Oh My Janey

Catching a Flight

Last week, I had the opportunity (I don’t think that’s the right word!) to ride a taxi on my own. I’ve been living in Makati for a year and a half and I think I’ve only ridden on a taxi thrice. Heh. Anyway, I was left no options last week since I had a flight to catch.

I’m one of the cheapest persons you’d probably meet. Riding taxis is a no-no because I refuse to shell out a hundred bucks just to go somewhere within the city. Also, I am terrified of riding taxis because of all the horror stories I’ve heard since I was a kid. I’d choose riding cramped public vehicles over taxis on normal circumstances. I don’t have that many qualms about commuting, anyway. Remember when I got lost in Makati and was even happy about it? Yeah.

I was deprived from commuting back in college. Since I stayed in a dormitory during weekdays, I only had the opportunity to ride jeepneys whenever I need to go data-gathering. I remember begging my mother to let me go home by myself but they refused. My last wish as a college student was to go home on my own, commuting by myself. But even that little wish was left unanswered.

So when I got the chance to live somewhere far from home, I abused commuting as much as possible. The excitement of riding a jeepney to someplace is starting to wear thin, but I still think it’s still better than not knowing how to get to one place without having to ride a taxi or a private vehicle. I’ve had more than my fair share of misfortunes when it comes to commuting, too, so I’m not sure why I’m still rooting for it.

Anyway, I had to get to NAIA terminal 1 before 4:30PM because two of my closest cousins, Irish and Ruby, were leaving for Italy. I was determined to get there on time because it would be a pity if I wouldn’t even be able to say goodbye. Ruby is coming back this April to continue her studies, but Irish is staying there for good. Of all my cousins, I’m closest in age with Irish. We pretty much grew up together. I had to reach the airport on time because I had to say goodbye to one of my oldest friends.

No amount of editing can make me look decent in this photo. Haha. But I have no other photo that day!

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That One Time I Pretended I Was Japanese

(This is way overdue but yeah. When am I ever not late?)

Here in the Philippines, Valentine’s Day is often celebrated by boy givings chocolates, flowers or whatnot to the girls they like. When I was still in school, my father used to send me flowers while I was in class. (One time, I got the flowers while I was in a contest, writing an essay haha) I appreciated it very much. It also proved to me that my father is the sweetest man in the world, no questions asked. I really don’t think I’d meet a sweeter man.

But in Japan, we all know that it’s the opposite. It’s the girls who give gifts to the people she likes. Though Valentine’s Day is commercialized, I still think it’s a pretty nice day. I don’t get flowers from anyone but my father. When I was younger, that would cause me to be all angsty on V-day. I’d get all gloomy when I see girls carrying flowers and teddy bears. And my foolish high school self would dream about getting flowers from my crush. Delusional high school student right thur. Dammit. But I grew up (a little) and realized that V-day is not just for lovers. When I was in high school, I’d give little chocolates to my friends. But never to my crush because I’m like Sawako who’s to shy to give chocolates to Kazehaya. Whut.

This year, though, I decided to try something else. I decided to bake cookies! Alex and I don’t really celebrate V-Day. I mean, we meet on that day but we don’t really do anything special. Last year, we didn’t even see each other that day. We also usually don’t give gifts because we’re not that kind of couple. Heh. But different is good (sometimes) so I decided to bake him some cookies last V-day. I wanted to bake him a cake, actually, but I’m no baker.

Also, I do not have an oven and I do not know how to bake. Lulz.

Good thing, I have a friend who likes to bake and was willing to help me with my plans. Thank you May for being such a good baking teacher! She just gave me a list of ingredients and I did the grocery shopping myself! I decided to go all out and to bake cookies for my family and officemates, too. Am I bored or what. Anyway, we didn’t have an oven but May agreed that I could bake at their place. Yay yay yay.

I made Peanut Butter with Choco Chips Drop Cookies, and I must say that it was pretty good. I’m not saying that just because I made them, too.  Wehe

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Trese: Popularizing Filipino Folklore Through Komiks

It’s one of my goals this year to read more works by Filipino writers. Though I have yet to fully indulge myself in Filipino literary goodness, I started the year right by allotting a weekend to read Trese, a komiks created by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo. I am quite late into getting into the illustrated novels since it’s been around for a few years. I only learned about the graphic novel when they released the fourth book last year. I wanted to buy it immediately but I know that I have to read the first books before that. Sadly, the time I inquired they only had the fourth book. I had to wait for a few weeks before National Bookstore re-released copies of the first three books. But since I was a cheapskate, I only bought the first book.

The first book, Trese: Murder on Balate Drive, introduces the reader to Alexandra Trese, someone who obviously knows how to deal with supernatural crimes. She’s the one person Captain Guerrero contacts when an unusual case pops up. The first book only gives a glimpse on the true nature of her job and shows very little background of how Trese ends up with the job. There are four stories in the book, and once I finished the last one, I regretted not buying the three other books at the same. It’s so easy to read, something you can devour for an hour or so. It’s something you’d end up reading in one seating because it’s really engaging.

trese komiks book 1 and 2 [Read more…]

52 Books: April Books

I got a little lazy last month and only read four books. It was a good reading month, I wish I read another book but I somehow feel like I’ve been reading too much. You know what I mean? But I swear I’ll get back to reading soon! I have bought seven books from various book sales last and I should get started on those. Also, I started my Harry Potter reread. I doubt I’d finish the seven books by July.

1. Looking for Alaska by John Green

So how do I even begin to describe this book? I have conflicting feelings about it. I love the characters, I love their intricacies. I love how smart they can be and I love how they can be so deep. So deep that I sometimes raise my eyebrows. I believe I do not understand many of the characters at all. I often think, was I like that in high school? I hope not.

You see Looking for Alaska is a really good book. The prose is awesome, a lot of pretty words derived from these supposed smart and “deep” characters. But though the plot is exciting enough, I don’t like it that much because I just don’t get Alaska at all. I don’t get why people fall in love with her. I don’t get how she could be a good character. I do not like her, but her flaws are the reason why we a have a story. Maybe I could have given this book five stars but my feelings for Alaska clouded my judgement. I cannot fully love a book when I hate the lead so much. Not just Alaska, too. I do not like Miles. He is okay at first then he got overly emotional and hormonal. But I love the secondary characters, Colonel and Takumi. They salvage the somewhat overly dramatic plot.

Will I read this book again? Maybe. Do I recommend you to read it? Yes. Because it has beautiful prose and so pretty words. And it’s though-provoking and it’s never a waste to read a book that will make you think. [Read more…]

52 Books: March Books

To tell you honestly, I am quite  not sure where I found the time to read seven books in a month. When I look back at March, I realized that I actually went out a lot more than usual. (I’m a homebody, remember?) Maybe it’s because I read three thin novels that’s why I managed to read 7. I told you I pretty much have all the time in the world. I love my job, I can do anything I want after work hours. Anyway, even though I’ve read two books more than usual, I still can’t say March is a good reading month. The books I read for this month didn’t evoke that much emotion from me. Heh. [Read more…]

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