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	<title>Akasha824's Weblog</title>
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		<title>Akasha824's Weblog</title>
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			<item>
		<title>2012 Movie Review</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/2012-movie-review/</link>
		<comments>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/2012-movie-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:37:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[movies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thoughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[akasha824]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[death]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the end of the world]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://akasha824.wordpress.com/?p=146</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
The entire movie can fit into one concise sentence: “We are all going to die soon”.
I didn’t think that the crazy people with those posters saying “Repent! The end is near!” were right after all. 
If I let the movie get into my head, I would probably be committing suicide by now but seriously, I [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=akasha824.wordpress.com&blog=2526797&post=146&subd=akasha824&ref=&feed=1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p><a href="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/2012.jpg"><img src="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/2012.jpg?w=204&#038;h=300" alt="" title="2012" width="204" height="300" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-147" /></a></p>
<p>The entire movie can fit into one concise sentence: “We are all going to die soon”.</p>
<p>I didn’t think that the crazy people with those posters saying “Repent! The end is near!” were right after all. </p>
<p>If I let the movie get into my head, I would probably be committing suicide by now but seriously, I don’t think that God will let that happen to us all over again (yes, I believe in God). It’s a new age Noah’s arc movie and believe it or not, I liked it better than New Moon. I should probably mention this again, I AM A TWILIGHT SERIES FAN and its two different movie genres anyway. Moot point.</p>
<p>Okay, here’s me getting back to the movie. It’s a heartwarming movie about family, friendship and self sacrifice. </p>
<p>The part of the movie I loved most was when the old man from the cruise ship (I forgot his name, lol) called his son in Japan. His son is married to a Japanese woman and they haven’t spoken in years. His son had no idea that they were all about to die. The guy (son) got to pick up the phone but still, it was too late, the line got disconnected. His family died including the cute little half japanese, half american girl. It shows that no matter how mad we are with a person or how far apart we are, in the end, even if we try to hide how much we care for a person, it will show. I know we all hope that it’s not too late for all of us when we come to realize it is truly the end.</p>
<p>Apart from that, I also liked the part where the United States and Italian presidents refused to leave “their sinking ships” in the end. It’s so sad. Honestly, I was trying to fight the tears the entire time. My niece right beside me probably noticed. Darn it!</p>
<p>In tragedies, a person’s true color will really show. If you are willing to give up and forget everything for your own sake or if you are willing to sacrifice your life for the sake of another, a person who you haven’t known for a long time but deserves to live. I wouldn’t know what I’d do either. Anyway, I think I’m getting aneurism from all of this. Just remember the entirety of the movie: WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE…SOON! Repent! Kidding.</p>
<p>Anyway, I recommend this movie to everyone, except those who are suicidal. LOL. Nine out of ten stars. I loved it! General Patronage </p>
<p>P.S. My nephew Ralph loved the crazy radio station guy for some reason. Weird kid. Haha.</p>
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			<media:title type="html">2012</media:title>
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		<item>
		<title>NEW MOON Movie Review</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/new-moon-movie-review/</link>
		<comments>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/new-moon-movie-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:49:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[movies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thoughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[akasha824]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bella Swan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chris Weitz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Edward Cullen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jacob Black]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Johnny Depp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kristen Stewart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new moon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Moon movie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quileute]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[robert pattinson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Taylor Lautner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twilight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vampires]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://akasha824.wordpress.com/?p=144</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Time Passes. Even when it seems impossible. Even when each tick of the second hand aches like the pulse of blood behind a bruise. It passes unevenly, in strange lurches and dragging lulls, but pass it does. Even for me. – New Moon. I loved that intro in the fouth chapter of the book.
