I'm finally getting my reading groove back. I was able to finish reading three books in a span of three weeks! Yey! Actually I think it was mixed with wanting to get my money's worth because the first two books I read pretty much sucked for me. The first one was Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger, who wrote The Devil Wears Prada. I wanted to buy the latter but then I saw the movie already and it was great so I decided maybe I should give her other book a try. Now I'm not sure if I should read the book version of the The Devil or maybe I had high expectations or perhaps there are certain plot or storylines meant for the screen - doesn't matter if big or small - and not in print. I don't completely hate it because it was set in New York, one of my favorite places on Earth. I just thought there was nothing special in the way it was written and it seemed shallow. But that's just me...maybe you liked it.


The second was One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell, author of Sex and the City. I bought it because again, it was set in New York and my sister read somewhere that it was an okay read. I was also kind of intrigued by her because Sex and the City was such a big hit and I quite liked Lipstick Jungle, the TV series (too bad it was cancelled). This did not bomb as much as Chasing but again it was too romanticized, it sort of glorified spoiled brats and there were so many characters as in bawat taong nakatira na ata sa One Fifth eh naikabit at naikwento ang buhay! There goes another downside, too many plotlines to make up at least five seasons on TV so maybe if this was turned into a TV series, I'd appreciate it more. There were funny and humorously flawed characters and then there were characters you just want to push out of Louise Houghton's terrace so you wouldn't see them written on the next page! On the brighter side, I admired Bushnell's vivid description of everything from the architecture and art to the interior of the rooms and the appearances of the characters. It made me want to live in One Fifth too.

Now on to a recommended read: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I've been hearing about this book way back and I kept on grabbing it and reading the summary at the back of the book, but I've never really considered it until I heard Mark Wahlberg was going to produce the movie version and Peter Jackson was going to direct it. See what Marky Mark can do! It has a stellar cast by the way: Saoirse Ronan (of Atonement fame), Mark Wahlberg (HOT!), Rachel Weisz (so pretty), Susan Sarandon (classic) and Stanley Tucci (such a character actor). Anyway, I don't want to accidentally drop spoilers here and there so go and grab the book or Google the synopsis. It made me cry and not a lot of books can make me cry! Hello Mitch Albom and Nicholas Sparks! Hahaha! It was poignant and sweet, but if that's not your thing then don't read. Hehehe...Again that's just me. However, if you decide to maybe veer away from your regular favorite genres like I did with the first two, I suggest you read this book. You'll feel for the characters and look at your own relationship with your loved ones and sort of appreciate life more - that we don't have the luxury of time and that maybe we could devote some time to the tiny details that we usually take for granted. Now I know what the buzz was about.

Okay enough na this doesn't sound like me! Hahaha! The next line-up of books I'm going to read starting tomorrow are (in no particular order, I'm just going to grab what I feel like reading):
The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry
Syren (Book 5 of the Septimus Heap series) by Angie Sage
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry

=P

I've been so sick these past few days. Started last Friday afternoon with coughing and I thought maybe it was just the thin layer of dust that found its permanent home on my desk. Then around 6pm I was feeling dizzy and warm, but I still went to the G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra screening at Greenbelt 3 with Melo and Jas. Got into an embarrassing accident in front of NY Fries because I felt disoriented...that's another matter.

After the screening, Melo and I went back to the office and I almost fainted while walking towards Philamlife. I was sweating profusely. When I got home I changed clothes then fell fast asleep.

The next day I found it difficult to speak and breathe because my cough worsened. Every breath I took made me cough so bad and I couldn't speak that much because my throat hurt. Felt like someone cut my throat and pounded my back. I was bedridden most of that day and only went down for food and water.

I thought Sunday would be better. Should be better. BUT NO! I had to rest my throat every 30-45 minutes because it was so painful. Took Robitussin.

Monday was bad. It was like Saturday. In bed most of the day and didn't go to work. I thought maybe I had dengue or AH1N1 because I felt unusual. I usually feel ok after 2 days or at least feel much better. BUT NO!

Absent today as well because still feeling sore.

Just wanna share my makeshift medicine table:

Can someone tell me where or how to get one? I don't know how to divide myself to answer to everything everyone needs. Everything is a priority, everything needs to be done this week, everything should be submitted this week, everything should be laid out this week, everything should be finalized this week.

I'm tired and I think I'm sick, but I can't be absent from work this week because there's just SOOOOOO MUCH to do!!!

Cut my head off then maybe...JUST MAYBE...I'd grow two heads in its place! 

Physically and mentally tired.

I feel my insides burning like there's a hole in my stomach. Literally. I want to throw up.

Just too tired to even blog about the comings and goings of my life for the past...well...just refer to the date of my last decent entry.

Shoot Monday sickness!!!

Need my dose of re-reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (before the movie opens in July) NOW!

Before anything else I have to get this out of the way...


I mean COME ON, De La Hoya survived more rounds than Hatton! Pero in fairness, kawawa si Hatton. Alam niyo kung bakit?

Aside from winning the fight via KO in the 2nd round, here are more KOs proving that umpisa pa lang, winner na talaga:

Round 1: Palakihan ng Bodyguard
WINNER: Pacman
Reason: Walang Batista na WWE superstar si Hatton sa tabi niya na possible future co-star ni Pacman sa isang pelikula. At hindi lang 'yan, dream come true para kay Batista ang maging part ng entourage ni Pacman.


Round 2: Entrance Song
WINNER: Pacman
Reason: Sabi nga ng isang commentator nung fight (not sure if it's Quinito Henson) about Hatton's song, hindi naman original yun eh si Pacquiao composed by Lito Camo and sung by the Pacman himself.


Round 3: Aling Dionisia
WINNER: Pacman
Reason: Yun na!

Round 4: Queen Elizabeth
Winner: Pacman
Reason: Di na kailangan pumunta pa ng UK dahil nasa bahay lang nila.

 

Round 5: Seeing Stars!
Winner: Pacman
Reason: Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg. Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. Hanep ka Pacquiao na-starstruck daw sayo! To think British pa si Christian Bale at binisita pa sa Wildcard Gym! Haba ng hair mo!

AND I DECLARE THAT PACQUIAO'S HERO'S WELCOME IS A HOLIDAY! HAHAHAHA!

This isn't going to be a "Finally-I'm-Back-Blogging" entry. I just wanted to put a label on this sort of writing rut I was in.

However, I'm going to make a PROMISE that I'll write a decent entry this week starting with that long overdue Bangkok trip, especially now that Bangkok's in the news due to political uprisings.

And hopefully another entry in my other blog.