Traditional Book, Electronic Book “E-book” or Audio book?

Not everyone loves to read. A friend once told me “How can you do that? Sit in one corner and be still for hours, hands flipping through leaves, head bent to a page, and eyes straying through thousands of words without looking strained?”

Believe me, my friend, I have been overwrought so many times and have done so many toss and turns just to feel comfortable reading. But in no way am I going to abandon it. To me, reading is like the long, cool shower bath after a stressful day. Reading refreshes me in so many ways possible. I read almost everything- books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, Facebook statuses, tweets, even the newspaper wrapped on dried fish in the fish market. Just kidding! But I confess to doing it more than once, much to the vendor’s chagrin. To put it simply, I read everything that seizes my fancy.

Since I enjoy reading in its many forms I thought I ought to write the comparisons here and I hope you find one that suits you if you’re a reading junkie like me. Though listening to audio books is not in itself considered as actual reading, I’ll just include it here for those who find it equally entertaining as reading books.

Traditional Book

Pros:

Tangible. The feeling of actually holding and smelling the book is its best asset. Being able to highlight it- underlining words, phrases, quotations that struck you- is one of the joys of having a tangible book. Though I am against putting unnecessary markings on books, it is pure heaven to be able to go back to a page and see the inspiring passages you have underlined there from the past and just go nostalgic about it. Just make sure the book is yours. Else, no one would let you borrow their copy in the future.

Bookmarking. Whether it’s something you bought or a handmade one, a bookmark is a good companion when exploring new pages. It is best in particular when you know you can’t finish the whole book during one sitting and just insert it there as if to tell the book that you will be back soon. I used to have a handmade one with all the Harry Potter characters’ names and I collect Hallmark bookmarks and magnetic bookmarks until now. No I’m not plugging or anything.

Cons:

Bulky. You may not have problems dealing with a three hundred and fifty page paperback, but a thousand page hard cover is really troublesome to carry, especially when you are an avid traveler and need books to accompany you in the journey. Just have the paperback version when you plan to travel light.

Vulnerable to wear and tear. I don’t just mean dog-eared pages. This is just normal especially for beautiful books worth sharing to your book clubs. Spilling coffee and other liquids on your copy? This is what I’m saying. One time, I saw a guy covering his head with a book during a heavy downpour of rain and it was horrifying. I felt sorry for the book although I see the reason why he willingly did it. It was a math book. (No offense meant. Just for a hearty laugh for those who can relate to me).

Electronic Book “E-book”

Pros:

Really handy. You can store various titles in your phone or tablet, have a reliable e-book reader and you are good to go. There are some good e-book readers which open to the page you left off after closing the application to enable you to continue reading without the hassle of bookmarking a page. Some also allow users to highlight passages in the e-book. You can also adjust font settings, and be able to read with little to no lighting.

Search feature. The most amazing part for me is the search feature. I remember I searched for the word “love” from the e-book I was reading and got the ultimate spoiler ever. Ha!

Easily downloadable. You can purchase it online and have the download link instantaneously without even you leaving your chair. Even when you are traveling somewhere, you can get the book you want with just a few clicks. On the contrary, when you buy a traditional book online, it could take you weeks to receive it.

No paper. No trees were required in order for you to read the book. Aside from the manuscripts the author has used in order to create the book, of course.

Cons:

Health issues. When I read e-books, they sting my eyes more than when I read traditional books. The rule for reading in decent lighting still applies to e-book reading; even when you can still read e-books at nighttime or in dim light- don’t. Also, according to studies, smart phones, tablets, and electronic readers have contributed to sleep damaging habits since most people have the urge of turning on these electronic devices even when in bed; thus, disrupting sleeping patterns, resulting moreover to the serious problem of damaging neurons and healthy brain activity. (I didn't mean to sound like a neurology book here, sorry not sorry; I just read an article about it but for the life of me couldn't find it as a reference).

Cost. It is really silly to note that e-books sometimes cost more than what is necessary. You can buy books at a bargain in second hand bookstores. Would it be more appropriate to purchase something more tangible like an actual book for the same price as buying an e-book?

Audio book

I don’t know why I’m including this one here since it does not concern reading but I know some people who prefer audio books than traditional books. So here goes:

Pros:

Multitasking. You can play the audio book while cleaning the room or babysitting or cooking- just about anything that doesn't require over thinking. Just make sure you remain focused on what you are listening.

Travel buddy. It is great to listen to something especially during traffic jams to help with the boredom and to cope up with stress. It is immensely thrilling hearing another voice/s aside from your own inside your head while you are left with the hustle and bustle of public transportation. Just make sure to use earphones though.

