Categories
Books Classic Fiction

Animal Farm by George Orwell | Book Review

READ THIS IF…

  • You want to read a story about talking farm animals
  • Gusto mong mas maging mulat sa mga nangyayari sa ating lipunan
  • Gusto mong mabilang sa milyong milyong tao na nakabasa na ng librong ‘to

QUICK AND TAMAD SUMMARY

The farm animals had enough! Hindi na nila kayang i-tolerate ang pagpapalakad ng amo nila na si Mr. Jones. Kaya naman gumawa sila ng paraan para mapatalsik ang amo nila at sa wakas! The animals reign supreme! Pero ngayong nasa pamumuno na sila ni Snowball (white pig) at Napoleon (fierce-looking boar), ano ang magiging kapalaran ng mga farm animals? Mas naging mabuti nga ba or worse?

📷: Katie Troy

This book is about power and how it can potentially change anyone who acquire them. At kahit animals ang main characters dito, the message is clear and strong. The author intended for it to be a reflection of the events that happened during the Russian Revolution so it’s a political satire. Pero I think pwede din syang ma-apply in the workplace somehow.

Continue reading “Animal Farm by George Orwell | Book Review”
Categories
Books Mystery Thriller

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris | Book Review

READ THIS IF…

  • You want an okay psychological thriller involving a married couple (don’t expect Gone Girl levels)

DON’T READ IF…

  • You’re a loving pet owner
  • You have low tolerance for torture

QUICK AND TAMAD SUMMARY

It’s about Jack and Grace na seen by their social circles as the perfect couple. Pero ang suspicious ng pagka-perfect nila kasi magtataka ka bakit walang sariling cellphone si Grace, nung hiningan sya ng e-mail address binigay nya yung e-mail address ni Jack, at laging hindi sumisipot si Grace sa lunch invites ng mga amiga nya and kung makakasipot man sya, kabuntot nya lagi si Jack. So medyo given na dito na si Jack yung psychopath. Kaya ang tagline nung book is, “The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?”

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Categories
Life

32nd Birthday Bop

Nakakatawa yung comment ng former officemate ko dun sa birthday pics ko. Sabi ko kasi sa caption ‘Wala na sa kalendaryo’ tapos sabi ni Ate Milanie, nasa lotto pa daw. Hahaha. Feeling ko lumang joke na rin yon pero ngayon ko lang yun nadinig 😅

So ang saya ko kahapon, ang taas ng energy ko. Tapos excited nga akong magluto tapos pasayaw sayaw pa ko. Dumaan pa ulit kaming grocery store (Sobey’s) kasi naisipan kong bigyan ng ribs yung tito ko at yung kapitbahay namin na couple. Naghehesitate lang kasi ako nung una kasi nga baka hindi masarap. And at the same time nahiya din ako na walang bigay kasi yung tito ko laging nagdadala dito ng food. So yun bumili pa kami ng isang slab. Tapos pinick-up na ni Kenneth yung cake habang nagluluto ako.

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Categories
Family Life

Good Morning Birthday Girl

It’s mah birthday! Actually kahapon ko pa talaga birthday kasi mas advance ang oras sa Pinas and since sa Pinas ako pinanganak, kahapon ko pa birthday. Pero anywayzzz. It’s mah birthday! Ang aga ko nagising. 6:30AM pa lang dito. Busy ako mamaya pagluluto ng baby back ribs. Di ako sure kung nabanggit ko na pero meron kaming birthday cook off ni Kenneth 😂 Sya ang nagluto nung birthday nya (Dec 1) tapos ako ngayon (Dec 15). Pero wala din naman kwenta kasi kami lang yung taste testers. Haha. For sure sasabihin nya na sa kanya yung mas masarap tapos ako syempre yung sakin. Bawal pa din kasi tumanggap ng bisita dahil pa rin sa COVID. Hanggang New Year na ata ganito.

Pero excited pa rin ako kasi simula nung dumating kaming Canada, ngayon lang kami nag-effort maghanda sa birthdays namin. Ang pinaka-excited ako is yung pagluluto ko ng baby back ribs. Yun yung main course. First time kong magluluto ng ganito kaya sana masarap. Sana masarap! Tapos ko na lutuin yung mga side dishes kahapon para hindi ako masyadong haggard ngayon. Tapos mamaya ipipick-up ni Kenneth yung ube macapuno cake dun sa bakeshop. Ngayon na lang ulit ako makakatikim nung masarap na cake na yon 😋

Okay magbabasa na muna ako. Normal morning routine. Pero baka hindi ko mapigilan i-check phone ko para makita kung sino nang mga bumati hehe. Ay, nag-advance celebration nga pala sila sa Pinas. Kakainggit yung handa ko pero hindi ako nakatikim huhu. Eto yung mga pics nila.

Amishuuuuu

Update: Nagbasa na ko ng mga bumati sakin. Kakatuwa yung mga nag-private message at nag-post sa wall ko ng throwback pic namin. Haha. May napansin pala ko na bagong pag-greet. Diba nauso dati yung HBD. Tapos ngayon merong MBTC. Kala ko kung ano. Para kasing MTRCB. Tapos after a few seconds na-gets ko na, ‘more birthdays to come pala’. Haha daming alam.

