I’m Going to Miss Starbucks

Right. I know there’s a Starbucks at every corner but what I meant was the twice a week ritual I had with one of my bestfriends. Just when the partners were starting to call us “regulars” and they already recognize us we had to stop the ritual (i’d rather not expound on that)

Joy orders the café-latte and I, the cappuccino. Then there are times when we want something else, like iced mocha for her and green tea frap for me. When we get hungry we could easily order for a bagel, a doughnut or a slice of cake. I’m going to miss all of that.

I’m still going to Starbucks of course. Like duh! But it won’t be the same because it won’t be the same ritual as I had with her.

We spent hours in our sofa seats at the corner, isolated from the rest of the customers for hours talking about the guys who left us, the guys we left, our new crushes, about Rob Pattinson or Edward (yes, the actor and the vampire), Jack from Lost or Simon Baker, about life and about her mom’s illness (I hope she gets well). Basically about everything, again, at random, just whatever hits our minds. That’s the good things about having girlfriends, you can talk about nonsense yet it still makes sense.

I’m going to miss that maroon-brown couch with those armrests that sometimes I feel like falling asleep into even though I just downed an entire cup of tall brewed coffee. And yes, I’m also going to miss the air conditioner at the corner that makes me say, most of the time – “I want to go, it’s not fun here anymore” (insert me here glancing at the air condition on full blast instead of just telling the guard or the crew to shut it off).

Bottom line, I’m going to miss the Starbucks ritual. Particularly the one at SM Taytay. We even called the other regulars there (on our own secretive way) as classmates *sigh. Anyway, I’ll start another one elsewhere.

I heart coffee.

BAGYONG (typhoon) ONDOY DISASTER

Before you read this blog, I would like to ask for a couple of seconds of your time to bow your head for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

Last September 26, 2009, Saturday, Typhoon Ondoy hit the Philippines which battered mostly Rizal, Manila area and nearby provinces. It started as a weak typhoon and most people weren’t expecting the devastating calamity and aftermath it caused.

When it hit all I thought of as it happened was – “Boy, this is some downpour. I’m glad I’m in my room” and “too bad I can’t go out for my usual Saturday coffee with Joy at Starbucks” and when the electricity lines went off “Maybe I should have charged that laptop…it’s really boring in here.” (Take note that the phone lines and cellphone signals were also down). I wasn’t thinking about anything else. It never occurred to me that as I was thinking all of those things, houses were being blown off, people were suffering, business being destroyed and some people were actually dying. I felt so selfish after seeing the news the day after.

Me and my family were the lucky ones whose house only had an ankle foot of water and that our car didn’t literally swim in the flood. Thank God.

To the people who are reading this blog from outside the Philippines (another country) or some other part of the Philippines who cannot actually comprehend how grateful I am that my family is still whole and the house I have lived in for the twenty six years of my life is still standing, you should consider yourself lucky. I could not even begin to explain how the Typhoon was. A lot of houses, business, cars and most especially lives were lost that day. And a lot of new heroes discovered. Heroes – people who did the best they can even in the smallest way to save another. Some of those heroes also died in that Typhoon. Some of those heroes dove in that flood, swam, rescued people but never actually made it back themselves. To the families of those people, my heart goes out to you.

Some people lived to tell the fright of the story and just laugh it out later. Some lived and mourned because of it. My father said that day when he came back to the house after surveying the damage the storm had done, “In the seventy two years of my life, I have never seen a storm flood Bilibiran (our village/town) this way”. My friend Joy and I met up the following day and I witnessed how her back hurt from scooping water out of their house so much that she her whole body was actually shaking from it. She had to drink a pain reliever. She and her family belonged to the lucky ones too. My other friend Arbee’s business wasn’t that lucky to have survived the storm but I’m sure she’s thankful that its just the business and not her family who were damaged. I guess I should consider her lucky too.

And it wasn’t just the water itself that destroyed everything in sight, it was the mud too. I think that with the worsening storms coming one by one, Mother Nature is trying to tell us something. I hope it doesn’t get much worse.

