Christmas Wishlist 2014 (aka trying-not-to-make-it-a-book-list)

Since my body has a pretty weird, abusing disposition, right after I've recovered from my recent bout of body-giving-up-over-stress episode,  I went straight back to doing some more work and do this Christmas wishlist at 4 am in the morning! (Whoo straight from the NOEL bazaar vibes)

And despite my unnerving and traumatizing experience of people intentionally (or not) giving me gifts not found on my wishlist despite having one during class exchange gifts, I'm still here, let's say, just for the kicks, haha.

And swear, I'm trying not to make this a book list! (Let's see if I'm still adamant at the end of the list!)

1. BOOKS!!
Haha just to get rid of it and to compile it in one number, I generalized it and saved myself from further mocking of people (and professors) calling me a bookworm (I'd rather be called well-read, thank you very much)

-Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
     The latest from my hugot brotha, Murakami :)
-Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Saenz
      Been meaning to read it but I haven't had the chance to buy it since it's always out-of-stock in Fullybooked! :(
-Last Winter We Parted by Fuminori Nakamura
      I rarely go deep down into mystery novels, but I just have a feeling that I have to read this. :)

2. Chris Pine, Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston? Well we can skip right next to the third one, really.

3. I am Other Hoodie series from Uniqlo <3

coz nothing beats my love for Uniqlo sweats, ha.

Both are priced at 1, 490

4. THE Daykeeper Datebook 2015

Photo credits: @krissyfied 

I just know my usual coffee shop planners are not gonna be effective for the dread and excitement of my 2015!  (With the remaining EB term in AIESEC and my upcoming law school shiz and dramas) Plus this planner gives off a mature and really encouraging aura (aka 'courage, dear heart') and it's blue! :)

Daykeeper Datebook 2015 can be bought online through: https://www.facebook.com/thedaykeeperdatebook or thedaykeeperdatebook@gmail.com

5. Bastille or The Script concert tickets!! or One Ok Rock if that will ever happen

But yeah, I'm pretty good with Ed Sheeran, but I wouldn't say no for these artists :)

6. Marks and Spencer's Extremely Chocolatey Milk Chocolate Rounds and Swiss Bubbly Milk! <3

There's more to me getting fat every year than just stress :) It's the chocolates, really :D



7. Pahabol books!

Dirty Pretty Things is now out! Yaaay, so excited to see the height of Michael Faudet's sensibility :) Not to mention that I haven't had the time to buy Lullabies yet (to think that my favorite Lang Leav poem, Tell Me is there! :'( ) My eternal love for this couple :>



And that, probably is all! I'm pretty simple once all the book titles I want are really hidden in one short note. (Plus, I haven't really included EVERY title that I want so haha) and the Christmas blessings I'm actually pinning on right now are not particularly material (LAE results + Winter Peak Matches).

Still, my system is far from feeling the Christmas vibes, but an advance Merry Christmas greetings to you guys! <3

After Dark Cover Appreciation Post

No, this is not a book review :D

Rather than posting selfies and pictures of the view of the resort I went to last Thursday, I'll just post some pictures of the book that accompanied me and my peaceful-for-god-sake-no-work afternoon in Aquaria Resort, Calatagan, Batangas. So, here are some of the pictures :D

Well just to be fair, I'll post some pictures of the view as well!

And some starfish as well <3

I thought I would be wishing for this day not to end and to let me stay in that place forever, but at the end of the day I'm still itching to go home and do some stuff because my guilty conscience cannot take it haha. Well, at least I got a break :)

Figure skating with love

Michael Christian Martinez, the lone Filipino Olympian in Sochi

Unbeknownst to many, I actually have a very strong fascination when it comes to winter sports, (anything with ice really, *ehem*jackfrost*ehem*) but most especially when it comes to figure skating. It started when I watched Speck's movie, Blades of Glory staring Will Ferrell and Jon Heder back in 2007. After watching that movie, I started googling figure skating competitions and performances and ultimately fell in love with the sport (and the many figure skaters..Takahashi *ehem* totally my first crush haha!)

But due to college (as always), I have mostly forgotten about the sport because I couldn't afford to distract myself further (aside from keeping up with my current favorite, Yuzu's performances). Only for it to be revived again (and ruin my sleeping habits further) when it was announced last year that a Filipino figure skater was able to qualify to the Sochi Olympics! Imagine that! My excitement for Sochi intensified because not only will I see my favorite in the rink amongst all the veterans but a Filipino will be competing as well! (Can you imagine the immensity of that? He is the very first in the Philippines and the only in Southeast Asia!) For the first time, the Philippine flag will be represented in the Winter Olympics by a figure skater, 17 years of age from paranaque city (whom some people may have passed in the rink while skating leisurely. I wonder if I did? Noooo I skated like hahaha 2 times? So no.)

