Something Rotten (Jasper Fforde)

Rating:

Literary detective Thursday Next is on a mission — and it’s not just a mission to save the planet. If only life were that simple.

Unemployed following an international cheese-smuggling scandal, our favorite cultural crime-fighter is faced with a world of problems: Hamlet’s not attending his conflict resolution classes, President George Formby is facing a coup led by dastardly Yorrick Kaine and, what’s more, the evil Goliath Corporation are refusing to un-eradicate Thursday’s husband, Landen.

Will she ever see Landen again? Is shopping the new religion? Can Thursday prevent Armageddon? And who will babysit her son while she does it? - blurb from the back of the book

If you were (or still) a fan of Nancy Drew or have read Agatha Christie novels, you’d probably like Thursday Next. Thursday is Nancy Drew and Hercule Poirot thrown in a Harry Potter-like land: an alternate England where there is a special police department named Special Operatives (SpecOps) who deals with EVERYTHING (from literature to the undead), where having a stalker is normal, where time travel is possible and where dodos make good pets. What a world, eh? I definitely agree. :)

Something Rotten is actually the fourth Thursday Next novel in Mr. Fforde’s Thursday Next series. In case you’re a new reader of his works (like me), you don’t have to worry about getting confused with the characters because more or less each character was re-introduced at the start of the novel. Thursday Next is a literary detective at SpecOps-27, the Literary Detective department (or LiteraTec) of the SpecOps. Thursday is also the head of Jurisfiction in the BookWorld and after living there for two years, she wanted a break for her to properly take care of her son Friday and to find a way to get her husband Landen back after being eradicated by the ChronoGuard (the time-travelling department of SpecOps — SO-12) when he was two. So she goes back to Swindon with her son, her pet dodo Pickwick and her son Alan and Hamlet the Prince of Denmark (who wanted to see if the reports about him from the real world a.k.a Outland is true). Thursday heads back home and tries to fix her life again (and to bring her husband back), but then finds herself under an assassination plot, responsible to get rid of Yorrick Kaine, a fictional character who got out of an unknown book and was planning to become a dictator and of course, to stop the world from ending. What’s new?

(More…)

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

Rating:

In a Southern novel of unusual narrative charm eight-year-old Jean Louise, nicknamed Scout, tells about growing up as the daughter of a widowed lawyer, Atticus Finch, in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930’s. She and her older brother Jem happily occupy themselves with resisting “progressive education,” bedeviling the neighbors, and stalking the local bogeyman–until their father’s courageous defense of a black man falsely accused of rape introduces them to the problems of race prejudice and brings adult injustice and violence into their childhood world. Despite a melodramatic climax and traces of sermonizing, the characters and locale are depicted with insight and a rare blend of wit and compassion. (Library Journal Review)

To Kill a Mockingbird is a story about innocence and prejudice that is told in the eyes of a little girl. The story starts with Jean Louise Finch, nicknamed Scout, and her adventures with her older brother Jem and their mutual friend Dill who visits Maycomb in the summer. These adventures include reenacting scenes from Dracula as told by Dill, and “stalking” Arthur (Boo) Radley, the town’s bogeyman. School comes and Scout doesn’t like it, but agrees to a compromise with her loving father Atticus.

(More…)

Of long days, kind strangers and reunions

Well I sure had a long day yesterday. I didn’t wake up on the right side of the bed, so I was kind of cranky that morning. My moodiness lasted until my mom and I left for Megamall around lunchtime to hear the mass. I was kind of in a hurry because I had to be at Assumption College in Makati before 2:00pm for their club meeting because I was supposed to give a talk. So right after the mass, I bought some food and started running to the MRT…but first a quick stop at Papemelroti! I needed to buy this box of Bible verses to give to the YFC members in AC, but the girl was being difficult because she told me she didn’t have change for my P500. I tried to look for an exact amount but I was short so I told her, and she said, “Eh wala pa rin eh.” I wanted to strangle her then — HELLO, it’s not my fault you don’t have change…you should find a way because it’s YOUR responsibility! I decided not to because I was in a hurry already.

