After five days of staying home to recuperate from an asthma attack, I was finally able to leave the house today. I should say I obliged myself to because there are errands to do. I really did not stay long outdoors, blame it to my hypochondriac attitude, with the pollution outdoors still bothering me, I decided to come home after two hours of being at the mall.

Anyway, I had to be content watching his TV guesting-slash-interview with Boy Abunda on a late night news program. I like how Nicholas answered Boy Abunda's "Best Questions" (who would have thought a famous author actually loves Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You.)

More to that, I was moved when he was asked about how will he write Dear God (in the case of his novel Dear John) rather than asking the question straight, he began with two words -- FORGIVE ME. And to be honest, I have yet to hear any writer or author begin their work with such.

And speaking of books, in time for my big day next week, it gave me an idea of what to put on thew wishlist. This:

Because I am a bookworm and I'm thinking of replenishing the little library, I want a copy of his new novel, The Best of Me. I have yet to finalize my plans for that day although I guess, it will just be a simple celebration.

Now, if only I'll get better the soonest, it will be the best thing ever.

It took me a few seconds to finally get that title out. Right now, I am going through a lot of adjustments, particularly concerning the household. I'll have to reorganize my own room since it's been converted literally to both a room/library/office (which means I will not be using my room for its sole purpose of sleep and sex). Papa had finally moved the internet connection here in my room this morning and I am slouched on the floor typing this entry. The decision was done last night after not much thought. It was all impromptu since someone has moved in to our home last night and she'll be here I guess for good.

In cyberspace that is.

Because a few days ago, I encountered three alarming cases of duplicated, Facebook accounts that had to be reported. Two of those were impostors of my friend Beth where it contained a lot of bogus information, from her gender to her affiliation. After helping her out on setting the privacy account of her profile and reports from friends, we were able to remove the fallacious account. But the poser was that persistent because a day after successfully defeating, Beth informed me of another one.

The other case was done to Frances, the author behind my favorite blog where a poser used the photo of her family and even claimed her husband and her baby to be that of the poser's own.

Of course, it gave me fears. Call me paranoid but I really got praning after those incidents. OC enough it prompted me to really check the privacy settings of my own Facebook profile. Now, I will be honest. I Google myself too and it is embarrassing regardless if I don't thankfully see obscene pictures of myself.

To keep myself (hopefully) safe from the identity-grabbing jerks out there, I follow these rules. I know that what I'm about to say has been mentioned but then, it really is better to be safe than sorry:

1) Keep personal information to yourself and your (trusted) friends.
2) Never accept friend requests from people you don't know. Regardless if you have common friends, if you don't know the sender personally or haven't met him or her yet, don't gamble.
3) If you can't keep your pictures private, limit your pictures to the decent ones. People might find your profile and your photos on search engines and admit it or not, it's not a good feeling when people feast on your alcohol-driven self through your pictures.
4) Turn public search off. This way, I get to control who views my profile or in this case, no one will be able to view me even if they search for my Facebook account on Google.

The internet as they always say is a big world. I agree with what broadcast journalist Howie Severino keeps on saying about their advocacy. Think before you click. Because what you post there for a minute will be visible and familiar to people for a lifetime.

My big day's about to come two weeks from now. I was supposed to write this days ago but since I've always been from home on mornings for three straight weeks, I had to postpone writing until today.











Move over Martha Stewart, I'm almost there! :-)

That falls exactly on this day, and you may ask what was that for.

Well, that stands for the length of time when I got my freedom. The length of time as a single  Yup, for the longest time, it's what I have always looked forward to when the 18th day of each month comes.

Each month. For 33 months. I have to admit that while the first few months were hard to face the pain just got fed up of me because for trying (hard) to ignore it, it fully subsided when I reached the second year. Back then, whenever this particular day arrives, it's a roller coaster of emotions running inside. Now, call it weird,but lately reaching this day is like a milestone.

Especially when that comes and I'd find myself dateless. That's like a clean slate.

Now, I know some of you may call me pathetic for what I've written. Some too, may say I'm kind of a sociopath but let me explain. My decision to stay single is not out of bitterness; to go solo happened first by chance and eventually, by choice. It was something I made out of my own will -- and probably one of the most difficult but the best decision I had made. I cannot remove friends from the picture who'd urge me every now and then to hop in and join the in a relationship bandwagon. Quoting the late Steve Jobs, "as with all the matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it".

I still believe that finding someone for everyone is a law of the universe. I know that there will come a point when I will eventually find one for me. On the topic of prolonging this state until January next year? Why not? I'm thinking of staying this way up to three years (at least :-p)

Quoting Snow Patrol from their song, Chasing Cars:

If I just lay here,
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world. 

As short as that.

For I could no longer find the words to illustrate the present.

Have you got your copy of Reader’s Digest Asia October 2011 issue?

No, it's not about the Angry Birds craze!

It has been a week (well, almost) since I prematurely left work. It never really dawned on me at first but during the weekend, it started sinking in that Monday would be different. Yes, I was in the office last night but it was not for the whole eight hours but for only 10 to 15 minutes.

I was about to sleep a few minutes before midnight when I checked my mobile phone before dozing off and found this message from my best friend, Apple: