a book a day

Me and my hunger. hunger to read!

I've read at least seven book during my trip to Davao. Now that I'm back, I'm reading a book a day. Two book yesterday. What a record. But then I read my Alanna books in three days and the four Protector of the Small Quartet in another 3 days. That's a hunger for reading.
I tried to read a romance novel. Bleh! Not too interesting.
No wonder Aki wants historical or sci-fi romance. At least you learn something in historical romances. It got little interesting tidbits.
Sci-fi romance is a bit boring. Haven't seen a good blend of Romance to the sci part of it yet.
So I read about three historical romances, ok but not too ok. needs more.

***

Back to Fantasy,
I'm reading about Veralidaine Sarasri. (Tamora Pierce's the Immortals Quartet) I've first encountered her in the Protector of the Small Quartet. She helped Kell a lot. Veralidaine or Daine's story comes between Alanna and Kell's. She starts at thirteen, an orphan who thinks she's crazy because she can communicate to animals.
She finds new friends who know her worth. They believe Daine has Wild Magic. This certain type of magic cannot be learned or mastered in some university. It lives within her and nobody can take it. Her new friend and mentor, Numaire, not only treasures her but also developes some... well... I read up in Kell's book that they become lovers. Even if Daine is half Numaire's age.

Quotes from Daine
"Someday I must read about this scholar Everyone. He seems to have written so much-- all of it wrong."

Quotes from a Stormwing
"... But the wheels turn. What is up may come down; what is brought low may come down. The gods are not fickle--but they ahve been known to change their minds."

Back at Last

I'm back.
Vacation gone and I'm back home. I'm definately not going back to working for mom. It's just making my hair whitter. I'm looking for a new venture. Davao opened a lot of doors but which to take? I have to think which to enter. AS tempting as some of them might be, they still have risks attached.
Hope to make decisions na.
I do want to move back to Davao where the pace is much slower. Felt good to be nearer nature. Here in Manila, it feels too dry, dusty and dark. Sun doesn't shine as brightly. Aura is not the same.
I'm going to miss buddy. Hope she won't get too bored. It's the slow pace of Davao that drives her crazy. Don't worry, buds, I'll be there soon. Outing tayo ulit.

Si Taba!

Ai!
One thing I hate about coming home is being labeled "Si Taba."
It seems everybody --EVERYBODY-- Everybody has a diet trick or two to suggest.
What's the point? What's the deal?
Can't I enjoy life as I want it?
Why do we all have to conform to what is beautiful?
Can't I not be plus sized in my own way?
What happened to real beauty?
Everyone can say I look beautiful or that I'm talented but, there's a but to everything. I'm freaking fat.

Foreigner in Her Own Home

I'm back in Davao. My, this place changed in just a year. I remember Jaja and I were here just last year and a lot of things have certainly changed.

Dinah's here. I'm glad of that.

Davao is still relaxing and slow-paced. If I stay here long, I wonder if I would get bored? Would thing be too slow for me? But then, the fast pace od Manila is already boring me to bits. Here, nature is closer. Here, I feel a lot calmer.

Yes, the usual family dramas are still here. Then again, it's everywhere and that's not new.

I feel a bit detached here.

Is Davao a place in the Philippines?

I feel it shold be it's own country. It's so peaceful and too nice to be tainted by the political struggles happening in the north.

While I'm here, I'm also somewhere else.

Where?

Pern.

I seem to be always at two places at once.

When I was in Japan, I was in the world of Diana Wynne Jones and Tokyo. Now, I'm in Davao and in Anne McCaffrey's Pern. I bought tons of Dragon Riders of Pern books to bring here and I was thrilled when I found a ot of second hand books about Pern here as well. I couldn't put the books down. So I'm in two worlds at once.

Pern's been wonderful. Full of dragons and fire lizards. The characters are very human and they struggle with the usual human problems. Of course, they have dragons to help them.

The other day, I didn't want to get up. I think I was still asleep. I was saying in my sleep tat I could ask Lord Jaxom of Ruatha to fly me over with his dragon, Ruth. Five minutes later, I had to rush in the bathroom because there was no dragon waiting for me. I was late for breakfast.

hehehe.

My library's expanding!

Book of the Year!

By the end of 2006, I can read about 400 pages a day. Of course Diki keeps telling me to slow down. She says I must savor the book.
My fave books of 2006 are as follows:
1st place: R. A. MacAvoy's A Trio for Lute
2nd Place: Anselm Audley's Heresy
3rd Place: Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl
----------------
I bought 25 new books this season and I already read more than half. Hope to read more every day and hope to collect more soon.
I believe, reading gives makes a person smarter, calmer and more logical. So keep reading!
Gosh, I can't seem to ahve enough to read!

