Summer 2016

Summer 2016 was half spent wandering, reading, doing art and typical aimless search for something to do. Not that I was not busy with work, it's just that my weekend schedule was not fixed and so random until mid-August. Last half of this year's Summer was spent studying for an examination which put my aimlessness to a temporal end. 

The exams ended and the results are awaited, I am not back with aimlessness because something came up to keep my weekends alive. I am attending free basic Nihonggo lessons (again). More of that, I know my Nihonggo skills are way better than Beginner's level but I need practice that's why I signed up for this free lesson. Why not? I have nothing to lose anyway, and badly need of some distraction. At the moment, I am waiting for my artistic mojo to kick in. Ever since I took a break from it, I was hoping that my hands couldn't wait to sketch but so far, the hands aren't ready yet. I am hoping that it will come back to keep me occupied in Winter.

The selfie is in keeping with the theme. I bought a camera phone clip lens because GoPro is too expensive for me, LOL! This cheap clip lens will serve just fine while documenting my whereabouts, plus it appears to make my round face smaller compared to normal phone selfie.

In terms of the arts, my best gouache painting to date was this of Tormund Giantsbane. For those who are not familiar of him, Tormund is a supporting character of Game of Thrones series. He was introduced around Season 3 or 4 and got more famous among fans in Season 6, partly due to his attraction towards Brienne of Tarth. 

I chose him as my subject because of his looks and character. Jon Snow is too famous as a subject. I could not imagine the many artworks based on him or Kit Harrington (the actor who played him). 

This is actually my second gouache painting. My first was a blue-eyed, raven haired Natalie Portman. I can say my gouache attempts are passable in terms of wanting a career as a tacky cinema poster illustrator (imagine 90s Seiko starlets in tacky tarpaulin posters plastered all over downtown Colon Street, Cebu City). Too bad the demand has long gone. So, again, the need to practice to achieve a level higher than a tacky poster illustrator/painter.

So I got bored with gouache and decided to go back with pencil sketch to master on facial details. 
This sketch was based on Gal Gadot. I know, no one will ever guess it right.
I need to practice more. Watch out World.

I was able to read four books which was a feat for me at my age. If not for the idle time and the lack of inspiration to make art, reading books would never get any of my attention.
Books I've read were: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (inset photo), The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins, When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson and a classic, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. The first one being my favorite because it made me cry and again, good books about life and love never fail to make me ponder on for days. I love that at the end, Will's will was respected by his family and Louisa, although painful for them. If I were Louisa, I will probably be persistent to beg Will to give life a chance, live more years with me and focus on our love. But at the same time, one cannot blame Will for hating his life after the accident considering he used to live an amazing life, alongside good fortune and looks.

Lastly, something to remind me.

Also, I really need more improvement in handling stressful situations. I have allowed work to get in the way of my head; thereby, making me irritable and crabby. I seem to have forgotten how to balance work and life wherein, at my age and experience, I should have (at least) mastered the basics by now.

Book Review: Eleanor & Park

I have not done any book review for years. Can't even remember the last time.

The book that I recently finished reading was 'Eleanor & Park' by Rainbow Rowell. Honestly, this was a random purchase and I even thought, it was a story of lovers in their twenties but to my surprise, they are junior high school students set at a small town in Nebraska in early 90s (the decade was just a guess as there were no hints of smartphones or textspeak). The story began with new girl in town meets cute boy inside the schoolbus.

As common for teens whose level of testosterone and hormones are just starting to get crazy, and having to always sit beside each other twice in a day inside the bus, young love was bound to happen..considering that both are attractive (as the book describes them). 

So they fell in love, had petty fights, hang out and came to know each others background. Eleanor Douglas comes from a poor broken family. She with her mother and three young siblings live with their good-for-nothing stepfather; while Park Sheridan is a product of an interracial marriage, lives in a perfect home with  loving parents and a younger brother. By the way, Park is half-Korean.

The book was written from both main characters' perspective which has become the fad lately. There were no graphic details of sex as expected in young adult novels but there were suggestions of being intimate but written leaving something for imagination. However, being responsible young adults, there were no suggestions of them doing that thing.

The ending was heartbreaking but close to reality so you can really feel the pain of young love. I was really hoping that the last chapter would lead us fast forward to twenty years later, when both are in their mid-thirties meeting unexpectedly at some random city (not at some highschool reunion for I highly doubt both will attend). Yeah, the author gave an ending to allow readers have the freedom of making one.

