July book haul

I was supposed to study at JFM library but I woke up late so I decided to go to FullyBooked BGC instead. I wish I'm here every week. It's so cozy~

Ahem...and Yes I bought more books despite my very slow reading progress. In my defense, they are really small thin books. （￣◇￣)ゞ

Finally got around to reading The Little Prince but I don't think I absorbed it enough. Hmn I just have this bursting feeling to talk about it with someone. Discuss it further and suck the marrow out of its pages. It's that kind of book. 彡

#Booknerd Wishlist: Kobo Glo reader

For a time I didn't see myself owning an eBook reader because I'm a traditional bibliophile. I love running my fingers across the spine of books, smelling the pages, and flipping across each page with gusto. So as it turned out it is that same desire for books and stories – and my lack of bookshelf space – that had me thinking I may just need one.

01 ≈ As much as I want to buy all the books I want to read, it is impractical and there are certain books that I don't necessarily want to collect. My bookshelf is only 3 layers after all and full enough as it is. And I have this feeling of guilt whenever I buy a book that I know I'm never going yo re-read. Besides there are some things you are allowed to experience but not to keep. (#hugot! hahahaha Anyway...) I'm throwing off a Nabokov quote here, "One cannot read a book: one can only reread it". Thus the solution would be eBooks~ I can read all the chicklits and the romcoms I want without breaking my budget! This would open me up to other genres I would otherwise pass up.

02 ≈ Oh look battery life is 1 month! It may also depend how often you use it though.

03 ≈ I like to wander and bringing books I'm currently reading has been a real pain – physically too, lugging around all those books. Now why do I need to bring them with me in the first place if I'm just going to do errands and stuff. You would not believe how much reading time you can do when you're outside. These days it seems we need to queue in line for everything and those idle packets of time are perfect to read. Just stop fiddling with your phone for a while. Those posts are not going to disappear if you don't read them now!

04 ≈ I am planning to do a bit of traveling locally towards the end of this year and at least one in Asia by next year. I'm going the backpacker route so I am not bringing a lot!

05 ≈ ah I'm getting way ahead of myself.~ I'm going to stop myself here because I'm not going to get myself one right this moment. I intend to practice the lost art of delayed gratification. Break the habit of getting everything easy without conscious effort and deliberation.

06 ≈ Though I have savings for times like this, I will start from 0 so I will feel the weight of this purchase. I hope to minimize my impulse buying behavior.

07 ≈ I want to treat this as a reward for myself after I complete my 2015 reading challenge. It also stops me from hoarding too many books without reading them. My TBR pile is already threatening to engulf me. ( T_T)＼(^-^ )

Kobo is available in National Bookstore. (No this is not a sponsored post! I just fell in love with it that's all~ :p)

June 2015 Book haul

I love art and design – generally all pretty things – so it is not a surprise that I sometimes choose books based on the cover. But of course it is still the story that ultimately sells it for me. I have on more than one occasion sold off an old copy in place of a reissue with better cover. ahaha ( ﾟ 3ﾟ)~♪

I'm currently reading The Time Machine but I haven't made much progress – slow reader is slow. (^_^ ;") I made it my reading goal to go through the Penguin Classic books – among others; Little black classics and Great Ideas. And because I want to hoard their pretty books. (─‿‿─) There are several editions but the ones I'm collecting are the paperback editions and maybe the clothbound ones for my favorites.

I got these at FullyBooked, it's the only bookstore with this edition. And I finally got to visit their BGC location!! Hurrah! I live in QC and travelling via public transportation is a real pain. So I'm really happy I finally got to see it.

What do we have here...more books! Raph and I have amassed quite a few more this month. Chalk it up to constant trips at Booksale. It's like we're magnetized. Haha. Whether we have finished our past book haul is another story though. :p We love cheap books to say the least. The books below only cost 35php-150php, Cool huh?!

Spending hours knee and elbow deep in books and finding a treasure now and again is one awesome way to spend your morning don't you think so?!

That's it for now. I really need to finish my current TBR book pile before I go on another book buying spree. ( ﾟ 3ﾟ)~♪ See you next time!

A rekindling

In an attempt to write better, I reignited my love affair with published words – like a wayward friend returning back to the fold. Mostly books abandoned or ones I bought and forgotten until unearthed from wherever it gathered dust. And because I felt ashamed at how many books I have read since January – a dismal number of two!

One sure thing, I missed flipping pages – desperately. One would say it's a form of distraction given my many worries, but no I say it's finding a safe haven within the pages – in every character, in every universe. As was famously uttered by JK Rowling: "The knowledge that there's always somewhere you can go that you love and be safe".

I was hoping to read 4 books by the end of May but seeing as I get easily distracted (on a Supernatural marathon the past 2 days! :p) I'm trying not to unearth more books from their lairs else I find myself burdened with their accusing stares. "I deserve to be devoured!" they would say. Yes yes I'm working on it!

Of the stacks below, I finally finished reading I am Half-sick of Shadows.  It was a book I acquired a year ago but gave up halfway through due to lack of enthusiasm. It's now book read #2. Bow. And I'm currently barreling through Speaking from the Among the Bones. The rest are my reading list for June:

Also, a dilemma I'm having – I love to read but I am a hopelessly limited reader. I gravitate towards select genres. I look at others and think to myself "It's never going to work, I'm going to be bored and I'm not going to read you anyway". So that's that. On one of our recent trips to Booksale, Raph and I acquired a few more books. I did try to come out of my comfort zone. I got a copy of October Sky (will gush about this soon, it's my next read!) and the wildcard My Sister's Keeper. So, the latter one – I like to be transported to a place of wonder so I don't usually read stories close to real life especially the drama ones. But I have a goal here, to be a reader who devours words regardless of genre. So I decided to also read the ones Raph got. Surprisingly, I have no issue with that. I think my issue is buying the books I don't usually read. So am I a cheapskate? *haha* Hold that thought. :)

Just make Art Vol.01

When it comes to art, I am satisfied with the role of a spectator. However I do believe we are capable of making art only for ourselves. As an avenue to create what was once only a thought. :)

Here is my attempt at drawing a wood pattern. I need to draw this in pen next time. You can barely see it. >.<

Oh look! I found this at Booksale. Love it when I find treasures like this. So I will leave you with words from Andy Warhol: "Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it."

A Little Princess

This 2013, I am going to conquer my fear of reading classical books. They always seem too complicated for me but I discovered that with most fears all you have to do is just dive right in. I'm starting with children's stories to ease myself into the genre. You can get free ebooks from iBooks store (apple) or on goodreads (android).

I'm also slowly getting used to reading from a tablet. It feels weird. :( I miss the tactile experience of turning a page. But this will do for now. This way I get to read more books and have more time searching for the book editions I want to collect.

I'm reading "A Little Princess" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. While I grew up watching the animated version, I'm rediscovering her through written words. Still, it's a shame they don't play the anime anymore. I think kids these days are missing a lot. :(



As the moon kindles the night
As the wind kindles the fire
As the rain fills every ocean
And the Sun the Earth
So your heart will kindle my heart

Little Sarah Crewe was kind and she had a way of staying positive even when life was horrible to her. But I think I was more captivated by the world she lived in—of exotic India, of English tiled roofs, cold gray streets, and old forgotten attics.

Undercurrents

This book has been sitting on my book shelf for half a year before I finally had the courage to open it. I was afraid that any mention or description of this darkness is a sure pull into its depths. Undercurrents: A Life Beneath the Surface by Dr. Martha Manning is a memoir of the author's descent into and out of depression. It is a personal account. There are no advice or tips on how to rid yourself of this disease. For me at least, it's like meeting someone who understand exactly how I feel.



I've thought long and hard if I should share this here. As much as possible I want heyladyspring to be my place of happiness but the truth is I'm not always bright and shiny. I have many identities on the internet and most of them are...well...not so happy.

I feel it's time though. I feel lucid.