On Sunday morning when the electricity lines were up again, I watched the news and I could not believe my own eyes. I remember thinking about the cars that looked like matchbox toys being carried away in the (milk chocolate colored) muddy water with people still in them. Even Ortigas extension which is a business district was flooded with chest high water. It had never happened before. Even the underpasses in Quiapo and Ayala avenue (can you believe it) in Makati were filled up to the brim with water. I could only imagine walking in the eye of the storm with nothing but a three fold umbrella and a sweater to protect me from it.

Although I wasn’t one of the people whom the volunteers and donors helped, I would like to give you the sincerest and warmest “Thank you”. You are all heroes who came out of your way to help those who needed it most. I believe in karma and I believe that someday there will be a way that all the good things you have given others will come back to you. Sometimes it takes a disaster for people like you to emerge.

To all the people who received most of the impact of Typhoon Ondoy, I give you my prayers. After every storm, a rainbow awaits.

God bless us all.

BECOMING CHLOE by Catherine Ryan Hyde book review

If you think your life is all f*cked up then I recommend this novel to you. Because it will make you realize how beautiful life is. If you’re life isn’t as f*cked up as all the others, then I still recommend this book. It will make you realize what you’ve been missing.

This is one of the books that I would want to read right before I die – or so, that’s what I thought when I read it. It’s not the epitome of all literary writings for me but the word to describe it is beautiful.

It’s a novel about a very unlikely couple Jordan and Chloe (a.k.a. Wanda Johnston). It’s a love story, but not the traditional one between a girl and a boy. Jordan is a seventeen year old gay who had been beaten up by his father and disowned by the rest of his family and Chloe is an eighteen year old retarded (I think that’s the word for it) girl, who has gone through very traumatic experiences in life and is very depressed. Like Jordan, she has no family. It’s a heart rendering sacrifice of Jordan to make Chloe realize that life is worth living. It’s very redemptive and will make you realize the capacity of the human soul to love. Life is beautiful in so many hidden ways. If this novel doesn’t make you cry then you are as cold as concrete stone.

They met when Jordan witnesses Chloe being raped. In a way he rescued her and she rescued his life too. Although they are not linked romantically, there’s something in their life together that makes them perfect for each other. They needed each other to see how beautiful life is despite being homeless, being disowned by their families and having no money at all. Can you imagine your life like that and even wanting to live? I can’t.

Chloe being smart but somewhat not in the right mind is provided for by Jordan. Just like a husband to Chloe, Jordan provides for her, takes care of her, and makes her happy all the time in every possible way. Although in reality, they’re not really together romantically. Well actually, you can also consider Jordan as the parent and Chloe as the child.

All the while reading this novel, it made me think that there is more to life. I may not have money, I may not have seen many places, I may not have witnessed extravagant moments, but it’s the small things in life that counts. I know there is at least one person in this world that loves me and that already makes me lucky. I’ll tell you a fact; I know there’s more than just one. And I’m sure the same goes for the person who is reading this.

Here’s my faorite part of the novel:
I was thinking at first that it would’ve been a lot
easier to believe in the beauty of things if that hadn’t
happened. But now I feel like anybody can think the
world is beautiful when it’s all going their way.
That’s just like untested faith. But when you’ve got
one eye swollen shut and you still know it’s better
than it is bad, then you’re onto something.
My conclusion is this: It’s a beautiful world, but
also a scary one. I used to think something couldn’t
be both. But then I remembered the point of no return
on the Niagara River, and how much it fascinated
me as a kid. Because it was just that: beautiful
and scary. It’s like once you get that sense that there’s
no real security, that anything at all can happen to
you, then every minute you’re okay is a joy. Part of
the joy is feeling like you can make your way in a
world that isn’t always easy.

