Flipping Through the Chapters: Our Experience at Dipolog’s Book-Themed Coffee Shop



Although I’m from Dipolog City, I haven’t been actually living there for around seven years now. I rarely even visit on summers because of summer classes and other engagements, so I haven’t been up-to-date with my city’s progress over the years. Whenever I come back, there’s already a new restaurant or a new hotel or a new complex being built.
I’ve seen pictures of awesome places my siblings are visiting around the city, and they have been recommending a particular coffee shop to me—Chapters. They know I’m a sucker for books and any book-related things. Chapters, therefore, should be a great place for me. So when I went back to Dipolog a few weeks back, I decided to try it out with my brother and my best friend, Maila.


The book-themed coffee shop is located at the Dipolog Boulevard. When you opt to eat at the outside tables, you get to enjoy the serene blue waters and the fresh sea breeze. But being first-timers in the shop, of course we had to sit inside. I’ve seen and experienced the waters anyway. It’s still cold and wet just like all the others, so nothing fancy there.




The place is full of crazy decorations and lots of books that you’re free to read. It is oozing with references to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Antione de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince. Wonderland is a crazy place, and so is the coffee shop. There are distorted bookshelves, teacups and books glued to the ceiling, and—it’s perhaps everybody’s favorite—two chairs and a table hanging upside down.
The menu contains character descriptions about The Little Prince and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The names of the food are also inspired by the two books.


In terms of food, we were satisfied with what we ordered. Maila and I had the Vain Man’s Korean Beef Stew (Php125). With it, I had a tropical punch, while she opted for the pink lemonade (both Php55). On the other hand, my brother, who already had lunch that day, opted for a snack. He went for Bill Chapter’s Cheese Sandwich (Php 95) and downed it with an almond nut frappe (Php120).
Although the Korean stew was quite small for us (I haven’t eaten much prior to going there), it was descent in terms of taste. The meat was really soft, which was good news for me because I just had my braces adjusted, and I couldn’t chew that well. Maila and I had different opinions about our drinks, though. I liked the tropical punch better because it was just right in terms of sweetness. She preferred her drink to mine, saying mine is “not sweet enough.” I guess we chose the drinks well because the pink lemonade was too sweet for me.

Vain Man’s Korean Stew

The cheese sandwich, on the other hand, was oozing with flavor. It made me wish I had ordered that instead. The almond frappe was also worth the price. It’s tasty and big. So as you may well imagine, I was envious of my brother’s choices. (I was eyeing his frappe every now and then.) And as evidenced by the fact that I know what their food taste like, you can tell I took a sip from every drink and a bite (or three) from the sandwich. (This is a typical first-timer habit. Don’t pretend you don’t do this too.)

Bill Chapter’s Cheese Sandwich

For dessert, I ordered a serve of their Death by Chocolate (Php190). I suggested that we order one each. It was a good thing that my brother was there with us. He had been there before and knew the size of the thing. Ordering three would have been a disaster. We barely scratched the surface even though there were three of us. It was literally filled with chocolate and nothing else. There was chocolate cake, chocolate pretzels, and inside the huge chocolate-covered mug was chocolate drink. The name suits it well. A diabetic could easily have complications on the spot if he were to devour the whole thing himself. But it was a joy to see the chocolate tower. I loved its presentation and the challenge it provided. Unfortunately, we didn’t complete the challenge.

Death by Chocolate



What’s amazing about the shop is that if you’re in a budget, you could actually still enjoy good food. They have food choices that you can see in most mall food stalls such as Potato Corner, Master Siomai, Belgian Waffles, and Pizza Pederico’s. So if you’re in a budget, this is the place to be.


We stayed a while longer and talked. I wasn’t able to read any books because that was the first time in a very long time that I was able to see my friend again, and she would kill me if I spent those few hours together reading a book. (She made the killing part quite clear.) We did leave a few hours after because I had to go back to Cebu that night. Overall, we enjoyed our stay. I enjoyed a good place, good food, and, luckily for me, good company.


My Lazy Book Review of Charlotte’s Web

Here’s my beat-up copy of the book that I got for free. Wee!

How I Discovered It


I saw the movie once, and when I saw a talking pig, I did not dare finish it. I am one of those rare humans who don’t like animals. I don’t hate them. I’m just not fond of them. Normal animals are hard for me to handle. If you throw in the human ability to talk in there, I just go nuts. But this book is in a lot of Books to Read Before You Die list, and because I don’t know when I would die, I read it when I acquired a copy at the Free Library. If you don’t know what that is, it’s this small library where people can just take the books that they like, and they can also put more books in for others to read. #thanks

Summary


This story is about a pig and a spider. There are other animals in the story too, but they are not as important as the aforementioned pig and spider. One is named Wilbur while the other one is called Charlotte. From the title, you might guess that Charlotte is the spider and Wilbur is the pig. That is easy enough.
The story starts with Fern. No, she’s not a pig nor a spider. She’s a little girl who one day sees her father carrying an ax. When she finds out that he’s going to kill a pig, she protests and asks her parents to let her keep the pig as a pet. In my opinion, this is a silly thing to do. Sure, pigs are cute when they are small, but they do grow bigger. Don’t expect it to be cute by then when it’s covered in its own feces. Anyway, I digress.
Eventually, Fern’s parents encouraged her to sell the pig because it was getting bigger. (Or maybe they thought it was not cute anymore.) Fern sold it to her uncle, and every once in a while, she would visit Wilbur in his new home. This was the time when Wilbur started talking. He had conversations with the goose, tries to befriend a rat, and meets Charlotte, his new best friend. They are a perfect example of animals, who, no matter what the race, color, or ethnicity, could get along well. Humans could learn a thing or two from this.
Anyway, Charlotte is a really talented spider. She can read and spell. She says “Salutations!” instead of “Hello!” Humans could learn from this too. Dude, this spider could read and spell. Humans should at least be able to differentiate between your and you’re. Again, I digress. It was no secret that Wilbur would be killed someday. The farmers are feeding him to make him bigger in time for the feast. When he was told about this, it made Wilbur sad. Charlotte promised to help him, and that promise gave Wilbur hope. He followed Charlotte’s advice to eat heartily and to not worry.
Lesson 1: It’s okay to be sad sometimes. Even pigs do it. But remember to not follow his example and not eat more than you’re used to. If possible, eat less. There aren’t that many times in your life where you get this motivation of not reaching for the food nearest you. At least you get to achieve your target weight in the end—a small price for your sadness.