Cons:

Dream mode. Sometimes, you won’t get anything done and just stare at the ceiling while listening to the voice narrating the book. In which case, you might just as well read the book yourself. Also, having some other voice read the book for you cripples the idea to give the book its own voice in your own world. It makes the book world no longer yours instead.

Inaudible words. You find yourself losing focus and just pressing the rewind button over and over again to know what the narrator have said. Because of the loud car horns honking, you were unable to recognize the muffled word/s you just heard.

***

These are the only pros and cons I can think of as of the moment. Although, they have advantages and disadvantages, one thing is for sure. All three have the power to captivate you and make you escape from reality. All three can make you procrastinate or make you change the world. Books build you or destroy you. They can be yours to inspire and motivate. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how many books you've read. What matters is how books helped in the many beautiful inspirations in your life. How do books inspire you: Audio, Electronic or Traditional? You decide.

Mutual Friends

I'm not exactly a goody-two-shoes or a straight arrow. I was neither a dull student. I mean, I survived college unscathed- partially. So I guess it's safe to say I am- as cliche as this may sound- average.

I failed one of my courses on the second semester of my third year in college. I'm not really proud of it, but I am not embarrassed to say that indeed it was the first and only time I've ever flunked at anything academic related.

That summer of 2010, I had no choice but to retake the course. The good thing about it though was that I had the chance to have two advanced classes on courses being offered that summer. It was cool to think that I was an "advance" student.

But still...

So while everyone had the luxury of sunbathing and traveling to postcard-worthy, breathtaking, and awe-inspiring places, I was stuck to doing school stuff while the sun blazed it's hottest. Not that we didn't have air condition, but you get my point.

One summer night, I had an unexpected correspondence (through facebook) from my former classmate in the same course I did not pass. I wondered how he had the nerve to be vacationing in England since we were already graduating next school year. And he did not pass the course as well, did he? I thought it would be impossible for him to pass at all since only ten of our classmates did- out of fifty students. To my amazement, he told me he was indeed able to survive the torture. And then I felt sorry- for the guy because I underestimated him and for myself because I wanted to be in the same situation as him. Nevertheless, I enjoyed talking to him about anything- especially science. Before knowing it, we conversed almost every night and our favorite topic was time travel and theories about the possibility of having another dimension. Though I admit that I sometimes get through our conversations with a heavy heart because I felt too bad for myself and jealous at him. I mean, how was he able to pass when I failed?

I knew him during that same course- the only that we are classmates, by the way... or maybe the only course I know that we are classmates since I was invisible and preoccupied to notice anyway.

One of the days our professor is present, he conducts out-of-this-world quizzes and admits that one of the joys of teaching is the ability to make students sweat blood. To make the long story short, I did not do well in the quizzes our professor gave us. Well, actually I found out later that most of my classmates didn't too. I felt relieved.

One day, during the returning of exam papers, my friends and I were comparing scores. I also compared exam results with him- the guy who is a mutual friend since he's friends with my friend. Then out of nowhere, amidst the classroom babble, we high-fived just because we found out we had the same score. He remarkably was able to put a bookmark in my mind because being high-fived by a person you are not closely acquainted with does not happen to me every day. That's how we started the connection. From a stranger, he became my Facebook friend and from being my Facebook friend, my real life friend. And that's how I found out he was intelligent. Maybe way more intelligent than I am. Obviously. :)

A Little Princess

Today, I and my siblings watched A Little Princess, a film directed by Alfonso Cuarón starred by Leisel Matthews. Having watched the movie about gazillion times, well maybe not that much but more than about 5 times, I thought I knew everything this movie could offer. I thought it would no longer touch me like how it did after watching it a few times. I've read also the book where this movie is adapted from and I found the movie enchanting like how the novel brought inspiration to me and kindled my heart.

The story is of a little girl named Sara, who had everything she could wish for. All except she had lost both her mother and her baby sister. She and her father lived in India where Sara spent her childhood. When she was old enough, she was required to attend a seminary for girls in New York. After sending Sara there, her father left for the war, and Sara's fate was left to a cruel and selfish headmaster, Miss Minchin.

Not to put too many spoilers to the few people who haven't watched the film adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic, let me show you the things I learned from the movie and the book.

1. "Every girl is a Princess." (and "All boys are Princes") - I really put this in number one because I believe how empowering this statement could be. It taught me that no matter how many hardships in life you may encounter, you must raise your head up high and not let situations or instances bully you. Because you are greater than what you think you are. Whether you are "in rags and even if you go and sleep in dirty attics."
Well, that's just figuratively speaking, a line from the movie. But the point is, even if you have nothing, you can't just tell your self you can't give more or become someone greater.

