2/28/2013

His Bipolarity and His Black Garbage Bag

The Silver Linings PlaybookThe Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I cannot deny it. After all those long episodes of me hating Patrick... I shed a tear as I closed this playbook of his.

Why Silver Linings? And why Playbook?

The metaphor of this book is the resolve of the protagonist Pat Peoples in addressing the unresolved issue that currently lingered in his life. Told in a scratch-slash-composition-slash-playwright-slash-reflections-in-a-first-person-perspective, Pat writes his "situations" from the last day in the bad place, and his daily situations as he deal with moving back with his mum and dad, looking for more ways to be fit, being in-sync with understanding the essence of reading classic and contemporary fiction, and his ultimate goal of being with his wife again. After all, every person has this one shot at the silver lining.

I, for one who is brutally frank and blunt to tell this: (you may rant but this is still my review) I don't fully comprehend the rationale of Pat's way of thinking, somehow made me appreciate where Pat's way of thinking coming from. He has suffered enough out of loving too much, and his search for his way home is very passionate. I admire him for that because I believe men (like him) who are very passionate in doing things and putting all efforts to make something happen is getting fewer and fewer as the day goes by.

It may not have the same picture of way home he was expecting, but he has found a solace as the book ends. It gives a not-very-mushy feel like any romantic-comedy-flicks, but after all his effort to losing lots of pounds, getting back in touch with his interest in football, his perseverance to understand the author's perspective in The Bell Jar, and practicing difficult dance steps... we see that he has achieved the feeling that he is needed, just like how much he needed someone to be with.

I watched the movie first because of the actors Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper (with the black garbage bag he kept on wearing which I don't really get at first), but I was glad that the movie director gave a different interpretation from the book. I am glad that both the book and the movie are wonderful, however different their takes in Pat's case are.



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2/27/2013

DO I EAT LIKE THIS?

You eat and You sing, at Harvest - Fort

Birthday bash, Office Cafeteria

The Night before Birthday Bash, Bubble Tea

Because I am stressed, Jollibee the Fort

Gimme-gimme, March 2012 book discussion


OMG! I DO EAT A LOT. 
-_________-
Toastmasters speech, Max's Mandaluyong



2/19/2013

My American Boss

Welcome to Manila, Danny Correa! 


From left to right: Ella, Danny, Kath, Mary, Beth, Jastine, Lyra, Doneal, Mark

He's the onshore counterpart handling the same function as ours. I may not be able to share the nitty-gritty process of what I do in the Bank, but most of my business knowledge and client expertise in fund accounting mainly comes from him.

I first know him through same-time-messages and office communicators, and appreciated all those tidbits of information he relayed to me through the same communication engine. Maybe paid by experience, he's handling a managerial post at 29, and I cannot help but fan-girl about his capacity and capability to handle voluminous transactions and management of people both on-shore and off-shored units.

And yes, I consider him as a cool boss, that is why he deserves this blog post. He may consider my personality as "crazy and quirky and special", but that's who I am - I'm just being transparent. :)

We hope that he enjoys roaming around the capital of this developing nation. He may not be a typical backpacker/tourist - but I have to push this advocacy of tasting Pinoy delicacies.

NOTE TO SELF: KAILANGAN KONG MAIPALAMON SA KANYA ANG KAKANING PINOY. 

2/17/2013

Pinoy Reads Pinoy Books Goes To: Cavite





This is a good result of a good advocacy. 
The advocacy of this group is to read the works of the Filipino writers and patronize them. It is the responsibility of the Filipinos, from all walks of life, to promote patriotism through literature. Thus this book club is named Pinoy Reads Pinoy Books

A teacher. A student. An accountant. A historian. An IT consultant. A writer. All readers.
We all went to visit two of the five authors of the short story anthology Mga Agos sa Disyerto, Ka-Efren Abueg and Ka-Roger OrdoƱez. Reflecting on the stories on how the book came into life, their golden years and the dark ages - those haunted by the stories of Martial Law, all of us felt their imprint and their contributions in defining true literature.

And the food was awesome. Too many to mention! We fed our souls and stomachs heartily.  :)




Above are some of the awards Ka-Roger showed us. 





Pagpapakilala - each and everyone introduced themselves. Their interests, their profession, and some of their quirky personalities.

















We also have had the side trip to the residence of the First President of the Philippine Republic, General Emilio Aguinaldo. And yeah, the historic feel left us in awe.


Magdalo group "daw": We all posed with the MCDO sign :))
A side snapshot: Me posing in Aguinaldo's luxury car. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA



We also went to the Bacoor Church, where the National Hero priest Zamora was given a death sentence. 

Pagod at Uhaw: Sa kaalaman, sa panitikan, sa tubig
The book-lovers that prays together, stays together

At the end of the day, we visited the Roxas Boulevard, held a biglaang outreach and watch the sunset together. :)


And thus the sunset to end the day worthwhile.



(some of the photos were taken by Reev Robledo, visit his site http://reevwrites.wordpress.com/)

2/11/2013

This Book = Tears

The History of LoveThe History of Love by Nicole Krauss

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the first book in 2013 that gives me this heart-breaking-heart-warming emotion that you just cannot compel yourself to stop crying. And i really mean crying for I am still crying as I type this.

Krauss, if you have the same writing style as your husband, you are lucky for I read this first. My heart pours out of all heart-warming emotions as you end the book. It left me too many questions to think about. Too many things to ponder about.

Am I really invisible? I'm still crying in this coffee shop yet no one notices me. Do I plan to be noticed by someone tonight? Ella, stop crying. You have had enough tears shed.

I'm okay, Kuya Barista. I'm just through with the best book I've read in 2013. And yet...

This is such a wonderful read.



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