I realize that everything in life changes by how we look at them but sometimes sad things are just sad. One sad thing after another piling up. Somehow you get tired thinking of happy thoughts and being all positive. Then you reach a point where you're just too tired. My childhood no matter how fondly I talk about it, wasn't a very easy one. I was surviving then when I was in my second year of college, I developed a condition called PCOS. An emotional + physical problem, not a good combo! Why it took me 7 years to go to the doctor is a serious lapse of judgement. I should have had it treated sooner. PCOS is a hormone problem and it messes with your body and your head. I gained weight and suffered mild depression among others. I didn't go to a doctor for these either. I basically just learned to live with these for years.

I realized that I wasn't fighting this darkness hard enough. I need to help myself or ask for help. I truly feel that everything is going to be ok. I threw off most of the weight I gained and getting closer and closer to my ideal weight! *yeah!!* My mental state might need a bit of work. I am strong when I need to but I don't know if I'm ever going to be depression-free. From experience, it comes and it goes, often without warning. It's like being in a trance and waking up months after to discover that life passed me by without me noticing. It put a strain on my relationships but I'm thankful that when this recent struggle came to me my mind was already starting to clear up.

I'm still scared that the darkness will start creeping back into my heart again. But now I have hope and I have a little more faith in myself. :)

Channeling Haruki Murakami

"Encounters set in the witching hours of Tokyo between midnight and dawn" says the tagline of After Dark the first Murakami book I read. I have had periods in my life where I became overly introverted. I disliked being around people. It's too much for my senses so I sleep when everyone else is awake. I also acquired the habit of hanging out at 7/11 at 2AM in the morning a.k.a my vampire days. (* ^-^)  I knew it was a bad habit but I loved the feeling of walking on a deserted street pretending I was on a scene from Vanilla Sky. From time to time I still miss it but definitely not the physical and emotional side-effects. (^-^;")ゞ It's amazing how many books talk about this feeling, mostly books about insomniacs and their adventures. After Dark is one of his easy read books, recommended for a newbie Murakami reader.



His books talk about connections, solitude, and the kind of loneliness you get from trying to understand life and other people. Naturally, I'm hooked! Haha.

2012 book challenge: The Graveyard Book

I started reading The Graveyard book ahead of everything in my reading list. I needed something to help me cope with a recent death. This video clip from Wit was enough to calm me down but I needed secondary medication. *lol* So I picked up this book and I'd like to think it helped me a bit. It did open a slew of other deep-seated emotions but hey maybe that's for another book to deal with. [hahaha] Am I seriously treating these books as therapists?!

Anyhow, I'm new at this book review thing and I have no idea what to write about. So I will leave the awesome reviews to the pros. This is not a serious review. (Disclaimer!) I'm going to make my life easier and just copy what I wrote in my book journal. I hope they make sense! Good luck~ [haha]

There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.

A children's story that starts with murder? Traumatize the kids yeah!~ But honestly I don't think it's that violent. If I had read this when I was 11 or 12, I would love it just the same. It has plenty of heart and I would recommend it to any age group. It's the kind of story written for kids but can teach a thing or two to adults as well.

The story starts with a man named Jack, set out to murder a family. Except, he fails. The baby boy crawls all the way out of the open door up the hill towards an old graveyard. A ghost couple, the Owens' and a mysterious man — which is neither dead nor living — decide to take care of him.

It is going to take more than just a couple of good-hearted souls to raise this child.
It will take a graveyard.

WARNING SPOILER AFTER THIS CUT!

How I plan to be a productive reader

So it's August and I have only read 1 book since January. I'm distracted by my blog, reading emails, twitter, blogs etc,. I'm subscribed to over a 100 blogs on my google reader. I still have a thousand updates left unread. Fact is I can't stay away from the internet.

Now I'm not saying reading blogs are a waste. I'm a visual learner so I enjoy looking at photographs made by different people across the globe. I love following artists and their creative process. I love listening to snippets of my favorite musician's new songs. I love the instant feed of various bits of information. I learn about a lot of things in a speed of light.