2. "Believe in the magic."- This line from the movie is not new to me. It is one of the sayings that we often hear. But do we truly believe in it? If you ask me the same question, Yes. Because magic for me takes the form of God-given miracles. And those miracles are given to those who wait faithfully. Sometimes, things happen because subconsciously, we will it to be. So instead of expecting the worst to happen in our lives, we should be grateful with the blessings that have already happened to us, putting our fingers together and being hopeful and in humility, believe.

3. The power of generosity. - I know perfectly how it works as I've seen many instances in real life depicting genuine generosity. But I can't close this entry without sharing the most touching part of the movie for me...

It was when Sara became an errand girl and was asked to go to the market. Basket in hand, she went on the chilly streets of New York where there were so many penniless people who hungered for food. Sara, with her ragged and filthy clothes, was mistaken as one of them by a little boy and he gave her some money. The mother of the boy scolded him for doing it. Sara tried to return the money but the woman shooed her away. Really hungry that time, she bought some bread from the bakery with the money the boy gave her. Sitting down at a stoned staircase amidst the chilly wind, she was about to have a bite of the bread when she noticed a hungry little girl across the street staring at her eating and looking as if she could taste the bread herself. Sara found out that they were a family without a father as she saw the mother of the girl holding a month-old baby. Beside the girl was probably her older sister, arms outstretched to passersby and holding a long-long stemmed yellow rose who looked as if it had been worn out by the wind. The mother was continuously chanting "would you like to buy a flower?... one flower.. please." Without a second thought, Sara gave the bread to the hungry child and the family thanked her as they handed Sara a flower. On the way home, Sara passed by the house of the old man who had lost his son from the war. Thinking it would cheer him up, Sara put the rose on his front door.

And that was how long that generosity traveled. And her not knowing, (spoiler alert) Sara's father, who had lost his memory from the grim war was adopted by that same old man until he recovered.

And the fourth thing that touched my heart is this...

4. The song lyrics from the movie which said: "Let my heart kindle your heart." Need I explain?

and I just realized I mentioned the "kindle my heart" thing at the start of this entry.. :D

~anamellie 070811

Away from him

Being in a long distance relationship isn't easy. There are times that you want to hug that person you love so badly yet you can't. Everywhere you go, whatever you do, it seems you always remember him and your memories together. It's a painful feeling to be missing him. You often cry yourself to sleep because of it and you seem to be always looking at your phone/email/facebook as you constantly wait for him to get in touch.

I've experienced it. I've had long nights of tossing and turning in my bed wondering how he is at that moment I'm thinking of him, or wondering, "Is he thinking of me too?"

"How is he?"

"Has he already eaten his dinner?"

"Where is he going tomorrow?"

"What time will he be online?"

Questions. Those are just few of the questions I often ask myself as I wonder about him. Questions that at that early dawn can only be answered by my imaginative and playful mind as I look at our pictures together.

Many things had happened in each of our lives as we've grown physically apart. Sometimes, I wonder if we would still be able to connect and relate to each other as we now have lesser common interests and environment. Little by little, distance is trying to make a stranger out of the one I love.

But I will not allow it to happen.

At this time, I learned that being in a long distance is a wonderful experience to know more and explore more about his qualities. Observing him from afar gives me a clearer view of the person I love so much. For me, whoever said that "Distance makes the heart grow fonder." is correct- in a way. Correct, because distance makes us miss the person we love most because of not being with him for a long time. The not so correct part, because distance only makes the heart grow fonder for those who choose to "grow fond".

In the past two months (which seems to me years) that we've been apart, I learned that love is not for the weak hearted, nor it is for doubting souls. Love can never be called love unless it is paired with faith and hope. These three things can work wonders in a relationship. "Also, trust and discipline", he told me. "These two are important for our relationship to work out."

I am confident that we can beat all the odds. One day, I shall be with him again and when that time comes, it will be forever.

~anamellie 052911

Getting My Feet Wet

When we hear someone speak of water forms, sometimes paranoid thoughts that range from freezing in cold water to shark attacks to a human-devouring giant squid crosses our minds. Seeing a giant squid is scary enough but in real life, we have so many horrors when challenged to conquer the unknown. And one of the ways to lessen our fears is to be prepared when we are finally in the face of difficulty... The best way to be prepared is to dare.

We dare to be prepared.

The most common way we "test" the waters when we go for a swim is to touch the waters using our feet. Is it too cold? Is it too warm? Now, is it just the right temperature? Yes? Now take a pluuuuunge! Feels refreshing being able to do that, right?

I named my blog "getting my feet wet" because I feel exactly the same.

It feels exhilarating to be able to start this blog when life often demands to just let my passion for writing slip away. I accepted the challenge to pursue writing despite having fears of my craft being neglected and criticized.