It’s a part of Jordan’s letter to Chloe’s former psychiatrist. When he mentioned that: “But now I feel like anybody can think the world is beautiful when it’s all going their way. That’s just like untested faith. But when you’ve got one eye swollen shut and you still know it’s better than it is bad, then you’re onto something.” –That made perfect sense. Everybody can say that life is beautiful but have you realized that most of the people who say that haven’t gone through the worse of life enough to really mean it? To really own up to it? I mean I can say that but it won’t mean as much when a person who had gone through the battering of life, mentions it.

I have to admit Ms. Catherine Ryan Hyde is not exactly my favorite author but I’m all hands down for “Becoming Chloe”.

Also Ms. Hyde is able to describe the places they’ve been in precise detail as if I am taken to those places too. Like Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, the Big Sur and so much more. I’ve never been there but my imagination took me.

Its eight out of ten stars. I recommend this to sixteen years and up. Some parts of it may contain sexual scenes (although not detailed). So I suggest parents and teachers read it first before you let your children and students read it.

Here’s a part of the novel:
Her head pops up and she watches the snow for a minute.
Then she throws the covers back and runs out the back door, still in her nightshirt with her feet bare. I’m thinking maybe she’s planning on making snow angels in her nightshirt, in which case she’ll freeze. She’ll get frostbite for real. I watch out the window and she runs across the yard to the dog run and opens it and Bruno comes waddling out to greet her. Then she brings him back into our apartment.“What are you doing, Chlo? Bruno never gets to come in the house. You know that.”
“He’ll get cold.”
“He’ll also bite me.”
“No, he won’t. Watch.” She leads Bruno by the collar over to our bed. “Bruno, this is Jordy. Be nice to Jordy. Give him your hand, Jordy.”
Reluctantly, I hold one hand out for him to sniff. He sniffs it, licks it once, then flops down on the rug beside the bed with a deep sigh. Smart dog, I think. He knows if he bites me, he’s back out in the snow. Chloe climbs back into bed with me. Her feet are wet and freezing. I make her give them to me so I can rub them until they warm up. So she doesn’t get frostbite.
Jordan is so sweet and I hope I can find a friend like him. Every Chloe deserves a Jordy. And Every Jordy deserves a Chloe

MISS INVISIBLE

Okay, before anybody else steals the idea, I am now writing a novel based on the song of Marie Digby – Miss Invisible. It’s my seventh novel since I started writing again.
It’s a novel mostly for young adults (ninth graders above).

There’s another novel in the same title –Miss Invisible by Laura Jensen Walker (2007) but it’s an entirely different genre from my style of writing and although we have the same title, I hope my publisher (*sigh, if I get one), wont try and change the title Miss Invisible because it is mentioned inside the novel a lot of times and it is the key to the story. It is a very suitable title.

I wish I can share to all of you the draft. Unfortunately I can’t but I can tell you that I am all too excited to finish it. I am using the characters from an old story of mine that wasn’t published and change them just a bit:
Alessa always wanted to fit in yet does not. She just wants to be understood. Take a little closer look, try to listen to her words and you’ll know why she yearns for death, she yearns to be invisible.

The whole plot will be a bit sad but nevertheless it will teach teenagers a lesson.

The song is really inspiring and I will incorporate most of the lyrics in my novel.

MISS INVISIBLE by Marie Digby
There’s a girl
Who sits under the bleachers
Just another day eating alone
And though she smiles
There is something just hiding
And she cant find a way to relate
She just goes unnoticed
As the crowd passes by
And she’ll pretend to be busy
When inside she just wants to cry
She’ll say…

[Chorus]
Take a little look at the life of Miss Always Invisible
Look a little harder, I really, really want you to put yourself in her shoes
Take another look at the face of Miss Always Invisible
Look a little closer and maybe then you will see why she waits for the day
When you’ll ask her her name

The beginning, in the first weeks of class
She did everything to try and fit in
But the others they couldn’t seem to get past all the things that mismatched on the surface
And she would close her eyes when they left and she fell down the stairs
And the more that they joked
And the more that they screamed
She retreated to where she is now
And she’ll sing…

[Chorus]
Take a little look at the life of Miss Always Invisible
Look a little harder I really really want you to put yourself in her shoes
Take a little look at the face of Miss Always Invisible
Look a little closer and maybe then you will see why she waits for the day when you’ll ask her…her name

And one day just the same as the last
Just the days been in counting the time
Came a boy that sat under the bleachers just a little bit further behind…

BTW, I am finishing up my sixth novel entitled Game of Dare. As soon as I finish it, I will send it to a literary agent
The story is about a teenage rape victim coming out and telling the truth.

