Quotable Quote

“We are all wounded. But wounds are necessary for his healing light to enter into our beings. Without wounds and failure and frustrations and defeats, there will be no opening for his brilliance to tickle in and invade our lives. Failures in life are courses with very high tuition fees, so I don’t cut classes and miss my lessons: on humility, on patience, on hope, on asking others for help, on listening to God, on trying again and again and again.”

― Bo Sánchez, You Have The Power to Create Love: Take Another Step on the Simple Path to Happiness

The Secret Life of a Book Blogger

I’ve been tagged by Claire over at the Coffeeholic Bookworm! Thank you again, Claire, for nominating me. Honored and thrilled to answer the questions. ❤

1 How long have you been a blogger?

I’ve only been blogging for a year and ten months. I joined this book club Pinoy Reads Pinoy Books (PRPB) at goodreads and some of the members have a blog and I was like, I want that, too. *laughs* I think I just want to put my thoughts out there about the books I love and hopefully encourage one or two people to read.

2 At what point do you think you will stop?

When I can’t read and type anymore? Which means when I’m pretty much dead because I don’t think I’d ever stop loving reading and writing so yeah. Maybe if I get Parkinson’s? Or if I become blind? Hopefully not. When I was in third grade (I was eight) I was contemplating about what would happen if I grow old and that’s when I agonized about going blind. Because of all the reading I did I was afraid I would (go blind) then I won’t be able to read anymore (I didn’t know there was such a thing as Braille then). I was willing to trade my arm for my eyes, it would be hard and painful to lose, but given a choice?

3 What is the best thing?

It’s just as Claire said: receiving ARCs, being in touch with authors and fellow bloggers, being able to talk to them about books we both love. I mean, when I was growing up, I was the only kid in class who loved to read. But then I had my best friend Jihan who did.

It changed when I went to high school in Quezon. In my third (high) school (I moved a lot), in junior year, two of my classmates read. Needless to say, I become friends with them.

I also love that I get blog awards. Lol. I love the awards; it means someone, somewhere out there bothers to read what I write and that’s a good thing. ❤ It means a lot to me. It’s a bonus I didn’t expect from doing what I love. 🙂

4 What is the worst thing?

Ah. Like Claire, I can’t think of anything. I love everything about blogging.

5 How long does it take you to find/create pictures for your post?

Not much, they’re provided by the authors. If there’s none, I get them from Goodreads.

6 Who is your book crush?

It’s always a pair with me. I guess I love the idea of people finding each other. For the moment I love JX and Kit – the characters of Josh Lanyon’s Holmes and Moriarity series. Then of course there’s Sasuke and Naruto of Naruto. I know, I know, that’s not how it happened. *laughs*

7 What author would you like to have on your blog?

I’m open to authors whose writing I’m sure I would love.

8 What do you wear when you write your blog posts?

House clothes, comfy clothes. ❤ I take my posts seriously, it wouldn’t do to wear something uncomfortable, something that would trigger my allergy (urticaria). If the weather is cold, I have to ensure I’m warm enough, if it’s warm, er, that’s a challenge. I have to ensure my hives won’t break out.

9 How long does it take you to prepare?

It depends on the book review I’m working on. Sometimes my post is unbelievably long and complicated I’ll have to work on it for several days, maybe an hour each day until I finish it or until I’m contented. Until I feel I was able to finally convey my feelings, or at least close to it.

10 How do you feel about the book/blogger community/culture?

I love the culture and the community. I love hearing from them, I love reading their posts. It’s where I get an idea of what book to pick up next. ❤

11 What do you think one should do to get a successful blog?

Okay, I don’t really know how to answer this seeing as I don’t get hits much. Maybe more posts? Do reviews of books in the mainstream? Maybe do more giveaways? Maybe a combination all of the above? I’m not sure.

I would like to nominate the following wonderful blogs:

http://blog.jessicaelarsen.com/

http://iheartfictionalpeople.com/home/

http://www.librarymistress.com/

To Our Fallen 44

disappointed. sorry. heartbroken. #Fallen44

Best Christmas Ever

Think about it: There were people who were with us last Christmas, and are no longer with us this Christmas. And there are people who are with us this Christmas who may no longer be with us next Christmas. It could be their, or our, last Christmas. So why don’t we make it the best Christmas ever, with God, with our loved ones, with our people, with ourselves.

– by Fr. Jerry M. Orbos SVD from the Philippine Daily Inquirer

If you could utter a prayer…

If you could utter a prayer for me and my family right now… for my sister-in-law Ate Thess who is fighting for her life… please do. It’d truly be a gift of a lifetime for us.

From my family to yours, thank you so much. God Bless us all.

Book Review: It’s a Mens World by Bebang Siy

It’s a Mens World by Bebang Siy

My rating: ★★★★★

Sobrang natuwa ako dito sa It’s a Mens World. Pagkarinig ko pa lang kay Bebang sa speech nya sa Readercon, alam ko na agad na matutuwa ako sa aklat nya. Ipinabasa ko ito sa aking kaibigan at tawa rin sya ng tawa habang nagbabasa.