Though a self-proclaimed non-fan of sappy teen love stories, this by far was the most recent book I've read before bedtime because I normally read my news feed. It's embarrassing to say that I enjoyed reading it. 

Five Random (vol.3)

Hey, there.

(1) Well, it's the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la..la.

OK. Worry not. Stress este working days for this year will be over in the next two days. I am, as usual, will spend it with family in Cebu...and at our Home!

(2) Illumination or light shows are popular in Japan especially during Christmas season. Every corner in Tokyo, even in my dear neighbourhood mall, has their own version of Illumination. Inset photo was in Caretta Shiodome taken two Sundays ago.
Well, these illumination shows pale in comparison to my dear Philippines, where every household has their own light shows; some simple, some grand.

(3) IKEA love. Yes, count me as one of the many fans of this Swedish phenom. I love the simplicity and the functionality of all things they offer. IKEA caters to every type and size of home and their prices are fairly reasonable. Currently eyeing on the throw pillow covers (already bought four) and those grey seat cushions.

(4) And for the second time on my second yearend party attended this year, luck eludes me. I don't know why. Bingo game is a game of chance but chance never favors me, LOL. Here's hoping I'll win the first prize on the coming Friday's yearend at the office.

(5) Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee will probably be the last book I have read this year. The predecessor was a masterpiece so don't put your hopes too high on this book to overcome the predecessor's level. However, it has its own lesson worth learning.
Spoiler: Scott in her 20s, working in New York, went back to her hometown in Maycomb, Alabama for a break. We all know how she adores Atticus (her father) since as a child, to the point that he is put on a pedestal, an epitome of perfection. One day, she found that her father is supporting an opinion different from hers. It shocked her so she went to confront him about it. Harsh words were said by Scott to her father while the latter remained calm.  In the end, her Uncle Jack (Atticus' brother) put some sense into her head, reminding her that she is her own person and her father is his own. Her opinions need not be forced to people because that makes her a bigot. People have different opinions on certain things and should be respected. On the contrary, Atticus praised her for sticking to her opinions but reminded her to learn to respect what others have to say.

Five Random (vol.1)

Since I am such a sporadic blogger, and my posts lately seem to focus on not a single subject (with the exception of 'house project' posts), I have decided to posts random of anything. Anything which deserves to be posted for record. Five photos or thoughts, posted previously or not, will be featured and justified.  

For my first ever 'Five Random' series, my daughter takes the lead. Of course.

AMBER'S FIRST SCHOOL UNIFORM
When I first saw her in uniform, I couldn't be more proud. I know, she's cute! She's been attending a 2 hour nursery-play morning class. While in the afternoons, she takes power naps which are prerequisite for kids her age.

BUWAN NG WIKA
'Language Month' in English. As fate would have it for school kids in the Philippines, she had her first ever Buwan ng Wika celebration earlier today. I was not there to witness but the other half was as excited so he skipped work in the morning to witness this milestone!

MOET & CHANDON
Though not a huge fan of alcohol, this by far is something I enjoyed drinking especially when paired with cheese or tortilla chips. Costly if consumed daily but mine has been kept chilled for a while now. I stopped when I suffered cough for two weeks since coming back from Cebu. I might take a sip this weekend while watching movies. Inset photo was while watching 'Gone Girl'. That movie was crazy and one of the best I've seen in my movie-rentals this year.

As for red wines, I am still on the search for the right taste.

CURRENTLY READING: The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
The book is a must read for those wanting to manage their finances properly and grow them exponentially. Not that I had difficulty managing mine, modesty aside, I am frugal so saving is an inherent character. It started with a coin box. In kindergarten, I graduated with honors so my mother gifted me something. The gift was a coin box. I could still remember its design: Snow White. Every time my parents gave me spare coins, I put most of it inside my coin box. My coin boxes have evolved (can't even remember how I lost Snow White) and so the amount of savings have increased, too. Up to now, I still save and a proud frugal. I do treat myself  with little luxuries once in a while but always, saving comes first. I am by far not 'Rich' by definition but having a job, a little business and funds on the side prepares me and my family for uncertainties. I am actually thinking of gifting my daughter a coin box someday as a start-up lesson for her in saving.