I think fear exists not only because we lack confidence in ourselves. It exists because we feed them with our daily troubles. I feel shy and often in doubt because of this fear eating me up. Isn't it funny that we feed fear in order to let it eat us? But I realize this too, the reason why I'm so scared is because I am affected with criticisms.

After giving blogging a try, I found out that being affected is a good thing after all because it means I care so much about writing.

When faced with doubt, I often think that no one ever took a refreshing bath without getting their feet wet... That is, no one except Achilles (Well, we all know what happened to him). So since I am not him, I need to go to the murky waters of the unknown and face the future with hope despite fear of failures and disappointments and this is how I will achieve my dreams.

~anamellie

About Me

Updated: June 23, 2014

This is the most tricky part in making this blog and I can't believe I'm doing this twice due to an update of who I am and who I was before I first introduced my self here 2 years ago. Well, most of the about me there holds true until now so I'll just make a short introduction. :)

Here goes...

Hello! I'm anamellie (not my real name).

As crazy and as ambitious as this may sound- I want to be a writer. It's one of my biggest dreams since I was a child. Second of which is to meet and greet Joanne Kathleen Rowling, you know, the author of the "Harry Potter" series... and my INSPIRATION. I guess it was after I have read the first HP book that I started writing my own stories and poems. Some are here but others have been lost in void space after experiencing a brutal hard disk crash.    

Aside from writing, I find enjoyment in reading as well. I particularly love those stuff which make me cry a tear or two because I'm quite a sucker for happy endings. Though sometimes, they are sad (If you don't know what I mean, try "The Fault in Our Stars" as an example). I am a music lover and my guilty pleasures include those that are sung by Taylor Swift, Westlife, Backstreet Boys, A1, Sclub7, and Mandy Moore, to name a few. You can also hear me singing Lea Salonga songs and every Disney Princess song (I dream of being a Disney Princess... shhhh...). 

When I'm not caught doing those, I am guilty of loving "Instagram" posts and roaming around "Facebook". 

I am a graduate of Management Accounting. An off-tangent course for my passion and often raises people's eyebrows. It's also a big mystery for me but I am glad I am able to pursue my passion by means of this simple blog. However, due to the demands of life and work though, this blog has been on hiatus for a long time. Luckily for me, it's still happy enough to welcome me after I've abandoned it for too long.

Caution: This blog is an extension of my thoughts so I advise you to read at your own risk. You have been warned. ^_^

Thanks and much love,

Anamellie XXX

Color of Love

What is the color of love? Is it the color of cheeks of a newborn baby that lifts you up as he smiles? Or is it the color of sunrise, a beautiful manifestation of new beginnings and second chances? Is it the color of the sea, calm or raging, depending on where you are and how you stand? Or is red the only color of love?

However color you perceive love, I hope that it brightens you up and inspires you in the best way. I guess I just cannot associate love with any color because love simply is. Anyway, here's a song to serenade you in the hopes that you realize that love can be red, blue, green, orange, brown, pink... or whatever color you wish. Wear it perfectly :)

Color of Love by Boyz II Men

Horoscope

Honestly, I'm not really into believing horoscopes. But for entertainment purposes and for boring days' sake, I still read them. I just feel like sharing my philosophy about my horoscope for today with you all. Here goes...

Umm... by the way, my zodiac sign is Virgo and for "consistency's" sake I checked some horoscope-reading sites. 


astrology.com
Your emotional side is stronger than usual today, and you can use that to your advantage. It may drive you to do some interesting or strange things, but that's all part of the package.


horoscope.com
It is easy to appear like you have it together when everything is going well, but being together when things aren't going your way is much more impressive. To do this you need both humility and prowess. Don't be fooled by pretentious associates when you're trying to be real.

astrology-online.com
You may be emotional if you allow your lover to take advantage of your good nature. Try not to hesitate; act on your initial instincts. You may find that your boss is not delighted with your work lately.

tarot.com
It's all about communication today, but sticking with detached analytical facts will likely leave you feeling unsatisfied. You must dig a bit deeper now in order to get past your logical filter that can keep you from fully engaging with your experiences. You may not understand the reason for everything that's happening, but you'll have time to put your amazing day into perspective later if you just let it unfold without resistance.

****

Phrases highlighted coincides with what I believe has been true (so far) today. I think that these horoscopes were generally crafted as to the reader to recognize himself/herself in it and I personally think that mine had been partly true. But in my opinion, there is no harm in believing in horoscopes but making it the basis of your daily living is purely ridiculous! There is no one else who knows the reason for the happenings in our daily lives and there's no one else who knows what will happen to us in the future- Only God.

