Day 13. #100HappyDaysV2.0

I've had this book in my reading list for the longest time but only got around to reading it when the month started. I'm not yet done reading it because I barely have time to breathe but I am enjoying the part of the book I am reading now. It effed my brain up, seriously.

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List

So I started reading books again, thanks to my current addiction with the Goodreads website/app. I've been browsing the website for two days straight now and bookmarking every book I want to read and judging a lot of them by their covers which I know I shouldn't be doing but that's how I decide whether I would want to read it or not. (Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.)

Anyway, I've just finished reading a couple of books, including this book by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn called Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List. Having just read Every Day (by David Levithan) before I read this one, I expected a lot from this book which I obviously shouldn't have done 'cause halfway through the book, I wanted to stop reading it altogether. I didn't, though, 'cause I wanted to actually finish all the books in my library/hard drive.

(Apparently, this book has a movie adaptation. Wala lang.)

Having said that the book disappointed me, I still have one line that I want to take note of:

I know, I know. I'm turning 26 this year but I am still clinging on to the idea that maybe things will start getting really easy if I'm - as the author wrote - on my best behavior. I really gotta get my head out of the clouds, huh?

"She was the third beer. Not the first one, which the throat receives with almost tearful gratitude; nor the second, that confirms and extends the pleasure of the first. But the third, the one you drink because it's there, because it can't hurt, and because what difference does it make?"

(Excerpt from Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, grabbed from Tumblr)

This really makes me think whenever I see it.

(Yeah, I have an actual blog entry for this in my head right now but I am too sleepy to write it all down. Hopefully, I still have it when I wake up a few hours from now.)

"Even if that was it, if we shared nothing more, I'd cherish it, because I would swear, for a few seconds, Christian knew he felt more, even if he didn't know how to admit it."

Excerpt from Lost to You by A.L. Jackson

"It would be easier if you included me in your plans rather than making decisions for me. I'd feel more like your -- partner."

Quote lifted from Gabriel's Inferno by  Sylvain Reynard

“If you take a step back,” he continued, “and look at what he’s doing to you, how you’re feeling about yourself since you’ve been with him, and whether you’re truly fulfilled by your relationship, you’ll come to your own conclusions.”

Quote lifted from Reflected in You by Sylvia Day

The Secret

The first time I've watched The Secret was 2 years ago. I had a huge belly, a really complicated home-and-lovelife situation and a very confused mind. I didn't know what I should be doing (and thinking of) at that time. The seminar for The Law of Attraction came around that time, followed by the PSI 4-day seminar that totally changed my life.

Why this blog post? Well, my aunt sent me an e-mail enumerating all the keywords/phrases from the book/film, The Secret. I remember how empowered I am every time I see them and I just wanted to share the positivity with everyone. I hope these inspire you the same way they do me.

• Law of Attraction – what will help you generate the feeling to get what you want
• Thoughts become things
• Whatever it is you are feeling is a perfect reflection of what is in the process of becoming
• What you think, what you feel, and what you manifest, is always a match
• The way you feel is everything
• The universe likes speed; don’t delay, don’t second-guess
• Most people offer the majority of their thought in response to what they are observing
• Believe what you want, believe that you deserve it, believe it could happen to you
• When you have inspired thought, you have to trust in and act on it
• Go to the sense of inner vision first, and all other things will follow
• You are the only one who creates your reality
• Happier thoughts leads to essentially happier bio-chemistry
• What you resists, persists
• Focus on what you want; what you don’t want will fall away.
• Every single “why not” is a creation
• Constantly put yourself in a state of joy

If I were given the chance to live in another place...

...I would love to live in New York.

The way I look at New York is the way how a probinsyana looks at Manila.

I've read stories of people who actually lives in New York and swears that life there isn't any better but still a part of me wants to live in any part of it. I could work as a bagger or a writer or as an executive assistant, it doesn't matter just as long as I live there.

I'm watching far too much TV shows and reading far too much books that are set in New York...

Kellan Kyle

I am currently reading Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens as recommended by my good friend, Jill, and can I just say that I'm not even finished with the first chapter and I am actually getting all kilig over this Kellan Kyle character already? Mainly because he's described as the lead vocalist of his band, has tousled hair and the fact that he wears basic pieces of clothing... Sounds familiar, eh?

(Kean Cipriano, pano na kita maaalis sa isip ko niyan?!)

50 Shades of Freakery.

I've just started the third 50 Shades book (Special thanks to Anna and Angela for sending me a copy of the third book) and can I just say I am quite thankful that the copy I first had was blank? Why? Well, because I couldn't take the emotional rollercoaster it brought me and having half a day away from the book actually stabilized me a bit.

As I've said, I am not one to actually read books on my computer but for the sake of this book and the money that I can save if I read it here, I did and can I just say that my eyes are puffy either because of the fact that I sleep later than usual, the long time I spend reading the book on my laptop or from crying in different parts of the book. Maybe all of the above.