For starters, [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=akasha824.wordpress.com&blog=2526797&post=144&subd=akasha824&ref=&feed=1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p><a href="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/ejb.jpg"><img src="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/ejb.jpg?w=202&#038;h=300" alt="" title="NEW MOON" width="202" height="300" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-143" /></a></p>
<p>Time Passes. Even when it seems impossible. Even when each tick of the second hand aches like the pulse of blood behind a bruise. It passes unevenly, in strange lurches and dragging lulls, but pass it does. Even for me. – New Moon. I loved that intro in the fouth chapter of the book.</p>
<p>For starters, it’s better than the first movie (Twilight) because of the effects, lighting and cinematography. Although I am a big fan of the Twilight series, I couldn’t say that it was the best movie ever. It’s good though but not exceptional.</p>
<p>It was better patterned after the book and I applaud the director Chris Weitz for fitting a five hundred plus page book into a two hour (+ a couple more minutes) movie. </p>
<p>In the book, Jacob and some guys from his Quileute tribe transformed into wolves but I didn’t think they’d literally look like wolves. In the movie though, the director made it known that it was exactly what he thought of (different shades of huge wolves). All I can say is, I liked the CGI but not exactly what I perceived them to be. They didn’t look as vicious as I thought. </p>
<p>I also noticed something and I believe a lot of fans will hate me for this, including my teenage niece: Kristen Stewart should take some acting classes. I mean, in the book, Bella’s supposed to be a softie pretending she’s a toughie but still, the frail girl inside her shows. In the movie, it was the opposite. It probably has something to do with her not reading the book. In any job, a person should learn his/her craft to be called as someone who is extraordinarily brilliant (that’s redundant, I know). I guess she’d still take home dozens of awards because some people would refuse to notice that beyond the fame of New Moon that her acting lacks a couple of important details: That you should mold the character you are portraying into your personality and not your personality into the character you are portraying (sort of a Johnny Depp thing. That’s the reason he’s able to portray every role and look like he’s the character himself). I probably should also mention after I said all of that, I still believe that Kristen Stewart has potential if she submerges herself in making an effort to learn each and every character she plays. After all, it’s what makes her earn millions. </p>
<p>“Ow, papercut”, Kristen Stewart watches her finger drip blood but just looks at it, reactionless like it didn’t hurt at all. In tagalog: “Ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay dama ng buong katawan”. Google that up, will ya?</p>
<p>Since we are talking of character portrayals and I mentioned Johnny Depp’s acting appeal, in my opinion Robert Pattinson will someday be able to do what Mr. Depp had achieved – if he doesn’t let all the fame and fortune go into his head and keep on studying each role he plays in his movies. I said that not because of Twilight/New Moon alone or that in some point of my life I have found him utterly gorgeous but for the fact that he was able to play a gay role, an invalid, a musician geek, a loser guy and a wizard among his many movies. Plus, I believe that he still is the perfect Edward Cullen which means he looks pale – dead but still cute. Not to mention that he can still do that “I so want to drink your blood” gaze (I think I’ll go run now. The question is: will I run towards him or away?) eventhough his age lines were already showing in the movie, which shouldn’t have because Edward Cullen never grows old and in the first movie the wrinkles weren’t there at all. </p>
<p>Let’s talk about Taylor Lautner. I have to mention that this boy deserves a round of applause of what he had done. Both in his performance and the body mass he had put on himself so no one would ever have to doubt that he deserves to be Jacob Black (of course, Summit will pay him millions for that <img src='http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> , no disrespect intended). I have to say that I doubted him before. I thought that he wouldn’t be able to fit into the character of that wolf boy but he did it. It’s easy to gain thirty pounds but the hard part about it is to form them into muscles in a couple of weeks. Let’s not forget that he was only sixteen when that all happened (he’s seventeen now). Hold on, I just lost my train of thought. Oh right, I was supposed to say “nice ass Lautner”. Gosh, I feel so old. </p>
<p>All in all, most of it was in accordance from the book but I couldn’t help but think now that I am not so blinded by Edward Cullen’s charms anymore: Would I leave my father to be worried sick where I am, leave abruptly to rescue the love of my life who is literally as gorgeous as hell? I’m not sure since Edward was about to commit suicide. I don’t know if I missed the part where it was mentioned that Bella made a long distance call to her dad to tell him where she was but it was supposed to be like that. </p>
<p>Some said that it’s more of a guy movie time. I can’t totally say it’s true although my nephew Ralph was with us all three girls, not to mention that his sister Rachelle was squealing and twisting in her chair. I mean the love story is still there although towards the end there was some action but still it was totally a love story. Some guys will probably like it better than Twilight because of the werewolf and the face smashing part. I bet most guys just want to see Edward’s face get ripped off or just to see him in pain. One word guys: ENVY. (Insert me here laughing out loud).</p>
<p>Here are some notes about New Moon: It would break your heart even more when you’ve just gone through a break up yourself, even when you feel that it won’t affect you anymore, believe me it will. Edward left Bella, Bella uses Jacob like a comfort pillow then leaves him when Edward comes back. In the end, Jacob was the one at the losing end. I am not team Jacob, simply for the fact that Edward is wealthier but I felt Jacob’s hurt. In the end, the summary was that Bella used Jacob. She was selfish and it was right for her to feel guilty about everything. “Poor, poor, wolf boy”. I’m sorry Bella fans, but it’s true. I hope they make a Breaking Dawn movie so people who didn’t read the book (not me, I have read all four books.), will get to see that for every sacrifice, there is a greater reward. If it’s love you sow, it will be love you reap. </p>
<p>Seven out of ten stars for the New Moon movie. Rated PG-13.</p>
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			<media:title type="html">NEW MOON</media:title>
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		<item>
		<title>How old am I?</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/how-old-am-i-in-the-picture/</link>