PLASTIC SHOES
Whenever raining, which has become a daily occurrence lately, I wear my ever reliable water-proof pumps by Free Fish (a Japanese shoe brand). This pair is from Urban Research x Free Fish collection which I bought last Summer 2014. 

Summer 2015

Summer ain't over but as per tradition, here's a summary on how my Summer went so far.

BEAUTIFUL SUNSET.
The cloudless sky normal to Summer has been blessing us with beautiful sunsets. I can't keep my eyes off it. Nature's wonders always remind me to appreciate life. It's a good pause from all the stress and loneliness one feels, look up far and just be mesmerized at the horizon.

GAME OF THRONES
Call me a late convert. Eversince I inquired about this series from an Indonesian officemate, who is a huge fan, I got hooked. My sources were initially from Tsutaya (a famous DVD rental shop here in Japan) but for the 4th and 5th seasons, I got copies from that friend. I finished watching all seasons in less than 2 months. Now, I can't wait for the 6th Season!

HOUSE PLANTS
Early June, I bought some house plants at my nearby Family Mart convenience store. When July rolled in, I decided to place them inside because they were slowly withering. Until I went away to Cebu for a week, they decided to look like these..

HOUSE PLANTS (after a week of no water and care). They look almost dead to me but I did not give up on them (the emotional investment was too much). I know that these plants' lifespan are short but I decided to take out the dead parts. They'll survive. In hindsight, I should have bought a cactus. 

DISNEY SEA
I went there with an Indian officemate. Of all pictures I took, this was my favorite. Toyville was a recent attraction in Disney Sea which we never got inside to because queue seems to go without end. It bothers me a little why Woody and friends are stuck in Disney Sea. I know they belong at Tomorrowland in Disneyland (which by the way at this time looks like Yesterdayland).  My guess is that Toy Story franchise has a huge fanbase so the need to have its own park.

AMBER
I took a week off and spent it mostly with Amber. We bonded and had cough at the same time.

LE GRE KAN
It is only in June this year that I finally went in. We've tried their cake one time during Amber's 11th month birthday, and it was delicious, not too sweet. The meaning of its name is still unknown to me though. 

LE GRE KAN cake with tea and something to read at the left.

SUMMER READ 

Murakami's 1Q84. Finally, after almost 3 months of reading intermittently (read: weekends only), as of this writing, I am at its final chapter. The book was such a drag. Too many narratives of nonsense which is typical of Murakami. I could not wait to reach the last chapter. The story is too fantasy and metaphorical. I love fantasy but maybe 1Q84 was too much out of everything. 

The Little People were creepy though. One thing that was left unanswered, or maybe I missed, was the young girl whom the dowager intends to adopt. She went missing one night and her whereabouts were never told. 

One salvation though was 'love'. Always prevails, even in a parallel universe. Tengo, in one of the last chapters before meeting Aomame, was hesitant at meeting her for fear of incompatibility. After all, 20 years have passed since they last held hands and they were never close friends to begin with but as both characters have described their deep feelings eversince that happened, both were convinced that it is true love. It is something that survived that long. Aomame had the same reservations. Though she initiated their rendezvous after 20 years, she took chances not knowing if Tengo still remembers her, let alone has feelings toward her. 

SHOES.
Manly shoes as an officemate described it. Most of my female office mates are dressed fashionably. This is one of my favorite pair of Sperry (my first actually). It's my go to shoes on working days which I rotate with other 'manly' shoes I own. However, I do change it to flat pumps while in the office (I intentionally have spare shoes in the office for meetings).

Review: Kindle

This is a long overdue review. It is only at this time that I have come to realize that such work of genius deserves more than just oral praises but also, a testament in written form.
In 2012, I wrote about my thoughts about eBooks: here I have been very hesitant if not indignant at becoming a full convert to eBooks. However, as cliche as it may sound, things have changed. In November last year, having found the convenience of Amazon, I decided to purchase a Kindle Paperwhite. At that time, I still had a lot of books waiting to be read and was considering of postponing the use of Kindle until those books are read but my excitement got the better of me. The first book I read in Kindle was '12 Years a Slave' by Solomon Northup -- which at that time of last year was adapted into a movie.

Oh, what I like about Kindle.
1.) It's like carrying  a Library. I am not sure how many books it is capable of storing but the idea of books in one portable gadget is just brilliant.

