are you particularly thankful for this year?

Here in the Philippines, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving as a special event like what residents in the U.S.A. do, but just the same, we do have celebrations that can be construed as a way of thanksgiving too.

So, even if we don't have Thanksgiving per se, we still find it important to give thanks whenever we can and at any day.

I'm thankful for the following books I've read and those I'm about to read for this year:

1. The Winner Stands Alone ( Paulo Coelho) & Animal Farm ( George Orwell )- I got these books from birthday:-)

2. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

3. The Appeal & The Associate- both by John Grisham

4. Angels & Demons and The Lost Symbol- both by Dan Brown

5. The Twilight Saga series ( Stephenie Meyer)- All of the four books I finished earlier this year.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

...no favorites...

 What books did you read while in school? Were there any that you particularly liked, or hated? Did any become lifelong favorites?

I started reading "seriously" when I was in high school. I was into the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew stuff. Later on, my aunt introduced me to reading the novel, Hotel by Arthur Hailey. From then on, the rest is history. I become hooked to reading that I could not stop. I frequented the high school library and borrowed books. I read Sidney Sheldon, Robert Ludlum, and John Grisham. During college, I ventured out to other authors and into non-fiction.

I read for the simple reason of being entertained and informed, in a way. Though, I still have to steel myself to last long enough to finish one novel, when in comes to the classic. I like To Kill A Mockingbird too that I read it twice.

...awesome birthday...

 now, look at this...

I woke up a bit groggy this morning. I was thinking of going out for a birthday jog but I was not able to do so. I slept late last night over the excitement of my new books and the feeling that I am about to turn a year older.

I was up early as usual. Had my usual coffee and continued reading Dicken's Great Expectations. At half past six, I went out to hear mass. Joy joined me, actually, I asked her to accompany me. Afterward, I spent the entire morning in my room, alternating between doing some stuff on the computer and reading. At almost dinner time, we went to Jingle's house.

To say that I was surprised was an understatement. You see, I'm not the kind of person who go berserk when excited or surprised. When I saw the pastel colored balloons with the word "Happy 33rd Birthday, Tata", I was dumbfounded and just grinned like crazy. I did not go berserk on the outside but inside I was on high. You see, I never had balloons on my birthday, not even once, until today.

I did a double take when Jingle placed the birthday cake on the table. I had the suspicion that she and Joy were up to something for my birthday. I didn't know they will go to this extent. My birthday cake, as what would Po said, "AWESOME!"

"We all have something in common. Guess what?"

On one corner of the table were a pile of party favors and party hats in Winnie the Pooh motifs. Food and drinks were present as customary. Jingle's son, Luis joined in the merriment. He prepared games and we had a blast. He was very game and the only kid present.Moments later, Mae Ann and Fritzie arrived. They brought along a pizza. We ate some and drink some. Jingle's daughter, Anna and her friend also joined us.

Joy, Jingle, Luis and me

The 33-year old, cleverly disguised as a responsible adult. Go figures.

Joy, Jingle, Luis, me, Fritzie and Mae Ann

Check out my presents. Something came out good from my "shameless plugging" blog post. And luckily, someone read it too. :-)

and then came Po

 It's good to be 33. Thank you guys...:-)

...recent finds...

After being coop up in my room the whole day, I was eager to go outside despite the heat. I would have love to go out and just walk around more often but because I perspire a lot, I was discourage to do so. Except for those times when I go out to jog early in the morning.

Yesterday early evening, I overlooked this small inconvenience on my part and went out. Joy and I went to Chowking near Fuente OsmeÑa to have dinner. We ordered our usual Nai Cha and their new Limited Edition Duet meals--Sweet & Spicy Mandarin Chicken and Crispy Fish. Afterward, we went to Watson's then proceeded to Robinson's. I went straight ahead to BookSale while Joy dropped by David Salon's.