Fowl on Fair

There was fowlplay on fair day.
Last week was the bazaar week in MGC New Life. Dec 4, 5, 6, 7. There were food concesionaires and bazaar goods on sale. We were asked to seel only a tight number of products to let other concesionaire have a chance in making money. We were to sell: Mongolian rice and toppings, french fries, hash brown and pancit. Small no?
We gave our list to be protected and the teachers who organized it would ensure we were not going to have direct competition. We were not allowed to sell drinks, nuggets and spaghetti.
Then what?
They sold nuggets the same ones we did. Acceptable. You can buy those nuggets in some stores.
They sold pancit. Fine! But they should have told us they were to sell pancit. We could have sold spaghetti instead. They said they would sell spaghetti!
Fowl play happened on the last day: They sold Mongolian and toppings. They even called their sstudents over to buy from them!
Fair?
Fowl!
I had to bite my lips from screaming. They kept complaining. Those teachers couldn't even make up their mind about the rice. They want plain then they tell us. Another techer tells us to sell only the mongolian. They can't make up their minds.
But the selling of Mongolian against our Mongolian?
Puh!
(HARSH OPINIONs)
To think they call themselves Christian.
Honestly. I think these guys are fake. They declair themselves saved and act like they own kingdom come!

Song of the Lioness

I read four books in two days. Yes, 4 from Tamora Pirce, the Song of the Lioness quartet. I loved the first book. soso the second. Not much of the third and didn`t like the fourth at all. I thought it was a kiddy book because it was in the kid`s section. Man, she`s such a slut! Sleeping iwht the prince then after theior breakup, she sleeps with two other manly man! Slut!
I`m not liking her attitude. She`s full of pride and not enough compassion. She tries to hide her weakness. Some way to hide it!
I hope the next part of the quartet would be better.

Alanna, a girl who wants to be a knight!

I was at Booksale when I found this book from Tamora Pierce. Its a lovely read.
The title is Alanna: the First Adventure.
The story follows a girl who ios supposed to be sent to a convent by her father while her twin is to be sent to knight school. They switch on the way and Alanna goes to knight school disguised as a boy. She tries her hardest to be the best. While being a squire, she gains some enemies like a duke's son but she gains powerful friends too like the prince and his big buddies. She even won the friendship of a good theif who kept her secret safe and helps her.
Alanna rescues the prince twice. In the end of her squire days, the prince finds out but he keeps it a secret.
So the prince becomes a knight while she becomes a page "boy."

Psychologist of Doom

If there`s an economist of doom, well, mom is a psychologist of doom.
There's a girl in their church who is 16 years old. Her father is the church`s janitor. Now, they have fallen in hard times because of some debts. They say, this janitor doesn`t know how to hold his money and life. Mind you, his fist daughter, nabuntis!!! The second is a son, nakabuntis!!!
Third time`s a strike!
Now, the mom gave this girl a pangparegla but it induces labor instead. Poor girl. Talk about Mom at 16.
Months ago, mom said to let this girl continue to go to school or else, she will get pregnant. She can get a program where she can still study 4th year high with a small allowance. The thing is, it is in public school. This janitor of a father had too much pride. He didn`t want. So it was better if the girl stayed home?
What kind of home does he live in? It is in the squatter`s area. There are lots of men and useless boys roaming around. THey got her pregnant.
Mom was furious. "I told you so! What do you expect?" came her reply.

***
If she tells you things concerning women problems, heed her. She knows what she`s tlking about in this area. She`s been member and President of Venture CLub Davao. She`s been member and president of Soroptimist Paranaque. Trust me, she knows what she`s talking about!
That`s why her grim foresight makes her the psychologist of doom.
She takes one good look at you and tells you your psychological profile and what kind of future is instored for you if you make a stupid decision.

Road Block Warning!