2) In the event of dementia, long press on the character's name and viola! Kindle will reacquaint you with those characters. The last book that got me grabbing at the first sight of pen and note in order to write the characters' names was 'The Count of Monte Cristo' by Alexandre Dumas. With the many characters involved in that book, I was often left gaping and trying to dig through memory on who was this and that.

3.) Defines everything. THIS GOT ME SOLD! Worry no more on Medical terms (such as shown on photo), Legal, ancient, French and words beyond layman's terms. Kindle has defined convenience in many ways.

3.) Bookmark. I know this is not something new.
4) At the bottom of Kindle screen, it will show the percentage milestone you have read and hours remaining to finish. Not really necessary but if one intends to read a book in one day, it might serve well.

5.) Kills time while waiting for something or someone. Not that ordinary books aren't capable of this. 

6.) Lightweight. It fits well to an office or weekend bag. Its casing is sold separately, by the way.
7.) Unlike iPad or any phone, Kindle's screen brightness does not strain the eyes. The color of the books pages look real paper.
8.) eBooks are cheaper if bought from Amazon. Always sold at discounted prices and one more thing, you get to save trees.

Just months ago, Kindle released a new version. Well, I am never been the type to always get the latest.

I think my book storage issue has been solved. My books (hardcopies) have taken a lot of space at home. I can't for the love of books part with them nor throw them away. I have brought them from Japan to Korea and back to Japan in one jumbo box, lol! And with that effort, I do contemplate on maybe donating them to an organization to whom I feel the books will be of more use. I doubt they will accept my Twilight copies =P

Love Kindle. Love Technology. Love Life.

Currently reading: 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green.

Cebu in 12 days

I began my first day with 1984 by George Orwell. Having not much to do except for a few errands, I was able to finish it in a week. I read it while taking a break from whatever or having coffee at some random cafes. Time passed by quickly, more so with a story so intriguing that had me thinking that this is probably what it's like in North Korea (of course, with the exception of the telescreens that monitors every person's actions). The ending was unexpected for I was hoping a success on Winston's fight. 

Cinema One and History Channel have (always) been good companions at night time. I watched the former most of the time because it is my favorite medium for Tagalog movies -- not that I am an avid fan, I just want to know how our movies have evolved. Sad to say Philippine cinema has still a lot of improvements to do. However, one movie stood out during my Cinema One marathon, 'Naglalayag' (Sailing) starring the Nora Aunor. It had me all focused considering I had an early flight to catch the next day. I gave up at almost 2am not knowing Nora's fate after the death of her lover. My only comment was the drama set in front of the casket where her dead lover lay. Nora's character gave an all out wail while attempting to hug the casket but i'm giving the writer some slack because Nora's character was pregnant and knowing pregnant women's emotions, they are 4x higher than normal. The pace was just right, dialogues between character are well written, and the actors played their parts well. When i searched the net for its ending, i was not surprised that it received accolades from local and foreign award-giving bodies. 

Not forgetting History channel, i enjoyed The World Wars documentary. My knowledge about the wars was so little it could pass for nothing; and if not for that documentary, whatever little knowledge i had would probably remain the same.

Panlasang Pinoy (Filipino Palate) no.1 on my list was Jollibee burger steak. Only 97 php, almost same price level with two meal plus one cup rice in a Karenderiya.

As i was saying, it took me a week to finish 1984 which left me nothing to read. Another dystopian story is in my Kindle but I decided to take a break from bleak settings, so i bought a classic at National bookstore. Selection of classics are many but i chose Madame Bovary because it was set in France and the synopsis gave me an impression that this had been copied or, to put it mildly, taken as an inspiration by our homegrown telenovelas mixed with unnecessary sub-plots of kidnapping, adoption and amnesia.

I visited my Alma Mater. Having no purpose in mind, i informed the guard that i would like to renew my alumni card. Lady guard responded that Alumni office has transferred to Talamban campus, so she having felt my disappointment asked me if there was a second purpose. I confessed to her that i would like to see around the changes in the campus. Without further questions, she let me in and reminded me to be back before 5pm. I was done with my tour in less than an hour. Indeed, there were a lot of changes but every nook brought me back to good old days. 

Chippy and other junk binge fest. 

