2010 is done!

2010 is the extension of my year of limbo that was 2009, but thankfully I got stabilized and just "let things flow and pray a lot" early in the year. Note to self: Do not resign in a job unless you have another one on the way, even if you are already itching to get out. Nevertheless, the past 12 months of relative freedom from corporate bondage allowed me more time to explore my various interests and got to know more about myself (and others!) and have a clearer perspective of my future.

HALLYU-much?
I'm a big Korean culture fan since high school but it definitely kicked into high gear (at least in the kpop sense) due to SOMEONE's obsession taking new heights. After much prodding, I went with my friends to the Super Junior concert (seriously, I only have two eyes, how can I devote them equally among 12 guys?). Also enrolled in Kpop dance classes which is the only physical outlet I have despite the amount of free time that I have.
AND we finally booked a trip to Korea in 2011 which I can't wait to plan for. Got heavily involved with MELONA, and converted everyone regarding this heaven-on-a-stick. I also managed to build up my kdrama inventory, which is relatively more interesting compared to previous years. Became thoroughly obsessed with KBS World, particularly 1N2D.

Plane-hopping
More free time means more trips! Went to Bacolod three times this year to visit my brother and relatives. My Bali trip also pushed through, after agonizing periods of number crunching to check if I can pay my travel debts within the year. I'm so glad I didn't miss this trip (had to yet make a formal entry about it *sheepish*). We went to three countries in nine days, with me sporting just one North Face backpack. Bonded a lot with my friends...good times.

Letters
What I did 60% of the time is to just be a freelance writer. I'm blessed that I still have gained an income source while I trudge through the murky waters of job hunting. I managed to meet new people and at the same time, bring me back to my "love" *cough* of research writing. Finally I was able to close the year with another job that I can potentially love.

The rest of the time was devoted to catching up on my reading my stack of books, hehe. I even managed to surprise my friend with a gift while treasure hunting in NBS' old stockpile. Finally got to read Mockingjay and also started on the Libba Bray series (please, i hope I get to finish the third one).

Plans
 Despite my profession, I've never really got to seriously planning about the future (read: the stuff that I can control). This year allowed me to do so, to be more conscious of my money and the investments that I make. Though things may change from what I plan, I'm at a much directed place now compared to before.
And so I conclude my 2010 year-end post by thanking all the important people in my life, and for supporting me during in what seemed to be my lull months. I'm forever grateful for the support, the tolerance(!), the patience, and for being my sounding boards whenever I need one.

for the love of nora roberts!

Wow, yesterday was definitely a day of frustration and anxiety just because the last book of Nora Roberts' Bride Quartet series is already out. Rissee and I were astonished that the last book was already available in Powerbooks last week (when we know that it'll be available in the US on Nov. 2), and it surely made us more antsy (that's what we get for choosing not to spend and just wait for the e-book).

I was already annoyed last Tues (Nov.2) when it's still not available online, but I guess with the US time, I have to give more leeway to the pirates, hehe. Lo and behold, Nov. 3 comes, I went to take a bath and came back to two missed calls, one text message, and a blog entry from Rissee that IT has arrived and she sent it to my email.

That was 11:00am, Nov. 2...fast forward to 5 hours later, and I still cannot go online due to a faulty internet connection (darn ye, evil internet gods!) I'm so depressed that I read the first three books (the memorable parts), ate two servings of ice cream in the process (comfort eating's my middle name), and recharged the PDA that Ris' lent to me so that I'm all set. By 4:30pm, I cannot take it anymore and called my mother to retrieve the file in my inbox so that I'm sure that I will read it that night. This resulted to a futile 5-minute call with no results since she swore that she downloaded the file but didn't know where it was saved. Oh well.

Finally by 5pm, I got an internet connection! I downloaded the file at once in case the internet goes wonky again. Did some usual internet stuff, saved the e-book in my memory card, and I'm all game.

But then, to my horror, the PDA reset-ed (is that a word?) itself and I cannot freaking find MSReader! I downloaded the installer online (2 mobile PC versions since I don't know what to use) and sent it to the PDA via bluetooth. Alas, the PDA won't install the program and I had to call Rissee for help. This was 6:21pm already (sigh!).

So from the crazy call I had, I learned that I have to install the ActiveSync software (which is in a CD) and do all these steps in order to have MSReader in my PDA. I'm like, no way, I survived reading in the laptop, I'll do it again. Nothing can delay this thing anymore! Except having dinner first...

After eating, I realized that since my mom's bringing my laptop, I have to pack it before they leave the house the next day. Argh! So I still have to install ActiveSync! I installed it (took me 20 minutes just to find the box and cd) and GAH! It's not supported by Windows Vista! I want to scream already and it's already past 8, no way I can finish this book by that day. So I went online and downloaded something that's supported by Vista that can be linked to the PDA. I started reading the book by 8:30 in my laptop while it's installing the software.

By 9pm, I'm happy and into my zen state as I read the rest of the book. Stopped at 2am because the PDA got all wonky and won't load the next page (buti na lang di cliffhanger). I have to go to Makati this morning and brought the PDA with me and thankfully it worked again, so I was able to finish the book by 1pm.

So that's it, as you said Rissee, Murphy's Law talaga. I want to mention in this entry why this book is highly anticipated (and a background on the book itself) but this post is already pretty long. Next time then.

romance novel recommendations!

I put that exclamation point to emphasize the level of excitement about this post. I didn't need further prodding from my friend to make a post similar to hers. As you may (or may not) know, I love romance novels. I guess at 26 years old I should've been on my way to graduating from this genre, but heck no (I would probably read them until I'm old and have poor eyesight). I tried to jack up my ante and read more serious fare, but yeah, you'll be amazed at how fast I finish a romance novel versus a lauded fiction book (I'm looking at you John-Steinbeck-book-stuck-at-chapter-two-since-3-yrs-ago). Who was I kidding when I thought I can stock up on Oprah's Book Club books? So yeah, I'm one of those escapist readers, and a good romance novel will be welcome with open arms anytime.

So here's a list of my favorite and recommended romance novels (dedicated to you Ris!), based on no objective criteria whatsoever. Some of these books were read years ago, so I'm not sure if it would make my list if I re-read them again.

Based on no particular order. Spoilers ahead.

1. Kingdom of Dreams (Judith McNaught) - I've read the latter Westmoreland books (Whitney, My Love and Until You) before reading this one, which is about the 1st Duke of Claymore, Royce. You get warring families, an adorable burly warrior lord (I cried buckets when Royce was letting himself get beaten up by Jennifer's family), and supporting characters that you love to love and love to hate. The extended version of Whitney, My Love paid homage to this couple and even though it was less than a paragraph, I found myself tearing up because it made me realize that by that time, Royce and Jennifer were already dead (Clayton was already the 13th Duke of Claymore). Yes, that's how much I love this couple.

