UnchartedThoughts

"In most cases learning something essential in life requires physical pain."

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:21:53 +0700

“In most cases learning something essential in life requires physical pain.”

- What I talk about when I talk about running (A Memoir) by Haruki Murakami

#clouds #rain #landscape #photo #morning

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:35:46 +0700

#clouds #rain #landscape #photo #morning

Laptop sa CR. Ito na siguro ang pinakabaliw na paglalagyan ng...

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:28:36 +0700

Laptop sa CR. Ito na siguro ang pinakabaliw na paglalagyan ng laptop. Haha… Ang totoo niyan kelangan ko talaga siyang dalhin sa loob dahil walang magbabantay sa labas at kelangan ko na talagang mag-ablution. Di ko naman malagay sa bag dahil magcancel yung dinadownload ko. Buti umaabot sa CR yung wifi.

At #baskinrobbins in Ambarukmo Plaza. #icecream is #yummy but...

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:28:14 +0700

At #baskinrobbins in Ambarukmo Plaza. #icecream is #yummy but really #expensive. This reminds ne #heartstring

Dear Journal

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:18:58 +0700

There are failures I made which I can’t seem to shake off my system. On the outside, I look like I’m fine with it. Or more accurately, when I’m with people, I pretend, or in a more solipsistic way, I convince myself that it’s alright. But whenever I’m alone or whenever I get to sense something that reminds of those letdowns, the feelings of a loneliness of sort creep up again to my very veins like the water in the sea that can’t help itself from rising when the moon is up.

Tumblr Sold

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:52:00 +0700

Honestly, I don’t care about David Karp selling tumblr to Yahoo as long as they keep this thing going on in accordance to what its users like. Customers are always right even if we don’t technically pay with monetary unit. I guess, Yahoo is just looking for a new advantageous investment. And tumblr it is.

Book to Blog About—Light: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:37 +0700

First things first, WARNING! This is a spoiler. And when I say spoil, I mean I spoil straight to the facts. So if you have not gotten out of the FAYZ yet, do fritter away not here.

So, the story of Light happened 2 days exactly after Fear. The barrier is still there but after the darkness that covered the FAYZ, the element of it [barrier] that hided them from the seeing eyes of the outside world has become transparent. Everything in the FAYZ has now turned apparent. Because of this and some other factors from Fear, the system built by the leaders of the FAYZ crumbled down. Beside the problem on killing the baby gaia, Edilio and the rest still have to keep everyone living by giving them jobs thereby producing food for every citizen.

But, of course, since this is the epic last installation of the 6 parts tale of Sam, Astrid, Caine, Diana, Edilio, Dekka, Lana and the rest of the FAYZ kids, everything went accordingly with a conclusion. The barrier finally went off with their special abilities too; Sam was proclaimed as the “hero of the FAYZ” and lived with Astrid near Quinn in Santa Monica. Caine gave up his body for Little Pete to take over and battle off with gaia which ended up losing both their lives and gaia, of course. Diana joined Sam and Astrid in their mansion eventually. Then Dekka and Lana came back to stay with their respected families. Edilio and his family weren’t shifted back to Honduras.

Well, this sort of finale didn’t astound me. It was a little anticipated on my side. Despite that, it’s nonetheless an exultant closing that I favour. There was no better way to culminate it than what Grant had done. The turnouts of the characters were likely and arguable. I am not Caine’s fan. So, he being dead at the end is fine with me. Moreover, what could possibly be his significant role if ever he was kept alive? Then, Albert, well, I don’t have a comment on what he has become. And on Quinn, I’m happy for him. With Breeze’s death, I suppose it’s inevitable. Jack’s ill-fated falling was indeed unfortunate but its significance on the story is debatable. Edilio’s coming out of the closet is still unaccepted in my part but I won’t expound it anymore. I’m done with it. With Sam’s assumed heroism in the FAYZ, well, I agree with the Sam in the book, what he has contributed might be an immense input in safe-keeping the lives of the Perdido Beach kids but he couldn’t have done it alone without a great help from the others. So I disagree on calling him the over-all hero of the FAYZ. However, I guess it can’t be help since he was the one who stepped out first to take a lead against the ‘abusive.’

Some of the out of the blue circumstances in Light include the demise of the gaia. After all the hardships of not one but few characters to finish it off in every installation of Gone, I can’t fathom that it would be easily killed as what has entailed in the book. The combat between Little-Pete-inside-Caine and it was not even over 1 page. I expected some extravagance in that clash but it didn’t take place. Besides that, there are few others too which I will not explicate anymore since they are quite futile.

At any rate, undeniably, I was enthralled with the Gone Series. The whole time I stayed inside the FAYZ, I was thrilled and always in the replay of “then, what happened?” And just like with Insurgent, I cannot possibly delve into the morality of the book because it’ll lose its genuineness. But, precautions should be administered of course. An age bracket of readers of these books should be checked. All in all, it was a good reading experience for me.