The Suite Room. So-so food for so steep price. Other than that, for a tiny space, they should have used furniture sets with a size appropriate for a limited space. 

Spent time with sis. 

Filipino style breakfast eaten at dinner time. 

Never did it occur to me that I was capable of devouring a huge serving. In my defense, I was really hungry. 

At day 13, I arrived safely in Japan. I so missed Amber for she and T stayed in Japan while mama took 2 weeks off. Thanks a millionth time to technology for making long distance communication faster and easier. Those days were the longest I've spent away from Amber. I don't think I'll do it again. It goes without saying that home is where the heart is. 

books to read

1.) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
Bought this in April (this year) and up to now, it's waiting to be read. As much as I want to finish reading this book, I just can't for reasons other than lack of time and that I have already seen the film adaptation -- I just lost interest. But as a book lover, and just not to put into waste the little expense I shelled for this, I will take some time reading it during Amber's afternoon naps.

2.) The Best of Archie comics.
Yes, I am including it under books because it is thick and a classic =P.

3.) Emma by Jane Austen.
Having read Sense & Sensibility early this year, it left me not wanting to read more of Jane's works. One of the reasons is that I find the long narration on the description of every thing boring. I know such is typical in classical books. But I have to give Jane credit for being anti with society's standards and expectations on women at that time.

This was on sale for 3,000KRW (2 USD). It's a known classic and with that price, I couldn't think of any other reason not to buy it. I fervently hope I will enjoy reading Emma, and as per Jane standard, this probably involves women empowerment. If I'm wrong, I'll get back to this post and strikeout the sentence before this.

4.) Push by Sapphire.
Another book on sale. I bought it for 6,000KRW (5 USD). A movie adaptation was made years ago and it received positive reviews. Based on the book's synopsis, it sounds compelling.

5.) Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner.
Bought it for 6,000KRW as well. Though I have completely shun chick-lit after reading a Sophie Kinsella book, I will give this book a chance after having checked Jennifer Weiner's body of work. She wrote 'In Her Shoes' which I saw on film and liked.

done with the classics

I recently finished reading two classic literatures: Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen) and Great Expectations (Charles Dickens). Of these two, I found the latter more interesting because of its plot.

Sense and Sensibility tells mainly about the story of two sisters set in period when women's roles in society were limited. 'Sense' describing the older sister's character (Elinor) and 'Sensibility' the middle sister (Marianne). The chapters revolved around fortune, estates, dinner parties, and gossip. This is a classic chick-lit. I say, the mother of all chick-lits!

I can't blame Ms. Austen for dwelling on these topics since such things occupied much of the elite. Her aim was to share how society at the time dictated women's roles, like: It was imperative that a woman of little wealth to marry a gentleman of good character paired with wealth. She didn't condone such act, as herself was born during that era but did not heed to society's expectations, for she never married and did live by pen.

Great Expectations was a good read. I've read an abridged version way back in college so I knew all along the benefactor of Pip (the main character). In spite of my prior knowledge, I read it and was hooked on to the complexities in Pip's life; from his first encounter with Abel Magwitch at the marshes to his reversal of fortune. The ending was unexpected for I was hoping Estella to marry Pip and live happily ever after. But still it was a good ending, not cliché. After all, it was not a fairy tale. 

book vs. eBook

As much as I dislike reading eBooks, the future will eventually dictate that eBooks will dominate over books. Or has it at present?

Sense and Sensibility: book (KRW 5,000), eBook (free)

This is one of the technological innovations that I have not completely embraced because I just love 'actual' books. When the time comes that a bill or rule is passed by the government to cease production of books (hardcopies) in the hopes of saving trees, I would be devastated. Bookstores will become a thing of the past or be limited to selling office and school supplies; and a library will no longer occupy much space of a school building as everything is paperless and accessible online. 

But I have to admit that eBooks did save me from office boredom numerous times. Unlike books, they are not obvious when read during office hours -- provided their background is white (which is standard for eBooks, i suppose). Do take note that my history with eBooks was done out of survival. 

The inevitable will happen. I will be reading eBooks and be grateful for its existence the same way I am grateful to whoever invented the digital camera.

books to read while waiting for Spring

In 2011, I only got to read a total of six (6) books: Shanghai Girls (by Lisa See), The Carrie Diaries (by Candace Bushnell), Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy, and Never Let Me Go (by Kazuo Ishiguro). Not unexpected since work practically took over my life. My 2009 book project was by far the most successful. This only means that in 2009, work was not as hectic as last year's.

