From the monthly archives: February 2009
Today’s Booking Through Thursday (done on a Friday :P) is all about Collectibles. :D
- Hardcover? Or paperback?
- Illustrations? Or just text?
- First editions? Or you don’t care?
- Signed by the author? Or not?
One of my “dream collections” is to have a vast collection of books. Kind of like a library or a bookstore, which is why I dream of having my own library in my dream home, or owning my own bookstore (nothing like earning from something you love, right? :P And no need to invest on Anoretix!). But those dreams are still in the works, so while my room is still a mess with all my books…that will wait. Haha.
Anyway, I’ve mentioned a couple of times before that I love paperbacks. Hardbound books never really had its appeal to me, and I only buy them whenever it’s the only copy left, or when I couldn’t wait for the paperback version to arrive (usually I can wait, though, except for the case of Harry Potter 7, Eclipse and Love, Stargirl). I just find hardbound books so hard to carry, plus I get all paranoid about their dust jackets. Paperbacks are the way to go for me, and I’m always careful with my books, so it’s not really a problem for me.
I don’t really mind about illustrations, or what edition or publisher the book is (although having the same editions/publishers for a series of books would look really pretty in a shelf, haha!) either. I hardly get my books signed because all the authors I love don’t really go here, but owning signed copies are nice (the last signed book I got is from Camy Tang), but it’s not such a big deal. Basically, the only thing I look at my book collection is if it’s paperback. I don’t event care if it’s Trade or Mass Market (what is the difference, anyway?) — as long as the story’s inside, that’s really fine with me. :)
Rating: 
Senior biologist Trish Sakai is ready for a change from her wild, flirtatious behavior. So Trish creates three simple rules from First and Second Corinthians and plans to follow them to the letter. No more looking at men as possible dates, especially non-Christians. Second, tell others about Christ. And third, she will persevere in hardship by relying on God. And just to make sure she behaves, she enlists the help of her three cousins — Lex, Venus and Jennifer — the only Christians in their large extended family.
But Trish’s dangerously tempting ex-boyfriend, Kazuo the artist, keeps popping up at all the wrong moments, and her grandmother, who has her eye on his family money, keeps trying to push the two of them back together again. Then there’s Spenser, the hunky colleague at work who keeps turning Trish’s thoughts in the wrong direction.
It just isn’t fair! She’s trying to hard, but instead of being God’s virtuous woman, she’s going nuts trying to stand firm against two hunky guys. Trish thought following her three rules would be a cinch, but suddenly those simple rules don’t seem so simple at all.
So I finally got my hands onto this book — much thanks to Camy for her e-group contest and the free books! This book is signed too, so I’m definitely keeping this.
Anyway, so I read the Sushi series out of the original order, and it really doesn’t matter, except if you don’t want to know what happened to Trish at the end of this book. Nevertheless, reading Single Sashimi first didn’t spoil me of the details in this book, so it was still a fun read.
If Lex is kind of boyish and Venus stays away from boys, Trish…well, she embraces them. She’s the flirtiest among all the cousins, and it came to a point that she let her cousins down because she chose a guy over them (that was foreshadowed in Sushi for One?). This time, though, she’s determined to turn over a new leaf by making three rules based on the book of Corinthians. She can do this, right?
If only life were so easy, then maybe everyone could make up a set of rules in their life and avoid sin at all times. But life isn’t like that, and Trish had to learn it the hard way. From a roommate who gets her kicked out of her place to finding a new place that is basically a dump (with mutant mold and discount sinks) to her ex-boyfriend wooing her again to her hunky colleague and to churchmates who couldn’t understand the way she worships (and there’s more, actually), this book is such a fun read, just like the two other books in the Sushi series. There was never a dull moment, and the faith issues were realistic and tackled head on.
The ending was quite surprising (but of course, since I’m already spoiled, it wasn’t that surprising, but I bet other people would think it is surprising for Christian fiction), but it presents a reality of life, where we have to face the consequences of our actions and be responsible for it. It’s something all Christians — be it a new one or one who has been a Christian all his/her life — should remember.