		<comments>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/how-old-am-i-in-the-picture/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:17:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[thoughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[akasha824]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[corduroy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[demoroy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ice princess]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[infatuation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new moon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[robert pattinson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Starbucks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trevor blumas]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://akasha824.wordpress.com/?p=138</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Just for the sake of posting another blog, I have decided to post this picture of mine. I don’t know why I like it so much. I also had it attached to one of my youtube videos (lemme pimp it: www.youtube.com/akasha824) and the video is also on my Facebook, to where I am also addicted [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=akasha824.wordpress.com&blog=2526797&post=138&subd=akasha824&ref=&feed=1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p><a href="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/dsc09190.jpg"><img src="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/dsc09190.jpg?w=300&#038;h=221" alt="" title="me playing guitar" width="300" height="221" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-137" /></a></p>
<p>Just for the sake of posting another blog, I have decided to post this picture of mine. I don’t know why I like it so much. I also had it attached to one of my youtube videos (lemme pimp it: www.youtube.com/akasha824) and the video is also on my Facebook, to where I am also addicted now. </p>
<p>Anyway, everything here on my blog is random so I can say whatever I want <img src='http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />  – even updates on my life.<br />
So tomorrow I plan to see New Moon (the movie) with my niece and sister. Sigh – Edward, sigh – Jacob, whom is too young for me (Taylor Lautner). Actually even Robert Pattinson is younger than me. But who cares, they&#8217;re both so popular now! Although I think Rob could use some sun and probably a bath too. Thus emerges the question: Since you’ve seen what I look like, how old/young do you think I am? Don’t say I look thirty five because I am so going to hunt you down. Kidding.</p>
<p>Okay, so here’s another “update” about me. I am so addicted to Corduroy right now. Not the fabric/pants silly! It’s an indie band from Canada. I think they’re originally from Toronto. As I was saying, so it’s “Corduroy”. The members are Darren Tarbat, Kevin White, (and I’m not sure about this one anymore because they keep on firing members) Matt Boudreau and the vocalist, Trevor Blumas. And yes, I believe I’m infatuated with him but silencio! That’s a secret, but not really since I’ve announced it here. No one ever reads my blog anyway. Blah, blah, blah. </p>
<p>Alright, since the topic is on Trevor Blumas, let’s talk about him. I first saw him in the movie Ice Princess (2005?) and for a time I thought he was cute and too young for me but I suddenly came across him when I was googling for old pictures from the movie. Then boom! It was right there! He is younger than me …. only by a year <img src='http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />  Plus we have the same birthday [this is your chance to google him too so you can find out my birthday]. Star crossed fates huh, whatchathink? KIDDING! Then I saw the band on Youtube and man! He doesn’t even look the same anymore <img src='http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif' alt=':(' class='wp-smiley' />  with the beard and the super skinny physique and always getting half naked at concerts and all. Then again, I’m a weird girl, I liked him even more even though I thought he looked like he could use a bath and his shaving razor was probably missing him already. What more can I say? The charm works on me. So there, I’m in….fatuated. I hope the infatuation will just go away because it isn’t healthy at all. I refuse to expound on that. </p>
<p>Oh, and btw, my Starbucks Saturday chat(s) with Joy is back again! I love you my cappuccino! Muahhhhhhh!</p>
<p>Got to go, download Demoroy now…Oh stop it! I hate being infatuated! </p>
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			<media:title type="html">me playing guitar</media:title>
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		<title>I’m Going to Miss Starbucks</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/i%e2%80%99m-going-to-miss-starbucks/</link>
		<comments>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/i%e2%80%99m-going-to-miss-starbucks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:45:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cappuccino]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coffee]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Simon Baker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Starbucks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://akasha824.wordpress.com/?p=126</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Right. I know there&#8217;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 &#8220;regulars&#8221; and they already recognize us we had to stop the ritual (i&#8217;d rather not expound on that)
Joy orders the [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=akasha824.wordpress.com&blog=2526797&post=126&subd=akasha824&ref=&feed=1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p><img src="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/latte-art.jpg?w=497&#038;h=372" alt="latte art" title="latte art" width="497" height="372" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-132"><img src="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/star.jpg?w=497&#038;h=329" alt="starbucks" title="starbucks" width="497" height="329" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-134" /><img src="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/i-heart-you1.jpg" alt="Starbucks" title="Starbucks" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-129" /></p>
<p>Right. I know there&#8217;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 &#8220;regulars&#8221; and they already recognize us we had to stop the ritual (i&#8217;d rather not expound on that)</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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).</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>I heart coffee. </p>
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		<title>BAGYONG (typhoon) ONDOY DISASTER</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/bagyong-typhoon-ondoy-disaster/</link>
		<comments>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/bagyong-typhoon-ondoy-disaster/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:28:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[thoughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bagyong Ondoy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[calamity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[calamity Ondoy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[disaster Ondoy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ondoy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[storm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[typhoon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Typhoon Ondoy]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[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 [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=akasha824.wordpress.com&blog=2526797&post=118&subd=akasha824&ref=&feed=1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p>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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>To all the people who received most of the impact of Typhoon Ondoy, I give you my prayers. After every storm, a rainbow awaits. </p>