Heart Falls Out by David Archuleta from No Matter How...

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:05:01 +0700

Heart Falls Out by David Archuleta from No Matter How Far

— Favorite track =)

Book to Blog About—Insurgent: A Divergent Novel by Veronica Roth

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:23:30 +0700

As expected, Insurgent opens the book exactly where it ends in the first installation. So, if it has taken you a long period of time before putting your clutches on the continuation of this another dystopian tale, then you might possibly want a travel back at the last part of Divergent. It’s certainly not one of those series where you could start anywhere but the beginning and still grasps fully the wholeness of its plot.

And certainly, I don’t appreciate that feature of the book. That connecting element between Divergent and Insurgent is not definite. It’s not demarcated which doesn’t really go well for me. No sense of conclusion was made again too. No veil was dropped at the end. I thought I could piece together some of the info kept in and not run around in circles anymore but I didn’t. Still, everything is as vague as a foggy morning in MSU. I don’t even get what has Divergence mean to the characters who have it except that their immune to the simulation. I really do have to check out book 3 to make head or tails to every truth of the Divergent world.

However, admittedly, if you ask me, I should answer again that the context of this series can be contained in one book. It doesn’t purport the series kind. Even without examining the third part of this series, I can say that with omitting and a great editing, the entire plot of the Divergent books can be put in one full book.

Be that as it may be, this second instalment of the Divergent series has absolutely lived up to its expectation of fun. It’s another roller coaster ride of excitement. Languor is never inside the factional society of the dystopian Chicago. The twists played surely does help.

I don’t want to spoil much but I have to say that my mouth fell wide open when I learned about Caleb’s sedition. I thought he was this close to mollycoddle my approval but his grades went all down low in my class after what he had done. To add to my frustration, I find no justice on his act. His betrayal driven by that little information from that video kept by Janine which has moved the story of Insurgent running upside down isn’t admissible. I was eagerly waiting for that bit of news too only to be disappointed that Caleb will let his only sister dead over T-H-A-T!

What is the significance really about learning that there are Divergents and people outside their system? Don’t they know that already even out of rumours? Again, I must say I should peruse book 3 because nothing was ever clear in Divergent and now, even Insurgent. I can’t tell where the plot goes.

Anyway, although I do find delight in the book, I still have lot of disagreements about it. In particular, I don’t relish the many apprehensible parents-children-dispute—between Four and his Father and maybe Caleb [discreetly] with his parents. I was even more disappointed at that scene where Four had beaten his father with a belt in front of the mass. That kind of scene was too much. Didn’t we learn to love and respect our parents unconditionally even if they’re dogs?

But of course, I couldn’t question the morality in the book because then, there’ll be no more reality in the story. Forgive me for stating the already known but it’s not even like real people in the real world live morally too (except those few who really do). Besides, books as in novels are mirrors of the society that we have even if we say that it’s hidden in layers and layers of fiction. However, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t act about it. As the story teller, one must moderate what one imparts through one’s creations. Remember, novels are not just reflection of the world; in most times, books in general can be a stimulus or a driving force that can prompt an action, behaviour, belief or principle. Thus, in a most imperceptible way may be, it can affect the humanity.

To put a conclusion to this, Insurgent, story-wise and regardless of any other factors, had been an entertaining event of my reading life.

#typography

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:04:38 +0700

#typography

Inshallah

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:17:47 +0700

Inshallah I’m going to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bali this vacation. Allahumma Ameen.

#beans #carrots #tomato #garlic #onion #fish #cooking

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:57:58 +0700

#beans #carrots #tomato #garlic #onion #fish #cooking

Finished product. #food #healthyfood #vegetables

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:55:14 +0700

Finished product. #food #healthyfood #vegetables

#food #foodinindonesia

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:54:19 +0700

#food #foodinindonesia

"Those kinds of memories—unpretentious, commonplace. But for me, they’re all meaningful..."

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:00:32 +0700

“Those kinds of memories—unpretentious, commonplace. But for me, they’re all meaningful and valuable. As each of these memories flits across my mind. I’m sure I unconsciously smile, or give a slight frown. Commonplace they might be, but the accumulation of these memories has led to one result: me.”

- –Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

DO NOT LIE. BE HONEST.

Mon, 13 May 2013 08:00:46 +0700

Do not lie. Be honest.

"Forgive me for stating the obvious, but the world is made up of all kinds of people. Other people..."

Sun, 12 May 2013 16:00:23 +0700

“Forgive me for stating the obvious, but the world is made up of all kinds of people. Other people have their own values to live by, and the same holds true with me. These differences give rise to disagreements, and the combination of these disagreements can rise to even greater misunderstandings. As a result, sometimes people are unfairly criticized. This goes without saying. It’s not much to be misunderstood or criticized, but rather a painful experience that hurts people deeply.”

- Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

(A Scene from) Yongseo’s WGM—Fan Boy

Sun, 12 May 2013 08:00:38 +0700

Yong: Hello! I’m C.N.BLUE’s Jung Yong Hwa.
Hyun: Hello! I’m Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun.
Yong: I was really a fan.
Hyun: Oh really?
Yong: I WAS a fan.
Hyun: And now?
Yong: now… we are a married couple.

P.S. For my yongseo shipper followers. Hehe...

They Asked Me for a Love Poem

Sat, 11 May 2013 16:00:20 +0700

They asked me for a love poem

So I wrote one

Once, I had a crush on a man,

A handsome and smart one

He’s 17 and I’m 17

We share little difference

So we became friends

When I got to know him better,

I said to myself,

“He’s not my ideal person.”

But, I continued our acqauintance.

Then, suddenly, I realized,

“I like him more now than before.”

Is it love?

Nah, I don’t think so.

Though I think of him

When we’re far apart,

I still believe it’s not love.

They asked me for a love poem.

So here’s one.

P.S. I tried to write poetry before because some friends asked me to. And this is my lame try.

The Bridgertons

Sat, 11 May 2013 08:00:29 +0700

As I was revisiting the Bridgertons as part of my jaunt on boosting my treasures of words, one cannot possibly be not green with envy on how lovely their family is. The Bridgertons, that is. A large family with indulgent yet protective parents (or more correctly, parent), affectionate brothers and jovial sisters, who wouldn’t wish for that? More than the ardour set in the historical setting of the Victorian Era (which is what the books are centred into), I am most impressed with Ms. Quinn’s ability to portray family love into her writings. It is in point of fact one of the nice things to read from her creations. It makes one wish to want to settle into such sort of household. The manner it was presented is so natural—sibling bickering, respecting parent, brooding brothers, children-parent attachment, etc.

My first encounter with the Bridgertons was in The Duke and I with Daphne. It is also the one I preferred the most among all the books dedicated to the Bridgerton siblings. The plot is theatrical, humorous and clever. I specifically find a partiality towards the witty conversations among the characters especially the ones involving Daphne with the Duke of Hastings or with her siblings. And oh yeah, I almost forgot, Lady Whistledown’s role is not to be neglected either. This mysterious authoress with her Society Paper is surely a stimulus to the story. I must say that her appearance is best in this first Bridgerton tale compared to her existence on the others.

Going back to Daphne, she, indubitably, is my favourite Bridgerton sister. She may not be the demure kind of lady I should expect from one leaving during the 1813, but she’s smart, lively, and funny and has enough propriety than most of her sort. It follows too that her mate, Simon—the Duke of Hastings is my choice of Bridgerton-in-law. Compare to the belligerent trio as what Simon calls them—Anthony, Benedict and Colin, who are brothers to his lady, Simon is more, I don’t know, appealing maybe? The one that resembles him the most among the three in my humble opinion is Benedict who apparently is the main lead of my second favoured Bridgerton narrative.

With that bit of an info, I’m speculating that you, my gentle readers, have already calculated the math on who’s my best Bridgerton brother. His darling, Sophie Beckett though is not my favourite sister-in-law to the Bridgertons. In fact I don’t have a preferred sister-in-law, only favourite brother-in-law, Bridgerton brother and sister. Needless to say, An Offer from a Gentleman comes second to my liking after The Duke and I. What did I like about it? Well, first is Benedict. Second is the chasing Cinderella plot which doesn’t really lose its flair even with time.

However, if there exist a Bridgeton book as most liked, naturally, there’s a least preferred. Franchesca Bridgerton’s account on When He Was Wicked doesn’t do it to me. As a matter of fact I don’t adore it at all that I didn’t bother to finish it after passing the prologue. And if I have reasons regarding my fancy on the first and third installations of Bridgertons, this one I don’t. I simply dislike it—plain as that.

What about least favoured character? Well, I am fond of Lady Whistledown but not Penelope which is ridiculous really because they’re the same person. For me, Penelope is just so… I am not sure. Was it stupidly intelligent or intelligently stupid? Take your pick. It’s inside that line. I especially detest the likes of her. If you know what I mean, that is.

Anyway, to sum up this long of an explanation on the Bridgertons and their attachment towards yours truly, well, let me say that Ms. Quinn’s writing, outside its plot of histrionics and zealous affairs, is amusing, creative, explicit, and smart. The tales of passion surrounding the famous Bridgerton siblings—Anthony, Benedict, Collin, Daphne, Eloisa, Franchesca, Gregory and Hyacinth—on the marriage market of the fed up London elites is the best of her creations, I must admit.