Christmas is coming closer and closer. Warning! Kotong Cops are on the loose!
I'm serious. Have you noticed them? Kumakalat sa EDSA.
Drive safely everyine. Don't give them a reason. Any reason to catch you at all! They're gonna make some up. Make sure you look straight and smart. Driv in the middle road if possible.
If all else fail, avoid the busy roads! These MMDA Kotong Hulidappers have no conscience and will extract money wherever they can. That means us, the unsuspecting middle class.
I'll tell you why the middle class suffers next time. For now, know that things are going to get a little chaotic. Don't worry, it'll die down after the holidays.
Maybe that is one of the reasons wy God doesn't want to reveal the real birth date of His only Son.
Advance Merry CHristmas to all

***

More about Damiano (A Trio for Lute: Raphael)

I'm a little sad that by the end of the second book, Damiano died. But now in the third book, its ok. He's bac as a spirit with wings. I guess that means he's now an angel. He's watching over his friends and his even closest friend , the Archangel Raphael who sacrificed himself for Damiano's friends. Now, turned human by the trickery of Satan, Raphael has to survive enough to remember who he is. Can he hold on until his friends come rescue him? Right now, he's learning the basics of humanity. You must eat! After eating, food will exit your body after some hours. Poor Raphael.
Don't worry. God hasn't abandoned him completely. He sends him the angel Damiano and some earthly friends.

Damiano's Lute

R. A. MacAvoy's second part from A Trio For Lute. Following the first story, Damiano, our hero is alive and well out of the clutches of Satan... or he thinks.
One year after Damiano Delstrego makes a pact with Satan, he is on the roads to Avignon. With him is Gaspare, a theif from San Gabrielle. Damiano took this scrawny boy and made him his dancer while he plays. They split profit evenly.
Of course, Raphael is close by. The Seraph watches　closely at his beloved little student. Once in a while, he gives Damiano a lute lesson.
Of course, the witch Saara is also along disguised as a dove or sometimes an owl.
Damiano makes something of himself in Avignon. From a rich witch to the nothing that Satan wanted, Daminao rose and made something of his talents for music. He even played for the Pope who gave him a new Lute.
It was then that plague struck Avignon killing people in days even Damiano's benefctor. Gaspare's whore of a sister got the plague and was dying. With one act of bravery, Damiano transferred the plague into himself and asked Raphael to take him to a feild. There, Damiano breathed his last leaving his weeping music master to take care of the people he loves: Gaspare and Saara.
Gaspare, angered that Damiano had died instead of him, charged at Raphael and demanded he teach him the Lute the same style as Damiano.

*

I find Damiano's actions always touching. He tries so hard to be a Saint even though he believes he can't be one. He wishes if a glimmer of hope would permit him to be a saint but he died. The most touching scene I read was when Raphael gave Damiano a hair cut.
Memorable conversation: Raphael and Damiano
*
"Dami, Dami! You have power ofphilosophy beyond the mere angelic. Perhaps you have hit the reason for man being what he is."
"Reason? I did not know we had reason for being, Seraph. To understand the devil?"
"To forgive him. It is more than I can do."

Librarything

I thve thing thing called a librarything from librarything.com. It catalogs the books you have.
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/maita

Witchhunt!

Halloween Pictures 2006

Damiano

War torn Italy in 14th Century Europe, there lived a young boy named Damiano Delstrego. He has a curious life. He can do magic and is called damned by the people of Partestrada yet the Archangel Raphael himself comes down to teach him music.
This is a rather interesting book I`ve bought. I got it in BOOKSALE for 39 pesos. Its actually 3 storiesin one called A Trio for Lute.
So far, I`ve finished the first story. It tells about young Damiano at age 21. A rogue generalinvades his town and forces all the villagers away. He makes a pack with Satan to free his people and bring them back to where they call home. Towards his goal to first find his people, he encounters theives, grim weather and starvation. His love of his life Carla, rejects his love and enters the cloisters. So, the father of lies` grants him 50 years of peace but not prosperity to Partestrada in exchange, Damiano`s family will be lost from the histories and he shall die in 2 years. He agrees.
Finally when he leads the people of Partestrada to a bloodless victory, the mob him and tied him to be hanged. It was his teacher Raphael who came to the rescue.

"Ah, Dami, Dami! Do you know what is to be damned? It has nothing to do with fire. To be damned is only not to love." --Raphael
"I am not flesh, and I cannot understand you, but I love you, and I know you are not damned." --Raphael

I felt the story was simply written and because it is, it touches people a lot. Here is innocent Damiano who know of nothing about the world`s cruelty except that he knew witchcraft was a shaky subject. He was born with it and because of it, people though he was born damned and so he came to beleive too. This story shows you that you do not gain anything from the father of lies and that people are quick to judge. It also tells you that you have an angel guarding you. THough remains unseen, your angel loves you as you. No matter how silly you may be and act like a fool, God loves you because we are his image yet unique.