Oh, and to actually get how the ending happened, you’d have to pay attention to the smaller details in the book. I was kind of surprised when it was sprung on to Trish, but reading the past pages showed that Camy left enough clues about it. :P
So far, out of the entire series, my favorite female character is still Venus, but my favorite male character is Spenser, hands down. He’s second to Kevin Novak from the Ashley Stockingdale series. :D
I’m kind of sad that the Sushi Series is over (save for the novella about Jenn which is exclusive for Camy’s e-group — so join now!), but I can’t wait to read the other things that Camy will write! I’m sure they’d just be as awesome. :D
Rating: 
Following a disastrous night out that began with steaks and martinis and ended in hospital, Julie Jenson decides that she and her four single friends, Georgia, Alice, Serena and Ruby, are doing something wrong. Between them, there’s more dysfunction and disappointment than she can handle.
So Julie quits her job and sets off to discover how women around the world deal with the Single Life. From proud Parisiennes to intense Italians, ice-cool Icelanders to brazen Brazilians, Julie attempts to learn the secrets of these women’s success.
Will she come back with the answers? Or will her jouney of self-discovery take her in another direction entirely…?
I really wanted to like this book. The title is sassy, and I knew I would be able to relate to it. The blurb seemed interesting enough, and when I saw that the paperback copy is already available at National Bookstore, I immediately swooped in and bought it (and it turns out the book isn’t in their system yet because it can’t be scanned, haha).
Like I said, I really wanted to like it. I promise, I wanted to. But after I got into a few chapters of it, I started to get bored. And I wanted to start strangling the characters — if they had enough life, that is. Why?
- None of the characters felt real to me. They’re either too flat (Serena) or too extreme (Ruby) or just plain psychotic at some point (Alice/Georgia). The main character is not any help too, I didn’t feel any connection or sympathy to her at all.
- The story felt too much like Eat, Pray, Love. Traveling around the world to write a book, meeting people and getting to know singles. The last item is not really a part of Elizabeth Gilbert’s goal in Eat, Pray, Love, but that book contained a story of self-discovery. The only self discovery I figured out here is she’s desperate, she fell in love and went into an adulterous relationship with a married guy, and she’s desperate (I’m sure there was also a mention of some sexy lingerie somewhere, but I can’t remember anymore). How about that for self-discovery?
- The situations just seem…exaggerated. I don’t know. Or maybe it’s just because the entire book went everything I believed in that I had a hard time believing everything. Or I just refused to believe them. I know I’m not their age (35-38), but I hope I’m not that desperate (bordering on pathetic) if I get to their age and their situation.
Maybe I expected too much. Or maybe I shouldn’t really have picked it up anymore. I mean, it’s not like anything I’ve read before, and I’ve never read a book that just dripped of desperation in almost every page. Like I said, I don’t know how it feels to be in their shoes. But I really refuse to believe that you have to go through all that to know how it is to be single!
But you know what’s funny? The last two pages of the book kind of saved this one for me. I find it funny that it would take them 400 pages for the characters to really accept the first lesson that they all know at the start: love yourself. They were just too convinced that it’s not enough to attract a good guy that they turned to other things. The last two pages somehow made the book almost okay, which is why it gets two stars. If you’d rather not go through the fluff, just read the last two pages and you’ll get the gist of the book.
If you’re feeling a bit…well, sad about your singlehood, I don’t really think it’s much a of a good read (except for the last two pages).
Oh and I just remembered. The writer of the book is also the co-author of He’s Just Not That Into You and a producer of Sex In the City. I haven’t read the other book (or watched the movie yet), and I’m not a fan of SATC, so maybe that kind of influenced my thoughts on the book. There’s the chick lit factor in the book, definitely, but it’s just not my kind of chick lit.
Here I am, taking a break from all the work stuff that I have to finish, so I could answer this week’s Booking Through Thursday, the one that has a special mention on me, too (thanks Kat!):
How do you arrange your books on your shelves? Is it by author, by genre, or you just put it where it falls on?
Since I’m still waiting for The One Bookshelf, I haven’t really found a way to store all the books in one place. Then again, I don’t think I’ll be able to store them all in one place. Haha. Anyway, I have three…wait, four…okay, five places in my room where I store my books:
- My favorite books sit in this small shelf on my desk. I have one of those classic study tables, where there’s a small shelf space inside, so I have them there. It can only carry a few of my favorite books though, and it really doesn’t fit. :P I have it arranged by author.
- The next storage space is inside my headboard. They carry the books that I haven’t really read. No specific order there though.
- The next one is a small make-shift shelf space beside my desk. That stores some of my Harry Potter books and then a small cute striped Keds shoe box that stores all my inspirational/Christian non-fiction.