Side note: I'm getting antsy because the release date of this book keeps getting pushed back. I'm still on the hunt on who will be the next Judith McNaught...other romance writers are good, but no one can beat her so far (in terms of historical romances).

2. Chesapeake Bay Saga (Nora Roberts) - this definitely takes the cake out of all the books (and there are a lot) of Nora Roberts (4 books, Quinn brothers). If there's one thing that Roberts is good at, it's portraying family relationships that makes you wish you were part of that family. This is the first time I cried in a romance novel not because of the love storyline. All the brothers are so engaging to read about, I can't pick a favorite among the four. The romance aspect of the four brothers is also nice, but it's the bond of the brothers (and their parents, in a sense) that carries this series.

3. The Prize (Julie Garwood) - my favorite Julie Garwood novel. An easy-read (with huge font, I think I finished this in a day) with a big and lovable hero and a larger-than-life heroine who spaces out during lectures (haha i love this girl!). Seriously, how can one not fall in love with a big hulking guy carving a lopsided queen chess piece in the middle of the night because some idiot threw his wife's favorite chess piece in the fire? I love the continuous banter between both characters, with Royce deluding himself that his wife can see sense through his lectures, hehe. And I just realized that this is another Royce...hmm....I sense a pattern...

4. Highland Velvet (Jude Deveraux) - it's mostly a hit or miss between me and Jude Deveraux but this is my favorite book of hers. This is the second of the Velvet series. The series itself is an interesting read but can be too depressing in the latter two books (too many unfortunate events!) I guess you have to read the first book (Velvet Promise) to understand the second one, which is still fine (it's just that Gavin is just stupid at times). Anyway, I like spunky heroines and Bronwyn is one of my favorites (although too stubborn, c'mon Stephen is doing his best to be "Scottish" for you!). The whole series is still a recommended read, if not only for the last part of the 4th book (Velvet Angel) when the four wives used their respective "abilities" to save their husbands (remembering how much I LOL-ed when Stephen almost had a heart attack when he saw his wife dangling upside down with her face smack into his prison window)!

5. Double Standards (Judith McNaught) - I know most people prefer Paradise or even Perfect as their favorite McNaught contemporary romance, but I remembered (this was in HS, so I guess a re-read is in order) reading this (after Paradise and Perfect) and told myself that this is my favorite contemporary novel of hers. I think it's about the being-doomed-right-from-the-start premise that made me intrigued to find out how they're going to get through it. I remembered reading the novel and being emotionally spent right after (but loving it). At the very least, whenever the name Nick Sinclair is mentioned, I still get this fluttery feeling (even though I can barely remember the details of the book). For that reason, I'm putting this book on my list.

Some short-reads (meaning less than 300pgs) that I also love:
1. My Hero (Debbie Macomber) - An easy-read, I remembered loving this book before and then re-reading it a few days ago. The re-read opened my eyes to some snicker-inducing moments, but I love the book nonetheless. The stalker-themed scenarios at the beginning did not even put me off from this book (I guess it's one of those things that is cute in fiction but creepy in reality). The heroine is relatable and talks about her journey to write romance novels, so I guess that's enough to make me like this book. The book made me venture to other Macomber works, which I kind of regretted (or maybe I just purchased the wrong set of books from her portfolio).

2. The MacGregor Brides - JuliaxCullum (Nora Roberts) - the entire MacGregors series is an entertaining read, but Julia and Cullum's story is my favorite based on the number of times I re-read them. Another effortless read (as with most of the MacGregor books), this book supports my love for hate-at-first-sight-with-matching-tension type of books.

I thought this list would be longer but I really wracked my brain to think of more books and came up short. Granted, I like a lot of other books (you can't go wrong with McNaught, and most of Garwood and Roberts) but this is my gut-list so to speak if you ask me what I would recommend. I have also tried other authors (Deveraux, Lindsey, Dodd, Quick, James, Kane, Phillips, Goodman, Barnett...too many to mention) which have some good works but did not make a loyal fan out of me.

Okay, time to look up for the backlist of some of these authors online.

*The cover art of the books in this post art the editions in which I've first read them (made me bit sentimental hehe), except for the Chesapeake Bay Saga (since I can't find a picture that has all 4 books in it)

this week...

ugh, last week was another bad work week. seriously, if they don't find another RA soon, I'll really threaten to quit and mean it...my boss and teammates were sympathetic, but that doesn't change the fact that i just worked more than 10 hrs every freaking day for this past week

my boss (earlier): hey, ano, patay ka na ba?
ako (munching on my nth strawberry sugus for my continued sanity): as if may oras pa kong mamatay!

***

due to this unwelcomed derailment of my entire schedule last week, i wasn't able to watch my beloved Jun Pyo as scheduled! oohhh jun pyo, eto na ko!

***

now reading Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist as recommended by Daene. hahaha, profanities every other word, but im loving it nonetheless

***

and since today is a resounding TGIF for me, i'm currently eating my latest comfort food...burnt cheese.. as in i slice cheese wedges and pop it in the microwave... some of it might be carcinogenic but what the heck...

Another Westmoreland? *faints*

I think I just died and gone to heaven...been updating myself on the romance novel scene (well actually just looking into Judith McNaught and Julie Garwood news) and found the most exciting news to date... McNaught is releasing a new book with a Westmoreland hero on it!
Title of the book: Can't Take my Eyes Off of You

might as well kill me now, I'm so excited for this book. i think my authors a turning a leaf eh? First, Julie Garwood suddenly pulls a fast one and publishes a historical romance novel (Shadow Music), although the reviews are not that stellar (going to read it to see for myself, but i've been on a Julie Garwood hiatus for so long i would probably read any historical that she does as superb, will post about it soon) and now Judith McNaught is resurrecting one of my fave families!!! argh, i swear im going to be dreaming about Royce Westmoreland any night soon...

apparently this info has been out since last year but the release date is always changing (thank God i didn't discover it then or else the wait would be agony) kind of sucks that this is a contemporary novel, but hell, as long as it's not the romantic suspense contemporary type that JM has been doing in the recent years, i would definitely read this one (well actually i don't care, haven't been excited for a Mcnaught novel for a long time)

and people in her forum are saying that this guy (name is Clay Westmoreland - so im assuming he came from the ClaytonxWhitney line) has two brothers! what a cruel marketing ploy you publishers! u're playing on my weaknesses!!!

hmmm...might as well re-read my Westmoreland novels....

