wanderlust

This night, I got not one, but TWO lovely snailmail packages from dearest lj friends ilwen and syringe1901:


( snailmail giddiness )

Just finished Max Brook's "The Zombie Survival Guide" and "We have always lived in the castle" by Shirley Jackson. I hope I don't have a hard time sleeping tonight.


( Possible spoilers ahead )

Yesterday Kate, Eliza and I met up with Kat and swapped books (yay for new reading materials!) and stories. Best mini-bookclub evarr! Kat and I met up first and, after dinner, headed to National where I almost died with excitement because of the interactive Moleskine exhibit:


( Bookclubbing and Moleskine lust )

Since Rumi has always been a favorite, I was more than delighted to find this RUMI Card and Book pack for around Php225 at Booksale. Spent the afternoon using it with my officemates. It's divided into the following categories: Birth, Love, Ordeal, Transformation, Warning and Reward. If you know me, you'd know that I'm new-agey, believing in the Universe, reading horoscopes for fun (and sometimes for guidance haha), dabbling a bit in palmistry and numerology (with the help of a book), so this is a very thrilling purchase. Just like a mini-tarot box card set I bought for only Php60 at some sale eons ago, where the cards are as large as your thumbnail.
I found the RUMI card set the day I also found a hardbound "Wilderness Tips" from Margaret Atwood for Php50. A great Booksale day. :) I'm documenting my book obsessions and latest acquisitions at my book blog, which is one of my latest obsessions.


I'm also looking forward to finishing "We have always lived in the castle" by Shirley Jackson and starting "The Forest of Hands and Teeth". I've read the first few chapters of WHALITC and so far I'm loving it. There's also this book starring Maggie Quinn, which reminds me of Veronica Mars/Buffy re the feistiness/spunky factor. If you have a copy, could I borrow it? Anybody here with an ebook? :)

( 30 before 30: Try aromatherapy. )

We were fortunate enough to be included in the list for Our Awesome Planet's Ultimate Food Taste Test 3.0.




This being our first taste test event, we didn't know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised by mouth-watering concoctions, which included the following:

Callos. Various meatloafs. Cookie monster cheesecake. Avocado Sansrival. 3 kinds of lechon. Mangoes and cream cupcakes. Homemade jams (Strawberry mint, Mango ginger, etc.), Yummy flavored teas and jelly drinks from Kimco (guava tea and blackcurrant, among others, see above photo).
Chocolate-covered bacon. Bacon and potato chowder, clam chowder. Happy cream puffs. Chicago-style popcorn. There are other yummy food items that I wasn't able to taste since at the end we were too full to go on.

( Foodtripping when you're pms-ing is <3 )

One more thing ticked off my 30 before 30 list:



( Would you like to come inside my house? )

♥♥♥

A few years ago, I saw the book "FOUND" (The best lost, tossed and forgotten items from around the world) at Booksale. At that time, I had no money to buy it, so I left it there. When I did have the budget, it wasn't there anymore, much to my dismay. This is why I grab onto books like lifesavers when I find some nifty reads for a reasonable price at Booksale. I always fear I won't see them again, like the "Middlesex" book by Eugenides that I also saw at the same branch, or the "Ghost World screenplay" I also couldn't buy.

A few years ago, books were my closest friends.

Those years are etched in my memory, lovingly; bittersweetly recalled, with a few stinging tears for good measure.

You'd know about those years if you listened to my stories. I'm not proud of them, but I'm not ashamed either. Past pains and joys made me what I am today, and I have my constant love affair with books to bear my gratitude.

This year has been a good year for books and discoveries. I think I might have gone a bit overboard with my Booksale fetish, as I can't claim my day is complete without a Booksale visit. It has come to the point that I know the sexlife of the ates and what their shifts are, and also the precise location of certain books in the span of a week.

Today, I was reunited by the book goddesses and the Universe with the lost "FOUND" book. It was staring me in the face, together with Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" which I will promptly give to my cooking mother. Since I started earning money, I can't remember when I didn't give my folks and my brother books for one occasion or the other. Our love for books runs in the blood, which I am entirely loving the Universe for. But that's another story.

♥♥♥

"Stories for Free Children" was bought by my mother at some 2 for Php99 splurge. The stories inside are from Ms. magazine, which I grew up reading, since they were lying around the house, plus they had this section promptly named such. My mom cut out the stories and placed them inside a folder, which I considered my happy folder. The stories had wondrous feminist morals, like the first story about a child who is neither a boy nor a girl. The child was "X", and what followed was a joyous romp on how societal expectations and labels stunt full child development and hinder one's potential. One day, when I'm not too lazy, I'd type it down here and share the love.

♥♥♥
Years and years ago, I could remember loving this kiddie book entitled "Princess Pearl", which was about two sisters who fought and fought for one friend's attention, only to discover that they had more fun with each other. The illustrations were ink and pencil, I think. Done in pretty pastel hues, with accompanying quirky expressions. I marvelled at it each time, noticing little details and surprises in the pictures. I hope I could find it soon.
This is a hint, Universe, and Booksale goddesses. :)

♥♥♥

What book have you loved as a child? Something you never forgot?