I have no sane explanation for how I feel whenever I enter BookSale ( besides, I think no one really cares!). My only complaint about this place is that there's no AC unit. So minutes after I was inside, I started sweating but it did not stop me from bending over, poring over the hundred of books. At some point, I kneel down to have a closer look on the books piled underneath a table. If not for other customers present at that time, I would have crawled around. I managed to keep myself in check.

worth sweating over

I did not left the store empty-handed. I was beside myself with excitement when I saw a Taylor Caldwell hardbound novel. The pages were a bit yellowed already but hey, I've been looking for novels written by this author, so...Another cool find was a book by Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathon Man. Check out my other blog for the detail of why I'm interested with this one..

I already have accumulated a lot of books for the past few weeks.I guess this is  enough for my Dec. 5 "readathon".

...my thought on this...

 Do you think any current author is of the same caliber as Dickens, Austen, Bronte or any of the classic authors? If so, who and why do you think so? If not, why not? What books from this era might be read 100 years from now?

I think I'm not in the position to really identify current authors to be of the same caliber with the classic ones. To be honest, I'm still at a loss sometimes, in understanding why authors aand their works  from decades ago are considered classic, because when I tried reading one, I ended stopping halfway. Case in point, Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, which until now, I haven't finished reading yet. I pondered on my delay in tackling this particular book. I was led to think that maybe it is too much for my brain to grasp or I just lost interest in it. That remains to be seen.

On the other hand, the book I'm currently reading now is a classic. Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Surprisingly, I stick to it. I am in Chapter 36 at the moment. And I intend to finish this one because I enjoyed reading it for the past few days.

There are a lot books that I hope will still be read 100 years from now. Those by John Grisham, Stephen King and J.K. Rowling, to name a few. I wonder what will the generation of that time will think of the authors of today.

...for Christmas...

I chance upon this article while I was checking my Twitter account. I thought this is helpful especially with the holiday season coming up. And no, I'm not talking about gift-giving ( and receiving ) this time. For your reading pleasure ( I hope so), I present to you the.....

16 Digital Photography Tips for Christmas
by Darren Rowse

1. Prepare-Making a List, checking it twice...

2. A White Balance Christmas

3. Set up a DIY "Photo Booth"

4. Capture the preparation stages

5. Before and After Shots

6. Time-lapse Christmas series

7. Christmas Lights

8. Find a Point of Interest- but just per shot

9. Fresh Group Photos

10. Opening Gifts- Shoot in Continuous Mode

11. Fill your Frame

12. Diffuse/Reflect your Flash

13. Go Macro

14. Watch Your Aperture

15. Explore your Neighborhood

16. Related Reading

For a more detailed description of each of the enumerated tips, check this out.

Enjoy reading....

...book wishlist....

 With the holiday season now upon us, have you left any hint – subtle or otherwise – for books family and friends might buy you for Christmas? Do you like to receive books, or do you prefer certificates so you can choose your own? 

My birthday is coming up in a few days and I have indicated books in one of my posts for my birthday wish list, hopefully. For Christmas, I'm really not sure if I'm going to get any books from anyone. My family and friends know about my penchant for reading and they also know that I'm crazy about books. I leave it up to them.

I still have to come up a list of books I want for Christmas so starting now, I will be leaving tip-offs about the books I'd like to have. On the other hand, it will be nice to receive a certificate too ( though I haven't experienced it yet ). Anyway, whichever way works for me as long as there will be books.

...book giveaway...

I was browsing over the  Internet and I chance upon this blog. I'm excited about this book giveaway and I had no second thoughts in joining. I hope I will win. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If you want to win the book, Rooftops of Tehran, then what are you waiting for, check this out, NOW!

...are there really bad books?...

“Life is too short to read bad books.” I’d always heard that, but I still read books through until the end no matter how bad they were because I had this sense of obligation. Do you read everything all the way through or do you feel life really is too  short to read bad books?

 My fond for reading stemmed from the fact that this is one activity I can find refuge, not that I'm in a certain kind of threat. Reading has afforded me the benefit of being places I never dreamed of going to, knowing people I know I will never get to meet in my lifetime and being in the middle of a tale that is sometimes unthinkable to some.