Edward Cullen is the new Mr. Darcy (well for me anyway…)

It’s about high time that I write something about my recent obsession, which hopefully would fade in time (as most of my obsessions usually do) since it’s seriously not healthy…seriously…

Daene told me about this book called Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and how she’s interested in reading it, and I was like, “yeah sure, go ahead and let me know how it goes” (this knowing that her taste in books and mine don’t usually meet). It was vacation during Holy Week, and Daene’s texting like crazy telling me that I just HAVE to read this book (and that she can’t help feeling all gushy about it, it’s already driving her insane), and e-mailed me a copy of the book since she couldn’t possibly wait to see me and then wait a few days for me to finish it before talking about it. So anyway, fine, I read the book anyway…

Upon reading the first few chapters of the book, I was again texting Daene, and telling her, somewhat accusingly, “this is a young adult book, isn’t it?” Haha. This is what I get for reading something with an only “it’s about vampires” as a background and someone telling me she’s all mushy about it when in fact she hasn’t read a lot of romance books (and believe me, I have). But, somehow, I got on the Twilight zone (pardon the pun) and soon appreciated it for all its teen love angst. Just got me reminiscing when I watched Underworld and I really thought that being a vampire is so cool. Well, being a vampire is definitely cool in this book. What really hit the nail for me in this book was when I found out that this book is going to be made into a movie and Robert Pattinson’s playing Edward Cullen, the vampire hero of the book. And I, to put it succinctly, am hooked.

As of now, I’ve read the other two books of the series, New Moon and Eclipse. Granted, I’m still hooked to the series as ever, although my usually obsession now runs with the movie. Maybe it’s because I’m really all in for the action in the second half of Twilight, and of course visualizing how Edward could be in the widescreen. Nonetheless, I’m all for Edward Cullen being in my list of ideal men, even head to head with Mr. Darcy (and that’s already saying A LOT about the fellow). Or maybe Edward is the teenage (well technically not since he’s more than a hundred years old) version of Mr. Darcy (well, why not? Meyer mentions Pride and Prejudice in her series so there could be a character reference). The overall plot so far is definitely gripping, although there are a few lulls for me (is it obvious that I want every page to be eventful?). Upon finishing the third book, I’m totally in love with Edward, and I’m kind of not liking Bella, hehehe. I mean I’m all for character flaws, but crap, sometimes I can’t handle the indecision. Edward also has some characters in a guy that I don’t like, the possessiveness for one, but damn, if it’s him, I’m game for anything. He’s an intense guy, that’s for sure. He makes me gooey sometimes it makes me sick.

Hence, this obsession, although I expect it would lie low for a while, will probably run through August, when Breaking Dawn comes up and until December, when the movie will be shown. As of now, I’m trying to do some serious withdrawal techniques, i.e. watching other romantic series, reading other romance novels that don’t deal with creatures, getting immersed with my HK trip to tide me through the coming months. Good luck to me.

* to drive home the point of obsession, my friend put up the Twilight Coven Philippines, aimed to serve all Filipino Twilight fans out there. So please drop by if you have time!!! (link also located at the sidebar)

* my brother FINALLY finished the new look of my blog…although he says it’s a work in progress, so yeah, I’m celebrating this new look with this Twilight entry. Thanks Dale for finishing this :)

An Affair with Romance

No, this is not me saying that I finally have a boyfriend (do I hear groans of disappointment? Hehe). Anyway, this is the entry I vowed that I would dedicate to all my book club buddies in high school (esp. Ten and Aei, to reminisce the days we huddle in a circle before class and talk about what Scotsmen wear) and for my suppliers in college (Trisha and Miyay). I said before that I would post it during the sembreak, but things as usual got in the way. I was also supposed to make it about the evolution of the romance genre (in hopes of sounding scholastic at least once in my blog), but again, I was sidetracked due to my mood (currently writing at the picturesque Ortigas Park). Anyway, this is just about my passion for reading, here it is…

***

I’m having an affair…with my romance novels. It has been nine years since I read my first full-fledged romance novel (the real deal, not the Love Stories type or the Sweet Valley ones that are targeted for young adults), and I haven’t stopped since. I was optimistic in high school to think that I could afford every thick book that struck my fancy—this was soon crushed by overwhelming expenses on photocopies and the wonderful invention called Booksale. Because of this, my affair was sustained up to now.

I don’t know the exact reason why the craving to read romance novels didn’t fade at all. It’s heightened fiction, which is far from the realistic demands of a soon to be economist. There is also the issue that reading too much romance can seriously impair one’s standards of what love is. It’s not because of the “lovemaking” scenes, as most of the male species would like to believe (I recall a guy classmate of mine who was always inquiring the page where it was located every time he catches me reading a book). Though I’ve read other types of books, romance novels always have been on the top of my preferred list.

I think the appeal of romance novels lasted for me because of my great admiration for written work. I prefer to sit all day curled up with a book than going out (well, most of the time). I love how the authors just express their thoughts in a poetic yet real sense, no matter what time period the story may be in. The romance genre itself stands out for me since it exercises my imagination to the highest level (ala Rufa Mae) possible. Give me parts of castles and what members of the ton wear during the Elizabethan period and I could describe them for you. Reading romance novels also expanded my vocabulary and my come-backs, especially when I tell stories to my friends or thinking of a witty thing to reply. Most of all, it gave me a lot of insight on the human experience—how would people react to circumstances given their personalities and how could it change.

I have been selective so far in my choice of romance novels, reading only works from authors that I truly trust. Of course, I get the occasional first readings from other authors or other types of romance novels but only if they are lent to me. I also prefer historical and Regency period books compared to the contemporary ones, probably since the former requires more imagination (and I prefer the hero stereotypes in these books). I think that every female has a different brand of romance story preferred; I usually recommend books to my friends based on the ultimate question: “What’s your favorite romance story in Love Actually?” Since mine’s Hugh Grant’s story, I think that about sums up the type of stories I like—powerful men becoming fools (in a cute way) when in love, haha.

I am a bit disappointed with the recent collection of romance books that are released, since most of them are not anymore included in the genres I like. It’s either they are ultra-modernized (kinda Sex and the City brand of plots), or shifting to romantic suspense (my beloved authors, Julie Garwood and Judith McNaught are doing this—why oh why!??!). Plus, there is the increase of works in the supernatural romance aspect (I even read a vampire romance once, and another one where the guy is supposedly a sexy green dragon in natural form, haha), the motive for which is a bit beyond me. It’s because of this that I started hounding Booksale for some old books, especially that of Jo Goodman and Samantha James, to take me back to the types that I’ve always loved.