And alas, after 2 weeks of no sleep due to Sochi and empty stares in the hallways and random outburst of fluffy feelings and sudden cringing and dreams filled with dream interviews, an opportunity to see Martinez live was presented! And of course being the person who values experiences like this, I rushed to the Mall of Asia today for a chance to see him perform live!

The crowd. I was sort of expecting it.

my heart went "badump-badump" like WTH dude

I'm feeling resentful for my 50mm lens

He's got a seriously nice form, sponsors where art thou, let this bud blossom. Help him.

He seriously like this

<3

With or without the music (or a medal), kiddo, you gave me such a wonderful memory :)

I did not stay for the meet and greet anymore (my overflowing pride and joy for him will surely be conveyed by other people there and do I really need to do that? Hahaha no. I'm just a little regretful that I forgot to bring a flower to throw in the rink after the performance :( Dude, Dangwa is just a few streets away from my house -__-) But nonetheless, seeing him live just made my burning desire to watch the 2018 Winter Olympics live became stronger! Imagine that, peak of Martinez and Hanyu! Man, I could hardly wait!

See? This is why I don't like talking about figure skating and football, I can never be organized and formal while talking about these topics. HAHA.

See that? I was goofy like that for about an hour suddenly bursting out laughing my mom almost left me alone in shame.

Lang Leav in Manila: Day 1

Please check Fullybooked's website for more details

The experience of seeing someone I inexplicably and addictively adore will always and unfailingly give a blissful rush to my system..it sort of feels like falling in love for the first time all over again. Only, right now, I’m not taking about a guy I have a crush on, today, I YOLO-ed everything and skipped class (don’t be mad) just to see my current inspiration, Lang Leav.

Fullybooked and Ateneo organized an artist talk and book signing event with Ms. Lang, the author of the book everybody has been crazy about, Love & Misadventure.

I have been a fan of Lang Leav since her early days on Tumblr, and when I learned that she will be publishing a collection of her poems, I was beyond ecstatic that I made special orders on Fullybooked and urged them (among many others) to cater the books and bring it in the Philippines.

The opportunity to actually be up close and personal with the person whose works have been filling up a certain folder in my laptop and whose works have been giving me the push I need whenever I feel demotivated is truly a once in a lifetime chance that I just have to grab the opportunity or just sulk about it for weeks.

Another thing that made this day extra-mega-super special is the fact that I spent the day with my best friend whom I haven’t seen in such a long time. Nii and I barely have things in common, she’s the creative writer, I’m the ‘serious’ writer (journalism student), we prefer different book and movie genres, we prefer different couples and opinions about some stories, we don’t even get eating synchronized (I eat dessert first) but nonetheless we understood each other very well. One of the rare things that we have in common is our love for this poet. We were in so much awe when we met Ms. Lang. She was so beautiful (and sexy haha), she had that sweet smile that would literally force you to smile back (because it is REALLY sweet) plus we love her sort of nervousness during the talk, it makes her feel like she is truly one of us, that she indeed can feel the emotions we feel. That’s why we can really relate and fall in love with her poems. 

I looked so stressed but happy!

I had my book signed and I gave her my bookmark, one of my shots using film camera and wrote a little dedication for her on the back, “When my words are not enough, you supply the way to heal my heart. Thanks for being my inspiration!” plus I asked her to write a note on the page of my 2^nd most favorite poem of her, 'All or Nothing', (my most favorite is 'Tell Me' which wasn’t included in the book) and she wrote: “Remember, you are beautiful <3 –Lang Leav”, which is extremely sweet.

she loved my book cover! :">

<3

Now I feel loved. HAHA!

I learned so much from her and about her that I will definitely include this day on my memory jar! :D

I have this bracelet with a quote on its pendant that says, “Fortune favors the brave” and I believe that Lang Leav expressing herself to the world and sharing her works to be an inspiration to many really deserves to be recognized. It may not be as critically acclaimed as other works, but it certainly relates to the people, which is by the way, the very essence of writing, right? <3

CHRISTMAS WISHLIST! (aka Book List! :D)

Here's a glimpse of what I would want to receive for Christmas (I know, I know), aside for my one eternal wish to send all the school works to oblivion right now.

1. The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales (Been dying to have that specific book ed on my shelf huhu)

2. The Soul of Rumi by Coleman Barks

3. At Night We Walk In Circles by Daniel Alarcon (Although we don't have this yet in the country :'( )

4. Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav

5. The Lost Language of Cranes by David Leavitt

6. The Picture of Dorian Gray (This specific book ed and the rest of the classics with this kind of cover huhu fullybooked you're making me sad, moolah)

7. Clockwork Prince Graphic Novel

8. The new Scholastics book cover of the Harry Potter series

9. If There Be Thorns ans Seeds of Yesterday by V.C. Andrews

10. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

#HecticThursday

I promised myself never to post a Throwback Thursday just because I'm stubborn like that. :D So here's my #HecticThursday!

