The internet is the only thing distracting me from reading. I’m glad that we have been disconnected for a few days or else I might continue to abandon Chapter four of Catching Fire which I have stopped reading four months ago. I re-read the book from the very first page to pep up my mind and finished the book after spending almost half the day reading it. It was much intense than the first book, which I’ve read almost a year ago. I cried on a few chapters just like I did in Hunger Games. Collins have her way of touching her readers, something only a few authors have. 

I was getting lost in the pages of Mockingjay, still unaware that wifi has been reconnected, when my sister came into my dad’s office – the place next thing I go to after my room when I want to be alone – and tells me that internet’s back. Great. Now my mind is back on the virtual world, thanks to my sister. I told my self I won’t be opening an Internet browser, not until I finished reading the last book of Suzzane’s Triology. I couln’t resist though, not when my dad’s laptop is just in front of me. I had to promise myself after checking on my tumblr for a few minutes, I’d be back on reading Mockingjay. And that’s what I’m going to do. See you folks.

Collecting things is really fascinating and it makes me happy every time I get a new item to add to my collection.

I have an old Panasonic tape recorder from my mum, Pentax K1000 and a Clover 707 deluxe typewriter from my pops, and a Ricoh xf 30D film camera from my tita. I also have an old watch I got from my mom. This little collection started around mid-February when I accidentally found all these stuffs in a box filled with wonderful old things. The film camera I got this summer from my Tita is the latest added item to my collection. 

Other collections I have:

• Paper bills
• 1997 Coins
• Feathers
• Glass jars
• Soda tabs

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent.  Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilightseries.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.

Aww. Thank you!

I’m deleting posts related to my love life. So much for keeping a low-profile.

My cousin-in-law gave me her new Adidas running shoes that pretty much costs around 3k. Yeaaah, big deal. I’ve been wanting to buy a new pair of running shoes since my old ones were already worn out. Saturday mornings would be spent on the track field from now on. I’ll start running again, yay!

This means I’d be back to getting fit — I need to lose weight. As of May 24, the weighing scale says that I’m 105.8 lbs. I’m fat. lol

Melissa and I made a deal last month. Whoever weighs more during our Health Inspection at school will treat the winner a lunch at McDonald’s. It was quite an unfair game though since I was in a Family Reunion for more than two weeks where they serve too many food. Seriously, it’s like they never ran out of something to eat. Plus, everything they serve is delicious and oh-so-mouth-watering that you just can’t say no. I’ve been eating 5 meals + 2-3 snacks every freaking day. How can I not gain weight with that?

It was a close fight. I’m only 1kg heavier than her but I still lost so I’m going to treat Melissa on the first day of school. Just Great.

My name wasn’t on the list of sections for the incoming fourth year students so I had to queue up at the Guidance Office to ask for a respective section. I waited for almost two hours just to reach our Guidance Counselor. Quite easier than last year wherein it took me four days before I got my section.

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And here I am searching how to get taller on google. I’m desperate indeed.

We arrived yesterday from our trip from Makati-Romblon-Laguna. I got nervous and scared because only my sisters and I stayed for two weeks with my relatives from my father’s side in Romblon while my parents attended some sort of schooling at Project 4 in QC. Wow, two weeks. If only my cousins and I were close to each other.. but we weren’t. We rarely visit Romblon and as far as I could remember, our last Summer vacation there was seven years ago. It went pretty well although I couldn’t help but feel a bit homesick especially when I’m not really that close to them. I had fun getting more tanned at the beaches though.

Meanwhile, my vacation with my relatives from my mother’s side felt pretty weird this year too. While we were in Romblon, all I could think of was ‘I need to see my cousins in Muntin— Laguna.’ Uhh, I still couldn’t believe how my nanay decided to move to Laguna. Muntinlupa is such a nice place! Plus, my childhood years were spent there. It’s where all of our treehouse adventures, kid fights, play house, rain baths, football games and other nostalgic memories  happened. This is where we grew up. It’s just that, it didn’t feel like home.

Summer 2k12 is different — the start of something new. I want to blog more of what happened this year’s summer but I’ll save it for next time. My pc’s keyboards got broken days before we left and I still haven’t bought new ones. I’m writing all these stuff with an On-screen keyboard. 

Sometimes, we need to blog the hard way. lol

Hi. I think you’ve followed me on my photo blog and yeah, I remember you.

Hey there, Mary! I follow a lot of photo blogs. Could you tell me which one is yours? Thank you for following btw.

I’ve tagged you in my 11 questions tagging game. :)

My tracked tags weren’t working and I didn’t see the post since I was out of the computer for almost three weeks. Anyway, I looked for your 11 questions post on your blog and answered the questions as well. 

you have catcher in the rye! where did you get that book? it looks antique. :-)

Sorry, I don’t recall posting any Catcher in the Rye related post and I don’t have Catcher in the Rye but I’m dying to get one myself.

I tagged you in my 11 Questions Tag game… ummm.. yeah, okay lang? XD

I was out of the internet world for almost three weeks. I checked your blog, and it seems like you already deleted the questions. Err, sorry. 

I like you. You’re not that tumblr-wanna-be-famous blogger! I just read your Professional Cameras are overrated posts and it totally make sense. Keep that low-profile personality :)

a-derivative tagged me but I’m not gonna tag anyone. This 11 questions thingy is all over my dash already.

What do you think about the sport volleyball?

One of the few sports I’m able to play. Although I tend to get scared with getting hit by the ball, I still love playing volleyball. I don’t know all the rules in volleyball but I can play. :)

How good are you in Math?

6 out of 10. I suck in Math

What is one place, except where you’ve been, you’d love to visit someday?

I’d probably give you a list of all the places I want to visit. London is the first thing that came into my mind though.

In the movie The Avengers, whose character can you relate to and why?

Uh. I choose the Hulk. I have no particular reasons though.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I haven’t read more than 10 books to state which one is my favorite but The Hunger Games surpassed my expectations from a book.

Do you indulge in drinking coffee? Why or why not?

Yes and no. I love coffee so much but I promised myself to substitute coffee with green tea for some health reasons.

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 Win one of these (20) great bonus prize packs:

• Prize Pack #1 (15 available): Topaz Labs Plug in Bundle, Photoback Premium Package & Spider Holster Single Camera System
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This giveaway will end on the 31st of May 2012. Don’t miss your chance of winning a Nikon D800. Click here to join the giveaway.

I love freedomblogger’s idea of signing the 97th page of her books instead of putting her name on the first page. I might as well do it starting from now on, on a different page though. lol Gaya-gaya forever. :-)

Bookshelves are one of the most underrated spaces in a home, but when done right, can make a huge impact.  Our new place has two big built-in bookshelves and I’ve been organizing and rearranging since we moved in.  While I’m still far from being finished, here are a few of the things that help make the space feel personal, unique and functional.

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