Now, it's 2012. I am a bum and I have no excuse for not doing any reading. Prior to leaving work last month, I had set my goals on making myself productive while waiting for the big day (read: Amber's arrival). I had foreseen that my days will be long and boring (which turned out to be true), thus, here is a list of things to kill boredom.

1) Bring out the inner chef in me. 
Youtube has been very helpful. I must admit my attempts at cooking are getting better though.

2) Read more.
Inset photo features the books I'll be reading. All fiction.

3) Sketch something. 
In progress. I'm currently working on a sketch of a pregnant woman. (I can't think of something other than me.)

4) Blog more. 
I have no more excuse not to do this. Last year, I only got to compose ten (10) posts?!
Now that I am three (3) months away from due date, documentation of my expanding belly is a must. After all, the whole point of my blog is to record memories, thoughts and randomness.

Though watching TV is not in the list, it has been my default boredom killer. I can't help that CSI is addicting.

P.S. 2011 was awesome. Travel and pregnancy were the highlights. Hope 2012 will exceed last year's awesomeness.

gloomy weather inspires sleep and flashbacks

The gloomiest sky I've seen to date. Earlier, at 2pm, outside looked like dusk and we are a day away to May.

So gloomy that it inspired T to take an afternoon nap, while yours truly decided to update this blog.

I officially turned 31 two weeks ago and realized that it's been ten years since leaving university. And since the gloomy eerie scene outside, my mind drifted to revisiting my twenty-something years.

Just for fun, I'm going through the milestones of the past decade and what mattered at that time.

Note: it is boring compared to Kate Middleton's.

20, I graduated uni.
21, bum and got crazy for 2D games. It was unfortunate that my parents have decided to purchase a computer just after I graduated, and what better way to make use of it aside from drafting my boring and spotless CV.
22, passed the boards. yipee! one of the happiest events of my life, and got my first job as a Junior Accountant for a construction firm.
23, moved to another company, a Japanese engineering company and was dispatched to Japan -- my first overseas experience.
24, spent the whole of 2004 in Japan. I gained weight and had awful pimples.
25, got a boyfriend and invested in real property.
26, went back to Japan for a a 2-year assignment. Had my first ever business trip to Busan, KR. I kinda cringed every time I remember that time because I was more excited over seeing Korea rather than meeting the vendors.
27, started this blog.
28, events in order: left Japan, resigned, got married, went to Singapore for a week, went back to Japan to work for another company, and was introduced to Tsudanuma and everything around it.
29, Hermit. I lived a recluse existence. Often wandered around, not because I'm lost.
30, Left Japan and spent the Summer in Ulsan. Went to Seoul for a job interview and got it. Left Korea in Autumn; spent amazing crazy two months in the Philippines; and when Winter came, left Philippines for Korea.

I spent the most of my twenty-something years overseas, and at some point, thought about that have I done otherwise, would my life be better? Or what could possibly be the highlights of each year? I wonder.

In life, there are only two possible choices in decision making process, that is: go or no. Often my answer to career opportunities has always been 'go'. As for other things, it's either.

In all honesty, having gone past 30 now, I dread aging and everything that comes with it: wrinkles, receding hairline *faints*. But it has to happen because that's how the world works.

I now constantly remind myself to (as read somewhere) 'never regret getting older, it's a privilege denied to many'.  And better focus on the brighter side of being older like wisdom, among others.

In other news, I finally bought a dwelling place for my books. It occurred to me that they aren't that many.

I confess. I haven't been reading. The Kazuo Ishiguro book (Never Let Me Go) has been gathering dust since having found out that Megabox theatre will not show the movie adaptation. I doubt the rest will.

Not loving Mondays

Been very very busy since early February. After having endured two boring months of doing nothing in the office, I was officially assigned to project execution which gave me more (stress) than I expected. I love the work except for Mondays. Mondays are such a dread because I need to submit a weekly report that sums up each disciplines' activities. And as often the case, I submit it an hour or so before 6pm. The stress for that day is incomparable that I rarely leave my sit to take a break.

And don't get me started on monthly reports...=S

To compensate for the busy weekdays, my husband and I make sure to stroll around, watch movies or pig-out on weekends.