This unfortunately resulted in my inability to process information slowly. I get bored easily when I'm reading. I can't sit still for an hour to read a book anymore (my longest time is 20-30mins) :/ I can't focus on one subject at a time. I get agitated when I'm left with my own thoughts. I always have music or Harry Potter audiobooks blaring because I hate the silence.

This situation calls for drastic measures. Since I can't completely detach myself from the internet, I will have to be a more aggressive reader. Balance it out a bit.

I found this poster on pinterest. I've stared at it for a few months now. I finally decided to post it.

This is how I plan to be a productive reader:

• Read 1 book per week
• Read minimum of 60 pages per day
• Bring a book everywhere (esp. at the bank)

Extreme? Yeah it is. I lost all my reading habits since I got out of college. I thought yey I'm free from all these studying *chucks notebooks across the room*. Not knowing that a good ole routine is much healthier for the mind.

links: photo © analog soul • How to read a book a week

Also my giveaway is till open!~ Join join join!

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Plant update #3: African Violets & Wardian cases

So guess what? My African Violets are dead (≖_≖) .... wah¯\(ಠ_ಠ)/¯

What went wrong? I suspect slight over-watering & temperature problems. I have been using the air-conditioner more frequently these days. Apparently African Violets do not like the cold. They like room temperature. I'm not 100% sure that I'm really going below 60 deg, my air conditioner is a manual one so I can't check. I'm trying to find a room thermometer but I still haven't found any. *sigh*

*Please note that my plants are inside my room because its the only brightly lit spot on my place. So whenever I use the air-con, the plants are subjected to sudden shifts of temperature. You don't have to do exactly what I do. It all depends if YOUR place is the kind of environment the plants like.

Its the same all over again. Main problem is, I don't know the first thing about house plants. I expect them to thrive in my house when it is not the proper environment for them.
I am the one that needs to adjust and not the other way around.

I am not going to give up. I won't complain. I am just going to do better each and every time.

Gardening is part science, part experience, and part results, plus, it's hard to get right.
--Matt; Growing with Plants

2012 book challenge: Amelia Earhart

Yes about time I shift my focus on this reading challenge. I lost 5 months! (all my fault of course~) I realized I'm not learning anything new. I have just been breezing through my days reading through blogs that inspire me, looking at pretty things, collecting trinkets, and other geekery. If only reading blogs could count as actual reading. Hey I'm also learning a lot!~ But apparently this reading challenge needs an ISBN. (err never mind!)

I really wish I can be a person who can focus at different things all at the same time. Sadly, I suck at concentrating. I am tempted...TEMPTED...to schedule my everyday-weekly-monthly activities just to get things done. Will that be too much?



Okay...back to this reading challenge!
I found this book at Booksale during one of my book hunts. It was retailing for 245php. What luck!~ Still in good condition minus the cover page but who needs that anyway. As soon as I saw the name, I thought:

whatever happened to Amelia Earhart, who holds the stars up in the sky...♫♪♫

haha I'm serious!!! I got the book cause like the song I wanted to know what happened to her. Who she was and what she did to get her name into a song.

Shopping for books #2

Fullybooked Trinoma branch~ I like this place. Its very intimate. Only a few neighbor shops and there are plenty of chairs outside.



so I ended up buying a Coraline book. (｡◕‿‿◕｡) I was looking for the movie tie-in version because it fitted my budget. After going to 6 bookstores...all were out of stock! Finally found one but its only available as a graphic novel. My feet were aching, I was hungry, and I wanted to accomplish something. So goodbye 680php. (ಥ﹏ಥ)

And because I felt so guilty burning through my budget like that. I did a search on ebay and found this book for half the price. Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) SLAP ME!!! щ(ﾟДﾟщ）

urgh! I'll eventually get over this~ (-’_’-) *sigh*



Went to National Book store to get an Angpao bag (thanks Ms. Daphne!). This was NBS's Chinese New Year promo. 1k worth of goodies @ 50% off. It includes all these plus a TP book of Toxicology by Jessica Hagedorn. *yey*



Found these classic books for children by a local publisher Lampara books. 99php each and they have all the best classic stories.