So I went to Makati and walked to San Lorenzo Village. Of course, it was my first time there, so I followed an Assumptionista into the village so I’d know where to get in. I didn’t get lost and got there on time. I met up with Ms. Lea who led me to the YFC room and I met Louie, their president, who is such a sweet girl. They had a game, then my talk. The girls were kind of noisy but there were some who listened to me intently…I find them all kind of sweet and their noisiness didn’t really offend me because, well, they’re high school! Haha, after the talk, I got to talk to some of them who asked me some kind of difficult questions, and the other one, Shimmy, asked me about books. Haha. I’d like to go there again given the chance. :)

After the club meeting, I went to Glorietta again and browsed around bookstores while I waited for Gigie. When she arrived, she treated me some snacks and then I dropped her off at the MRT while I looked for a cab who will bring me to the Es-Twenty reunion. But it’s Friday night, and I’m at Makati, which means it’s hard to get a cab.

I went all around Glorietta and SM and Park Square to get a cab…until I ended up at North Park. I stood there waiting for a cab who will actually stop. There was a man a few feet away from me who was trying to hail a cab too. I stood near him and then he looked at me and asked, “Uunahan mo pa ba ako?” (Loose translation: “Will you steal a cab from me too?”) Of course, I said I won’t because I’m not like that. Then he asked me where I was going and it turns out we were going the same way and he told me we could ride together so it would be easier. I agreed reluctantly but of course I was kind of scared because I don’t know who that man is. We talked, and I found out he lives in the US but he was just visiting the Philippines and he was on his way to Batangas where he’s staying. He needed to catch the last trip of the bus from Jam transit and he was having a hard time catching a cab too. We stood there until we finally got a cab. We talked a bit more — he told me about his daughter’s college tuition fee, his divorce and how it is living in the US. Surprisingly, he wasn’t complaining that much about how the Philippines is compared to the US — so maybe there’s not much to complain? Anyway, when I got to my stop, I was about to pull out my wallet when he said he’ll take care of it. I accepted and he told me to have a good time and he and the cab went away.

That was really nice. :) It’s the second time that thing happened to me (the first time was during fourth year high school, a woman rode the tricycle with me and I helped her fasten her bracelet and she paid for half my fare), and I’d like to believe it’s God’s blessing for me. To be honest, I’m not comfortable riding cabs alone because I was always warned not to. I only do it in desperate cases like last night…and God is good. :D Amen.

I got to the reunion dinner on time…and it was fun being with my blockmates once again. There weren’t many of us though, and Jolai didn’t go down from Baguio which was what I was really looking for. But it was fun. It was fun reminiscing all our block days even if it was just for two terms. :D And because I love them so much, I’ll reserve all S20 memories in another post sometime soon. :)

Here’s one of the two pictures I have for the night…there’s a prof with us there…guess where he is. :P

Today I shall rest. And read. And watch TV. And fill out some forms for work. Haha that sounded so mature. :P

Final thoughts on job hunting

Yes, you read that right. FINAL. If you read my previous post, you’d know what I mean. If not…then let me say it once again: I HAVE A JOB!

It’s funny how God fixed things to happen and how He is still making things happen in my life, constantly catching me off guard. Monday last week (was it just last week? I can’t believe it), I was bummed out and all because of all the job hunting woes I suddenly got. Tuesday morning, I was praying and I was crying out to God that I just don’t want to disappoint anyone with the choices I’m making with my life. As I was reading my prayers the day before, I saw that my prayer was that God move me from the job hunting and future funk I got myself into. I needed some kind of motivation…and what do you know, I got what I prayed for. :P It was then I realized that we ask God something, and when He answers it, we don’t realize that what we’re seeing is the answer already because we think His answers are always in favor of us when in fact, it’s not. Hard lesson to learn, I know.