I was minutes from falling asleep but my twisted body clock just wouldn't let me sleep so I'll just record this exhausting yet wonderful day here instead! :)

First task - Go to National Book Store Warehouse Sale

My Thursday free day was such a blessing that Andy and I were able to go on the opening day unlike last year. I was pretty tight on budget right now (I blame you, photojourn) but was able to hoard some pretty awesome books nonetheless! Unlike last year's haul of almost 25 books (some I gave to my friends as a gift) I was only able to buy 5 books this year. 4 of which I have been absolutely dying for!  I was so ecstatic earlier I couldn't help but grin!

Here are my buys: Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Prisoner of Heaven (75), Jessica Hagedorn's Toxicology (150), Helen Ferris' Favorite Poems: Old and New (100), Graham Moore's The Sherlockian (75), and THE Junot Diaz's The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (75)

Second Task - Interview

I had to cut my book hoarding short because I have to go back to school for my interview for my first article for Tomasino Web. Needless to say, the thrill and enjoyment still lingers whenever I'm doing journalistic stuff and I'm going to hold on to that feeling as I strive to become a better writer (hurrah for the random thought).

Third Task - AIESEC Thursday

Honestly speaking, I wasn't planning to attend but the interview went well and ended early thus leaving me enough time before my dinner with my High School friends so I dropped by the fourth floor of Tan Yan Kee and updated myself with what needs to be updated (READ: Little work and lots of chit chats).

Grabbed from Bernadette Aquino's Facebook account

Fourth Task - Dinner date with my lovely High School friends!

I'm obviously broke and tired and I literally have a bunch of things with 'deadlines' attached to it one way or another but these damn lovely people just have to squeeze in my life somehow! :)

pardon our derp faces | (c) JP Policarpio

Fifth Task - Transcribing, homework, article, and org work

Which, obviously, I haven't even started yet. Thus I leave. Goodnight guys! <3

An In-depth City View: Manila After Dark -- Manila Noir Book Review

Manila Noir Cover by Anvil Publishing

I have been living in Manila for three years already now. In a modest two-floor bungalow house near the University of Santo Tomas with my parents and older brother with a monthly rent of fifteen thousand pesos. It was not entirely a new setting for me, spending time in Manila, I mean, during my High School days back in Bulacan, wherein transportation to Manila was so easy (much easier than here in the city itself, I must say) we used to lurk in the malls around Quezon City and as far as Pasay, Greenhills and Divisoria. But when we finally settled in the city for good, that was when I realized that there were so much more to the city than the posh malls, traffic, pollution, and the informal settlers we see.

With my course being Journalism, I easily got used to commute around Manila (something I was not used to) to cover events and meet people for interviews. Soon, the number of places I am familiar with expanded. Starting from the University parameter, to Recto, Quiapo, Cubao, Santa Cruz, Vito Cruz, Mandaluyong, Pasay, the Fort, Binondo, and take it as far as Pasig and Muntinlupa.

When I learned about the Manila Noir, I was so excited and curious about it. There was also this pride I felt having a Noir book dedicated to the city. As much as I would love to have my hands on that books first hand, school had been pretty bitchy for me and money was so hard to save given that there were just so many things to pay for and places to go to. It was only during my cover for this year's Manila International Book Fair in SMX that I was finally able to grab a copy of the book.

A new perception of the city whooshed into my system as I read the stories one after the other. The short stories in this book written by our very own authors (some I've long since admired and some I've recently just heard of) proved that we, Filipinos, can write in the same manner that other internationally famous authors can and that we can stand side by side these people and be proud of our country. Their Noir stories opened an entirely new image of Manila for me. The Manila after dark, Manila away from the Malls and Universities I was used to. Each stories revealed a part of the Manila as a place and the Manilenos and how they live their lives.

It was evident in the stories that the theme, romance, will never leave us, Filipinos, that even in mystery/ crime stories there will always be the thread of romance entangled in it. I personally like R. Zamora Linmark's Carino Brutal and Jessica Hagedorn's Old Money. They may not be the most 'romantic' in the collection of stories, but talking about love, they exposed a different kind of love (by that, I don't mean homosexual). It's the love that people usually forgot in times when they are in a relationship only to remember it again in that moment when they've lost everything and felt empty that they realized that above all; they always love their selves first.

The stories also gave us a larger picture of the social strata that we always heard of but never fully felt the situation ourselves. With Lysley Tenorio's Aviary where it was set in the vicinity of a posh mall in the city that forbids poor and suspicious people from entering said mall. It also revealed the Filipinos love for superstitions, revenge, and drugs.

Reading the book was such an experience for me that I know I will never be able to look at the city with my dreamy, empty eyes that wasn't really looking at the city properly. With every corner, streets, and avenues I will pass by, I know that there is a lurking story that is just waiting to be told.