So there, I have no idea when I’ll grow out of my love for romance books, I’ll probably never will. Nothing beats curling in a nook armed with a great book especially on a rainy day. Plus, it is through this love for books that I started most of my treasured friendships :D

entertain!!!

been busy again on and off...lotsa things been happening, and we just had the IE exam this morning so I think it's due time that I update my blog again since the next three weeks (after that finals na....tapos SEMBREAK!) will be full of papers to submit...

since I want this to be light (and I have no time)....just wanna share all the entertaining things that I have done...warning *SPOILER* ahead...

Prison Break.....season 2 episode 4 rocks! wentworth miller (let's call him wenty) proved that he can really act than just look shockingly good-looking on screen...sobrang napa-emote talaga ako with his voice! "It's real, Sarah...you and me...it's real..." ~swoon~ and I wasn't expecting Abruzzi to be the first man down...exciting!

Read some romance novels c/o Ten...weeee....so love Jo Goodman (although I don't see her books sold in mainstream bookstores)....anyway, may bago na kong tambayan: BOOKSALE! hehe

Watched John Tucker Must Die....I must admit, I liked the movie! No nonsense chick flick na walang pinipilit...luvit!

I almost got goosebumps by the prevalence of High School Musical connections that have been surrounding me...our SEC night video (unsubbed and subbed version...that's how manic we are) is already out and have been playing it for over 20 times...I also danced with the dance-a-long last Friday, bwehehe. Went to a kid's bday party last sunday and got bombarded with the OST (it's kinda creepy to see three yr olds dancing what we 22 yr olds were also dancing)...

un na ulit...another disjointed entry...i think im expecting things to turn out this way.

soon planned blog entries (sana by sem break):
1. inventory of asian movies and series
2. the evolution of the romance genre (for people in the HS book club and my romantic college friends :D )

*Yawn~~~~

Hay, my blog has been missing me already…haven't really devoted much time to writing a decent entry (and I doubt that this would be a decent one too), since there is too much stuff to do…I think August and September are really the busiest months of an IEP student (which already foreshadows the frequency of entries that you will be reading for the next month)…so for updates…

School matters…thesis work has been a bit depressing already…much of the adrenalin has gone in research, hence needing a boost badly…and the uncompromising teachers of our school have compounded the depression, haha. On the good side, SEC week has come and gone…and it was a blast! I’m glad to say that the Best Theses that Lulu and I organized went well…of course our High School Musical inspired performance during SEC night was GREAT…still have a hangover till today, 2 weeks afterward, of the songs (and dance moves) that we’ve mastered. September also marks a lot of requirements to be submitted – thesis critique and 1-pager (sort of like a topic proposal), international economics paper and exam, micro paper… also been doing stuff for SBEP (which is a program of the School of Economics catering to working professionals), also going to Baguio this weekend for the SBEP workshop where we will be assisting the executives… hay un lang naman…

Non-school matters…along with the demands of school, I have been as usual reading and watching a lot, hehe. My mom and I went on a Booksale trip and of course got a lot of books with great prices that I have finished in less than a week. Also borrowed Kiss an Angel and The Prize from Miyay, both of which I’ve read before but want to "recapture" again (The Prize is one of my top Julie Garwood favorites). Also watched It Started with a Kiss (Taiwanese drama that is now shown in ABS-CBN) and currently in the middle of watching Fireworks (Koreanovela) both c/o Carla…hay, what would I do without my friends who maintain my sanity? Our anime group also got together two weeks ago, got to watch some interesting anime’s again :D My brother’s birthday party was just concluded last Saturday so I’m still eating the leftovers till now, hehe

I’m planning to make a special entry showing an inventory of all the Asian goods that I’ve watched (movies and series), I’ve talked about this with Concha (my buddy when it comes to Korean and Chinese entertainment and fellow Eric&Se7en fan), but I might be able to do this towards the end of the sem for accuracy’s sake.

Prison Break is totally the IT series for me right now, haha, thanks again to my classmates who are always up to date with these matters that it’s hard for anyone to be left behind. I even had a Prison Break-inspired dream the other day (same characters, I’m one of the inmates, and the setting’s like Dungeons and Dragons instead of the usual prison), probably because of the second season finally being shown in the US (what would we people from developing countries do without Internet? Hehe)

Yun na muna…does anyone have Sweet Liar by Jude Deveraux that I can borrow? I want to read it again, hehe. Although it might take a long while for me to conjure up another entry (hopefully not as disjointed as this one), I always go online and drop by to check msgs, so feel free to put anything ;)

But wait, there’s more!

As evidenced by the timing of this post, I’ve been pretty busy these days…”busy” not exclusive to academic work of course :D My fifth year, my last year in the University, with hopefully a master’s degree at the end, started just last week…

Non-University Life

Spent the last few weeks doing all my “entertainment” stuff before becoming swamped with all the homework…watched Goong again (really one of the best Korean series I’ve watched), Which Star Are You From? (this series is the cutest I’ve seen Kim Rae Won so far…highly recommended to Eds), Prison Break (the second half of the first season, ibang klase talaga! Love you Wenty!), and of course, watched Nonstop (my favorite Korean sitcom, if you’re watching Let’s Go in ABS, watch this instead) to pass the time. Already finished all the pocketbooks I’ve borrowed from Trisha, and now trying to start reading the books Miyay lent me.

Speaking of books, Aldous is sooooo falling in love with Pride and Prejudice! Welcome to the club! Also got in touch with one of my book club buddies, Aei (as one can see in my tagboard), got to read her fics at last (the last one was five years ago)

I’m going to abandon my intention to write a post-birthday entry since it’s almost a month now, haha. Here are some pics c/o Carm to reminisce:

Just want to say that it’s the hottest birthday (as in literally, ang init) I’ve had. Also went to my goddaughter Angelica Sofia’s christening last Saturday :D unang inaanak ko ‘to! Hehe…also had a wild ride in Donna’s car en route to the reception…I swear she has this road rage beneath her calm exterior…I almost prayed in her car…

Also watched Pirates of the Caribbean with Dianne and Miyay yesterday…feeling ko ang babaw ko kahapon (or I may be desperate enough to loosen up hehe)…sobrang tawa lang ako ng tawa sa lahat ng scenes! Even the shallow ones are hilarious…as usual my love Johnny Depp lived up to my expectations…can’t wait for the third!

University Life

Dunno what’s wrong, sometimes I’m excited, sometimes I’m just plain lazy…I mean, it’s 5th year, my graduating year, but I don’t feel it…yet. For this year, going through school without seeing a familiar face (aside from my classmates of course) is already normal….haaaay, I need an energy boost, to think that I have 4 romance novels on stand-by pa, haha. We also had a team building, aka 5th year bonding session, last Saturday—intense!