So what's your horoscope for today? I hope you don't take it that seriously... :)

just a test

I could not forget the day I studied for my high school entrance exam. I was sitting in the living room reading the dictionary- a hobby I developed since I was ten- when daddy approached me and told me to review my mathematics.

If I were looking at myself from another person's eyes, I would have seen it full of dread one second, and contorting into a look of disgust, the next. Simply put, I hated math. It wasn't that I'm not good with it but I disliked doing anything concerning it. I was mad at my daddy for stealing my glorious hour of dictionary-reading and I was disappointed with myself for allowing it to happen. At thirteen, I was kind of a spoiled child. I am used to getting things my way.

So when daddy told me to put the dictionary down and handed me the math reviewer, I started to grumble. He was patient with me and even politely gave me the other review materials (paper and pencil- "no calculator!" he said.) I obeyed him but I kept my complaints to myself so he wasn't able to notice about the way I really feel about our tutoring sessions. He tutored me for hours and every time he flicked a new page, or a new problem to solve I crinkled my nose. Eventually, he found out that I wasn't up for math so he told me "If you don't pass the entrance exam of this school, then I wouldn't let you go to any school. It's this school or none."

Maybe I was too afraid of not entering high school. I was too worried that the night after he told me that, I tossed and turned on my bed and woke up for consecutive nights, sweating and recovering from nightmares. Maybe, I realized, I valued education that much to be affected so much by what he said.

After school, I studied and reviewed for the test. I still had nightmares but they became less vivid as I felt more and more confident about the accomplishments I had in my review. Soon, not only me was happy about my achievement, daddy and mommy was too. The day came when I took the exam and I was confident with it and I was sure that I was going to pass it and I was readying myself with the big grin I would give my parents when I see my name on the list of the students that the school will be accepting.

Only that I wasn't able to give the big ol' grin I was practicing. I felt a big pang of disappointment and I could sense that my parents felt it too. I was not an achiever, but I was not a failure. I was just an average student who got more grades than what is enough but not too high as to be included in the honor list. Umm... okay, I was always included in the top ten list of achievers of our class of almost sixty students and that was the reason why I found myself in a different light- or without the light, whatever-you-name-it situation.

Anyway, when I found out that my efforts resulted to nothing, I wanted to cry and hug my mommy or my daddy or any of my younger siblings. I know very well how I tried my best and most of all, I was so scared at not having a secondary education.

I dug my hands on my face and cried for hours. Daddy asked me why I was crying and I told him. He laughed at me and told me it was okay. I told him "No! I won't be going to school after all and I hate myself for letting me lose my chance..."

With this, he laughed more. He told me that he was not really serious when he told me that I really need to pass the entrance exam. He just told me that to test if I really valued education and if I was really serious in my studies. He told me that it was just a challenge on my part- a challenge which could not be necessarily imparted on me.

"Really?" I said wiping my tears with the back of my hand. I can't believe that it was just a test.

One song per artist

Taylor Swift- Forever and Always
Jesse McCartney- Just so you know
Westlife- Obvious
Blue- Breathe Easy
Backstreet Boys- I just want you to know
Katy Perry- Thinking of You
A1- You're not in love
S club 7- Say goodbye
Beyonce- Halo
Mariah Carey- We belong together
David Cook- Always be my baby
98 degrees- I do (cherish you)
Leann Rimes- I need you
Delta Goodrem- Born to try
No Secrets- I'll remember you
Leona Lewis- Here I am
Lifehouse- You and Me
Avril Lavigne- Keep Holding on
Five for fighting- 1oo years
Laura Pausini- I need love
Marie Digby- Say it again
Ryan Cabrera- True
Dido- Thank you
Celine Dion- Because you love me
Jordan Hill- Remember me this way
Three Doors Down- Here without you
Debbie Gibson- Lost in your eyes
Kelly Clarkson- My life would suck without you
Colbie Caillat- Realize
Lady Gaga- Poker Face
Mandy Moore- Top of the World
Sarah Mclachlan- Angel
Gareth Gates- Say it isn't so
The Click five- Just the girl
Jonas Brothers- Love bug
Ronan Keating- When you say nothing at all
Stephen Speaks- Out of my league
Edwin Mccain- I'll be
Hoobastank- The reason
Faith Hill- There You'll be
Natasha Bedingfield- Unwritten
Shakira- Underneath your clothes
Christina Aguilera- Reflection
Britney Spears- Lucky
Matchbox Twenty- Unwell
Elliot Yamin- Wait for you
Aaron Carter- Do you remember
Paula Cole- Heart Door
Boys like Girls- Thunder
Natalie Imbruglia- Torn
Renee Sandstrom- Here I am
Savage Garden- Truly Madly Deeply
Hugh Grant- Way back into love
Smash Mouth- All Star
Maroon 5- Won't go home without you
David Archuleta- A little to not over you
Christina Millan- Until I get over you
Miley Cyrus- The Climb
Hilary Duff- Stranger
Lindsay Lohan- Over
Jojo- Not that kind of girl
SWV- Weak
Bellefire- I'll never get over you
Sarah Bareilles- Love Song

dream and wish

What's the difference between a dream and a wish? Many people often think that dream is synonymous with wish. I myself found nothing different when I was asked to distinguish one from the other.