Lesson 2: You always need a friend by your side when you’re down. If you don’t have one, take Wilbur’s example and find a spider.
Charlotte’s plan was simple. She used her web to send a message to the people. At first, she wrote “SOME PIG.” This is why the book is called Charlotte’s Web because she used her own web to save Wilbur. The farmers discovered it, and it attracted the attention of the media. People came from afar to watch the miraculous writing on the web. They all thought Wilbur was really some pig. If you ask for my opinion (even if you don’t, I’m still telling you), I don’t agree with this at all. I agree with Mrs. Zuckerman, the farmer’s wife. When her husband told her about the web, this is what she said.
“Well,” said Mrs. Zuckerman, “it seems to me you’re a little off. It seems to me we have no ordinary spider.”
You tell it, girl! The pig didn’t make the web anyway. But that’s beside the point. Let’s get back to the story. As the months went by, the people lost interest in the web. Then Mr. Zuckerman decided to go with his original plan to kill Wilbur. But Charlotte knew more words than just some and pig. Next, she wrote the word terrific. Again, the people’s interest was piqued. Wilbur was happy that he has another reason to make Mr. Zuckerman reconsider about killing him. But while this was happening, Charlotte was getting ready to lay her eggs and was slowly getting weaker. She was getting busy preparing the sac in which she would lay the eggs. Carrying the babies and building a sac for them is apparently exhausting.

Lesson: Your friend will be willing to help you a lot, but please be considerate. They also need their strength for their own problems. The least you can do is to check in on your friends and ask if they are going to lay eggs. If they’re not, it’s okay to ask for their help.
Back to the story. The Zuckermans decided to take Wilbur to the county fair. They called him Zuckerman’s Famous Pig. Wilbur was given a Buttermilk bath, which was supposed to make him look more presentable. Even though Charlotte was getting ready for her babies, she decided to tag along. They convinced the rat, Templeton, to come with them as well. They needed him to get newspaper and magazine clippings so Charlotte could decide what to write for Wilbur next. This word turned out to be humble. After Charlotte finished with the web, she made her egg sac.
The next day, they discovered that another pig had already won first price. Mrs. Zuckerman started to cry. But then the speakers called for them to receive a prize. They were all relieved. Wilbur won an award after all.
However, Wilbur’s happiness was cut short that very night when Charlotte finally died. He took the egg sac with him, and he took care of it until all the eggs hatched in the spring. But before we get over Charlotte’s death, here are two sentences from the book that would cause you a bit of sadness.
“Nobody, of the hundreds of people that had visited the Fair, knew that a grey spider had played the most important part of all. No one was with her when she died.”
Finally, when the eggs hatched, Wilbur attended to them. He asked them if they needed anything. But they all left except for three. Wilbur was sad to see them go, but they had to. At least there were three of them left. Wilbur thought all of them had gone, but then he heard a small voice, saying “Salutations!”
Many thanks to Cez, the previous owner of this book. She left a note saying I should pass it on to someone else, so I’ll let my siblings read it. It’s never going out of the family, though. Mehehe.

Why I Chose to Become a Copy Editor

When people ask me about my course, I always get the same look of amusement. When they ask me about my job, however, they give me confused looks that remind me of elaborately made memes. What then ensues is the asking of the same question: why?
I am an engineering graduate—chemical engineering to be exact. When I tell people I work as a copy editor for a self-publishing company, they look at me quizzically. Who in their right mind would spend five years studying long and complicated equations, theories, principles of design, etc., and end up editing manuscripts? Rules of grammar are rarely discussed in calculus classes. Here’s how it began.
My love for books started with my competitive nature. I’ve always wanted to be better than my peers. If they excel at dancing, I’d join the class dance presentation (even though I look like a wobbling stick). If they write three hundred words in an essay, I’d write five hundred. So when I saw a peer carrying a gigantic book to the airport, I approached her and asked what subject she was studying for. My competitive hormones were triggered when she replied, “Nothing. I’m just reading for fun.” And I thought, well, if she’s reading for fun, I could read for funmore.
I never stopped reading novels and consuming stories through books since then. Although it started out with a need to compete, I discovered it was really the most fun thing I did. Here’s what I realized:we all want to escape reality in one way or another. Different people have different outlets for doing this. Some watch movies, some play games, and others travel to distant lands just to be away for a while. Being the introvert that I am, I chose to stay in one place and instead take my mind on adventures. And so began the journey of late-night readings, book collecting, and constantly pestering my classmates to read more.
The love for the written word took me places. I became the editor-in-chief of our high school paper, won two national competitions, traveled, and earned enough cash prize to fund my chocolate-loving needs.
In my desire to finally be a “proper adult,” I looked for a job. I scrolled through Facebook for hours. Then, a particular post caught my attention. The post advertised a job opening for copy editors, and it caught my eye particularly because it showed the copyediting symbols I was so used to seeing. I readily submitted my resumé and was interviewed over the phone.
“Are you familiar with any writing standards?” the lady on the other line asked. “Do you know about the Chicago Manual of Style or CMS?” I answered no to both questions. When I was editing for the school paper, I thought there was only one rule for everything—observe proper grammar.
So naturally, when I was scheduled for an exam, I went to an Internet shop, and researched about CMS. And if you’re familiar with that style, you’ll know the previous sentence is inappropriately punctuated. A comma is not used between parts of a compound predicate unless misreading is likely. That’s rule 6.29.
During the training period, I learned a lot. The most important thing that I learned is that my knowledge about copyediting is inadequate. I discovered the hundreds of rules and realized I’ve been doing a lot of things wrong. On top of the rules, there are also house styles that we need to consider. I didn’t know US is best used as an adjective only and should be spelled out as United Stateswhen referring to the country itself. Most importantly, there is a rule stating that no hyphens should be used for personal titles consisting of a principal noun with modifiers. So titles like commander in chief, delegate at large,and editor in chief are not hyphenated. If you noticed the mistake earlier, kudos to you. I held that title for three years, and I had not realized I’ve been spelling it incorrectly.
I have much yet to learn. Now, every time I receive a manuscript to edit, it’s my turn to give a confused look. Some submissions are fairly easy to deal with. However, most contain confusing sentences that I have to read ten times before finally deciding it doesn’t make sense.

I am not a hundred percent sure all the time how to spell a word or if I’m following proper punctuation and capitalization. I am still struggling to learn and fit in an industry I am not truly familiar with, but I do know that I love it here. I could finally talk about plot changes, character development, and world building without being laughed at or ignored. I haven’t decided yet what my goals are careerwise, but I do know I am enjoying what I’m currently doing. For now, let me muse about other authors’ comma placements, en dashes, and sentences that may or may not be written in another language. And if you find any mistakes in this article, feel free to point it out. I’d be happy to curl up in a corner and feel the shame seep in.

My Opinion on Annotating Books

Any avid reader would want to have his own library. It would be filled with books that he spent long hours devouring and rereading because he just could not get enough of the story. There are readers who want to preserve the beauty of their books, to make them look brand-new for as long as they can. There are those, however, who want to write on their books, highlight passages, and maybe dog-ear or flag a couple of pages that they thought were interesting or that impacted them so much. I belong to the second group.