In fairness, I’m loving my international economics course…because so far I’m getting everything that he teaches…yun na yun! A bit pressured due to the things I have to do (I haven’t progressed much for my DBP project and I haven’t researched much for my thesis). Still a bit pissed with my school because apparently since we started the year late, we have to makeup for it…as in EIGHT sessions per course…why don’t you just kill us?!? Haaayyyy…as Anne in Anne of Green Gables would say, this is the depths of my despair.

So there, I’m trying to recall the other stuff that occurred to me but I seem to be having a writer’s block…Thank God for letting it rain again…the notable moments are those happening under the rain (dang, I’ve been reading too much romance novels…)

Gtg, wish me luck on my thesis…aja!

Coz I’ve Been Tagged…

Okay, I have to do this tag thing by Daene so I have to reveal eight things about myself…here goes:

1. It’s my hobby to sing and memorize any Japanese, Mandarin, or Korean song that catches my fancy. At first, I got to sing anime songs in high school plainly because I listen to it countless times, but now (weirdly enough) I really go out of my way and deliberately memorize a song that I “dig”.

2. I want to try every cheese variant there is. I’m a cheese addict (which is great since the Rat is my Chinese zodiac sign); I even cut out pieces of cheese and eat them when there’s no snack in the ref. Ah, I also want to eat all the ways to cook an egg (101 yun di ba? Yung creases sa hat ng chef?)

3. I only got to eat pizza at grade 6…I know…what the hell was I thinking? Before then, I was kind of intimidated by it kasi exotic-looking siya…again, what the hell was I thinking? To think that I love Italian food now…

4. Out of all the romances I’ve read, I prefer historical romances the most…must be because I also like period movies and such…especially the regency period…

5. I’m a bit picky about flowers: out of roses, I like pink ones the most; I prefer tulips over roses, hydraengas over tulips…and of course I love cherry blossoms ;)

6. I don’t like Mentos…except the dalandan hehe…when I was young I accidentally swallowed one (so not recommended to anyone who’s bored) and I was traumatized after that, hehe.

7. I want to have rose as the motif of my wedding…as in kinda maroon at burgundy ang dating…I know, wala pa nga kong boyfriend wedding na agad, hehe.

8. I love musicales…always had this dream of watching every show at Broadway…but I make it a point to watch musicales played by older people…usually if I watch musicales done by teens or kids I get insanely jealous, hehe

Okay, done! Haven’t posted yet on my 22nd birthday bashes, a bit busy because of OJT and the DBP project, not to mention 2 korean series I currently have which are a hell of a distraction…will post soon after my DBP presentation on Friday…

What’s Up?!? Pride and Prejudice Again

Despite my supposed OJT, I’ve been hanging around my house a lot (I’m not required to report everyday at the office), basically not going out to do research if not necessary since I would have to ask for allowance (haven’t received my paycheck yet). Anyway, I’m dreading the day that I will really do the dirty side of research and go to various agencies to get my data. Until then…

From all my chatting about my Korean entertainment escapades, I finally took a breather from all Asian and unexpectedly turned back to *drum roll* Pride and Prejudice! Haha, here we go again. I’ve more or less forgot about that phase when I suddenly turned on the TV in the living room last Saturday (to think that the TV in the bedroom is broken, this is really fate), browsed the channels and stopped at TCM (Turner Classic Movies, where I also got to watch Gone with the Wind)…and voila! I saw the first adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, in black and white, starring Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy! Bwahaha, this was sooooo not intended. I expressed my desire to watch this movie during the height of my PnP obsession but I decided I was going way overboard. But well, I think it’s my destiny to cross paths with another Mr. Darcy ;)

Since this movie was made in the 1940s, one would expect again the usual old movie elements—too much romanticism, too many close ups with the leading girls looking faraway, spouting their melancholic lines. This movie was no exception. As usual, we get the passionate, biglaan kiss at the end with matching exaggerated arch of the back of the girl. But this is one old movie that I liked, might have been because I don’t have any expectations from it. The whole tone of the movie does not have the same brand of PnP unlike PnP2 (BBC; Colin Firth) and PnP3 (Knightley & McFadyen). The movie was soooo funny, it’s the only PnP that I laughed so much. I love Greer Garson as Elizabeth and even Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy. Unlike the latter two adaptations, the two protagonists are more…let’s just say active (as in magalaw)…Olivier’s Darcy is way different from the latter two Darcy’s. For one thing, he moves a lot (not the usual stoic, standoff-ish type Darcy is truly characterized as) and talks and expresses his thoughts a lot…that’s why I can’t believe why they call him a snob in the movie. Anyway, maybe it’s because of the superior tone he uses whenever he talks, but that’s it. Nevertheless, it’s an enjoyable Darcy to watch (I love the way he stands too).

Of course the movie has its inconsistencies as well, possibly also due to the trend of what is “romantic” during that time. For one thing, Catherine De Bourgh’s character had a different twist at the end and became the “ambassador of my feelings” (verbatim to ha, right out of Darcy’s mouth) of Darcy. And there was no Pemberley scene – the right-after-the-proposal-I-realize-I-love-you-and-you’re-not-a-bad-guy-will-you-take-me-back? scene! Aarrgh! That’s like one of the tension-filled moments in the book! (I think movie audiences are not big fans of tension-filled moments before) The only shot of Pemberley was inside while Darcy and Bingley are playing billiards (did billiards exist during Austen’s time?). Anyway, in fairness, the movie’s Bingley is the one I like the most out of the three adaptations.

So now I have watched all three adaptations of Pride and Prejudice (there are probably small productions of PnP but so far I’ve only heard of these three as the major ones). So here’s my verdict:

1. Best Darcy – still Matthew McFadyen (yes Colin Firth I like you too but I like his gaze more); Olivier was endearing at his best but not the accurate Darcy I know.