<p>God bless us all.</p>
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		<title>BECOMING CHLOE by Catherine Ryan Hyde book review</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/being-chloe-by-catherine-ryan-hyde-book-review/</link>
		<comments>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/being-chloe-by-catherine-ryan-hyde-book-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:22:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thoughts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[becoming chloe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[becoming chloe book]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BECOMING CHLOE by Catherine Ryan Hyde book review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Catherine Ryan Hyde]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Catherine Ryan Hyde book review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life is beautiful]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wanda Johnston]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[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 [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=akasha824.wordpress.com&blog=2526797&post=108&subd=akasha824&ref=&feed=1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p><img src="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/book.jpg" alt="BECOMING CHLOE" title="BECOMING CHLOE" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-111" />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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Here’s my faorite part of the novel:<br />
<em>I was thinking at first that it would’ve been a lot<br />
easier to believe in the beauty of things if that hadn’t<br />
happened. But now I feel like anybody can think the<br />
world is beautiful when it’s all going their way.<br />
That’s just like untested faith. But when you’ve got<br />
one eye swollen shut and you still know it’s better<br />
than it is bad, then you’re onto something.<br />
My conclusion is this: It’s a beautiful world, but<br />
also a scary one. I used to think something couldn’t<br />
be both. But then I remembered the point of no return<br />
on the Niagara River, and how much it fascinated<br />
me as a kid. Because it was just that: beautiful<br />
and scary. It’s like once you get that sense that there’s<br />
no real security, that anything at all can happen to<br />
you, then every minute you’re okay is a joy. Part of<br />
the joy is feeling like you can make your way in a<br />
world that isn’t always easy.</em></p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>I have to admit Ms. Catherine Ryan Hyde is not exactly my favorite author but I’m all hands down for “Becoming Chloe”. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>Here’s a part of the novel:<br />
<em>Her head pops up and she watches the snow for a minute.<br />
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.”<br />
“He’ll get cold.”<br />
“He’ll also bite me.”<br />
“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.”<br />
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.</em><br />
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 <img src='http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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			<media:title type="html">BECOMING CHLOE</media:title>
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		<title>MISS INVISIBLE</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/miss-invisible/</link>
		<comments>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/miss-invisible/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:08:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thoughts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://akasha824.wordpress.com/?p=106</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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 [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=akasha824.wordpress.com&blog=2526797&post=106&subd=akasha824&ref=&feed=1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p>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.<br />
It’s a novel mostly for young adults (ninth graders above).</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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:<br />
<em>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.</em></p>
<p>The whole plot will be a bit sad but nevertheless it will teach teenagers a lesson.</p>
<p>The song is really inspiring and I will incorporate most of the lyrics in my novel.</p>
<p><em>MISS INVISIBLE by Marie Digby</em><br />
There’s a girl<br />
Who sits under the bleachers<br />
Just another day eating alone<br />
And though she smiles<br />
There is something just hiding<br />
And she cant find a way to relate<br />
She just goes unnoticed<br />
As the crowd passes by<br />
And she&#8217;ll pretend to be busy<br />
When inside she just wants to cry<br />
She&#8217;ll say&#8230;</p>
<p>[Chorus]<br />
Take a little look at the life of Miss Always Invisible<br />
Look a little harder, I really, really want you to put yourself in her shoes<br />
Take another look at the face of Miss Always Invisible<br />
Look a little closer and maybe then you will see why she waits for the day<br />
When you&#8217;ll ask her her name</p>
<p>The beginning, in the first weeks of class<br />
She did everything to try and fit in<br />
But the others they couldn&#8217;t seem to get past all the things that mismatched on the surface<br />
And she would close her eyes when they left and she fell down the stairs<br />
And the more that they joked<br />
And the more that they screamed<br />
She retreated to where she is now<br />
And she&#8217;ll sing&#8230;</p>
<p>[Chorus]<br />
Take a little look at the life of Miss Always Invisible<br />
Look a little harder I really really want you to put yourself in her shoes<br />
Take a little look at the face of Miss Always Invisible<br />
Look a little closer and maybe then you will see why she waits for the day when you’ll ask her&#8230;her name</p>
<p>And one day just the same as the last<br />
Just the days been in counting the time<br />
Came a boy that sat under the bleachers just a little bit further behind&#8230;</p>
<p>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 <img src='http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /><br />
The story is about a teenage rape victim coming out and telling the truth. </p>
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		<title>The Time Traveler&#8217;s Wife book review</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/the-time-travelers-wife-book-review/</link>
		<comments>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/the-time-travelers-wife-book-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:27:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thoughts]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[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&#8217;s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger.