I believe that annotating one’s book does not degrade its quality as some people think. Instead, it makes it even more valuable. A pristine copy of a book could be bought anywhere. If you become famous someday and historians would go through your library, they would want to know what you thought of the books that are in there. They would want to know which paragraphs you liked and which ones you hated. This is why I think manuscripts are more valuable than the finished copy. The finished copies are sold by the thousands while the manuscript is priceless. Museums preserve the original text, not a copy that millions of people can own (except in cases where it is the oldest copy they could find and the manuscript is nowhere to be found). With manuscripts, you get to see the mistakes the writer made. You get to see the deleted passages that would have changed the whole story. What if instead of Holden Caulfield, J. D. Salinger originally wanted to have a female prostitute for The Catcher in the Rye and you got to see it? Isn’t it more exciting that seeing his own unannotated finished copy that his publisher gave him?
A manuscript is valuable in the same way that annotated books are. It makes the book more personal. You’re leaving your mark. Literally. I bought copies of second-hand books before that were annotated. In one book, the previous owner wrote “Haha” on the side. I found myself laughing at that same passage myself, which made me feel like someone else—a friend—was laughing with me. I like it when I buy books that are highlighted or underlined because (1) they are almost always cheaper and (2) I get to feel like I’m not alone while I read. The exception would be when the previous owner annotated too much that it leaves no space for my own notes. That’s just selfish, Previous Owner. Anyway, when it comes to nonfiction books, I write out brief summaries of the ideas that were discussed. It is to help me remember them more easily and to write the ideas in my own words just to see if I understood what the author wanted me to understand.
It annoys me whenever I read a book and forget to bring a highlighter with me. The reading process seems to be lacking something. I feel like I’m not reading correctly. Don’t get me wrong, though. I don’t annotate all of my books. It’s just the ones that I think are worthy of annotating. For example, I don’t highlight mystery stories that are almost always plot-driven. They rarely have any highlight-worthy lines. I do write in them sometimes, noting the style the author used that made a certain scene thrilling and the techniques he used to mask the identity of some people to give the reader a surprise later on.

I understand why some people would want to keep their books in the same condition as they bought them. But in my humble opinion, annotated books are more awesome!
Challenge for today


Get a highlighter and start rereading and highlighting a favorite book. If you regret it in the end, don’t blame me. This is a challenge, not a command. (Washes hands in front of the people Pontius Pilate style)

What do you think about annotating your books?

A Letter to the Motorcyclists of Cebu

Ping
Tiny Room in a Boarding House
Sitio Ucma, Barangay Lahug
Cebu City, Cebu
March 18, 2017
Motorcyclists of Cebu
Wherever You May Be From
Yow:
I know you’re in a hurry. We all are. It’s just that that event or that job you want to go to is not as important as my life.
Aside from ten-wheelers, you are what I’m afraid of the most. With an advantage in terms of speed and size, you appear out of nowhere and are gone in an instant. When I’m crossing the street and see a jeepney or a private car, I don’t get that worked up because I know they’d slow down. (They need to because they have a greater mass and therefore a greater inertia. In other words, they have a harder time stopping when they are almost hitting the pedestrians.) As for you, however, you seem to drive faster. I know you could easily avoid pedestrians, but please know that seeing a vehicle fast approaching does not do us any good.
Also, there’s this thing that some of you really like doing. I don’t know what the technical term is, so I’m just going to call it the silencer. You know that thing that makes your motorcycle less noisy? We’d like you to use that. A couple of you deliberately remove it to maybe look cool and to attract attention. Please know—and I cannot stress this enough—that having a noisy motorcycle does not make you cooler or more handsome. It makes you more detestable and annoying. You’re not adding pogi points. You’re adding to the list of people whom you pissed off that day. We don’t like your noise, especially your overspeeding to achieve your desired level of noise. We don’t turn to look at you and say, “That’s one awesome dude!” Instead, we try to memorize your plate number so we could report you. It’s hard to do this, though, because you’re driving too fast, and we’re busy cursing you.
Let’s move on to another issue. I don’t know if it’s the hot sun or the tiny dust particles that blur your judgment, but that tiny space between those two cars is meant for them not to hit each other, not for you to go through. That space on the side of the road is the first place where pedestrians have to go through in order to cross. It’s not for you to speed through to scare us off our wits. When everyone is slowing down, it’s not a chance for you to speed up. I’ve had one of you hit the bumper of the jeepney I was in because you were in so much hurry. Is it really that important that you had to risk your life and ours to get there? I would appreciate it if you take it easy. Let the pedestrians cross (especially if they are crossing on a pedestrian lane). And for those of you who drive the motorcycle for a living, try not to give us heart attacks in the process. Also, could you be more flexible with the rates? Mehehe. ’Cause every time you charge us with ridiculous amounts, we go
I’m hoping for your kind consideration, and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Ping
Concerned Pedestrian

February 2017 Reading Wrap-Up

1. Loser by Jerry Spinelli

What It Is

Before I tell you what this book is about, I’d like to tell you about the story of the first time I laid eyes on it. I was at the bookstore and had been touching and sniffing the books as I always do, wishing I could take them all home. When I saw it, the cover intrigued me. I could tell it would be a sad story. Then I started reading it while standing. I did not have the money on me back then to buy it, so I decided to just read a little. I got to page 25 until I could not take it anymore. I didn’t want to stop, but my neck hurt, and my legs were protesting. I then vowed I would buy it the next time I see it.
This is the story of Zinkoff, an innocent little boy who loves school. He wasn’t great in school. He just loves it. He loves it so much he went there early on a Saturday. Zinkoff also loves to play. He does not always win, but he loves it anyway. He would cheer even if they lost, simply because he was just happy he got to play. He doesn’t notice it, but the other kids do. He was a loser. Soon enough, he will come to this realization.
This book spoke so much to me. I think growing up is a sad process because it makes you think of the world not as a fun place to be in, but as a place you should excel in. This book reminds me of my inner child, the one who doesn’t care if she wins or loses as long as she had fun during the game.
Favorite Lines
He races the car. He is surprised that it passes him. Surprised but not unhappy. He is too free to be unhappy. He stops and looks for someone to laugh with and celebrate with. He sees no one, so he laughs and celebrates with himself.

Recommended For
  • People who feel like they’re different
  • Kids who have trouble in school

 2. Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll


What It Is
This is the second installment of the famous Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland duology. It tells the story about Alice and her adventures in the world on the other side of a mirror (a looking glass). It is filled with more poems and curious characters (Humpty Dumpty is here) than the first book, and it contains “Jabberwocky,” one of my favorite poems.
In this book, Alice goes through a chessboard, meets a clumsy knight, and becomes a queen. Of course it was all just her imagination, but as Lewis Carroll says, “Life, what is it but a dream?”
Favorite Line
“It’s too late to correct it,” said the Red Queen: “when you’ve once said a thing, that fixes it, and you must take the consequences.”