My friend told me that her teacher told her this:

"A dream and a wish pertain to hoping to get or to achieve something you want, but the similarities end there... To dream is personally doing something you aim. To wish is waiting for someone to do it for you."

So do you dream or do you wish?

crush on you...

"i keep waiting for you but you never come." - a line of the song I was singing when suddenly, I saw you pass by... And it's as if someone poured cold water on me that I froze, speechless as I met your eyes. And then I bowed my head, continued to walk and felt the world start moving again...

top ten things to do when stuck on a mountain

10. Have your picture taken with the cow and have a sitcom with the goat. Eating grass should gain their trust. =p

9. Eat cottonseed- This should test your patience since they're very tiny and you have to remove it's outer covering. Hint: Have you ever eaten squash seeds?

8. Lie on the meadows and 'kiss' the rain pouring on your face- one way of reuniting with nature.

7. Climb trees. Warning: Watch out for red ants, they bite like hell!

6. Piss off your cousin until he decides to 'kidnap' your left shoe and asks you for a chocolate bar as a ransom.

5. Forget the chocolate bar: Give the other pair of shoe to him and tell him to 'take care of it'. Next, take out the emergency slippers tucked inside your backpack and... voila! You just made the 'kidnapper' a candidate for anger-management. ^_^

4. Open your umbrella, let it catch the wind, and let it 'fly'! Watch it go away... away... way... ay...

3. Sing at the top of your lungs. No one's going to hear you anyway... except perhaps grasshoppers, bugs, snakes... etc.

2. Eat using banana leaves as a plate. This should be fun... as long as you have food, anyway.

and the number 1 thing to do when you're stuck on a mountain...

1. Walk really slowly since the ground is really wet and slippery. Oh, I realize that it's out of the question. Your feet is dipped in thick, heavy mud, anyway... hahaha...


Take it from me... But seriously. It's your choice. This is just me making a random list for the things that happened during our out of town. So much fun!  :)

Place of realization: Barili, Cebu
Date: May 30, 2009
With whom: My family!

romeo and juliet

Since I reread Romeo and Juliet - and reading it aloud made me see it in a different light- I'm going to compile some of my favorite verses, which to tell you honestly, is not much. And yeah right, when I first read this I was distraught about the plot. But now, I am amazed by the language- the beauty of it. You don't believe me? Read on to see what I mean.

So let's start off!

#1
"See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek!"

#2
"Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-browed night;Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die,Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fineThat all the world will be in love with night..."

It's just so romantic that I cannot believe myself when I thought that for my cynical beliefs about love, this is not cheesy- and that is saying something.


~*~

I know this line is anticipating tragedy, but it's too strong I can't abandon it.
"These violent delights have violent endsAnd in their triumph die, like fire and power,
which as they kiss, consume."


~*~

Beat this, emo people!
"He jests at scars that never felt a wound."


~*~

Very philosophical and sarcastic... Nice one!
"How art thou out of breath, when thou has breath to say to me that thou art out of breath?"


~*~

Strikes me as funny...
"Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.
Not I, believe me: you have dancing shoes with nimble soles: I have a soul of lead, so stakes me to the ground I cannot move."

~*~

Oh... yes. I know what you'll think about these two... flattering!

#1
"Death that hath sucked the honey from thy breath hath had no power yet upon thy beauty."
#2
"Can I go forward when my heart is here? Turn back, dull earth, and find thy centre out."
*sighs*


~*~

and the most worn out verse in the history of all plays but I still love it and have actually memorized the lines... Tadaah!

"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet."


and of course, I can't forget...

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
Okay, it's not that romantic but I tell you, the idea is. You know, that 'someone would not really mind who you are because it really doesn't matter' kind of romantic. I think it's just empowering to know that someone would abandon his or her name for the sake of love... as a name is very special and- not to mention- sacred.

But then again, it's Romeo and Juliet we're talking about. I mean, how did they know these things? They were so young- not even fourteen! Honest, they have really sweet mouths! A bow to the Bard's greatness!