When I started reading, I was not bent on looking for a good read. I read anything I can put my hands on. I remember borrowing my aunt's collection of condensed Reader's Digest books and when I'm finished with it,  moved on to other books.

I think there aren't really bad books. It all depends on who's reading what. Like in my case, I read for the reason to be entertained and learn something from it. And I'm also after improving my vocabulary.  At present, I struggled over finishing Jane Austen's Mansfield Park. I can not say this is a bad book just because I can't seem to finish reading it. 

I read anything that I think is an interesting read, though to others, it may not be worth picking up. 

 

...i'm done with best friends...

I've recently concluded reading the book entitled "Best Friends" by Martha Moody. Later on, I realized that the reason I picked it up  from BookSale, was its title. I got interested even if part of its cover was torn.Though I did not get to read it at once since I was still reading "The Lost Symbol" at that time.

"Best Friends" relates the story about two women who are best friends since college. Their friendship continued to flourish on in their adult lives, amidst family, marriage, children, divorce, deaths, births and other mundane stuff that goes by every adult's life.

What started out as a seeming chance encounter turned out to be a long lasting relationship---a friendship.

I am amused of the notion that two people should  have the same interest for them to be friends. I, for one, would be drawn to someone I share the same passion about something but it does not mean that I want to be friends with that particular person.

Growing up, I did not have an inkling as to what is a friend all about. My ideas, if I had any at that time, came from stories I read or from the movies I watched. Growing up, I never had a friend or a best friend.

Reading the story open me up to the realization that being friends with someone does not  necessarily mean that you should be both exactly the same. Friends should compliment and complement each other. And being friends does not end when you've outgrown each others likes or dislikes. Distance does not mean anything when you are committed to keep in touch. Being friends with someone does not give you exclusive rights to that person, you all have your own lives to live. And sometimes, it helps to have a friend who just listens as  oppose to someone  gabbing nonstop.

I have yet to improve on my relationship with friends. And I can be so dense sometimes.

Just a thought, so how do you fare with your friends?

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."

Anais Nin

...Mulan in a nutshell...

 " The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all."

Watching cartoons has always been my favorite since I was in high school. But not all cartoons are created equal. I tend to go for those from which I can glean some valuable lessons--underneath all those wacky and exaggerated  actions and noises.

I've always been a fan of Disney animation. I even go as far as dreaming of becoming a Walt Disney animator. I recalled watching The Little Mermaid countless times, way back when I was still a sophomore in high school. I certainly memorized some lines and would sing along with Sebastian's "Under the Sea." And who could forget Ariel's rendition of "Part Of Your World."

When another Disney movie, Mulan was released, I was more than ecstatic. Mulan's character is not like those of other Disney's characters of damsel in distress. She  needed no rescuing, in fact she was doing all the rescuing. She did not sleep for a hundred of years ( am I correct on this? ) to be awaken by a Prince's kiss. I like the fact that Mulan comes out as a pretty strong and determined young woman. In the movie, she was forced to disguise as a man to take her ailing father's place in the army. Later on, when her cover was blown, all turned their backs at her. Mulan is not the type to sink in a corner and wallow in despair. In the end, she was able to prove that though she is a woman, she is capable of doing things that men can do. And on top of that, the emperor was impressed by her.

Mulan knew how hard it is to be a woman at that time. Everything were pinned on her to bring her family honor, by finding and eventually settling down with a husband. I can't help but think that somehow that scenario still holds true today, I guess at least not in a blatant way. Women prim themselves and fuss over to "exhaustion" to land a "good catch". And hypocrites sugarcoat it with just about any sweet nothings that comes in handy.

I was drawn to the movie and still am today. In fact, I watched it again yesterday and thus prompted me to write this post.

I realize that when you deviate from what is expected from you, you will be branded as different, whatever that means. I admire Mulan's tenacity to be true and stand for herself. Not to mention being smart and having the guts to speak her mind...

...10 Things We Don't Know About Us...

 I'm in one of my "Googling session" this morning and I stumble on this article. It makes a good read. Feel free to read it here or you can check the original article by clicking on the link beneath the title. Whatever suits you....