Anyway, so Tuesday morning, I decided to go ahead and send my resume to Accenture, which my mom has been pressing me to do for the longest time. They even sent me a letter, but I set it aside thinking that it’s going to be my last resort. I just didn’t really feel it, you know? But after Monday, I couldn’t exactly hold my fort anymore, so I decided to send my resume come Tuesday morning. As I tried to connect to the Internet to send my resume, it turns out we have no more prepaid card. I was suddenly hit with a thought that maybe God doesn’t want me to send it yet…and then I countered that with “You’re using Him as an excuse again!” so I connected with our backup account (the one we’re not supposed to use as much because it gets reflected in our phone bill) and sent my resume.

(More…)

Thursday Thirteen # 3: The Life Update

Let’s go simple this time. It’s time I update everyone about what’s happening in my life (like that’s so interesting, but then again this is my blog so I can post that :p). And this week has been quite interesting, so let’s get on with it. :)

Thirteen Things that Happened to Me Since Thursday

1. Friday, I went to school to visit and to support my friend Tuesday on her final thesis defense. Her defense was at 11:30, and I got there around 9:00am, so I hung out at the YFC Tambayan first and talked with the people there. Gosh, I missed the people there so much! :)
2. Happy arrived a little while later and we went on our way to Gokongwei building to support Tuesday. We talked, then she slept at the lobby while I read as Tuesday’s defense went on.
3. My iPod broke down. :( Actually, it’s my brother’s iPod because we switched so I was enjoying the benefits of having a 40GB iPod. The hardware corrupted and the sad iPod started showing up. Cute, but that it meant no music. :(
4. While waiting, I got a call from one of the companies I got interviewed at weeks before, telling me that my job offer is ready. I scheduled a meeting for Tuesday next week.
5. Tuesday went out a bit before 2:30pm, and their temporary verdict for their defense was re-demo. That meant that their group is one step closer to passing, but they had to do something more. Sooo….that meant Tuesday wouldn’t be able to go with the rest of us for the Elim Singles table talk. :( But oh well, it’s the last one she’s ever going to do something for thesis, so it’s okay.
6. I met up with Bea, and she updated me with her life over some hot chocolate. Then we went to Gox to meet with Tue again. She got ticked off over some thesis thing and she had to do some things before we left for Elim Singles. Then I met up with Bung when Bea disappeared and she told me about what’s up with her life and YFC-DLSU. Then Bea came back and we met Happy at the LRT station to go to Katipunan. :)
7. Elim Singles Table Talk! The Veggie Girls minus Tuesday spent most of the time laughing at some things only the three of us could laugh about that night. Haha. We even had a pseudo drinking session — with water. It looked real enough! :p
   
8. Saturday and Sunday was very…blah. We were supposed to go out but I ended up sleeping half the time. Finished reading The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde.
9. Monday, I finally got to crack Gamehouse’s Mystic Inn and Delicious Deluxe. Spent most of the day reading and not worrying about my schedule the next day. ^^;
10. Tuesday, I went to the office of the company who called me last Friday to get the job offer. Read it and talked to my mom and brother about it. I bought The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Then we went grocery shopping. Grocery is always fun when I’m with my brother because we ended up getting a lot of snacks that we normally don’t buy because we don’t have money. :D We got to buy Haw Haw Milk Candies and Haw Flakes (some of my childhood candies :D).
11. Tuesday finally passed her thesis. She’s going to graduate this October! :D All our prayers were answered :)
12. Wednesday, I spent most of the day calling the HR of Sun Cellular to clarify some things. I went to the mall with my mom and spent some time in prayer at the Adoration Chapel at the EDSA Shrine. I finally made up my mind and made one of the biggest decisions in my life. The discernment I did was a big thing too, and I’ll reserve it for another post. :)
13. And last, but not the least! Today, I accepted the job offer. :) I HAVE A JOB! Praise God!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants