Wednesday, February 27

Black Dagger Brotherhood


By J. R. Ward

There's this new series I spotted in the bookstores. Yes, yes... another vampire series. Lots of them flooding the market. This I found I could read. I told myself I couldn't read another vampire book thanks to the Carpathian Series but I did like this one. It is quite different. Yes, authors today are trying to out-do each other by creating their own vampire myth and legends. I even read one that vampirism is acquired through std! Another is that Merlin is a UFO and he created these vampires to save the world.

Strange?

Well, this one is this: In Caldwell, New York, there is a brotherhood of vampires protecting their race against the Lessening Society. Each member is chosen carefully before being inducted into the brotherhood.
Their vampire myth is this: A being called The Scribe Virgin created the vampires as her children. Her counterpart is the Omega. He hates her children and vows to destroy them. Since the Omega cannot create, he takes brutal humans and eats their souls and he turns them into Lessers, the vampire slayers. These lessers prowl the streets of New York and torture and kill any vampire their get their hands on. The brotherhood must take them down. They also try to keep the vampires from human knowledge.


The Brothers: Wrath (he is actually the vampire king), Tohrment, Rhage, Zsadist and Phury (twins), Vishous, and Darius (deceased)

Darius is killed by the lessers. Wrath must find his Darius' daughter, Elizabeth and make sure she goes through her transition. When Wrath finds Beth, he is enthralled and knows she is the only one for her. A complication arises when Butch O'neal, a dedicated cop sees Wrath for what he is. Since Butch was such a nice guy and he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, the brothers held him in their mansion.

Next book is about Rhage, the handsomest brother. He is called Hollywood and for good reasons. He bumps into Mary and knows she is the one. Only one problem: Mary is dying. Rhage sacrifices everything for her life.

The third book is about Zsadist, the tragic brother. He was kept as a blood slave for the first 100 years of his life. His brother Phury rescued him but Zsadist was not the same anymore. he is broken and maimed. To save his mate, he and Phury make a plan to take on the lessers.

The fourth book is my fave. Butch, the cop who has disappeared from the NYPD felt very much like an outsider. he and Vishous are roommates for the last six months but he was always being pushed aside. He was given money, showered with clothes but never really part of anything. Even in his own family and in the NYPD, he was an outsider. One day, he rescues a civilian vampire and was taken by the lessers. Tortured and left for dead, he is finally rescued and saved by Vishous. Marissa, a female vampire he had a major crush on, nursed him. Still he feels like an outsider. he felt dirty because of what the lessers did to him and he felt lonely because he cannot be what Marissa needs. He risks his life to try to become everything he could be, a warrior vampire.

The fifth book is about Vishous, the genius brother. V is a whiz in everything he does. One day the Scribe Virgin visits him and tells him he is to be the Primale, the mate of her Chosen. That means he will husband 40 chosen females to procreate females for the Scribe virgin's temple and males to become the brotherhood.
But he cannot help but fall in love with the doctor who saved his life, Jane. It's a tragic tale that would force someone to make a huge sacrifice in the end of the book.

All in all, the series is fascinating. It is action, romance and a bit of comedy rolled into one. Thought, the tragedy hits, the characters try to evolve and move on amidst the pain. It lacks more travel. Surely, there are vampires not just in Caldwell. They did originate in Europe. What about the Lessers there?

Monday, February 25

Stress: Don’t Fight It, Control It! Tips…


Under stress? Always. First and foremost, don’t panic! Some people can work under stress because they do not panic. Keep calm and assess the situation. What is the sources of the stress? Is it your boss? Your officemate? The office/school itself? Chill. Hopefully, none of them bite. Here are some ways to control the stress in your life:

1. Stop what you’re doing and release the tension. Count one to ten. Breathe in and out deeply. Oxygen deprivation contributes to tension. The choky feeling of stress come from this. Pump air in your lungs.

2. Don’t take that Starbucks! To relieve yourself from stress and get you a pump of adrenaline, it is not advisable to take caffeine or alcohol. That grande Latte will give you a temporary energy boost but will only add to your anxiety and when the boost is over, you are ten time stressed.

3. Smell the flowers. Took a breather? Try aromatherapy. If you can bring a small vial of smells with you, that would go a long way. Smell some lavender to relax. Patcholi or citrus for a good energy boost. Mint or ginger for head ache. Got none? Smell the office flowers. Make sure they are fresh!

