Since I left my freelance writing job last year, I seem to have abandoned my first love -- writing. Except for this blog, which is sadly neglected lately, I don't get to write much about anything these days.

So, aside from books, to compensate the time that I am not immersed in writing, part of my monthly brain diet is getting a copy of Reader's Digest. Today, I brought a copy while I was with mom in the salon killing time while waiting for the hair cutting session. I told mom that aside from feeling good and having a wonderful time reading, RD pays for contributions (and by the word pay, it's in dollars). I love Reader's and the stories as well as the vocabulary challenge.

Mom told me that giving it a shot to contribute a story won't hurt. Writing has been an ideal stress buster and diversion method for me. I started writing a story since last week (just for creativity training and relaxation's sake) but in order for me to come up with an organized plot and an equally good ending, I will need to devote a time for it alone.

I better do it once I get to have a long weekend.

I've known myself to be anemic so it came by surprise when I found out that my blood pressure surged to 130/90 on Thursday night (it even went higher to 140/90 last night when I sought consultation in the office clinic). My office mates DL and GR had to ask me a lot of times if I was okay and I do appreciate that. My mom and my brother wanted me to take a leave from work for at least a day more but I cannot afford to be away that long adjustment wise. Thankfully things had started to be fine now.

I knew I needed to have a good amount of sleep too; and somehow, the rainy weather never fails to work its magic. Anyway, back to the post, it never escapes to leave a smile on my face. I guess, it's one of the senseful thoughts I posted so far.

I've got a short story to finish. I'll be signing off now. Goodnight everyone.

Birthdays had been what's making most of our days this moth. But more than anything, I am looking forward to the big days of two special people in my life when August comes along. I guess I was lucky enough to have scored a job effective last year so I was able to give my parents treats for their birthdays.

My parents were born just a year and a week apart. So, two weeks ago, Papa turned 60. Now, it's legal to say he's officially s senior citizen :-p While Mama on the other hand turned 59. I was lucky to have been allowed to be on leave for both occasions (having filed them three weeks in advance). I just allowed myself to sleep for four hours then off we went to Max's restaurant for their birthday dinner together with my brother and my two nephews.

The event went as planned. It was just a simple family dinner and some shopping for little stuff. My leave went to where it should (though with the second one, some office mates were wondering about my absence).

Happy Birthday Mama and Papa. Thank you for being such wonderful parents to me and to JR. I hope you'll both continue to age gracefully and would always be in the pink of health.

Just on the second day of August, I received another surprise. This time, it was one of my favorite stuff -- books that is.

I've been seeing this book Match Made by Cel Coscoluella and Faye Ilogon together with the other two books First Love and Heartbreak. I was hesitant about buying the book when I first saw it in bookstores last year thinking I might not like the stories and of course, because Heartbreak is too pessimistic-sounding. And I was trying to veer away from nega vibes.

But I got intrigued with Match Made's cover text. In the pursuit of love, you can actually catch something. And catch something indeed. For the book contains mostly some addicting stories. Some of the stories I particularly like include: Marie Aubrey Villaceran's Quality of Life, because it showed how a daughter showed the idea of unconditional, innocent love to a wife and mother who is already suspecting that her husband is womanizing.

Sweet and Sour by Ana Maria Villanueva- Lykes is a cute narration of how a simple form of tuksuhan could actually lead to a romantic relationship. In that case, the more you hate, the more you love could actually happen -- for real.

Cecile Lopez-Lilles got me addicted to her story, Lobster Diner that I have been reading the story the third time around. It's one story that could teach someone a thing about saying sentences at the right time; and how one uncoordinated question could ruin what's supposed to have been a happy ever after.

More than just invisibility, Invisibles of Ken Ishikawa just strengthened my hope that regardless of how bitter one's past is, there's someone meant to call your own.

And last but not the least, He's My Destiny by I.P Goze enlightened me at some point. Men aren't mind readers, cold shoulders don't work in any issue and that picking someone who loves you more than you love him or her always works -- to your favor. Another thing, always look on the brighter side, on why you decided and chose that person in the first place.

How about you, what's that one lesson the current book you read had taught you? Drop me a line. I want to now.

I was saving lots of stories to blog about as well. And while I was itching to blog while sipping that iced Moroccan mint but the Wi-Fi fluctuates (case in point, the photo above) every now and then and given the noise and the commotion from shopaholics, I couldn't really concentrate so I figured writing the entries at home.

I've got three stories to tell. And it's starting with the next post. Read on. :-)

Despite how badly I wanted, I can't be a literal traveling nomad for now, given the things that I do. So, aside from books, I rely to Google Maps to virtually travel on a shoestring. And guess what found during a random online travel nights back:

I was not really fond of Patterson novels knowing that he is famous for thriller titles, particularly the Alex Cross series. But upon seeing this book's tagline and after reading the blurb (the novel's synopsis) and I guess being fascinated by the blue and white color of the cover, I decided to splurge on this book (incidentally, this was the first purchase I bought using my debit card :-p)

Anyway, Sunday's at Tiffany's is a story about a girl named Jane Margaux and her imaginary friend named Michael. It was an 82-chapter story that will take you to the streets of New York, the Broadway life, Nantucket and of course the diamonds of the famous jewelry chain, Tiffany's.

But most importantly, this book tells the story of how a child's imaginary friend would come back to the real world some twenty years after Michael left her. The book was somewhat like a modern-day Peter Pan (only that there is no Neverland mentioned anywhere, and minus the pirates) in a more romantic version. But of course, in order for you to know why I said, so, I encourage you to read the book.

I loved how this novel returned my curiosity. I was totally intrigued by its tagline which asks what if the imaginary friend is actually The One. Being someone who sort of believes in that "there's someone of everyone" thing, it really challenged my mind to think how an imaginary friend could be someone's destined person in reality. The book is really interesting as it's indeed a page-turner, for it took me just a week to finish the 82 chapters when it normally takes me forever to finish a book with my erratic schedule.

It was adapted into a movie (which I'm still searching on the Net as of the moment). I was able to get a copy of the trailer via YouTube and I must say that the movie could be as good as the book itself. Although I must say that reading the book is more exciting because of the suspense of what's going to happen next, which of course, you'll never know until you turn to the next page (or the next chapter) and savor each line.

I guess the attempt to finish the whole novel by hook or by crook was all worth it. Despite having read the book four months ago, I don't mind going through it again. I enjoyed painting pictures in my head about St. Regis and Nantucket -- or what a handsome man Michael looks like if he exists in real life.

Oh, and one thing more, I guess sometimes, believing in the impossible won't hurt. After all, there was a great ending from that seemingly-hard belief. Mr. Patterson's novel is a proof of it.