2. Best Elizabeth – hmm…I’m torn…tie between Knightely and Garson.

3. Best Bingley – PnP1! More handsome and not aimlessly in love!

4. Best Jane – hmmm…kahit sino, don’t care, hehe

5. Best Mr. Collins – PnP1…I think he delivered an accurate Mr. Collins, and a funny one at that.

6. Best Mrs. Bennet – kahit sino din, different yung appeal of all three adaptations.

7. Best Mr. Wickham – oh ayan, bibigay ko sa PnP2…just because he’s ugly and so annoying, hehe

8. Best Adaptation – in terms of being true to the book, it’s PnP2, in terms of entertainment value, PnP3.

Yun na muna, Ten bought the original DVD of PnP3 so I’m waiting for her reaction. It’s good that we both have weird cables (I got Pque cable while she has Las Pinas cable) so we have the same line-up of channels and got to discuss everything that’s happening at TCM.

from hiatus...randomness...

yes, im not dead yet, bwehehe, been busy lately too much going on for the past two weeks that everytime i muster up the ability to blog, my thoughts are all random and i don't know which one i should focus on...add that to finishing 1 Jude Deveraux, 4 Jo Goodman, and 2 Amanda Quick books, watching 2 koreanovelas (and another one im currently watching, and crying and lamenting on WHY Chris Daughtry got voted off American Idol...throw in my OJT, driving lessons, and summer classes... there you go, a hectic 2 weeks... so i won't attempt to be cohesive right now in my entry, i'll just throw in whatever comes to mind at the moment

Speaking of Korean...
waaahhh...i just watched probably one of the best Korean series that i've watched thanks to Ica...it's Goong (The Palace)...contemporary setting, where the leading guy is the modern-day prince (and a sexy one at that!) and the leading gal is a commoner (yeah, lucky bitch)...what i liked about this series is that both of the protagonists are teenagers, wc is not im used to...so kinda upbeat siya (although may mga political chuva din)...haaayy...can't go on...the guy is sooo sexy, tapos two years older lang siya sa kin, bwahaha...and i LOVE the soundtrack (im very partial to soundtracks talaga, especially in korean series, so far, Perhaps Love by Howl and J in this series is the best and most apt i've heard)...hay, sobrang kinilig talaga ako, can't beat a prince who masks his hurt because he doesn't know how to act that he cares...awwww...

MTV Asia Awards for this year is soooo cool...even cooler than last year's, since we finally have Rivermaya to represent the Philippines (no one from the country performed last year, although i was happy to see Boa and Sun Yan Zi onstage)...and throw in my favorite R&B guy Se7en (my obsession is explained in the sidebar)!!!! *drool* haaay, sobrang kilig! kinda apprehensive when i heard Kang Ta is performing with Vannes Wu (im not a big Kang Ta fan, but i like H.O.T. as a group before it got disbanded), but dang, their performance rocks! no one upstaged the other! cool dance moves!

School life...
as most know, im already in my OJT...at last! it's kind of funny to think that i landed an ojt which is not in my list, oh well at least nakapag-practice ako ng interview skills ko in 3 companies....ayun lang, don't wanna elaborate on my bank life, at least project-based so i don't have to report everyday in the office...Makati is great minus the pollution and the noise, and my building is the Stock Exchange building so nagfeefeeling ako palagi, bwehehe

also started my summer class last week, shet, ang konti talaga, sobrang subdued na kami, although comfortable naman...di ako pumasok kahapon (due to the weather bwehehe...) hay, tamad

Speaking of the weather...
grabe bagyo bigla...i really welcome the coldness and the wind...sayang ung mga may planong magbeach, naudlot na...grabe ang lamig...mahilig din ako sa ulan (yes di naman ako magdradrama)...if you're so immersed with chick-lit and romance fiction, one would definitely know that the "moments" happen under the rain... yoko pang maligo

Ok! un na muna, also hung out with my college friends last wednesday to "catch up" hehe, but we all have to go early because of things to do the next day...yeah, we're being mature, knowing our responsbilities...yuck... it seems that im going to continue this hectic schedule till July (grabe may yearbook pa pala akong gagawin)...oh well...ja ne!

memory lane...

(made last Friday, April 7)

Back at Starbucks again…killing time before I have to do yearbook matters…

Last Monday marked the end of my senior year (to think that it’s enrollment the day after, it goes to show how late our school is in complying with requirements), as soon as I handed over my Econometrics and SocEco papers, I was disappointed to not experience a sense of nostalgia…probably because I’m still thinking I’ll be back next school year for my master’s degree…

So technically it’s hard for me lately to reminisce a whole lot about memories…except for the time when I got to watch a few Nonstop episodes that Carla willingly downloaded for me…that series made me think of the dorm life that I wished that I have experienced, as in dorm life ala US or Europe, where there are a lot of student dorms with the college in its very center. Sadly, there’s no such thing here…It also reminded me of the days when my college barkada always meet up and talk about what happened in the series.

I was looking for some bursts of inspiration that will trigger my memories (in order to make a decent post, hehe)…then I woke up two days ago and turned on the TV…voila! There is my burst of inspiration!

The Anne Experience

Movie Plus channel is showing Anne of Avonlea! For those who do not know, Anne of Avonlea is an adaptation of the successful Anne of Green Gables series penned by Lucy Maud Montgomery. What I saw was the movie sequel (there was also Anne of Green Gables the movie made by the same company). I admittedly am a BIG Anne fan…I have the whole eight books to prove it, hehe. Now this triggered memories, although this unexpectedly made me reflect on my grade school and high school days, hehe.

This series was memorable to me because it was because of this that I met my bestfriend, Kristen (haha ten, I know you’re not an internet person so asa pa ko makita mo to!). We were classmates in grade 7 (first time I had her for a classmate), then in true Mabelle fashion, I was on a corner reading my thick Little Women Apple classic…then she approached me (out of nowhere I might add…) and started chatting with me about the book. She looked at the back of the book (where there is a list of other Apple classics with the corresponding prices), and saw Anne of Green Gables. She recommended it to me and told me that it is a great book (if you think I’m a bookworm, wait till you meet her). I followed her advice, bought the book (which obviously I love, and bought the whole series hehe) and the friendship also followed :D We both got to watch the two Anne movies through Seaneen (uso pa VHS nun) when we were in high school. We even unintentionally formed a book club out of the girls in our section (pilot class kami all throughout high school), talking (mostly) about romance novels, haha.

Grade…High…College

When I was young, I remembered praying in the church (I barely reached the pew while I was kneeling) that I would grow up fast because I think college people are so cool… well, look at me now! Haha, this is evidence that perceptions may deceive people to thinking it’s the absolute reality. I got to be with my highschool barkada last week and we barely changed (I think the most overhaul that I and Kristen had was that we brush our hair more often, hehe). Same hirits, same brand of humor, same people who bag boys (in other words, Ten and I are still the ones lacking love lives), and I’m still attracted to Tamahome-looking men (my dose of anime and asianovelas haven’t subsided for nine years!). Despite my UP friends who address me bakla all the time (gay lingo talaga), it’s still the same camaraderie.