Imagine knowing the love of your life since the beginning of your [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=akasha824.wordpress.com&blog=2526797&post=102&subd=akasha824&ref=&feed=1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p><img src="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/time.jpg?w=316&#038;h=475" alt="The Time Traveler&#39;s Wife" title="The Time Traveler&#39;s Wife" width="316" height="475" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-103" />Clock time is our bank manager, tax collector, police inspector; this inner time is our wife.<br />
<em>—J. B. Priestley, Man and Time</em></p>
<p>If you must read only one science fiction story in your entire life, I recomend this novel: The Time Traveler&#8217;s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger.</p>
<p>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.  </p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>Reading the book, it reminded me of a quote: &#8220;Journeys end in lovers meeting. Every wise man&#8217;s son doth know.&#8221; – Whatever that means, haha. I am no Shakespeare. Sorry</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p><strong>Nine out of ten stars for The Time Traveler’s Wife. I loved it. </strong> 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.</p>
<p>The movie is out, and I am going to watch it! I’ll compare it to the book if it had done it justice. </p>
<p>An excerpt from the book:<br />
<em>How does it feel?<br />
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.<em></p>
<p>My favorite part of the book:<br />
<em>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.<br />
“Clare. Did he rape you?”<br />
“No. He said I wasn’t&#8230;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.<br />
“All right,” I tell her quietly. “Where do I find this guy?”<br />
“I’ll drive you,” she says.</em> – 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 <strong>SOMETIMES</strong> 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).</p>
<p>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</p>
<p>(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!)</p>
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			<media:title type="html">The Time Traveler&#39;s Wife</media:title>
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		<title>This is Me snippet &#8211; Cover</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/this-is-me-snippet-cover/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:46:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[entertainment]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[This is Me
Yes, this is me singing. visit my youtube channel. the search key is akasha824 
  
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p><a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suGhsAWAvi8'>This is Me</a></p>
<p>Yes, this is me singing. visit my youtube channel. the search key is akasha824 </p>
<p> <img src='http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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		<title>A Great and Terrible Beauty TRILOGY by Libba Bray book review</title>
		<link>http://akasha824.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/a-great-and-terrible-beauty-trilogy-by-libba-bray-book-review/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:23:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>akasha824</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[A Great and Terrible Beauty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[A Great and Terrible Beauty TRILOGY by Libba Bray]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[A Great and Terrible Beauty TRILOGY by Libba Bray book review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gemma and Kartik]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gemma Doyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kartik]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kartik and Gemma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Libba Bray]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rebel Angels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Sweet Far Thing]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[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 [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=akasha824.wordpress.com&blog=2526797&post=90&subd=akasha824&ref=&feed=1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><br /><p><img src="http://akasha824.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/untitled2.jpg" alt="A Great and Terrible Beauty" title="Gemma Doyle" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-95" />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!</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>	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.</p>
<p>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…).</p>
<p>	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.</p>
<p>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!</p>
<p>Here is an excerpt from book three, The Sweet Far Thing:</p>
<p>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.<br />
No, I call. Come back.<br />
I’m here, he says.<br />
But I can’t see. It’s too bright.<br />
You can’t hold back the light, Gemma. I’m here. Trust me.</p>
<p>Miss Libba Bray&#8217;s web address: www.libbabray.com</p>
<p>Akasha, wearing black and all miserable: “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll go back to my mourning for Kartik.”</p>
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