By the way, *me and my plugging instincts kicking again* Have you seen Romeo x Juliet? This is an anime based on Shakespeare's original which is so interesting, considering that there are major plot turns that are really refreshing and mind blowing. Anyway, I think I'll just make another blog post about it though since I don't want to get a little off-tangent... again... hehehe...

"Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow
That I shall say good night till it be morrow." ~Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2)

My Gentleman

Shall I forget his raven colored hair, or his full red lips,
Or the warmth I felt on my fingertips as his hands held mine?
How can I not remember his honey brown eyes-
Which sent shivers through me,
As he fixed them on my unbelieving stare?

He swept me off my feet...
My gentleman, so sweet, so honest.
He gave me his heart, with love- the purest.
A fascinating man, with wit, intelligence, wisdom-
My Prince Charming in his humble little kingdom...

He's a heavenly being, with a smile so lovely.
He can breathe life into words, a lover of poetry.
He made me laugh- made my gloomy day seem bright.
And I'd never feel lonely in a cold cruel night.

An almost impeccable man- faithful, responsible even,
A little mysterious, intriguing, handsome, and obedient.
What have I done to deserve someone so fine?
Everything about him is a gift so divine...

And then I wake up to find this gentleman a dream.
What pity it is for you to say and believe
That this gentleman is my unreachable fantasy,
But I have a feeling he is real and somewhere near.

Have you ever seen my dream boy- the perfect man for me?
He's the man I wish to be with- forever I believe.
He has black hair, brown eyes... (see everything above)
Please... If you do, kindly lead him back to me.

------

I wrote this last night, and this is dedicated to the unknown person which occupies my sleeping and waking fantasies... I know it is too romantic for words but at least I attempted to dedicate this to him, whoever he is...

God! I sound crazy... but whatever! =p

Books I Have Read

I realized that I should have listed the books I've read a long time ago, that way, I won't forget about them. I quote this from Paula Cohen, author of 'Jane Austen in Scarsdale':

"Books don't get used up. They are not like clothes or furniture. We keep them because we might want to read them again... and they remind us of how we felt when we read them."

But because I find it hard to do so, let me just share to you this link in my read list from Goodreads. I just want to clarify that just because I read them, does not mean I like them all. I just read some of the books out of curiosity.

Enough said. Just click the icon above for my read list and feel free to add me in Goodreads or comment below for next book to read suggestions.

Thanks!

 XXX

Anamellie

Moi

Okay! I admit, the first entry wasn't that polite. So I'm going to post another entry and since this blog is new -and I'm not even sure if I've christened it right- I'm going to put some things about myself. I'm sure this will be nothing like the assignment our psychology teacher gave us two semesters ago which by the way, required us to write one thousand words about ourselves that required more than five pages of yellow paper. No this will be brief and concise. So take a deep breath and read on...

First off, I want to state that I am not comfortable to reveal my name on this blog. Though there are other ways that my real name could be acquired, I still won't say it straightforward here (you can research though =p), but I do have many nicknames and sometimes I call them pen names because I am an aspiring writer. They are daena, anamellie, and hana.

As I have said, I dream to be a writer or even a novelist and I have been writing stories since I was ten. Sad to say, some of my works are unfinished. Much worse, some are irretrievable because of the recent hard disk crash. :(

Anyway... moving on.

I am a college student who enjoys life the way a college student should. Translation: The pressure of having to pass and the joys of passing.

People always assume that I am shy and aloof. Those impressions don't often last especially when they get to know me better. In short, I am just like a box of fireworks waiting to be lit.

As of Today, there are 150 days until my next birthday for which I would have nineteen candles on my cake. Ok. Go figure that out.

I am a person who loves collecting bookmarks and quotes and I'm also a bookworm. I love to read a lot of books to stimulate my mind. Don't get me wrong though. I don't really love academic books because I find them uninteresting sometimes. Peace to my Professors!

Music = Life

I love music and I can't live without it. I could listen to all the genres as long as they wouldn't hurt my eardrums. My personal favorites are from the 90's and beyond.

My favorite colors are pink and green. I'm not really obsessed (as in "everything-i-own-are-colored-pink-and-green") about these two colors but I think they are pleasing to my eyes.

I love to travel to beautiful places and watch wonderful scenery and breathtaking sights.

I love to sing but I hate to dance even though I know how (a little). During our PE class, we were required to perform a group dance presentation and we even received the honor to have the highest possible grade. I'm not bragging. =p

That's all. Wasn't that too short. I do wish I were not too random. ;)

Simple Questions with Not so Clear Answers

There are so many simple questions that we often neglect answering properly... I just listed some of them... =p

1. Have you already eaten?

-i'm not hungry...


2. Is your mother around?

-why?


3. what time is your class?

-this afternoon...


4. Where have you been?

-just somewhere...


5. How did you do it?

-it's easy...


6. Why were you not around yesterday?

-i was absent...


7. What time is it?

-still early!


8. Where do you like to eat?

-how about you?


9. Where are you?

-i'm coming!

~anamellie~

Dear John (a novel by nicholas sparks)

Warning: This blog entry may contain spoilers. If you are still planning to read this book and don't want to know about the surprises, do not continue to read... You have been warned!!!

The book is heartbreaking yet bittersweet... and it gives us a view about one of the most asked question of all time:

"What is true love?"

It's the question that you'll repeatedly ask and try to answer while reading the book, and you'd find that the answer may make you change what you believe about what true love is. The book talks about sacrifices, choices, and pains that make truly loving another worthwhile. It may not speak literally of staying physically forever with the person you've set your heart to, but it tells us that true love doesn't die. For all the memories of real, strong, and powerful love are ours to keep wherever we go... and when we look back on those memories, we may experience pain for that lost true love but still be able to smile to ourselves as we think that seeing our loved one happy gives us the power to sustain that love for the rest of our lives.

~~~

... and to tell you the truth, I was still crying long after I've read the Epilogue... it must have been that tear jerker huh?

A realization: "When we love, we must accept that pain is part of the package".

~anamellie~

Hello 2009

Another year has come and gone. I stared at the ceiling and thought about how things have changed this year. Then I started picturing them inside my head as I start to laugh and decide that I'm going to make a list to enumerate things that have happened to me this year. Significant ones that I would love to generously share...

So here is my list... (it's in no particular order... just by the way I remember them.)

1. My youngest brother beat me to chess... because I was overconfident that he's just 4 years old. Hmph! And guess what. He used the "fool's mate!" That only proves what I am that day. haha!

2. We went to Mindoro during summer vacation. It was one of the best adventures our family had.

3. I joined the Carolinian Youth Ministry (CaYM). And the overnight orientation was awesome. I really learned a lot from that experience.

4.I had my 18th birthday party last August, and I'm officially legal. But I'm still prohibited to go bar hopping with my friends. So that deprives me with the night life. But I'm allowed to drive. Very! Only that my daddy said that I was a hot-head and that I could not be a satisfactory driver. Too bad.

5. My youngest brother (again) beat me to karaoke and he scored 100 when he sang "Always be my baby" by Mariah Carey. I guess the scoring was kinda biased because all I heard him sing was the "do do doop" parts and some slurry lyrics. But anyway, he hit the notes right.

6. For the first time, my mom and I watched a movie together. Just the two of us like a date. And coincidentally, the movie was entitled "For the first time" starring KC Concepcion and Richard Guttierez. hahaha...

7. I had my first on being "maid of honor" during my Tita's wedding... and I don't think that went quite well. Don't ask.

8. I'm really going to be married. hah! I was the one who got the "Congratulations, you will be the next bride" paper during my tita's wedding. But mind you, I'm not tying the knot this coming 2009, and not even these 2010 or 5 to 10 years later than that. Promise!

9.I had my own personal song recording, but my family were the only person to hear it.

10. Sadly, I wasn't able to complete the misa de gallo. Unlike last year... I guess I'm slacking so much this year. Tsk2x...

11. I'm kinda more bookish this year but they were not really related to academics. I guiltily admit this.

12. I am not so shy anymore. ( wahaha... I guess that wasn't kinda obvious... but honestly.) Because I had more friends now than last year. I think.

13. My eyebrows aren't "virgin" (what a word) anymore, because the beautician did not ask my permission that she would shave them. And I was shocked when I realized the damage done.

14. I'm trying very hard to lessen my procrastination. But it just got worse this year. (*Sigh)

15. We bought an electric fan, and won another one in a raffle. We bought a new fridge, and we also won another fridge in another raffle. Whoo! I guess that's life.

16. Most of our appliances seem to malfunction a lot this year. I'm not exaggerating. The TV, DVD player, Printer, Scanner, Computer Monitor, an Electric fan, and the Fridge. That's when we bought another one then luck just chose to barge in (see number 15) .

17. I started to like songs that I used to think were weird like ones by Paramore, Linkin'Park or Collective Soul... Or some of the rnb songs. But I still really hate those gangstah songs where babies/children sound at the beginning of the song. I still think "whatever" and roll my eyes.

18. I became addicted to some animes that I dream about them now. And honestly I've learned quite a lot from their stories.

19. I had my first go at playing bowling... All by myself. Umm... not really, I brought one friend but she just watched me play. That was after we watched "Twilight".

20. I am more open this year than last year, and this list just proves that, don't you think? But I'm keeping the face-redding, cheek-hotting, experiences I have this year. Just for your benefit. Haha...