The Time Traveler’s Wife book review

Clock time is our bank manager, tax collector, police inspector; this inner time is our wife.
—J. B. Priestley, Man and Time

If you must read only one science fiction story in your entire life, I recomend this novel: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger.

Imagine knowing the love of your life since the beginning of your childhood and knowing that somehow your life with that person will never ever be normal. That is how Claire must have felt as The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Even when I just started reading the book I already felt the sadness and the tragedy of the two people involved in the story. Claire met her soul mate when she was only six years old and Henry met his when he was twenty eight. Some people die not even knowing that they have one but I’m not sure if I could call Claire and Henry lucky.

The Time Travelers Wife novel is a first of its kind. It is a heart breaking story about two people whose love is hindered by time. If you’re the type who believes you have been taken for granted by your wife/husband or girlfriend/boyfriend, read the book. Trust me, you will value the relationship you have with them after reading it.

Okay, just incase you are all wondering if Henry rides a time traveling machine so he can do his magic, the answer is NO. Time traveling in Audrey Niffenegger’s book is done in an involuntary manner. It’s a form of gene malfunction of some sort, like epilepsy. Henry has no control over it and mostly triggered by stress. So when he time travels he has no idea where he’s at and he’s stark naked. It doesn’t matter where he goes to – in the middle of a crowd, under six feet of snow (hypothermia), in the middle of hunting season, etc. Poor Henry. Poor Claire, because she is the one left behind wondering where Henry had gone to and left worrying about his safety. Sometimes Henry comes back to her bleeding and just beaten up, sometimes almost dying and some other times whistling in elation because he just slept with a much younger (eighteen year old) version of Claire. She is the one always left to wait for Henry. Sometimes years, sometimes just mere seconds. Although she enjoys moments of being alone, she is always happy when Henry is comes back to her. She loves him regardless. He is the only man she has ever and will ever love. Her husband in the past, present and future. I don’t think that I can ever have that sort of patience for someone.

The time traveling malady is also the reason why Claire wanted to have a child with Henry. When she is left alone, she wants someone who will resemble her husband. A small person that she’ll love and take care of. The only problem is that Henry’s condition is genetic thus giving Claire six (yes, six-unbelievable!) miscarriages (check this out, the fetus’ time travels out of her womb – though it sounds sort of funny, it is not). I will not tell you though how she got the seventh and final pregnancy even when Henry had a vasectomy already – the clue is already there.

In this story, people might think that time traveling is cool. IT IS NOT. Henry can never change the past for the outcome might appear as much more horrible. Just like winning the lottery aint that easy at all. He saw his mother’s death and his own death as well but there’s nothing he could do about it. Just accept it. It’s a gift and a curse.

Miss Audrey Niffenegger, despite of being a first time writer is brilliant. She compared the novel to real and non fictional relationships. Falling for the first time, finding a soul mate, the desperation of losing someone you love, the trials, the arguments and fights, the hurt and uncertainty of waiting, breaking up, two timers, cheating and so many more. There’s no other word for it but brilliant.

Reading the book, it reminded me of a quote: “Journeys end in lovers meeting. Every wise man’s son doth know.” – Whatever that means, haha. I am no Shakespeare. Sorry

Anyway, if you’re the sort of reader that wants to have things in a “happy-ever-after way”, don’t read it. But I believe that sensible and literary addicted people are those who will understand and love novels despite whatever tragedy there may be in the end. It’s the joy of scene after scene that makes them read, not just the ending.

Nine out of ten stars for The Time Traveler’s Wife. I loved it. Advised for a mature audience. This book has a great deal of sex, some of it rather awkward in nature, and some very violent scenes as well. Proceed with caution, and, parents, please read this book before your kids attempt it.