Bought a few for my nieces & nephew. I hope they like it. All these are Lampara books, even the Avatar one! I'm so happy that book publishing in the Philippines are doing good. Support local publishers when you can~ (^-^)v ﾐ★



Oh and look ( ^-^)ﾉ I got my Thunder Dog book and "Wild Swans" from Mom's collection~ (she likes Non-fiction books)

Coraline

I have just received an email from Mom that she's sending another Balikbayan box and she's including my books! I am soooo thrilled to get it earlier than expected (she was supposed to hand carry them when she comes home this April). I've been dying to read Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book since December. I don't know~ Christmas just feels like the perfect time to read something scary. I'm trying not to read wikipedia or any detailed review about the book cause I don't want the story to get spoiled. *sigh* Me and my book moods (^ω^)ﾉ

Another Gaiman story that I love very much is Coraline. I watched the film but haven't read the book yet. Maybe I should pick a copy from a local bookstore? That should tide me over until my books arrive right!?

Oh and lucky!   I found the "Making of" videos for Coraline. I'm so dense sometimes. Only found out now that this is actually a stop motion film (I thought this was all CG~) and directed by the same one who did Nightmare before Christmas. Σ（￣o￣lll)  orz~

The Joy of Books

like dolls...we all know books come to life too when we're not looking. They're magical things really~

Shopping for books #1

Finally, all the books I bought from Alibris had been delivered to my Mom. I only paid a total of 1550php for 8 like-new hardbound books! Mom said they're all in good condition although I still have to check if they have markings or scribbles. They're still a good deal though, each book only cost a dollar, shipping fee took up 70% of the bill. I sent the books to my Mom in NY cause sending it straight here is as good as buying brand new books (if not more due to shipping & tax). She'll send it via balikbayan box or carry it in her luggage when she comes home this April.

I'm itching to buy a second batch but I'm trying to hold off till I get the first one. I'm also thinking of doing group-purchases cause its not easy to fill a huge balikbayan box. Mom says it takes her months to fill it up with random stuff. I'll let you guys know when I'll be doing another Alibris purchase, I'm hoping 6 people will join me (balikbayan box cost $59 via sea cargo).

Anyway...these are the titles I bought:

(1) Faeries 25th Anniversary Edition  (2) Complete Sherlock Holmes and (3) The Silmarillion

(4) Moribito: Guardian of Darkness (5) Moribito: Guardian of Spirit  (6) The Graveyard Book

(7) Eon: Dragon-eye Reborn (8) Undercurrents

I'm so excited. April please come soon! (^=^)v

Note: This is not a sponsored post. This is my own buying experience from Alibris. Yes my own money. (^-^)v However, the links posted above are affiliate links which means I earn a percentage when you click them AND purchase from Alibris. Read full disclaimer here.

Wishlist: Tolkien and other fantasy books

Hurray for stable internet (￣ω￣)ノ~♪
I'm about to face 1000+ google reader updates Σ(ﾟДﾟ )..so for now I'm sharing a list of books added to my book wishlist. I already have the first 2 books but I want to try and find these specific versions in hardbound

1. The Hobbit, 70th anniversary ed.
2. Lord of the Rings, 50th anniversary ed.
3. The Silmarillion

1. Faeries by Brian Froud, Alan Lee (thanks to Hannah for recommending this book! ( ^-^)ﾉ)
2. Eon: Dragon-eye Reborn and
3. Eona: The Last Dragoneye by Alison Goodman

Life recently... #8

1. passed out in the lobby
2. hello Mr. Akuma!

1Q84 teasers

I'm a huge Murakami fan (I say that though I haven't read all his books ha!) -- and today is the US release of his new book 1Q84! Which looks amazzzzzzing!! (｡◕‿‿◕｡)ﾉシ

I can't wait to get my copy :)