Nagustuhan ko ito dahil kahit seryoso ang tema ay may humor na kalakip. Na para bang sinasabi na ganun talaga ang buhay, nangyari na, what’s  important is that after the pain is gone, that we can look back and be able to smile or laugh at ourselves for our antics. But that at least, now we know better.

It’s a Mens World. 5 Stars
Natawa ako rito, hindi ko alam na may mga ganun palang mga kwento tungkol sa mens.

Nakaw na Sandali. 5 STARS
Nagustuhan ko ito, may kurot sa puso ang kwento.

Asintada. 2 STARS
Okay lang para sa akin, di kasi ako naka-relate masyado kaya ganito ang rating ko. Hindi ako curious na bata.

Kwits. 5 STARS
Ang kulit ng kwentong ito, ironic. LOL.

Pinyapol. 5 STARS
Haha, tawa ako ng tawa rito. Ang kulit lang. Bata pa ako ay talagang bawal na akong kumain kung saan-saan, ayaw ng Lola ko, lalo na yung bibili ako sa labas. Dapat sa bahay lang kumain, ayun. Stories like this make me realize why. ^_^

Ang Lugaw. 5 STARS
Nagustuhan ko rin ito… malungkot…

Bayad-Utang.
Sa totoo lang, di ko maalala ang kwentong ito. Kasalukuyang nasa hiraman ang aklat ko. Babalikan ko na lang.

Shopping. 5 STARS
Nagustuhan ko rin ang kwentong ito… praktikal ang Nanay nya… nakakarelate ako kasi ganito kami ng ate ko.

Hiwa. 5 STARS
Tawa rin ako ng tawa rito, ang kulit lang kasi. Tipikal na pamilyang Pinoy, I guess. Wala ng kahihiyan ang bata haha. Pero kasi nag-aalala sila… ganun talaga.

So Ayaw Mo ang Palayaw Mo? 4 STARS
Haha, ang mga palayaw ko rin, paiba-iba.

Super Inggo. 5 STARS
Ito ba yung story tungkol sa uncle na sobrang sipag? Gustong gusto ko ito pero malungkot para sa akin. Parang feeling ko kasi, doon na lang talaga sa work nya umikot ang mundo nya.

Ang Aking Uncle Boy. 5 STARS
Natawa ako rito… noong malaman ko kung bakit tuwang tuwa ang nanay ni ate bebs haha. Amusing ang kwento pero at the same, malungkot.

Sibuyas. 5 STARS
Naloka ako sa ale, nakaka-dishearten sa bata ang pangyayari.

Sa Ganitong Paraan Daw Namatay si Kuya Dims. 5 STARS
Nakakalungkot pero uso talaga ang ganito, kawawa ang mga bata, ang mga biktima, in general. Minsan kasi, hindi naman kailangang maging bata o babae para mangyari sa kanila ang ganito.

Nakapagtatakang Nagtaka Pa.
Di ko rin maalala ang kwento nito. Babalikan ko na lang.

Milk Shakes and Daddies. 5 STARS
Nagustuhan ko ito in the sense na, ipinakita kasing tao lang din ang tatay… nasasaktan, may mga hinaing din… may shortcomings…tumatakbo sa anak na para bang naghahanap ng kakampi. Kaso lang, hindi nya na-factor in ang epekto sa anak.

First Date. 4 STARS
Ito ba yung nagbibigay ng payo si Ate Bebs tungkol sa date? Nanghihinayang pa rin ako na di ako nakarating sa date ng PRPB. Haist.

Ang Piso.

BFFx2. 5 STARS
Naka-relate ako rito. Friends come and go; pero may mga tao talaga na laging andyan sa tabi natin kahit na ano’ng mangyari… at least, for me. ^_^

Emails. 3 STARS
Di ko masyadong naintindihan at nagustuhan until I read Kuya D’s comments in the thread… babasahin ko na lang ulit.

View all my reviews

About Bebang Siy

Si Beverly Siy ay nagtapos ng BA Malikhaing Pagsulat sa Filipino (cum laude) sa UP Diliman. Naging fellow na si Bebang sa UP at UST National Writers’ Workshops at naging aktibong bahagi ng pamunuan ng UP Writers’ Club at LIRA…noong Hulyo 2006, inilabas ang kanyang maikling kuwento bilang bahagi ng Hilakbot I, Loyola High, at City Lights, mga aklat na pang-adolescent. Sa Setyembre, lalabas na ang kanyang nobelang Mingaw.

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Ralph Waldo Emerson

The only way to have a friend is to be one.

Carlos P. Romulo

These are some of the quotes from Carlos P. Romulo that I love:

“I was convinced that luck was a matter of knowing what one wanted and then being willing to work to make the wish come true.”

“For my grandchildren . . . and all children—this book is written with hopes of the time to come, when no child shall lie down in terror or waken to hunger, but shall know himself as a being of unique value in a safer and kindlier world.”

“I am a Filipino born to freedom, and I shall not rest until freedom shall have been added unto my inheritance—for myself and my children and my children’s children—forever.”