The movie is out, and I am going to watch it! I’ll compare it to the book if it had done it justice.

An excerpt from the book:
How does it feel?
It feels exactly like one of those dreams in which you suddenly realize that youhave to take a test you haven’t studied for and you aren’t wearing any clothes. And you’ve left your wallet at home. When I am out there, in time, I am inverted, changed into a desperate version of myself. I become a thief, a vagrant, an animal who runs and hides. I startle old women and amaze children. I am a trick, an illusion of the highest order, so incredible that I am actually true.

My favorite part of the book:
I’m getting nervous. Clare never told me any of this; just that she once went on a really horrible date with some guy named Jason, who was a football player. Clare has fallen silent again.
“Clare. Did he rape you?”
“No. He said I wasn’t…good enough. He said—no, he didn’t rape me. He just— hurt me. He made me..” She can’t say it. I wait. Clare unbuttons her coat, and removes it. She peels her shirt off, and I see that her back is covered with bruises. They are dark and purple against her white skin. Clare turns and there is a cigarette burn on her right breast, blistered and ugly. I asked her once what that scar was, and she wouldn’t say. I am going to kill this guy. I am going to cripple him. Clare sits before me, shoulders back, gooseflesh, waiting. I hand her shirt, and she puts it on.
“All right,” I tell her quietly. “Where do I find this guy?”
“I’ll drive you,” she says. – Okay why do you think that is my favorite part despite the sadism of it? Because no guy has ever defended (is that the word? I’m not sure) me like that. I mean, guys always thought that I’m a strong girl and I can take care of myself. But SOMETIMES even girls like me, like the thought of being taken cared of and protected even though they don’t look like they need it. Like I am something worth fighting for (I have a feeling feminist will counter me because of that).

Please also read this great review that I found from examiner.com (link): http://www.examiner.com/x-12391-Albuquerque-Books-Examiner~y2009m7d2-Ahead-of-its-time-Audrey-Niffeneggers-novel-The-Time-Travelers-Wife

(NOTE: I’m not in the mood for writing. I just thought that sooner or later I have to write something about it. If you think that I did a lame review or there are lots of GRAMMATICAL ERRORS, sorry, it comes with the mood which is Oh so lazy at the moment. My spine hurts! Ouch!)

This is Me snippet – Cover

This is Me

Yes, this is me singing. visit my youtube channel. the search key is akasha824

A Great and Terrible Beauty TRILOGY by Libba Bray book review

Oh my God Kartik turned into a tree! (I shall grieve for him for the rest of my days!) -there’s a major spoiler for you!

Okay, maybe he did not actually turned into a tree but he sacrificed himself to be taken by the tree to save Gemma’s life. His fate had proved to be worse than death. Time will pass and he will remain in the tree, with Gemma far away in another world, living a normal life away from the realms. It is truly a bitter, bitter story and I feel for them. Both of them.

So let’s say that I was deeply distraught at the end of trilogy but it’s something different from the usual happy endings. Despite the very sad death or undead state of Kartik in the end, I did love how everything went before that. I’ll admit to you that I am truly a hopeless romantic and I loved how Kartik protected Gemma in a way that she wasn’t quite aware of. Yes the story also focused and explained all the powers of Gemma and the description of the realms were all very intricate but it was the message underneath the Victorian era slash fantasy world story that got to me. In the 1800’s (to 1900’s) women were always considered second to men. They were expected to act and think what the society dictated them to act and think. Yet Gemma with her friends Anne, Felicity, even Pippa and all the other women in the story proved otherwise. That women and men should be equal. That women like men have the right to their own decisions. Let me make our protagonist’s life an example: She flew back to her parents hometown in England (from Bombay India), after her mother’s death (suicide, not murder I’d like to say). After which she was enrolled in Spence, a finishing school for girls were they’d learn to curtsy, how to properly drink tea, how to properly talk to gentlemen and all that blah blah blah. In other words, they were thought to obey, not question and nothing more. There she learned those things among many others. Including gaining friends and learning her mother’s history (btw, her mom wasn’t who she really was). Her mother was actually a very powerful member of the Order, she was a priestess, er, witch – to which consisted of women only members. The Order however was protected by another powerful association which was a great league of men, the Rakshana but the Rakshana didn’t have powers like the Order did. The Rakshana were only trained in Physical combat unlike the Order who can make things happen just by thinking of it. Beyond that, what the Order protected was a place called the realms. It was a world where spirits and other creatures lurked. It’s a place where souls go to when they haven’t crossed over yet. – So that’s how the story began.

There are three books to the “secret life” of Gemma Doyle. The first one of course is “The Great and Terrible Beauty” – I so love the title Miss Bray! The second one is the “Rebel Angels” and the third one is the heartbreaking, heart mourning, Oh my god (how many times can I say it? And I literally said it out loud when I read the part) Kartik turned into a tree – “The Sweet Far Thing”. I was so sad and as shameless as it may sound, I felt that I did cry for days like Gemma did in the story when Kartik had gone into the tree. It’s very true that before we can see properly we must first shed our tears to clear the way but how come I still cannot accept the ending? I’m still terribly saddened by it. I even got to the point when I wanted to write a book four for it which would include Kartik being rescued out from the tree (*hint*hint Miss Bray). Well, until I realized that I’m writing another story and I have to finish it soon.

I’m not really that attracted to Indian men (no offense because when I was a child my mom used to scare me with stories that involved Indian men as being goons) but the story made me want to say that someday I will find my own Kartik. Someone who would be willing to sacrifice himself for me and turn into a tree so that I would remain to be a beautiful human. Wahahaha! That did not sound right.

Anyway, my favorite part of the story was in the third book when Gemma took Kartik to the Caves of Sighs and they saw each others dreams. Their dreams were identical, methinks. The dream consisted of an Indian wedding and their honeymoon. The wedding had a vivid description of how an Indian wedding should be. Not that I’ve really been in any Indian weddings but hey, it was beautiful. It made me want an Indian wedding for myself (now if only I could find a willing groom…).

Although the books consisted mostly of power and a love story plot at the side under the regime of the Victorian era, the books are recommended for thirteen and up, for the teenage crowd. It’s a great read for English Literature class and a different yield than the usual “Romeo and Juliet or Wuthering Heights” story. Sorry William Shakespeare and Emily Bronte but that’s just my opinion.

Ten out of ten stars for you Miss Libba Bray (I haven’t given ten stars to any review up until now, even when I did like the ending). By the way, the Preface for the first book, “A Great and Terrible Beauty” about the Lady of Shalott was great. It was what had me intrigued in the first place. I loved it. A salute to you!

Here is an excerpt from book three, The Sweet Far Thing:

Kartik takes a stick and digs in the soft, new soil. He’s making something but I cannot tell what it is yet. The clouds shift. Shafts of sunlight peek through, and now I can see what he has drawn. It is a symbol: two hands interlocked, surrounded by a perfect, unbroken circle. Love. The day is breaking free. It bathes everything in a fierce light. Kartik is fading from view.
No, I call. Come back.
I’m here, he says.
But I can’t see. It’s too bright.
You can’t hold back the light, Gemma. I’m here. Trust me.

Miss Libba Bray’s web address: www.libbabray.com

Akasha, wearing black and all miserable: “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll go back to my mourning for Kartik.”

The Truth About Forever book review by Sarah Dessen

The truth about forever is an inspiring teen novel about learning to put your “heart in your hand” and extending them to someone. Just putting it out there unsure if that someone would reach to it and take it as his own (okay, something like that).