Recommended For
Anyone who loves the film adaptations and nonsensical things that somehow make sense

3. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

What It Is

This is the story of a little girl who just moved to a new house with her parents. She does not get much attention from them, and she’s always wishing that things would change somehow. Then she discovers a door that leads to nowhere. One day, that door opened up to another world, where she had another mother and another father who were nice to her. They want Coraline to stay. But the longer she stayed, the more she realized she was fine with her old family and that she wants to go back. But getting out is not going to be easy.
Favorite Line
“Because,” she said, “when you’re afraid but you still do it anyway, that’s brave.”

Recommended For
  • Anyone who is not contented with his present life
  • Kids who are too afraid to try things out

 4. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

What It Is
This 1967 novel is a classic story about two gangs, the Greasers and the Socs. The Greasers are poor and powerless, while the Socs are from rich families. They compete with one another, and in their need to prove who’s stronger, someone ends up dead. It is a controversial read about teenage angst, their need to belong, and the consequences that came with it.
I’ve written an entire article dedicated to this book. Click here to view it.
Favorite Line
“. . . you don’t just stop living because you lose someone. I thought you knew that by now. You don’t quit!”

Recommended For
Teenagers in general, but adults could learn a lot from it too

5. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

What It Is
Jerusha “Judy” Abbott grew up in an orphanage until she was eighteen. She was offered a scholarship by a mysterious man. The only thing the sponsor wants in return is for her to write him a letter every single month. This is a small price to pay, considering the fact that the scholarship enabled Judy to live a lavish lifestyle, not unlike her classmates. The only thing she saw of her sponsor was his shadow as he left the orphanage. Because the shadow made him look like he had really long legs, she decides to call him Daddy-Long-Legs, which is basically this guy right here.
Judy’s sponsor
Source: burkemuseum.org
The story is written mostly in letters—the ones Judy sent as “payment.” In the end, she becomes an up-and-coming author and discovers who Daddy-Long-Legs really is. Spoiler alert! It’s not a spider.
This is a classic story that has been adapted to film many times. If you’re like me, who grew up watching the TV series, you’ll definitely enjoy the book!
Favorite Line
It isn’t the big troubles in life that require character. Anybody can rise to a crisis and face a crushing tragedy with courage, but to meet the petty hazards of the day with a laugh—I really think that requires spirit.

Recommended For
Graduating high school students

 6. Stainless Longganisa by Bob Ong (reread)

What It Is
This is a Filipino book written by a Filipino author who does not want to reveal himself. Bob Ong is just a pseudonym, but no matter who he is, I really really like his books. This one in particular is about his life as a writer. He talks about his struggles and the things he had to give up in order to write. It is also injected with a couple of political comments.
This is written in Tagalog, though, so if you don’t speak the language, I recommend you read it anyway—you know, for fun. To help you start, here is what a longganisa is.
Source: http://www.lakadpilipinas.com/2016/09/best-baguio-longganisa.html

Favorite Line
Hindi para sa tamad ang pagsusulat. Kaaway n’ya ang ingay, pero kalaban n’ya rin ang lungkot.
I roughly translate this to “Writing is not for the lazy. Noise is a writer’s foe, but sadness is also his enemy.”
Recommended For
Writers and aspiring writers

 7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney

What It Is
This is a middle-grade book about Greg Heffley and his family’s road trip. Because his mom read an article in a magazine about the importance of family trips, they go to one. Only her mother agrees with it, but as you know, the kids can’t argue with Mom and neither can Daddy. Throughout the trip, they get lost, get attacked by birds, and sleep in cheap motels that look like the ones gangsters go to when they’re being chased by the police.
You may have seen the movies, but I guarantee you’ll enjoy the books much more. If you’re not already a reader, this is a great place to start. The books are seventy-five percent illustrations! If you can’t get through this, I don’t think you’ll be able to get through any novels in your lifetime.
Favorite Line
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my years of being a kid, it’s that you have ZERO control over your own life.

Recommended For
  • People who are planning to have a family trip
  • People who have trouble dealing with their families

8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney

What It Is
This is the eighth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. In this story, Greg Heffley loses his best friend, Rowley Jefferson. Rowley managed to find himself a girlfriend, so that leaves Greg all alone as he tries to navigate through the rest of middle school. Without Rowley around, Greg realizes just how important his friend is. He is left to fend for himself against the bullies as well as the dog that hates him. He tries to be okay with losing his best friend and works hard to find a new one, but in the end, no one can really ever replace Rowley.
Wow! That was too serious for this book. It’s really just filled with stupid things Greg does now that his best friend was not around. Trust me. It will leave you with a lot of laughs.
Favorite Line
I know Mom’s always saying friends come and go and family is forever, and maybe that’s true. But your family isn’t gonna be there when Meckley Mingo chases you with his belt on your way home from school.

Recommended For
Kids (and adults) who are having problems with losing and/or feeling distant from their friends

9. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

What It Is
This is Mindy Kaling’s first autopbiography. She has written another one, called Why Not Me? If you don’t know who Mindy is, she is a screenwriter for the TV series The Office (I haven’t seen that yet). She also made a funny speech for the commemoration exercises of Harvard Law School. (I’ve seen that. It’s good.)
In this book, she talks about her childhood, her friends, her jobs, and her specific instructions for her funeral among other things. This book made me feel like I’m not alone when it comes to being in your twenties and still not having a clue where to go from here.
Favorite Lines
I liked hanging out with my family! Later, when you’re grown up, you realize you never get to hang out with your family. You pretty much have only eighteen years to spend with them full time, and that’s it. So, yeah, it all added up to a happy, memorable time. Even though I was never a star.

Recommended For
  • Young female professionals who are still trying to figure life out
  • People who aspire for a writing career in Hollywood

    Cebu Tourist Attractions We Visited in a Day

    A ghost sits on the bench at Sirao Flower Farm.
    I started working and paying for my own expenses a few months ago. And since young professionals love to travel and going YOLO, I decided to invite my sister over to visit some tourist destinations in Cebu. These are the places we were able to go to in a day and the lessons I learned from the trip.
    The pictures are mostly of my sister since I’m not photogenic enough. I do appear in some of them, so I apologize in advance. Let’s start.
    We decided to visit the farthest place first so it wouldn’t be hard to commute when we’re already drained. Our first stop was the Lapu-Lapu shrine in Lapu-Lapu City. Since I live in Lahug, we had to take three jeepney rides and a ferry ride. From Lahug, we rode on a 17C jeepney to Colon (fare: PHP 10). We then walked to Colonnade and rode a 02B there to get to Pier 3. The fare was PHP 7. If you’re not familiar with the numbers, that’s how jeepneys are labeled in Cebu. Each number has a particular destination and route. Click here for a useful website.
    The shimmering waters are relaxing to watch.
    We already had tickets for the ferryboat ride because I purchased a lot when I was still living in Lapu-Lapu, so we didn’t have to line up to get them. A ticket costs PHP 14, and there is a terminal fee of PHP 2.