Midsomer Murders

In a quiet English village called Midsomer, secrets are more abundant than harvest. Murders are as common as theives.
John Nettles plays DCI Tom Barnaby. He is assigned to Corston, Midsomer as a police cheif. Daniel Cassey is his assistant, Sgt. Gavin Troy.
*

I like these two characters. They are so calm and witty. Tom tries to blend while he composes his conclusions. He always has an idea or two up his sleeve and he always discovers the murderer/s. As for the handsome young Sgt. Troy, he`s an adorable character. He`s not the smartest in the series but he is very lovable and charming. Troy's always amazed on how Tom can always figure out things. That's why he's a police cheif and he gets down and dirty.
But he has his quirks. Tom's getting fed up with the mysterious town filled with family secrets, inherited lies and sexual mystries surrounding every murder.
His wife tries to make the best of it. Joyce Barnaby and the good cheif moves to Midsomer. Joyce gets invovled in Midsomer. She becomes a judge at local fairs, goes to watercolor classes and makes a garden.

I watch Midsomer Murders every friday in Hallmark Channel at 9pm S.E.A.

So much for quitting

Mom says she can't survive without me anymore. Especially now that mom has fired 4 people. Marina knows. She was there to act as witness.

Business as usual here at BSM and MGC. Hopefully now that the 4 are gone, there won't be pilfirages and stolen items.

I'm thinking of leaving again.

Well, there are many opportunities coming along the way. Hopefully, I get a shot at them.

Good news:

Went to the doctor. I lost 1 kilo since my diet program started. I know I said I don't care about being big or anything. It's just, this country's standard is thin women. I'm a subject of fat topics when it comes to family reunions. It hurts more than anyone knows.

Halloween!

I didn't expect a lot would come but hey! Nearly complete attendance. Kulang nalang si Janings, Buddy and Tash.

Guys, I'm so glad we're still strong. No matter what, no matter how cliche it could sound, FRIENDS FOREVER!

Light

You'll never appreciate a fan until the power is out. 4 days of excruciating heat was so unbearable. Thank God there is power already. Aircon too for that matter. Little things do make a difference.
I've learned to maximaize the daylight. I had to read faster and draw quicker before the sun sets. Light is so important.

http://www.walkingwithtigers.org

I love cats. Anyone can guess that in looking at my photoalbum and some of my entries.
I`ve seen this documentary called Walking with Tigers. It showed in Animal Planet some month ago and I saw it again last night.
It speaks about an abbot adopting some tigers and sheltering them in the monastery. Soon, more tigers were sent to him and his old tigers bred. It is a very touching story.
There are few people I admire and this abbot is one of them. Steve`s passing hurt so much. I guess I was searching for another crusader to look up to.
If anyone`s got a dollar or two to donate to the abbot, just go to their website:
http://www.walkingwithtigers.org
The budhist monks cannot own money but they need to come up with the money to support the tigers and maintain the facility for these wonderful beasts.
Maybe by at least visiting the site, you could show support.
*
I was thinking of volunteering but mom is against it. Only because the abbot is buddhist. You know how it is now that she`s into being "christian" I guess she isn`t very ecumenical and tolerant of other religion.
I admire these monks because of their passion not only to the wildlife but also to their beliefs. Its not because of religion or fame, its because they do what is right. They cross borders and save the world one tiger at a time.
Meow to all!

Eragon movie

Eragon is being turned into a movie! Yes! I hope they show it in this country. I haven`t seen trialers or hints yet. I know the trialer is out already.

Here are some Casting Roles I saw in www.shurtugal.com

Shur`tugal means dragon riders

Cast Member	Character
Edward Speleers	Eragon
Chris Egan	Roran
Jeremy Irons	Brom
John Malkovich	Galbatorix
Djimon Hounsou	Ajihad
Sienna Guillory	Arya
Robert Carlyle	Durza
Garrett Hedlund	Murtagh
Alun Armstrong	Uncle Garrow
Gary Lewis	King Hrothgar
Joss Stone	Angela
Tamsin Egerton	Katrina
Caroline Chikezie	Nasuada
Nils Allen Stewart	Lead Urgal

I love the story of Eragon. I really waited and saved up for the second book, Eldest. Now, I wait for the movie and the third book. It feels like waiting for the next Harry Potter book.

***
Here are some nice quotes from the book Eragon.
"Knowing is independent of being. I did not know you existed before you bumbled in here and ruined my nap. Yet that doesn't mean you weren't real before you woke me." - Solembum
*
"There's a reason why we're born with brains in our heads, not rocks." - Brom
*
It’s overwhelming. I feel as if I am living in an illusion, a dream where all things are possible. Amazing things do happen, I know, but always to someone else, always in some far-off place and time. - Eragon to Saphira (pg. 430)

see: www.alegaesia.com