 

10 Things You Didn't Know About You
 ( from LiveScience)

The human body is a great, sweaty, fluid-filled machine, moving and mixing chemicals with precision and coordination, making everything from memories to mucus. Here we explore some of the complex, beautiful or just plain gross mysteries of how you function.

10. Your Stomach Secretes Corrosive Acid

There's one dangerous liquid no airport security can confiscate from you: It's in your gut. Your stomach cells secrete hydrochloric acid, a corrosive compound used to treat metals in the industrial world. It can pickle steel, but mucous lining the stomach wall keeps this poisonous liquid safely in the digestive system, breaking down lunch.

9. Body Position Affects Your Memory

Can't remember your anniversary, hubby? Try getting down on one knee. Memories are highly embodied in our senses. A scent or sound may evoke a distant episode from one's childhood. The connections can be obvious (a bicycle bell makes you remember your old paper route) or inscrutable. A recent study helps decipher some of this embodiment. An article in the January 2007 issue of Cognition reports that episodes from your past are remembered faster and better while in a body position similar to the pose struck during the event.

8. Bones Break (Down) to Balance Minerals

In addition to supporting the bag of organs and muscles that is our body, bones help regulate our calcium levels. Bones contain both phosphorus and calcium, the latter of which is needed by muscles and nerves. If the element is in short supply, certain hormones will cause bones to break down and upping calcium levels in the body until the appropriate extracellular concentration is reached.

7. Much of a Meal is Food For Thought

Though it makes up only 2 percent of our total body weight, the brain demands 20 percent of the body's oxygen and calories. To keep our noggin well-stocked with resources, three major cerebral arteries are constantly pumping in oxygen. A blockage or break in one of them starves brain cells of the energy they require to function, impairing the functions controlled by that region. This is a stroke.

6. Thousands of Eggs Unused by Ovaries

When a woman reaches her late 40s or early 50s, the monthly menstrual cycle that controls her hormone levels and readies ova for insemination ceases. Her ovaries have been producing less and less estrogen, inciting physical and emotional changes across her body. Her underdeveloped egg follicles begin to fail to release ova as regularly as before. The average adolescent girl has 34,000 underdeveloped egg follicles, although only 350 or so mature during her life (at the rate of about one per month). The unused egg follicles then deteriorate. With no potential pregnancy on the horizon, the brain can stop managing the release of ova.

5. Puberty Reshapes Brain Structure, Makes for Missed Curfews

We know that hormone-fueled changes in the body are necessary to encourage growth and ready the body for reproduction. But why is adolescence so emotionally unpleasant? Hormones like testosterone actually influence the development of neurons in the brain, and the changes made to brain structure have many behavioral consequences. Expect emotional awkwardness, apathy and poor decision-making skills as regions in the frontal cortex mature.

4. Cell Hairs Move Mucus

Most cells in our bodies sport hair-like organelles called cilia that help out with a variety of functions, from digestion to hearing. In the nose, cilia help to drain mucus from the nasal cavity down to the throat. Cold weather slows down the draining process, causing a mucus backup that can leave you with snotty sleeves. Swollen nasal membranes or condensation can also cause a stuffed schnozzle.

3. Big Brains Cause Cramped Mouths

Evolution isn't perfect. If it were, we might have wings instead of wisdom teeth. Sometimes useless features stick around in a species simply because they're not doing much harm. But wisdom teeth weren't always a cash crop for oral surgeons. Long ago, they served as a useful third set of meat-mashing molars. But as our brains grew our jawbone structure changed, leaving us with expensively overcrowded mouths.

2. The World Laughs with You

Just as watching someone yawn can induce the behavior in yourself, recent evidence suggests that laughter is a social cue for mimicry. Hearing a laugh actually stimulates the brain region associated with facial movements. Mimicry plays an important role in social interaction. Cues like sneezing, laughing, crying and yawning may be ways of creating strong social bonds within a group.