O sya. Ako’y magbabasa na. Mamaya ulit.

Categories
Books Fantasy

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin | Book Review

More than a year kong binabasa ‘tong libro na ‘to. Sa wakas makaka-move on na ko sa next book. May times kasi na nasa mood akong mag-hangout sa Westeros tapos pag na-distract ako, totally makakalimutan ko sya. Kasi iniisip ko rin na alam ko nanaman yung ibang mangyayari because of the series. Pero nananaig pa din yung curiousity ko kung anong difference nung books from the series kaya kahit nakakatamad minsan, gusto ko pa din tapusin. At alam ko rin na once magsimula ako ulit, sure naman na manunumbalik yung pagka-fanatic ko.

START OF SPOILERS

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Categories
Books Insights Non-Fiction

Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman | Book Report

READ THIS IF…

  • You want to be enlightened on the amount of unnecessary information you consume
  • You’re bothered with your short attention span
  • You want to appreciate reading more

This non-fiction book about the negative effects of television was published in 1985. It may seem irrelevant nowadays but not really. The reason why this book is still being read today is because it couldn’t be more relevant.

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Categories
Family

Poops’ 32nd Birthday Bop

Unti unti nang nagiging masaya ulit ang December. Nabanggit ko noon na sinira ng Canada ang December, my favorite month of all time. Favorite month kasi nga, birthday month namin ni Kenneth tapos feel na feel mo sa paligid yung festive mood sa Pinas. Tapos eto din yung time na uuwi kami ng probinsya from Manila (kung san kami nagw-work noon) para mag-celebrate ng Pasko at New Year with family and friends. Kaya ang saya saya talaga ng December. Pero yun nga. Pagdating namin dito, parang ang bitin at ang pilit nung saya.

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Categories
Books Insights Non-Fiction Personal Development

A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine | Book Report

This book was recommended by one of our book club members (Thanks Pearl!). She learned that I have some interest in Stoicism and suggested this book to me. I had a hard time finding a simple definition of what Stoicism is but I think this one is helpful:

STOICISM • a philosophy that helps us direct our thoughts and actions in an unpredictable world. We don’t control and cannot rely on external events, but we can (to a certain extent) control our mind and choose our behavior.

http://www.njlifehacks.com

Basically, the book is encouraging us to have some kind of philosophy when dealing with life. And since I don’t have any religion, I think it’s a good plan. Although I’ve always thought that I turned out pretty well without being religious. That I don’t need to have a religion to be a decent person. But having a philosophy, as the book suggested, seemed appealing to me; and personally, a better alternative than religion. And this specific philosophy that the author is advocating for is Stoicism.

The primary concern of philosophy should be the art of living: Just as wood is the medium of the carpenter and bronze is the medium of the sculptor, your life is the medium on which you practice the art of living.

Epictetus
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Categories
Books Life TV

Morning Routines + Online Courses + Current Reads

Every morning eto na ang naging routine ko:

  • Gising + Poop
  • Feed kitties
  • Scoop litter box
  • Drink water
  • Make bed (kung gising na rin si Kenneth)
  • Read non-fiction
Another beautiful sunrise

6:30AM ako nagising ngayon. Ang sarap magbasa ng non-fiction sa umaga lalo kung self improvement books. It sets my day on a high note. Dapat talaga pinagiisipan ng mabuti ang morning routines. Kasi it can make or break your day.

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Categories
Books Classic Humor Romance

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen | Book Review

My 6th book this month! Super duper proud of myself. Ngayon lang ‘to nangyari.

Yay tapos ko na! Kala ko hindi ko matatapos kasi first classic novel ko ‘to and super hindi ako sanay sa writing style (1813 sya na-publish). Hindi ko pa din napapanood yung movie nung sinimulan ko so nahirapan talaga ko kasi wala akong idea. Nung sinimulan ko, feeling ko hindi kaya ng comprehension ko yung mga ganito. Nakaka-intimidate. Kaya rin hindi ako mahilig magbasa ng classics.

Pero nag-attempt pa din ako kasi highly recommended sya ng mga members ng book club namin. The first 20% is a struggle. Ang hirap talaga i-absorb for me. Pero unti-unti syang nagiging interesting and na-overpower nung plot yung writing style.

QUICK AND TAMAD SUMMARY:

Merong 5 sisters at ang bida ay si Elizabeth Bennet. Ang one and only goal ng nanay nila ay maikasal ang mga anak nya sa matitinong mga lalake. Super plus points kung mayaman. And given the time period, I wouldn’t blamer her. In the process of finding suitable partners for her daughters, na-meet ni Elizabeth si Mr. Darcy. Good looking and mayaman si Mr. Darcy but Elizabeth hated his guts.

Nung around 80% na ko, pinanood ko yung movie pero hanggang dun lang sa parts na nabasa ko na.
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