I'm not really into the whole sado-masochist sexual lifestyle but I must say this book got me hooked only because I love how twisted the character of Christian Grey is. He's so intriguing and you'd never know what he'll do next. I also love how my emotions are so high up on one paragraph and then all of a sudden, it plunges so far down, I actually feel the hurt. There are times when I also want to throw my laptop because I can relate to the frustration Ana has towards Christian. (Yeah, I have my very own 50 Shades, too, though he's not a sadist and he's not disturbed. Demanding lang talaga siya.)

I know I haven't finished the third book yet but I guess it's safe to say that the charm of the book is on the manner it is written. If you ask me, it's like reading a fiction written by me. It's not at all well-written and the author would've done a lot better when it comes to storytelling but the manner on how it is written actually works. It's like a justification of the twisted-ness of Christian Grey.

Anyway, I've to get back to the book now. I want to finish it before Friday ends. I've a lot of (e-)books to read after this. (Thanks, Jill!)

50 Shades of Grey

I've been meaning to read the 50 Shades trilogy when I read Jill's review about it on her blog. I haven't gotten around to reading the copies that I have because they're in digital form and although I am one of those people who are online most of the time, writing, or maybe just marathon-ing a TV series until my eyes give out, I cannot - for the life of me - read a novel on my computer. I like reading novels from a book...or maybe I just like the idea of buying an actual book from the bookstore. Either way, I wasn't going to read 50 Shades on my computer.

Up until now, I am still not convinced that I should buy the actual book. I've read mixed reviews about it and I wouldn't want to spend that much money for a book that might disappoint me. I know, I have all four Twilight books but that saga I actually enjoyed (mainly because I love the damsel-in-distress-gets-saved-by-a-hot-guy story plus I am a sucker for cheesy romantic lines).

I have a lot of books pending to be read.

I have a dozen books waiting to be read inside my closet. Old books I found in my old room (a.k.a. attic) that I didn't bother reading after buying them and new books I didn't bother reading after buying them. I also had a plan a very long time ago on re-reading all the books I own. There's always plan B, yes?

I blame the internet for this. And my iStone.

My birthday is coming up. *ehem ehem*

To those who are having a hard time thinking of what they'll give me, might I make a suggestion?

Am I the only person not following the Harry Potter franchise?

I've read one book from the series and I watched the first film but that's it. It was dragging for me, both the movie and the book so I never bothered continue even if the whole world got crazy over it. I got hooked with Twilight only because of the hype. Harry Potter? Even if my family and friends push me to read and watch it, I wouldn't be bothered. The internet, television, radio, print ads, everywhere I see the last of the movie franchise but didn't get the least bit interested in it. I wasn't even curious how it ended.

I feel like something's wrong with me.

The Zahir is becoming my favorite book...

"Why are you getting so angry?"

"Angry? How could I possibly get angry with someone who isn't paying the slightest bit of attention to what I'm saying? How can I possibly be angry with someone who isn't even provoking me, who's just lying there, staring into space?"

"How much did you have to drink tonight?"

"You don't even know the answer to that, do you? I've been by your side all evening, and you've no idea whether I've had anything to drink or not! You only spoke to me when you wanted me to confirm something you had said of when you needed me to tell some flattering about you!"

"Look, I've been working all day and I'm exhausted. Why don't you come to bed and sleep? We can talk in the morning."

"Because I've been doing this for weeks and months, for the last two years in fact! I try to have a conversation, but you're always tired, so we say, all right, we'll go to sleep and talk tomorrow. But tomorrow there are always other things to do, another day of work and publishers' suppers, so we say, all right, we'll go to sleep and talk tomorrow. That's how I'm spending my life, waiting for the day when I can have you by my side again, until I've had my fill; that's all I ask, to create a world where I can always find refuge if I need it: not so far away that I can't be seen to be having an independent life, and not so close that it looks as if I'm invading your universe."

"What do you want me to do? Stop working? Give up everything we've struggled so hard to achieve and go off on a cruise to the Caribbean? Don't you understand that I enjoy what I'm doing and haven't the slightest intention of changing my life?"

"In your books, you talk about the importance of love, the need for adventure, the joy of fighting for your dreams. And who do I have before me now? Someone who doesn't read what he writes. Someone who confuses love with convenience, adventure with taking unnecessary risks, joy with obligation. Where is the man I married, who used to listen to what I was saying?"

Does this make me a prostitute?

I started reading this book this morning and the first page of the first chapter made me laugh.

Once upon a time, there was a prostitute called Maria.

Like all prostitutes, she was born both innocent and a virgin, and, as an adolescent, she dreamed of meeting the man of her life (rich, handsome, intelligent), of getting married (in a wedding dress), having two children (who would grow up to be famous) and living in a lovely house (with a sea view).

Eleven Minutes

Paulo Coelho

I was born both innocent and a virgin. I've always dreamt of meeting the man of my life and getting married and having TWO children and living in a lovely house by the sea.

So, does this make me a prostitute?