Going through the book list

So...I've been at my book backlog list and I've ticked two off the list. It feels a bit rewarding knowing that I've been getting back in the reading habit and I just want to share my thoughts on some of them.

Game of Thrones

I made a good decision of reading the book while tuning in to the series because my mind can't get a grip on the boatloads of characters mentioned. I'm glad that HBO stayed true to the story and whatever diversions made complemented the book in so many ways. I've already bought book 2 and I can't wait to finish it before season 2 starts.

Twenties Girl

I've always liked Sophie Kinsella's light, tongue-in-cheek humor to her stories, but I guess if you've read one Kinsella book, you've read them all. Seriously. I keep getting glimpses of Rebecca Bloomwood even if her main character has a different name and a different profession. The fact that the story has a meddling, pushover ghost for a supporting character threw the believable factor out the window. I read the entire thing in just one day, and thank God it was a fast read otherwise, it would've been like getting a tooth extraction just to get over reading the damn thing.

My Name is Memory

I haven't finished this one and it already feels like I've been reading this book for months. Honestly, I'm not even interested to find out if the girl will ever remember the guy. The story is too dragging and I find myself gagging every time the male character goes off in his monologues of self pity. It's like reading Twilight in slow mo.

I just hope the other books in my list have something better to offer, otherwise it will just be one long list after the other.

Or maybe I just need a Kindle. Hehehe.

Book images from respective sites in link

Goodbye, Amaya

I've already stopped watching Amaya since two weeks ago. I couldn't bear to stomach the dragging episodes every night (I don't really watch it on TV so I didn't lose much sleep). I thought I'd be able to bear the horrible Marian Rivera acting and the seemingly Mara Clara-ish snail's pace scenes, but I finally said to hell with it. For all its hype and pomp, the so-called epicserye dragged forever before Marian could ever don that warrior's costume & chop the balls off the other cast members.

But as I hear it, Rajah Mangubat was FINALLY killed (took him forever to drop dead, I swear), and the stupid tagna was fulfilled. But not until after all the yakking and tear-jerking whatevers from gag-inducing Marian.

Sorry, I thought this show had promise with Ms. Suzette Doctolero at the writing helm. I was wrong. The show dragged longer than the epic Hinilawod and I was already choking with the sappiness of it all. I've had enough.

I'm just gonna bide my time and wait for Merlin Season 4 or Game of Thrones Season 2. That or I can just finish off my book backlog. Time well spent.

The 32nd Manila International Book Fair

Wala lang. Magandang kuha.

This is my second time to attend the Manila Book Fair event and like the first experience, there wasn't that much, except only for the 20% sale on the National Bookstore booth. As an afterthought, I felt somewhat frustrated as it should have been labeled as "Manila International Academic Book Fair". Seriously. Most of the books were for students and academicians that I lost interest at the first 10 minutes of roaming around.

Subspace Coffee: Still beyond my galaxy

I first heard about Subspace Coffee from a blog entry and I was immediately intrigued. Being a coffee and food junkie, I had to check out the place, so I hauled the only two people I can count on for spur-of-the-moment rendezvouz for a Friday evening gimik. 

The things about language that piss me off online

I'm almost always online everyday, and there are times when I encounter annoying people who bastardize both the English and Filipino languages. It's bad enough some people think they're "bilingual" when they can't even spell or punctuate the words even if they died trying, but all these variations to save on character space is just abhorrent. I would always grit my teeth and control the urge to punch someone who types/posts in these lines:

• Nanaman / nalang. It's na naman / na lang. Get it right.
• Super *insert adjective here* (e.g.: super thankful, super sorry, super galing)
• Using the word "epic" to denote something awesome, great, amazing

• Spelling "ako" as "aq" (or any form of jejespeak for that matter)
• Wait lang (pwede namang sabihing "sandali lang")

What even drives me to commit homicide is the fact that some people have the gall to abbreviate words when they've got a perfectly functioning keyboard at their disposal. Sadly, I encounter a lot of this at work. 

Disclaimer: I do not proclaim myself as ultimately without flaw in grammar and syntax. It doesn't mean that even if the other person can understand the bastardized language you're posting online, doesn't mean you should go ahead and mangle the damned thing.

Fangasm on Visprint's WIT

I think it's bad that there are less and less people who read, but it's even worse knowing that our local authors and publishers do not get the support they need from the very few reading public. Personally, I like reading Philippine fiction, particularly subjects that interest me such as folklore, history and the paranormal. Although I'm not exactly well-read when it comes to the works of the more prolific Filipino authors, I'm a big fan of some of Visprint Inc.'s titles, some of which were just surprise discoveries in my countless forages in bookshops.