Of course there are still a few changes…we have grown (I would like to think we are more mature now) a lot, I think. Ten and I used to joke a lot about how I’m more cynical about love and she was the hopeless romantic in high school but it reversed in college (um, I don’t think so, I’m still cynical but she’s more cynical, hehe). I now drink a lot (which for me is not bad, haha), we are now more conscious of how we dress (dammit, even I’m contemplating on wearing skirts on a mall day), my friend already has a daughter, and Ten and Donnabelle are off to UP-PGH for their medical profession (Ten was so ecstatic about this, I really felt it when she called me). So if we define coolness in this matter, then I guess I got my wish.

So now I’m longing to go back to CSA…looking at our enormous field (I hope the trees are still there), where we once made impromptu MTVs with our backs on the bark of the trees, the midnight society’s (group of people who are always late in getting fetched from school, to which I am part of) flag pole, where one of the members made a spontaneous dance with the pole (I won’t go into details…), and our super long canteen (do you know that we have the longest canteen in SEA? I forgot who told me. So imagine my mortification when I saw UA&P’s caf, hehe), where we have our countless “discussions”… hmmm…

Another Pride and Prejudice entry

Warning: If you don’t give a zit about my rantings about Pride and Prejudice, do yourself a favor and don’t read on ;)

What, no end-of-senior-year entry? This might take a while…still haven’t finished my last paper (it took me four hours to do my Econometrics, a.k.a. 2^nd to the last, paper…so proud of myself :D)…anyway, this is yet to be another Pride and Prejudice entry…

I AM obsessed with it…can’t you tell? It’s the most widely read classic in the English language (or so they tell me)…anyway, despite the absence of my last paper, I was able to watch the 1995 BBC series version of Pride and Prejudice, with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle…now I can do comparisons!

I was figuratively tearing my hair apart looking for this version, then voila, my school library has a freaking copy (though I had no idea why they do, our Lit classes don’t require it that’s for sure)! Anyway, now I have a chance to watch the version that catapulted Colin Firth to stardom. For brevity’s sake, let’s label the Colin Firth version as PnP1 and the Keira Knightley (movie) version as PnP2.

I had high expectations for the series, and I think I would have appreciated it more if I had watched it first before PnP2. Possibly the main difference is that PnP1 was made for television while the other is for the big screen. There is really something wrong with PnP1 at first glance, and it took me 15 minutes to know why…they are not wearing makeup! Haha, at least it really brought a sense of realism to the version, and there were no annoying facial features (pimples, etc.) although they look so pale hehe.

What I like most about it is that it stays more true to the book compared to PnP2…although there’s this lake scene where Colin Firth dives down on the lake, gets wet (of course), then was surprised upon seeing Elizabeth on his grounds while he is dripping…I don’t think there’s such scene in the book, but entertaining nonetheless…the awkwardness was classic. There was no rain in the picturesque ruin and meeting at dawn confession unlike in PnP2 (the proposal scene actually happened indoors and the final confession of love happened while they were walking, which is really what happened).

On to the actors…though I’m not a big fan, I really like Colin Firth’s work. Even though he is not much of a looker, he grows on you (quoted from Kristen)…watch him in What a Girl Wants, Love Actually, and Bridget Jones’ Diary and you’ll know what I mean. Colin Firth definitely does not look like the Mr. Darcy I imagined, but once again, in true Firth fashion, he grows on you. Compare: Colin Firth (CF) vs. Matthew McFadyen (MM)…CF is more accurate in portraying the Darcy I knew (yes, close na kami!), more stoic and proud (hence the title) than MF’s Darcy. He is more disturbing (yes, I like men who disturb me, haha) and mysterious than MF. He is also more self-assured, harder than MF. That’s why the struggle within (how he is in love with Lizzie but does not want to conceal it) the character of Darcy is also a mystery and more gratifying when the revelation happens. This doesn’t mean that I don’t like MM’s Darcy. MM is more passionate I think (the eyes speak volumes, I swear) and endearing…although the major fault is that his Darcy looks more of a misunderstood being (that it’s just his misfortune that he is perceived as proud, etc.) and that it is Lizzie’s fault that she is too prejudiced (hence the title again). Though he is indeed misunderstood because of the whole Wickham issue, Darcy’s faults are more amplified in CF’s version (ang suplado niya dito grabe), which I think is more appropriate. But I think MM looks better in breeches compared to CF, haha. I think the contrast is evident in the 1^st proposal scene…in my opinion, MF’s proposal is very touching and flattering, very poetic (of course with the matching rain and drenched hair, how can you go wrong?), almost pleading to be loved in return. It’s obvious that he loves Lizzie and he cannot deny the fact anymore. With CF’s proposal, in the confines of Collins’ house, you could really feel the insult implied in the proposal. The proposal was more direct, no BS. It really feels like it pains him to even admit that he is in love. Now I don’t know which I like better, hehe.

On to Elizabeth Bennet… I admit I prefer Keira (KK) to Jennifer (JE), the only objection I have to Keira is that she’s too pretty (which she isn’t supposed to be in the book, though she must not be ugly of course). With KK, I feel more of the spunk implied in Elizabeth’s character. I like JE in the sense that she projects a more demure Elizabeth but her words show the strength of character in Elizabeth, but she reminds me of Meryl Streep, hehe. And JE is ummm, well-endowed (if you know what I mean), which again for me is a bit disturbing.

The Jane in PnP1 is not pretty at all in my opinion, PnP2’s Jane is definitely pretty. The former is very masculine in her features with blonde hair (I even feel like she’s in drag, damn I’m so mean). I like PnP1’s Bingley better than PnP2’s…he’s better-looking, same wide-eyed innocence (quoted from Miyay), but more likeable. I prefer Judi Dench’s Catherine de Bourgh than PnP1’s…she’s more aristocratic I think. With Wickham’s character, I tell you, you’ll be more pissed with the Wickham in PnP1 than Legolas-in-soldier’s-uniform Wickham in the movie (possibly because Wickham in PnP2 has less screen time, but look at Wickham in PnP1 and you’ll know what I mean).

Damn, this is a long entry (I’m typing this in Starbucks so sue me)…I like the cinematography in PnP2, showcases more of the beautiful landscape (though PnP1 also is good in this regard). The Pemberley in PnP2 is based from the same Pemberley in PnP1…I really love it…makes me want to have a lake in my own backyard.

Both versions still have the same appeal—the hate, the attraction, the awkwardness, the longing, the holding-back, the reservations, the fleeting but intense moments—buy me a copy of the BBC version and I’ll love you even more ;) Or better yet, I have another goal: look for Laurence Olivier’s PnP version (black and white pa to!)…better start looking for it… I’ve been scouring TCM (Turner’s Classic Movies) channel for it, but all I see are nice Greta Garbo flicks (same channel where I got to watch Gone with the Wind)…hehe let’s see…

***

Yuck pahabol pa: Congrats to my best friend Kristen, Magna Cum Laude in UP Manila! Lupeeettt!

the long weekend...