Macy’s dad died in front of her and she somehow felt responsible for it. She kept it to herself and all her feelings about it inside. Afraid that if she’d let anybody else into her heart, she would look weak or vulnerable to that person. Also, at first she was afraid of change. She had a super smart, perfect (so to speak) boyfriend named Jason who went to Brain camp. It was the first time in a year and two months they’d be apart for a long time, with the long stretch of summer ahead of her. She took a job at Wish Catering and discovered the endless possibilities of the unknown and the “unplanned” the night her boyfriend emailed her that they needed a break (just because he thought she was too clingy because she said “I love you” to him). In Wish Catering, she found real friends that showed her to open up to life, not to be uptight and accept thing as they come. She also meets Wes, a guy who helps her overcome her guilt for feeling that she had let her father down and not being to save him from dying. In addition, she finds out that she has a lot of things in common with him. In the process she falls for him, unknowing that Wes is also falling for her hard but couldn’t quite bring himself to it because he himself is on a break from his relationship. Both on hold and not being able to tell each other how they feel. Until, Jason comes back and wants to take Macy back. – yay! I made that synopsis myslef! So proud of myself! Haha!

I seriously had a stiff back from reading it out as an e book for five hours straight (like what I mostly do when reading)! Anyway, this one beats Just Listen off my number one chart. Mostly because how Macy is described in the story. She’s afraid to put her feelings out there for the fear (redundant) of being vulnerable like so many of us. Young and old alike. Can you pinpoint to me a person who isn’t afraid to tell what she really feels? Plus there’s the acceptance factor. To accept things as they are, to accept that some things are not meant to be repaired that somehow they still have a purpose or reason even when they’re broken or called “junk”. And finally, there’s the dashing, prince charming, somewhat mysterious, sort-of tortured artist slash bad boy looking Wes. Sa-woon! (That is meant as “swoon” but when it’s for Wes, its Sa-woon! – as mentioned in the book) He is mentioned in the book as utterly gorgeous (chiseled features and all) and girls of all ages can’t help but stare, all googly eyes at him because of his presence. I wonder if he’s a part of the Cullen family because he reminded me of Edward Cullen himself—oh wait, that’s another book. Anyway, although he is all that good looking, he is oblivious to it, which is all the more *sigh* why girls would fall in love with him when reading the book.

Another toast to you Miss Sarah Dessen! The Truth About Forever gets nine stars out of ten!

Here is a part of the book where Wes was described in Macy’s words:
Now that he was right in front of me, I could see that he was tall and had brown hair that was a little bit too long. He was also strikingly handsome, with the sort of sculpted cheekbones and angular features that you couldn’t help but notice, even if you did have a boyfriend. To me he said, “You okay?”
I nodded. My heart was still racing, but I was recovering.