- The biggest space I have is above my dresser, where there’s two rows of books (one on top of the other) and there’s more above. I know it’s hard to visualize, so I’ll just have to take a photo later when I get home. Anyway, that place stores all my old and miscellaneous book collections, mostly series — Sweet Valley, Baby-sitters Club, Animorphs. I hardly touch them now, since it’s a hassle to bring them out. Below that is a smaller shelf with the books I haven’t read yet, which I bought about two years ago.
- Finally, there’s this small bag I got from the book sale that stores all the new books I’ve bought/acquired. No order, except that there’s still books I haven’t read. :P
Imagine the mess that is my room! Haha. I can’t wait to finally have a shelf so I can put them into a proper home! When that happens, I’ll probably be storing it alphabetically by author since I’m really particular about that. It’s so much easier to look for the books when you know the authors, right? :-)
Now please, give me my book shelf. :( It’s not as expensive as a Panerai Luminor Marina, right? I hope it arrives before my birthday. *cross fingers*
So, belated Happy Valetine’s Day! ♥ How was your V-day?
Mine was pretty lazy. The day before Valentine’s Day was kind of interesting, though. Interesting only because I was having a semi-relaxed day at work. It was a far different cry from last year’s Valentine’s Week where my stress levels were at an all time high because of all the activities we had. But the Friday was interesting too — Subway with officemates, then Coffee Bean with club friends and Something Fishy at night. Oh, and I did get flowers, thanks to my friends. :) So it was a fairly nice day.
It just occurred to me that I’ve received flowers for Valentine’s Day for three consecutive years already. How about that. Thanks, God. :)
But my weekend was just lazy. Talk about sitting on my butt for two whole days watching TV. I would’ve gone and watched a movie today but I was too comfortable on our couch, even if they’re not home theater furniture. I don’t know why I didn’t go out, save for the fact that crowds were everywhere last Saturday. I dunno, I guess I just wanted to stay put for a change. Does this mean I’m going out next weekend? Probably. Or maybe mid-shift is just taking its toll on me.
On other news, there’s change coming in the horizon, career-wise, and I can’t help but feel a bit apprehensive about how fast things are going. You know me, I’d really rather have things done gradually, so I can give a proper goodbye to the things I used to do and have some time to get used to the new things, but life doesn’t work like that, unfortunately. It’s not that the new thing is bad…in fact, it’s a very desirable career growth. Of course with growth comes more responsibilities, and I have been trying to step up, so it’s just right. But there’s just so many changes that will happen with this that I don’t know if I’m really ready for it. And if I’m really ready to give up what I have right now for something else. The shift, the holidays, the time I have…I don’t know.
I wish I could say it’s scary and exciting, but right now it’s just plain scary.
I’m trying not to think too much about it until it is actually right in front of me and I have nothing else to do but jump. That’s kind of extreme, I know, but it’s all I could think about doing. I guess I can just take a bit of comfort in the little thing I learned a couple of weeks back during one meeting I attended: saying Yes. As scared as I am right now, I have a feeling that this is one of the things I should say YES to, even if I have no idea what’s in store for me. Who knows what will happen, right? And it’s got to be good, even if it’s probably hard at first.
Yes, I’m trying to convince myself.
And no, I haven’t watched Yes Man. I should, though.
Hay hay. Growing up, you are so hard and challenging. But I know I’m not alone, so that’s comforting enough.
Every opportunity to fear is also an opportunity to TRUST GOD.
Please include me in your prayers? :)
Have a great week ahead everyone!
Aaaand it’s Valentine’s Week. I couldn’t let this week pass up without making somewhat of a Valentine’s post. So I take a pause on book, music and Phentermine reviews to write something just for this day. ;)
One of the questions in Dave Barnes’ website talked about bitterness during Valentine’s Day. Specifically, What do bitter people do on Valentine’s Day?
Ah, let me count the ways. :>
Haha, okay, seriously now. It’s no secret that I’m still single, and it doesn’t help that Valentine’s Day is so commercialized that it tends to amplify the fact that yes, I am single, and change in that status can hardly be seen over the horizon.
Ah bitterness. Curse whoever thought Valentine’s Day should be celebrated with flowers to their loved ones. Worry over the fact that all your friends who are in a relationship would be going out on dates on the 14th and lament over the fact that you are not one of them. Wonder if the guy/girl you like would respond to any “moves” for that day. Eat tons of chocolates (that you bought for yourself), watch sappy chick flicks and romantic comedies and laugh, but inside wonder when those things will ever happen to you. Wear black on the 14th and stock up on anti-Valentine’s day quotes. Or even start Valentine’s day groups, like MAMS: Mabuhay ang mga Single or something similar.