4. Attention! Stand or sit up straight. Who would have thought that posture has anything to do with stress?

5. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Are your clothes well pressed and fresh? Is your space clean? A spic and span living space is a livable space. Dirt and germs help grow stress.

6. Call ya girlfriend! Who needs therapist? Talk to your gal pal about the show on TV, about your crush, about your favorite food. Talk about something light and fun. Give your mind a break and unwind your heart with some heart to heart with BFF. If it won’t stress you out, you can call your mom too.

7. Quit keeping up with the Joneses! Doesn’t it tick you that your neighbor has a new car? That your seatmate got a 4.0 and you didn’t? That your officemate and best friend got the promotion you want? Stay in the present and quit wishing the shoulda, woulda, coulda. Be happy for them and praise them. Who knows, baka may balato ka pa!

8. 8 glasses a day, lack of water withers us. Especially since we are composed mainly of water. Do your health a favor and carry a water bottle with you. You need it.

9. An apple a day… Eat right! Make sure you have a balance diet of go, grow and glow foods. Jollibee and McDo are ok once in a while but not all the time. Additives and MSG is not good for the body. Lesser things to worry in the future if you don’t have gal stones or cancer. Oh, make sure to eat on time too. That way, you prevent ulcer. Don’t have enough time? Bring a cracker with you.

10. Dark is good. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that help lower your blood pressure so pop a piece before a board meeting. Just make sure your brush your teeth after.

Tuesday, February 12

I'm Going to Miss You...


When I threaten to run away, there are two places I always said I would go: to Diko in India to visit the Elephants or to Nanay in the Big House. I would always gather my underwear and my fave shirt and bundle it in a lampin and set it on a stick like the cartoons.

Suddenly for the past two years, I have the urge to go home. Yes, I went home three times. I lived with Nanay and had fun. She was quirky, strict but a whole lot of fun.

This year, I had the privilege to really go bonding with her. She told us of her past "loves", recent "loves" and all her fond memories. She teased us non-stop and was "game" to do anything. We went swimming, eating, talecrafting, and all me and my sibs can do in the month-long stay we had with her.

I went home Sunday morning and opened the door to the house to be surprised by Jade with an odd expression in her face. She had tears but her mouth looked like she was laughing or making a joke. The annoying Jade just spilled it. I can't believe it of course.
She was just kicking it! Now she kicked it!


I went to my phone and saw Ate Faith's messages. Now what? Really? I can't believe it! No! But she was so lively and vibrant!
Then I thought... wait a minute! It's ballroom night! Did she see her unfortunate Leo and maybe suffered a broken heart because she still felt something for him? Did Rei Balundoy kiss her and sent her swooning?
I'm sad but why can't I bring myself to get sad? I felt sad but at the same time I felt she must be happy. Like it must really be time.

Memories float to me and it just makes me smile instead. It was always a funny or happy memory with her. I know she was so proud of us all. The day I went home after 4 years and surprised her, she was surprised although mom already told her we would stay with her. I told her I was Cum Laude. She looked like a queen. Then I showed her my accomplishments. She wanted to sue the school when she learned I crossed a bamboo bridge by myself on top of a mountain with no railings or anything. Then i was not home at 5pm, she was panicking already.

I would never forget the stories she told us. About the mysterious Mutya ng Tubig, her love stories, her funny relatives, the American soldier who wanted her, Tatay and his quirks. They were meant for each other! Her break with Leo and how she found Rei. Yu think she was a school girl!

I would never forget her lessons too. How she valued education above all. How she wanted us to cease the day, take any experience we can get. Go travel! Go try something new! She did! Go take up a hobby! He diet program: chew like a goat!

I would never forget you!

Friday, February 8

Kong Hei Fat Choi!

What's in season...

New Year Fashion Tips at http://figures.multiply.com

Wednesday, February 6

Ash Wednesday Today

Today is the start of Lent.
Go on Abstinence...

Sunday, February 3

Ateneo HS Fair

Talecraft Contest in Ateneo HS. I'm happy for all the winners! For those who didn't get to win, I had fun reading the stories. Hope they could submit them in Crafters!

Winners of the Website contest.
Picking the cards.
Brave souls who joined. hehehe.
Contestants and winners of the Saturday game.

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