    Tip: The ferryboat tickets can be bought in bulk, and they expire after five years (that’s what it says in the tickets). If you’re a regular commuter, buy the tickets beforehand. It will save you hours every day.

    So we rode on the ferryboat. This is what I loved most about living in Lapu-Lapu City. The ride is so relaxing, and it gives you a break from the stressful commute in jeepneys. From there, we rode to our first destination and officially started the trip.

    Mactan Newtown


    My sister posing with the dolphins

    Okay. If you’re familiar with the place, I know what you’re thinking. This is not exactly a tourist destination. I know. Let me explain in the simplest way I can. We. Got. Lost. We missed our first destination, which was the Lapu-Lapu shrine, so we decided to tour around a bit. The Mactan Newtown is actually a recently built township by Megaworld. It has buildings full of offices, so people who go there mostly do so because they need to, not because they’re looking forward to seeing Lapu-Lapu’s full-body statue and his amazingly toned butt. Spoiler alert: it’s not there. However, we made the most of our time there by taking some pictures and having our breakfast at a fast food chain.

    Lapu-Lapu Shrine


    Lapu-Lapu photobombing my sister.

    Lapu-Lapu is considered by most historians as the first Philippine hero who victoriously defeated the foreigners who came to the country in 1521. His shrine in Lapu-Lapu City serves as a reminder of his bravery to resist colonization. A twenty-meter bronze statue looks over the shallow waters where the Spanish colonizers were thought to have attacked. The place is almost always serene and quiet. Not a lot of people visit it on ordinary days. It’s a great place to unwind while learning more about the history of Cebu and of the Philippines.
    There is a short (and dangerous) pathway at the shrine. Try pushing your friends while you’re there.

    Mactan Bridge


    The bridge over troubled waters and a troubled tween

    After visiting the shrine, my sister and I rode a jeepney to Mactan Bridge. There isn’t much to see there except for the small park located underneath the bridge. What I like about it is the contrast it creates with its surroundings. While you have the busy traffic on top, you are treated to a quiet spot in the park. It makes you feel like there can still be peace amidst the hassles of life, especially in a big city like Cebu. There are also restaurants and karaoke bars around the park that serve relatively cheap food. You can buy pancit canton worth PHP 20.
    The benches are painted yellow. Why are they painted yellow? Why not green? Is it because it’s not a creative color? XD
    One of its other attractions is the paintings on the bridge supports. Although not as fancy as others, they still make nice backgrounds for pictures. And let’s be honest. About 99.9 percent of bacteria people travel not just to experience the place and culture, but because they want something to post on Instagram.
    My sister looks up because it’s a thing.

    Sirao Flower Farm


    Our driver took this photo. My sister and I were already posing for him to take our picture, but he turns to the flowers instead.


    After spending some time in the park, my sister and I went back to Lahug to visit some more places. We again rode the ferryboat to Pier 3, and from there, we took two jeepney rides to JY Center, where there are a lot of available motorcycles for hire. We took the Pier 3 to Colon to JY route by first riding a 02B jeepney to Colon and then 04C to JY. You’ll know when you’re near or at JY because motorcycle drivers will continuously be shouting the names of the tourist spots that they could take you to, namely Sirao Flower Farm, Temple of Leah, Taoist Temple, TOPS, and Lantaw.
    From JY, we picked a motorcycle to ride on, and we agreed on PHP 600 for the whole tour that included the first four places of abovementioned tourist spots. There were two of us, so basically, it’s PHP 300 each. If you’re traveling alone, take note of this number, and don’t agree to a price way higher than this. We didn’t go to Lantaw because (1) we didn’t know what it was and (2) we were tired. Our driver was kind enough to show us the places with enthusiasm. He even took our pictures from time to time.
    The ride to Sirao was quite a long one. If you want to visit the flower farm, consider wearing a jacket. It is quite cold there. That’s why the flowers are able to grow so well because the place has the ideal climate for them.
    You are treated to a wonderful view when you visit the farm. Just remember to not pick the flowers. Though you disobey this rule a lot, try to restrain yourself when you visit the flower farm.
    It was drizzling when we got there, and the ground was wet and muddy. Another piece of advice when you want to visit is to do it before the rainy season and to do it before November. Our tour guide, a.k.a. our driver, told us that we haven’t seen its full beauty yet since most of the flowers have already been harvested for All Souls’ Day. However, we did enjoy our time there. The place reminded me so much of Baguio City.
    There is an entrance fee of PHP 35 per person, and there are a few stalls you could buy flowers from.

    My sister tries not to slip while walking down the muddy path. I don’t know why she does that. People pay so much to get mud on their faces. This one’s totally free. She has a lot to learn about grabbing opportunities.

    All right. I know what you’re thinking. What’s with the messy hair? Blame the strong winds . . . and also our lack of personal grooming.

    Tops


    I know I said I’d try not to include any photos with me in it, but so far, you’ve only seen one with my back to the camera, and that does not count. So here I am from afar. This also does not count.


    Our next destination was Tops. People visit it mostly because you could see the whole Cebu while you’re there. Spoiler alert: It still looks as unorganized as it is when you’re in the city. However, you could appreciate the tall buildings more and how many trees we’ve lost over the time (Not so fun, but it’s true).

    The overall experience while we were there, though, was amazing. I wish we had stayed longer. It’s definitely an amazing place to spend long hours with your family or significant other. There are a few restaurants around, but we didn’t get to try the food there. We saw wine. We just assumed it was expensive. The entrance fee is PHP 100 each.
    Ring the bell! It’s snack time!

    My sister poses for a photo before she jumps.

    Temple of Leah

    Meet Leah. She owns the temple. Be nice to her.

    Our next destination is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Cebu. If you want to go to Greece but can’t afford it yet, this is the place to be. The temple was made by Teodorico Adarna for his late wife, Leah Villa Adarna. I think his love was so great that he had to make a temple for her. (Or perhaps he did something really awful when she was alive, and this is his way of atoning that. I really don’t know.)

    The place boasts of magnificent statues, pillars, and intricate details that drive thousands of tourists to visit every year. There is an entrance fee of PHP 50, but the place is great for photoshoots, and in a world where social media reign supreme, that is a small price to pay for a good background. #iwashere #templeofleah #whenincebu

    The side of the temple is used as a parking area. The lions are used as things to lean on when you’re tired.
    What really amazed me the most is its size. It’s so freakin’ big. I felt like I was in another country. The temple is not yet finished, though, and constructions are still going on to make it even bigger. I guess that’s how rich people say “I love you this much.”