Ah bitterness. Just like coffee with no sugar. :P
So yes, I did succumb to bitterness. Still do, more often than not. I remember back in college, we used to wear black during Valentine’s Day. It wasn’t until I got back to YFC and told myself there’s no reason to be bitter on that day that I actually stopped being bitter over it. Well, a little.
I don’t know if it’s because of my upbringing in YFC or because of all the books about singlehood I’ve read, but I realized that bitterness over Valentine’s Day is just a state of mind. It’s something you choose to be or to be not whenever February rolls around. Just as how someone chooses to wear red like the rest of the world does on the 14th instead of wearing black to make a statement. It’s appreciating the idea — no matter how selfish it seems — that you won’t be spending so much for anyone or you won’t be stuck with the crowds all over the Metro on the 14th to go on a date.
Really, there’s no reason to be bitter. No matter how dismal or how single you are on V-Day (take it from me, haha), in the end the 14th is really just a day. And don’t tell me it’s love day, because love day can be everyday, not just February. :P
Right?
So this 14th of February, I’ll have fun. I don’t know what I’ll do yet, but I’ll definitely do my best to enjoy the day, no matter how very single I am. :P Really, it’s more worth it. :)
Rating:
It’s a winter of no rain, endless dust and talk of trouble in Judea. All who know and love Jesus find themselves waiting for some sign of the path he will eventually take. After his baptism, he is at last ready to confront his destiny. At the wedding at Cana, he takes water and transforms it into rred wine. Thus, he’s recognized as the anointed one and called by God the Father to begin a ministry that will transform an unsuspecting world.
I swear, the blurb at the back of the book does not even come an inch to the actual story inside the pages. It doesn’t even give any hint of the conflict and the trouble and the miracles inside the story that you really have to read this (relatively short) book if you want to know what this is about.
Ever since I read Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, I’ve been excited to read the next installment in the series. I saw this one in hardbound for a year and resisted to buy it because it was too expensive, so the moment I saw the paperback version, I bought it immediately, excited to read how Anne Rice portrayed Jesus’ next few years.
The story doesn’t pick up right after where the first book ends, though. It picks the story up again when Jesus was already thirty, unmarried, surrounded by his brothers and sisters and nephews and nieces. He was a carpenter together with his (half) brother James, and across their place lived Avigail, his kinswoman, who he was sort of in love with.
Now I know that is something kind of like The Da Vinci Code contains, but it’s not. One of the things that readers should remember in reading this is that it’s not necessarily true, and it may just be a plot device to get the story going. The thing about the first two novels in the series is that it gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ humanity, on how he came to terms with his divinity all in his Father’s time. The novel tries to fill in the blanks in between the times not mentioned in the Bible. Like I said, it’s not necessarily true, so don’t consider the novel as your new Bible, but just something to think about.
Regardless, it’s another beautiful work. I love seeing Jesus called as “Yeshua” — it’s an endearing name. I love it when he and Mary get to talk, like they both share a quiet calm about them and a knowledge of who he really is, despite what everyone else around them is asking or telling them. I liked it when Yeshua stole to the olive grove to have time for himself, or when he appreciated the beauty around him. I liked reading about how Yeshua struggled with his emotions as a man, but still pressed on and continued to be connected with his Father. You know how whenever Jesus went to a quiet place or to fast, it seemed like it was a sparkling calm picture and he was just kneeling down, praying with peace etched on his face? Well, in this story Anne Rice painted a different picture — a picture of Jesus struggling with his Father about his humanity, about what he is supposed to do and what he wanted to do, but ultimately still following his Father’s will. It was a more realistic picture, as we have to remember that Jesus is still human as he is also God. In a way the story inside the book made me relate to Jesus more, that even he can struggle with what God wants, but still follow His will, fully trusting in the Father.
This book covers more Bible stories than the previous one — starting from Jesus’ baptism with John the Baptist to his temptation at the desert to Mary of Magdala, to the calling of his first disciples and finally ending at the wedding at Cana. The ending kind of feels rushed, like everything happened too quickly after the other, but then again maybe I just don’t have a sense of time when I read the Bible. :P
Suffice to say, I loved this book, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one. :) I bet I’d be crying bucketfuls on the next. :)
Ah Dave. If there’s any single artist I really and truly love for all the songs sung and written, it’s Dave Barnes. I’ve posted and raved about him and some of his songs and his video here, and he’s one of the artists that I have sworn to support and see live in my life time.