...the extended weekend did not help me relax as i hoped...but it's a good buffer after my week of hell last week...

saturday: went to Digiprint to assess it as a possible photographer/publisher of the yearbook...sobrang fun at nakakapagod....we're supposed to be back at skul by 5 but we left the place at 8pm! ang daming test shots! ang dami kong libreng pictures! haha, full details na lang pag nakuha ko na ung soft copy para naman mas may sense ung mga pinagsasabi ko..

sunday: finished harry potter 6! spent the afternoon of yesterday and today discussing the book wid my friends! sayang di ko mabasa ulit since hiram lang ung book ko (my own copy will be shipped soon c/o my forever hp supplier aunt)...inaaway nila ako dahil hindi ako umiyak! well kasi naman alam ko na beforehand ung mamamatay at kung cno pumatay...pero close to tears naman din ako at some points...hay, pramis i'll try to make my comprehensive perspective on hp6 soon....

monday: did our resem outline for bwap...*antok* then finally able to watch lovely rivals and jenny juno (korean movies na tagal ko nang hindi nababalik)....naiyak ako sa lovely rivals...fulfilling talagang maging teacher in her case...

today: only had two subjects pero pagod na rin...gonna get ready for tom (hafta write two papers for different subjects with different groups), at saka magchecheck pa ko ng mga matheco quizzes...

rants + stuff...

disjointed day...so tired....eating lotsa dragon sid ( self-confessed squash seed addict) right now....

morning started with an unusual traffic (yes, i know that there's always traffic at edsa but not usually dat time) in edsa on my way to my micro test...hafta reroute to c5 (trust c5 to be a haven for dragracers...)...buti na lang un din ang kapalaran ng teacher namin so na-delay ang test for 30 mins...

micro test was another hell, i didn't finish it, partly my fault...i think im sinking down to the "i don't care anymore" mode since the test was supposed to happen last week....

writing workshop that Ice and I organized went well, even i myself learned a lot despite 4 years of intense essay writing...went to UNIV Congress mtg right after, wid Daene harping on how she already envisions us going to Rome...my sister went to Rome (part of the Phil delegation) at UNIV 2004 so kinda skeptical ako about spending so much money for the same trip

went to my grandma's place in Makati, nagpa-hot oil pa ko sa pilit ng nanay ko...instant ayos ang hair ko for the night, hehe

harry potter 6 launch today! tapos na nga ung frend kong magbasa! hay, buti na lang next year ko pa makukuha ung copy ko (my aunt in the states buys for me) wala akong excuse to slack off (unfortunately din)

because of my committments, i've been neglecting a lot of things: 1. haven't watched Marathon (Jo Seung woo), which is a bday gift fr Ris (I always watch my asian acquisitions the moment i get them) 2. haven't even gotten to chapter 2 of East of Eden (the book that I've been expecting for half a year!) 3. finally got used to the fact that there's no way that i can attend regularly my violin lessons...:(

dami ko na namang reklamo, sisihin na lang ang teenage (shet, di na pala ako teenager) angst...and I heard MYMP's Tell Me Where It Hurts yesterday 5 times!....is this a sign?...just who the hell am I hurting huh?!?!

alpha and omega

the past week is a showcase of beginnings and an ending (hehe isa lang) in my life (naks, drama ba?)...

Endings
My sister graduated last Saturday with a Master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications...although graduation is still two years away from where I am, kinda emotional ako dat day...i think im preempting what would happen in the future...parang ang hirap din mag-let go, i've strucked friendships with the most diverse set of people i've encountered and kinda afraid that it might change...well, that day will come...

Beginnings
Class started last Tuesday, as usual tamad, and i have the same Micro teacher as before...no comment na lang, hehe. Also had my first day this morning with Dr. Terosa...whoa, the stories are really true...disciplinarian nga talaga sha...pero if u keep still for 1.5 hrs (naresurrect ko ang ACP skills ko) and really pay attention, i think u'll survive him...and i feel more motivated to excel/prove myself in his class...hay, we'll see...one thing's for sure, i might not get scoliosis in the near future...

Also was my youngest cousin (father's side) Jana's 3rd birthday...hay, kulit lang...reminiscing the days when u have no care of the world, or what people might think of you, and just play, get injured, then play again... here are a few pics of her in her bibbo-est (all of these performing on top of my uncle's dining table)....


My other impacted tooth (right lower mouth) is starting to hurt now...got the impacted tooth (left lower mouth) operated and extracted last year...now im waiting for the right time to have the other one operated on...damn, im really not gifted in the dental area...

My birthday is less than a week away...also found out there's a new shipment of East of Eden last week at Powerbuks... ayan may gift na ko from my parents, hehe. i'm gonna treat my college friends this saturday before going to fete...alanganin nga ako since advanced libre sha, pero ang hirap magayos ng sked ng lahat at timing ko na lang din sa fete para may excuse talaga ako to go out, hehe

kingdom of dreams

Went out to the mall due to the unbearable heat yesterday…got to pig-out wid dale then watch Kingdom of Heaven…actually the movie’s okay, although I believe it’s too long for its own good. I think the director got carried away and can’t bear to delete a few scenes. Anyway, it’s heavy on the dialogue so if one doesn’t have a clear background on the situation of the times or doesn’t listen the whole way he could get confused. Nonetheless, the plot itself is interesting and different…I think Orlando Bloom is already being typecasted to be an adventure/action hero because of Lord of the Rings…if I’m not mistaken all of his movies are already like that (Black Hawk, Troy, Pirates,…)…I hope he expands his genre soonsss

Got to watch Laws of Attraction twice (yesterday and this afternoon)…I really prefer romantic comedies with the couple already in their 30s (unlike the teeny bopper ones)… sadly they don’t make much of them right now…

Had another weird dream…somehow I get really affected if the dreams address issues that I don’t even consider awake…like, ahem, my non-existent love-life…I don’t know if my subconscious is telling me that I should’ve paid attention to this matter (which in reality I don’t give a heck)…or if certain characters appear and have major roles in my dreams (which in reality the people not even close to me)…is that a sign that I should’ve paid more attention now? I don’t even know if anyone understands what I’m saying…anyhow, it’s my dilemma

Kingdom of Dreams (which is the title of this post) is a romance novel by Judith McNaught which I read in 2nd yr HS (I think)…good book, and very interesting since it shows the origin (1st duke of Claymore) of the hero in Whitney, My Love (13th duke of Claymore)…so if anyone reads this book, make sure u also read Whitney, My Love (the one with the extended ending) to really appreciate it…