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My office is located at Gangnam, and the nearest station is Yeoksam station. To get there, I have to commute by subway. And since I leave home around 7:30am (rush hour), I have to wrestle myself to get into a crowded train because there's no way the next train will be less crowded. Bless my physique for it allows me to squeeze into impossibly small spaces between commuters. At first, the whole getting squeezed for 40 mins or so upsets me but having observed other commuters' attitude, I began to treat it with nonchalance. To keep me calm and collected, I let Snow Patrol blast good music to my ears.

My book project is not making any progress (due to my busy schedule). I have not even started reading the last book of the Millennium triology which I should have done a month ago. My sights are now on reading 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro before watching its movie adaptation anytime this week.

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And here comes my birthday. It's a Tuesday (whew!) thus i can leave the office early and celebrate with hubby.

Can't make it 40

Early this year, I launched a (personal) project: to read 50 40 books. The said project was my first ever, and the idea came late 2008 while spending my holidays here in JP because of passport issues (feel free to click ‘rant’ tag for details). Bored, bored and too cold outside to have fun, to books I wasted time hitherto.

(1.) Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
(2.) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
(3.) New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
(4.) The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
(5.) The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald
(6.) Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
(7.) Wicked by Gregory Maguire
(8.) Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
(9.) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
(10.) The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
(11.) Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes
(12.) Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
(13.) Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami
(14.) A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
(15.) How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill
(16.) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
(17.) From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming
(18.) When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
(19.) My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
(20.) Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
(21.) Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
(22.) Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
(23.) The Boy in Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
(24.) Geisha in Rivalry by Kafu Nagai
(25.) When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro
(26.) Lord of the Flies by William Golding
(27.) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
(28.) Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
(29.) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
(30.) The China Lover by Ian Buruma
(31.) The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

current read: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

(listed and numbered for record)

As you can see, I seem to fail the project in terms of its target quantity. I think, I can read a total of 33 this year. Should my Nihonggo lessons never intercepted, I could (possibly) reach the target.

This reminds me of the whole planning thing in life. We draft plans and the outcome -- considering its details -- don’t end up as it should be. But taken into its entirety, the whole process of realizing it is worthy than nothing (like planning and not doing anything for its fruition -- that’s a different story). One thing’s for sure, I don’t take long-term plans too seriously now. I mean, they only frustrate me. To future, I worry not much because as far as human’s capabilities, we can only do so much for the present -- which eventually sums up the future.

In relation to ‘plans’, I remember HIMYM’s season 4 finale: “The Leap”. Ted, an architect, began practicing his profession independently after resigning from a firm. Not for long it lasted for he never had a successful project, thus, began pondering on his failures. A teaching job offer came but he was hesitant to accept it because the whole plan is for him to be an architect. Lily told Ted to listen to what the world is saying.

I'll sleep when I'm dead

It's another holiday this coming Monday. According to my Japanese officemate, it's a national holiday -- Health & Sports Day. (Wow. We don't have that in my country).

Let me check: Saturday is already full of to-dos; Sunday, T will leave for Korea; and Monday, zilch. It's highly likely that Monday will be another book-reading day for me -- which, I think, would serve my books good for they are slowly gathering dust at the corner of my room. If only they could talk, they would've screamed at me to get my attention. Or if only they could walk, they would have walked out and went back to Maruzen. And before they do that, they will count to ten (to give me enough time to reconsider the consequences for not begging them to stay)... [snipped for reality]

Speaking of the read ones, I have assigned T to keep my books for the time being (not in a Librarian capacity but more like a Custodian). This would mean he's not allowed to lend them to others, sit on them as alternative to chairs nor throw them at whim. I am hoping that he'll buy a shelf and share the space with his growing collection of toys.

the new ones

About my book-shopping hiatus, I was unable to keep my condition (of "until my inventory of must-reads drops to two") prior to buying new ones. Last month, I had had four unread and found myself scanning the shelves in ABC Roppongi. Apparently, the temptation was hard to resist and the next thing I knew, the cash register took my money.

I aim to read a total of 40 books before 2009 ends. It should've been 50 but the possibility of achieving the target is remote (considering the number of days left before this year ends).

As for Monday, I will rule out sleeping (the most of the day) as an option. Sleeping counts as 'doing nothing' in my thesaurus, and I don't like doing nothing unless there's a valid excuse.