    This is the entrance to the temple. This is where your friends will stop you and say, “Wait! Stay here and take my picture as I walk.”
    My sister touching the lion’s butt
    The pillars are so tall.

    Taoist Temple



    Our very last destination for the day was the famous Taoist temple. I didn’t know much about it or what to expect, so we went there knowing completely nothing about it, including which way we should go. Our driver left us at the gate of the Beverly Hills subdivision, and he said he was grateful for our trust in him, but he wasn’t allowed inside anymore. My sister, being one of the rare curiosities of the human race, is the most kind-hearted and understanding person I know, so she smiled and happily handed the money over without question. I, on the other hand, felt cheated. I wanted to scream “I thought you would take us to allthose places you mentioned and returnus to JY!”
    Useful tip: When negotiating with motorcyclists, make sure to be really clear about the destinations as well as the fees. I had another experience once when I rode on a motorcycle, and he promised to take me to Colon. However, he dropped me off at a place really far away from my destination and said we couldn’t possibly go there because we didn’t have helmets on, and it’s against the law to not wear helmets when we’re at certain places in the city. I wanted to scream at him, but since we were in a busy area and I didn’t have the time nor the energy to argue (I was running late for class), I paid him and left.
    That was a pretty long side note, but it is really helpful to make the terms as clear as possible so you will not end up frustrated and cursing in the middle of your vacation. Anyway, I digress.
    We had to walk from the entrance to the temple. I didn’t mind because I like walking, especially in quiet places. The temple is in a subdivision that only the rich could afford, and since society in general has a shortage of that kind of people, we didn’t meet anyone along the way except for the two guards on duty. It was a long walk, but I enjoyed it. There were a lot of big houses, and the air was cool and calm. We didn’t exactly know where the temple was, but when we saw it from afar, we did not have a doubt that we were in the right place.
    This is not me. This is Harry Potter’s favorite elf.
    There were no entrance fees for this one. We just had to observe their rules. You can’t be noisy because it is a place of worship, and there are certain places that you are not allowed to take pictures in.Personally, I don’t know much about Taoism. When I hear about it, I think of two things: China and Jet Li. I’m not sure if the second one is right, though. Anyway, it was interesting to observe their place of worship. I saw statues that reminded me of Mulan. Those bearded men were exactly like the ones who gave Mushu the command to awaken the Great Stone Dragon.
    Source: Pinterest
    My sister and I had a lot of fun admiring the detailed buildings and the serenity of the place. There was a tower viewer that you could use. Just insert a five-peso coin in there, and bam! The city magnifies before you. We left there pretty late. We took our time because it was our last place to visit for the day.
    This is a low-quality picture of my sister on the stairs.
    She got frustrated when the lamp wouldn’t talk to her.
    I went this far trying to find the one. I didn’t notice I was here all along.

    The way home was pretty scary, though. Since we didn’t have a ride, we had to walk from the temple to the entrance. The cool and calm air that I mentioned earlier was mixed with darkness. The setting could easily turn into a horror movie. My sister and I were the only breathing creatures in sight. When we finally made it to the entrance (which, of course, we used as an exit), we decided to exercise more and walk all the way to the main road. By the time we got there, we were so tired that even the idea of walking seems like the most absurd thing in the world.

    We went back, had our dinner, and slept our hearts out. It was one of the most unforgettable days of my life because it was the first touristy thing I did without adult supervision. And I’m looking forward to more in the future.

    What would you recommend me to visit next?

    Book Review: S. E. Hinton’s The Outsiders

    Source:
    http://kamigarcia.com/2013/01/12-books-i-
    loved-in-2012-giveaway/
    When I was in elementary, I told my classmates that there were monsters and ghosts living in our backyard. I somehow managed to make them believe that I could give them powers to defeat these creatures. We had to meet during lunch breaks so we could hatch a plan to defeat the evil forces. From then on, I became the leader of a group. I even assigned names and “powers” to each member. It was going pretty well for a couple of weeks, but we had to break the group up because a lot of members were fighting over who should get certain powers and who should be my right hand. Some were starting to doubt if the monsters were true. I guess my Mean Girls career was short-lived.
    At some point in our lives, we’ve all belonged to a group. How many times have you seen children gathering around and identifying themselves as part of a certain social circle? There’s Melanie’s group, Abby’s group, the smart people’s group, and the group of boys who always hang out in the billiards place. Kate Winslet, in the film adaptation of Divergent, said, “The future belongs to those who know where they belong.” This is the truth for most people. When your family doesn’t want you, you find other people who do. When society seems to have no place for you, you try to make a place of your own. Love and belongingness seem as important as food and clothing, especially with teenagers who are still trying to figure out who they are and what they should do with their lives.


    S. E. Hinton’s The Outsiders effectively paints a portrait of teenage angst and pride and their need to belong. It is a story about two gangs, the Greasers and the Socs (shortened form of Socials). The Greasers are a gang made up of poor members, while the Socs consist of rich kids who could afford fancy cars and clothes.


    Here are some awesome things about this book that you need to know.

    1. The protagonist’s name is Ponyboy Curtis. (Yes, that’s the name you’ll find in his fictional birth certificate.)
    2. One of his brothers is called Sodapop Curtis.
    3. It’s only 180 pages long.
    4. It’s a classic and has been in print since 1967.
    5. It was written by a sixteen-year-old girl.


    The fact that it is a book that inspired generations of teenagers and was even made into a movie starring Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, and Ralph Macchio is already enough reason for me to pick it up.
    The story dwells on the hatred between the two groups and the things they do to one another in order to prove who the better gang is. It involves a lot of rumbles, trash talking, and threats. If you’ve seen the 1990 movie Cry Baby, then you’ll have no trouble imagining the setting.


    Source: https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/why-john-waters-cry-baby-deserves-more-attention/
    The story is narrated by Ponyboy Curtis, an orphan who lives with his two brothers, Darry and Sodapop. Although poor, he is a very bright student and excels in school. He’s the second youngest in the Greasers at only fourteen years old at the start of the novel. We see him trying to navigate through life and deal with his circumstance.


    The rest of the Greasers include seventeen-year-old Steve Randle, who is a car geek; shoplifter Two-Bit Matthews, who think life is one big joke; Dallas Winston, who seem to be the most hateful in the group; and Johnny Cade, the youngest in the bunch. He is unwanted by his family, and his parents don’t care for him in the least.


    One of the most interesting characters is Darry Curtis. He is a great example of someone who had to change his life’s course because of poverty. Since his parents’ death, Darry had to man up and do the responsible thing. Being the eldest of the orphans, he works multiple jobs to make ends meet. He had a promising future and was a popular kid in school, but they do not have the means to put him through college. He had to change his demeanor and toughen up to survive. In my opinion, it is quite unfair. He was only twenty.


                           The fight for self-preservation had hardened him beyond caring.