1. Your Skin Has Four Colors

All skin, without coloring, would appear creamy white. Near-surface blood vessels add a blush of red. A yellow pigment also tints the canvas. Lastly, sepia-toned melanin, created in response to ultraviolet rays, appears black in large amounts. These four hues mix in different proportions to create the skin colors of all the peoples of Earth.

...Baby Mama mania...

From the movie:

Kate: Being single is not an alternative lifestyle.
Rose ( Kate's mother): It is when you're 37.

When I watched the movie's trailer, I knew then that I will be in for a good laugh when I will watch the entire film. True enough, I had a good time and laugh, while watching the movie. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler make being funny so effortless.

I watched Baby Mama for like a number of times already, I lost count. I first saw it on HBO, then watched again its replay. Whenever I need a good dose of good cheer any time of the day, I watch it online. Thanks to the site my sister sent to me. It's a website where you can watch movies online for free, the downside though, sometimes the movie you chose won't play or keeps buffering.

Baby Mama does not deal with a complex plot and has no special effects to speak of. What draws me to it is just the good laugh I get after watching it, especially those scenes with Tina and Amy. They make a great team.

If you're wondering if I'm thinking of having a baby because I keep watching this movie, I hate to tell you this, you're wrong. I've been surrounded with babies while growing up. That's what you get, albeit reluctantly, for being the eldest child. I remember watching other kids my age as they played and had a good time, while I watched, not too far away, with a baby on my lap. Yes, I was a babysitter. And I made up all excuses just to get free from it.

I'm not like those people who cooed and baby-talk , when they see a cute baby. In my case, I look at a baby  with absolute detachment. Of course, my nieces and nephews are the exception. I have nothing personal against babies. Heck, I've been a baby once. So who am I to wage war against them?

I believe, having babies or children for that matter, are fine when you're really ready to become a parent, in the real sense of the word. Early on, I realized that I will never be a good parent. Sure, I doted on my nieces and nephews, but it's an entirely different scenario. Being a parent is a serious deal and you can't just opt out when the going gets rough and I'm sure, it will be rough.And I admire parents who manage to stick out.

Baby Mama did not stir up feelings of motherhood in me or sent me an up front reminder of my ticking biological clock.

I'm just after the fun and good laugh, and seeing Angie's expression, when she blurted out, "I don't know."

...my take on this...

Does your house have a communal bookshelf? If not, is your bookshelf centrally located so everyone has access to it?

 In my folks' place, there is some sort of a shelf, attached on a portion of the living room wall where books are placed. Anyone in the family have access to it but then it's only my aunt and I who are into reading. Some of the books there where from my collection and some from my aunt. 

At present, I live away from home but my bedroom is such a small place that I put my books anywhere. Some are piled on one corner of the room. The one I'm currently reading, can be seen anywhere in my room, depending on where I put it last---on the bed, on my chair or on the table. No one has access to it except me.

...shameless plugging...

In two weeks time will be my thirty third birthday. And I'm sure that particular day will just go by like any ordinary day of mine. I plan to go home that day but I don't know if it will push through. I did kid Joy about buying me a bottle of wine ( I don't care what kind ) and I will drink myself to a stupor. No, I'm not depressed or anything. I just want to find out how long will it take before I pass out if I knock back one bottle of wine all by myself. I'm all for experiment...:-)

In an idyllic setting, I will be surrounded with family and friends during that special day. I will be in the middle, feeling all too conscious  with all the attention I'm getting, then I will slowly bend over to blow the candles on my cake. Then someone from the group will call out, "Make a wish!"

In my real world, come that day, I will, as always wake up early ( God willing ). Probably, continue on my reading while waiting for the time. Then I will head out to hear mass. I will have my usual coffee then give my folks at home a ring, just to listen to all their birthday wishes for me. I know they will banter about my being 33 and still single. Whatever.

I will not gripe about my birthday or "lack of it". I learned that sometimes wishing for something I can not have won't do anything good to me. On the other hand, I thrive on the feeling of "wanting" or "craving", I guess that's what make it thrilling. And by the time I already have what I crave for, I don't want it anymore. I know it's ironic but I will make an exception for this particular wish---going to NY one day.