So when he announced in his MySpace and his email group that he’s going to release an EP…well, I knew I just couldn’t and won’t miss it. For anything. Even if it meant having to go through the confusing iTunes store sign up. Yes, I love Dave that much. No moving companies can stop me. (huh)
I’m not much of a music reviewer, really because I focus more on the lyrics, but I’m going to try reviewing Dave’s newest EP here…why? Because I love this guy. :P Haha. Seriously. You should go listen to his album. I’m not kidding. :P Anyway, here we go!
You, the Night and Candlelight is Dave’s Valentine’s offer to all his fans. It’s a five-song EP that contains two remakes of his old songs, one revival and two new songs. It’s all about love, obviously, and the wonderful (really? :P) feeling of being with someone you love during that special Valentine’s night.
Okay, maybe I’m making it up. But I have a feeling this EP is something that you can play on a date during Valentine’s day and enjoy every single song. It’s all clean music, which is a big big plus, and makes it even more romantic. :) From the first song, Loving You, Loving Me (about looking forward to the one you love coming home) to his amazing revival of My Girl to the beautiful remake of his own song Until You (I can never have enough of this song — and this one is in piano version…ahhh beautiful), to Home, where he sings about finding home wherever the people he loves are and finally to another remake of his wedding song, I Have and Always Will with singer Amy Grant.
It’s such a beautiful EP that I kind of wished it was longer, but then I wouldn’t have time to appreciate everything after. That, and the pretty album cover — I’m just really, really sold.
So don’t miss out. :P His EP is available in iTunes, and you can also drop by his website to watch videos and listen to voicemail which will only be available until February 14. And did I mention that Dave is such a comedian? :P
You, the night and candlelight is all I’ll ever need,
Loving you, loving me. ♥
I should have made this post yesterday, but I was too busy with my sideline that I didn’t have enough juice to write at night. The thing is, I’m still not done with that, and I really should get to coding that…so I’ll do it tomorrow morning. Which means I should go to bed now. Hm.
But I shall blog first. In bullets because it’s easier to compartmentalize thoughts that way. :P
- I finished my first month in Wordplay – YAY. I still haven’t made a huge dent on the days though, and I’m thinking if writing in advance would be classified as cheating — would it? I really should get down to writing those rules already. Anyway, February feels like I shall still write mushy stuff. I wonder how long I can last with that, haha.
- I’ve made it to nine books out of 50 for January — better than what I did last year, I think! :) Ebooks are love. ♥
- Five movies out of 25 – not bad. There are more movies to watch for the rest of the year — starting with Marley and Me this week! :P
- As for weight loss…ergh. Well, I’ve been eating less, but there’s still so much evil that is chocolate and sweets at home that my “eating less” is just useless. I know, I know, I should exercise, but I can’t (or won’t?) find a good schedule yet. I need someone to go with me on physical stuff, seriously — swimming, boxing, other stuff. I’m still too cheap to join the gym, haha. Or maybe I should just bite the bullet and go enroll. That should give me enough motivation…right? Would it? ARGH. But no, no diet pills — I’m not that desperate. I just need…well, maybe I should just quit being shy at home and dance to my Hip Hop Abs DVDs instead. *facepalm*
- And more on the weight loss thing. I should probably take my SparkPeople profile seriously now…and I just checked, and my measurements just kind of freaked me out. ACK. Tomorrow I use our punching bag.
- Taylor Swift has nice songs. :) I’ve had her on repeat for the past weekend. :)
- There’s still a lot of work at work (ergh), and I am about to face a decision in the upcoming weeks/months that I don’t know if it’s the right one. Well, it’s definitely a step forward — upward, even — but I’m just…well, scared. I don’t know, it’s a big decision, and I really should pray about it.
- Dave Barnes is releasing a new EP this month!
- Again, I am still seriously freaked out about my weight. Geez, I hate weighing scales. T_T
Now that I am freaked out, I think I will go to bed so I can do some exercises tomorrow. Seriously now. This post went from February to weight, how pathetic is that.
Still, regardless of my weight, I know I am beautiful. ;)
And that is confidence. :P
Happy February everyone. :)