    The novel also shows how circumstances affect friendships and decisions. The rich kids seem to generally hang out only with people who are in the same caliber as them financially. The poor kids also seem to have their own groups with their own set of rules. One side may not understand the other because of their differences in experience and consequence. This is a sad truth that was presented in the book during one of the gang fights, when Darry saw his former friend on his enemy’s side.


    They used to be buddies, I thought, they used to be friends, and now they hate each other because one has to work for a living and the other comes from the West Side.


    The themes of the book revolve around belongingness and friendship. It is quite touching to see these poor kids, who seem to be misunderstood and unwanted by society, fending for themselves and finding a family in each other.


    You take up for your buddies, no matter what they do. When you’re a gang, you stick up for the members. If you don’t stick up for them, stick together, make like brothers, it isn’t a gang any more. It’s a pack. A snarling, distrustful, bickering pack like the Socs in their social clubs or the street gangs in New York or the wolves in the timber.


    But although the story focuses mainly on the struggles of the poorer gang, the author also presents the other side. The Greasers may be poorer, but the Socs also have their own problems and insecurities. One teenage girl who was part of the higher class remarked, “Things are rough all over.” The problems may not be financial, but it is every bit as hard as the Greasers emotionally. S. E. Hinton does a great job in presenting the motivation of both groups.
    There are two sides to every gang fight. Each group has a different reason for fighting. When the fights break into a war, that’s when we know who are willing to stick up for us. That’s when we realize what things are worth fighting for. And that’s when we see that some fights are not meant to be fought. We all have the need to belong, to have someone sticking up for us. We do things—sometimes stupid ones—just to belong somewhere.
    Although the novel circles around distinct groups, throughout the novel, Ponyboy desires to have unity.


    It seems like there’s gotta be someplace without greasers or Socs, with just people. Plain, ordinary people.


    We see this situation all the time. A pack of out-of-school youth is out on the street, walking like they own the world. You think to yourself, They are worthless delinquents. They should do something better with their lives. But we never know their side of the story. We never see their desire to belong and to be wanted. We never feel their hunger or their hurt. We may see a rich kid and think, He’s so lucky. He has been given everything. But we don’t feel the pressure of him trying to make a name of his own. We don’t get to watch him long for his busy parents who have little time for him. We act like we know the whole story, but we don’t. A piece of wood may seem fine and strong until we see that the inside is slowly being carved out by termites.


    The author’s motivation in writing this book was her friends, who could be identified as Greasers. She saw a friend being beaten up because the rich kids didn’t like him because he was less fortunate. Fueled by a desire to give voice to the helpless, she wrote the controversial novel.


    This novel is such an eye-opener. It teaches the readers to be more understanding of people. They are who they are, and they act the way they do because of their circumstances. Generally, we all have the power to change our destinies by persevering, but not all people know this. Not all are as lucky, and not all are as strong. But the truth remains that we can all learn from our mistakes.


    The novel has violence, accidents, deaths, and heroic acts. If you want a short but impactful classic to read in one sitting, this is the book for you.
    If you’ve already read the book, tell us what you think about it in the comments. If you have any recommendations for short classics or books with similar themes as this, feel free to tell us.

    Ping’s January 2017 Reading Wrap-Up

    My goal for 2017 is to read at least fifty books. I started this year by reading nine. These are pretty shorts books, though, because I was trying to just insert them between working and studying for the board exam. Fortunately, these books were not hard to read, and I enjoyed every one of them. These are arranged in chronological order, according to when I finished reading them. I hope you can find some that would interest you.



    1. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

    Rating 5/5

    Recommended for anyone who’s struggling with their financial life

    Summary
    If you have to read just one financial book, this is it. Every book written about finances quote lines and passages from this book. The adage “pay yourself first” comes from this. It tells many stories about dealing with money and opportunities and are set in Babylon, one of the richest civilizations in the ancient world. Told in parables, the situations discussed in this book is still relevant today.







    2. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson



    Rating 5/5

    Recommended for people who are going through or are about to go through tough changes

    Summary
    We undergo various changes in our lives that may be advantageous or disadvantageous for us. Either way, we need to face them for they are part of the realities of life. This book tells the story of two mice and two humans who find a place full of cheese. When the cheese diminished, the mice immediately went into action and looked for new cheese, while the humans failed to accept and deal with the change. This is a very short book that you could read in one sitting.




    3. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran


    Rating 3/5

    Recommended for people who love poetry

    Summary
    Your children are not your children.
    They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
    They come through you but not from you,
    And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
    —Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet


    If you like prose poetry and enjoy learning about the deeper meanings of life, this book is for you. Written in 1923, the words written by Gibran still affect so many readers around the world. The book talks about various aspects in life, such as marriage, giving, work, friendship, pain, etc. When you have a quiet afternoon all to yourself, go ahead and read this.

    4. Legal Profession by Egardo Villareal II


    Rating 4/5

    Recommended for incoming law students

    Summary
    This book is a great primer for people who want to pursue law. It talks about the basics of law, what it feels like to be a law student, and how to survive law school. The book discusses a few articles and sections of the law that are relevant to lawyers. It gives incoming law students a glimpse of what is expected of licensed attorneys and the things they need to watch out for during their practice.










    5. Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy


    Rating 4/5

    Recommended for anyone struggling with procrastination

    Summary
    People nowadays are so busy, and we think we do so much. Yet at the end of the day, we feel unproductive, and we haven’t done the things that matter most to our greater goals in life. In Brian Tracy’s Eat That Frog! he discusses the importance of doing the most important things first and prioritizing the tasks that would benefit us most. He starts the book by presenting a painful truth: “No matter how many personal productivity techniques you master, there will always be more to do than you can ever imagine.”


    6. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella



    Rating 5/5

    Recommended for people who can’t stop shopping and people who just want a good laugh

    Summary
    The world’s favorite shopaholic is at it again! Rebecca Brandon née Bloomwood now has a two-year-old daughter who seems to have picked up her mother’s shopping addiction. She demands designer boots, clothes, and even high-end toys! With the economy in London going downhill, Rebecca struggles to meet her daughter’s wants, finding a new home, keeping her job, and planning her husband’s surprise birthday party. This book, as with the other books in the series, will make you hate Becky’s stupidity and impulsiveness, but in the end, you’ll find yourself rooting for her. If you want a book that will make you laugh, this is highly recommended for you.






    7. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka



    Rating 4/5

    Recommended for the breadwinners of the family and the working force in general

    Summary
    I first heard about this book in our literature class in college. My teacher just walked in the classroom and casually asked, “Have you heard about Metamorphosisby Franz Kafka? It’s about this guy who wakes up and finds that he has turned into a giant cockroach, but he still went on with his day as if nothing was wrong.” Because I had a fear of cockroaches, the title of the book has stuck with me. I finally read it six years later. It is quite a disturbing book. What bothered me most was the fact that the author does not mention the reason why Gregor Samsa had turned into some vermin overnight. It left me speechless and confused. This book is sprinkled with symbolisms that you should watch out for while you’re reading it. I recommend reading some analyses online afterward. It will definitely clear up things for you.