There's a lot of stuff  I'd want for my birthday ( and mostly for me, who else?). You may not know it but I'm  selfish in my own peculiar way. Of course, no amount of wishing on my part, will make it possible for all the things I want, to magically appear, if they're really not meant for me. Still, saying them out loud or writing them down here, somewhat make them, within reach...:-) So, here goes my me-wants-for-birthday list:

• George Orwell novels ( 1984; The Animal Farm)
• Mitch Albom ( Have A Little Faith)
• Suzanne Collins ( The Hunger Games; Catching Fire)
• Moleskin notebook ( though Joy pointed out that this is impractical, I guess she's right )
• new Parker mechanical pencil
• maybe a surrogate, just like in the movie, Surrogates ( okay, just kidding)
  

I think the above list is an overkill. The first three items are what I'm hoping to read before the end of the year, if possible. But then, if it's not meant to be, no big deal. The Moleskin notebook, well, it's just something I "crave" and probably by the time I can afford it, I will not be too keen on it anymore. I use the mechanical pencil on my scribbles. With regard to the last item on the list, it stemmed from the time I saw the movie, Surrogates trailer on TV. I haven't watch the movie, though. I'm not someone important and all, I know that but there are things that a functional human being needs to attend to. Sometimes, I balk at doing it. If things or events can go by without me, then I would prefer it very much if I will be just left alone.

Anyway, as I've mentioned somewhere in this post, I am selfish but I think there's still some redeeming qualities in me. But let's not get to them. Aside for wishing all those above-mentioned stuff for  my birthday, I still have other wishes ( this time, not entirely for me) that I hope will come to  fruition eventually.

• Good health for my family and friends and of course, for myself ( remember the marathon dream)
• The means to provide for my family
• Revel in the time I spend with them ( no matter how dysfunctional we can get)
• I hope that what I'm looking forward will turn out favorable
• To "Be satisfied. Be grateful.", hopefully.

So much for birthday wishes....

...time with family...

 Nanay, Joy, Tiya and Yen-yen

The older I get the more I realized that in a way  being with family is just that, plain and simple, being with them. I always have this grand ideas of what I will do once I plan to hie off and visit my folks. And I say, grand ideas, since what I usually do when I'm home is just sleep. Let me share this particular information, I belong in a very big family. There's always constant commotion and noise, except at night, when all are sound asleep. I realized early on that sleeping through all the chaos and noise, leave me undisturbed for the entire duration of my stay.

 PG and the Furious Three ( Mokang, JR and AJ )

Last weekend, I found myself, dozing off on the fast craft ferry en route to Ormoc City. My nieces, AJ and Mokang, met us at the pier. They've changed. When we got home, the dreaded commotion started. I exchanged pleasantries with all of them, except for my baby nephew, whom I just took  from his mother and carry in my arms. I was amused at the he looked at me. I saw him last when he was still a month old, now he's already seven months old. The way he looked at every one in the house intrigued me and always the butt of our jokes.

My reason for going home last weekend is not really to see them per se. ( Yes, very bad of me.) Again, I just want to sleep. And in fact, I did. My mother even complained about it. She asked me if I'm not getting enough sleep.

with my nephew, TJ

Anyway, it was also All Souls' day so we went to the cemetery to visit my grandmother and father's grave. We decided to go early in the morning to avoid the crowd, later in the day.

There's a downside of being home. I am forced to witness the constant arguments, my younger siblings, have a knack for. They argue on almost anything. They're like ticking bombs, that with slight provocation, immediately sets them off. Worst, my mother has to be the go-between and sometimes taking the brunt of the fight. The night I was set to leave, another argument ensued. What a perfect send off, I thought to myself.

best friend, AJ

Anyway, that's how my brief stay at home always amount to. My grand ideas set aside. Sleep overtook everything. But since, we're a family who's not big into emotions, to us, it's nothing. Arguing is arguing. Then we make up.Argue again, then make up. The cycle goes on, until when, no one knows.