I love the entire story itself so instead of picking up a favorite part of it to share to you readers, I picked out a part in random (somewhat). Here it is:
Wes considered this for a second, as I noted at least six different girls around the deck checking him out. As much as I was getting used to this happening whenever I was with him, it was still a little unnerving. I’d lost count of how many dirty looks I’d gotten just by sitting next to him. We’re not like that, I wanted to say to the girls who stared at me, slit-eyed, their eyes following me whenever I went to the bathroom or to find Kristy, waiting for me to be far enough away to move in. By now, though, I could spot who was and wasn’t his type a mile off. The girl in the tight black dress and red lipstick, leaning against the keg? Nope. The one in the denim skirt and black T with the tan? Maybe. The one who kept licking her lips? Ugh. No. No. No.
“Let’s say Jason was here,” he said now. “What would he be doing?”
I considered this. “Probably complaining about the smoke,” I said, “and getting very concerned about whether all these cans are going to be properly recycled. What about Becky?”
He thought for a second, pulling a hand through his hair. In the dining room, I could hear Kristy laughing loudly. “Passed out someplace. Or behind the bushes sneaking a smoke that she’d deny to me later.”
“Ah,” I said.
“Ah.”
The girl in the tight black dress was passing by us now, eyeing Wes and walking entirely too slowly.
“Hi,” she said, and he nodded at her but didn’t reply. Knew it, I thought.
“Honestly,” I said.
“What?”
“Come on. You have to admit it’s sort of ridiculous.”
“What is?”
Now that I had to define it, I found myself struggling for the right words. “You know,” I said, then figured Kristy had really summed it up best. “The sa-woon.”
“The what?”
“Wes, come on,” I said. “Are you seriously not aware of how girls stare at you?”
He rolled his eyes, leaning back on his palms. “Let’s get back to the idea of you being perfect.”
“Seriously. What’s it like?”
“Being perfect? I wouldn’t know.”
“Not being perfect.” I sighed. “Being…”
As I tried to come up with something, he flicked a bug off his arm.
“… gorgeous,” I finished. Two weeks earlier, this would have mortified me: I could just see myself bursting into flames from the shame. But now, I only felt a slight twinge as I took another sip of my beer and waited for him to answer.
“Again,” he said, as the parking lot girls passed by, eyeing both of us, “I wouldn’t know. You tell me.”
“Again,” he said, as the parking lot girls passed by, eyeing both of us, “I wouldn’t know. You tell me.”
“Donneven,” I said, in my best Monica imitation, and he laughed. “We’re not talking about me.”
“We could be,” he said, as I watched Bert take note of a group of what looked like ninth graders who had just come into the living room.
“I’m not gorgeous,” I said.
“Sure you are.”
I just shook my head, knowing this was him evading the question. “You,” I said, “have this whole tall, dark stranger thing going on. Not to mention the tortured artist bit.”
“Bit?”
“You know what I mean.”
He shook his head, clearly discounting this description. “And you,” he said, “have that whole blonde, cool and collected, perfect smart girl thing going on.”
“You’re the boy all the girls want to rebel with,” I said.
“You,” he replied, “are the unattainable girl in homeroom who never gives a guy the time of day.”

The first time I read it, I felt like I was about to burst to flames myself. Hahaha! I’m sa-woon Wes! Thank you Miss Sarah Dessen for creating this great novel.

E Books for Sale

I’m putting up a Ebooks site where you can buy ebooks as low as Php5-Php10. The thing is, it’s available to the Philippine market only. because payment will be made via Gcash (Globe-cellphonenetwork) Anyway, if you’re interested but hail from another country, I could still send it but it’s going to cost more. (Well just incase you find a hard to find title and really want it). The site is not up yet but I plan to put it up at www.literaryart.multiply.com.

I plan to put in audiobooks and some music as well, if possible and some of my paintings and sketches

www.literaryart.multiply.com

My Fita Spreadz Addiction (spicy tuna flavor)

I have this latest addiction! Fita Spreadz (yes it’s SPREADZ not Spreads) in spicy tuna flavor (there’s another one in bacon, haven’t tried it I but will soon!) I love it! I ate the whole pack in two days!

A couple of months ago I tried it when it wasn’t that popular yet here in the Philippines and I thought it was disgusting then last Wednesday, I suddenly had a craving for it. Because my mother and a friend of mine said it tasted real good, I tried it. Plus I was really hungry at that time. First round biscuit then boom! Fita Frenzy! I’m starting to hate it though (just the tiniest bit) because I literally couldn’t stop eating. I feel like I’m getting bigger and bigger because of it. It’s my last thought before I go to sleep and my first thought when I wake up. My day revolves around it and every two and a half hours, I should have it. I’m in love with it. Sigh. What’s the secret ingredient anyway? All I see is a brownish cream in the middle (I want to show you guys a picture but I don’t have a camera right now and my cellphone doesn’t have a cable) but it tastes like heaven to me. I really want my addiction to stop but I just couldn’t! I feel that I’m going to be in deep Fita withdrawal for the next— oh, two minutes because it’s like four in the morning now and I just ate my last pack. Boohoo!

I just checked the ingredients. I couldn’t understand them except for the wheat flour part. Hey doesn’t wheat flour make people fat? I don’t care! I heart you Fita Spreadz and I can’t wait to open another green silver foil of yours and taste the oozing cream on your biscuit (that sort of sounds like something else) — I still don’t care! We belong to each other my Fita Spreadz! Um, marry me?

Me to Fita Spreadz: “You complete me.” ;p