    8. Matildaby Roald Dahl


    Rating 5/5

    Recommended for people who love books

    Summary
    Matilda is a gifted child who was unfortunately born to a despicable family. But despite this, she is a strong-willed little girl who learned from a very young age the importance and joys of reading. She taught herself to read and went to the local library daily. Afterward, Matilda convinces her father to let her go to school. There, she met the lovely Miss Honey and discovers her wonderful gift. This book was written for children, and it will surely inspire them to read more. However, it does talk about suicide, murder, and unjust tortures, so be sure that if you’re recommending this to a child, he should be mature enough to understand such things.





    9. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Charles Dodgson a.k.a. Lewis Carroll




    Rating 5/5

    Recommended for people who love fantasy and nonsensical things

    Summary
    We’ve all watched the movie before. A young girl sees a talking white rabbit with a pocket watch. Then she follows him down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, where cats disappear, roses are painted, and you can grow as big or as small as you like. But if you haven’t read the original text yet, I highly recommend that you do so. I personally did not like the Disney adaptation because it was too weird for me, but the book was very enjoyable. Lewis Carroll’s writing is ingenuously clever. He was able to play with words and ideas that make the nonsensical statements kind of make sense. If you enjoyed the movies, read this book.







    Photo Credits:
    Richest Man in Babylon
    http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1052.The_Richest_Man_in_Babylon
    Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
    https://winterwoodlark.com/2016/02/21/a-few-of-my-favourite-childhood-books/book-cover-alice-in-wonderland/
    The Metamorphosis
    http://jamieaccashian.com/The-Metamorphosis-Book-Cover
    The Prophet
    https://darchwonders.wordpress.com/2012/06/30/the-prophet-by-khalil-gibran/
    Who Moved My Cheese?
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WhoMovedMyCheeseCover.jpg

    Book Favorites: The Top 10 Books I Read in 2016

                    It is a truth universally acknowledged that when you’ve had a good reading year, you have to pick your favorites and recommend them to others. The year 2016 is my best reading year so far. I attribute it to discovering BookTube and online lists of books to read before you die. I read a total of sixty-one books that year, and here, I talk about my favorites.

    10. Claudia and the Middle School Mystery by Ann M. Martin

                    Children’s books tell predictable stories, and only children would find them fascinating. This was exactly what I thought before reading the Baby-Sitters Club books. You might be familiar with the story because it has had a few film adaptations in the past years. I personally have not watched any of them, but if they give the books justice, I’m sure I’ll love them.

    Claudia and the Middle School Mysterywas the first book I read in the series. It talks about how Claudia was accused of cheating on her exam and how she proved that she got the grade fair and square. The whole Baby-Sitters Club helps her in her dilemma and were supportive all the way. Every time I read any book in this series, I feel like I’m a kid again. It’s such a wonderful feeling when you’re able to join a couple of teenagers go about their lives and having problems that are similar to those you faced when you were younger. It reminds me that no matter how big the problem you’re facing is, it will be easier when you have people who care for you and who support you. Everything will pass, and someday, you’ll have a good laugh about it.







    9. Rizal Without the Overcoat by Ambeth Ocampo


                    When I was looking at my aunt’s bookshelf one night, I came across her copy of Gregorio F. Zaide’s José Rizal: Life, Works and Writing. I started reading it, and after a few pages, I had to ask if I could have the book. I read it about three times already. I became fascinated with Rizal’s life and all his accomplishments. So when I heard about Ambeth Ocampo’s book, I kept an eye out for it whenever I go to a bookshop.  

                    We got to learn a lot about José Rizal from our mandatory lessons in school. We were even required to read his two masterpieces, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. But despite all these, there’s still a lot of things we don’t know about the Philippines’ national hero. In Rizal Without the Overcoat, the author digs deeper into Rizal’s life, studying what he was like before he became a legend. It discusses a few theories about Rizal (and debunks some of them) and scrutinizes his spending habits as well as his food choices. This book will have you laughing and amazed as well as informed.



    8. The Hex Hall Trilogy by Rachel Hawkins


                    Sophie is a witch. But having powers does not make you instantly free of trouble. In Sophie’s case, it actually attracts some more. She is sent to a boarding school for troubled magical children, where she befriends a vampire who is obsessed with pink, falls in love with a badass warlock, and picks fights with fairies. When it comes to world building, I can’t say this book is special. But because it is set in a school for magical children, it does give out that Harry Potter vibe. What I loved about this series is its humor. Every now and then, I can’t help but chuckle at the characters’ witty dialogues and absurd circumstances. If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh, this series is for you.

    7. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas


                    This is the second book of the Throne of Glass series. I had to mention this one since this is the best book in the series that I’ve read so far. This fantasy series centers around Celaena Sardothien, who had to toil in the mines after being captured in a war. But after a year of slavery, she is offered the chance of liberty by being the prince’s champion. She had to battle against the best assassins in the kingdom to emerge as the victor and win her freedom. Even though she was the best in the land, the feat proved difficult because somewhere in the glass castle lies a power so evil that even the best assassin could not defeat alone. The plot twists in this series will leave you dumbfounded, while the variety of swoon-worthy men brighten up each encounter. The series definitely takes a lot of unexpected turns, and nothing is ever predictable. We are introduced to a lot of characters—some delightful, others just plain evil. Filled with faes, witches, and ancient powers, this is a world that is definitely worth a visit.




    6. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini


                    This story is about betrayal, atonement, and the length someone would go through to keep his loved ones safe. It tells the story of Amir and Hassan, their wonderful childhood, and their very trying adulthood. Amir was born rich, while Hassan was born to the house help. But despite their differences, they found a best friend in each other. However, that friendship is cut short by traumatic events, jealousy, and lies that separated the two boys. It is a historical fiction set in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and California. It does have a lot of violence, so if you’re planning to read this book, prepare your heart. This novel gives us an insight of what Afghanistan was like before it was broken by war. We get to see a relatively peaceful country and the wars that it had to go through, leading up to the creation of the Taliban. This book painted a picture of how wars break and strengthen relationships and the lives of those who had to go through it.






    5. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck


                    This is one of those rare books that made my jaw (literally) drop. I didn’t know anything about the story before reading it, and I think that it’’s the best way to go. The book is very short (less than a hundred pages in my copy), but it packs a lot of punch, especially in the end. What makes this story interesting is that it talks about mental disability, a topic that was not often discussed. Set in the Great Depression, it tells the story of childhood friends George and Lennie, two migrant workers who are looking for work. It shows the external effects of having a mental disability and gives the reader a glimpse of the inner workings of their minds and the struggles of those who love them. This is a wonderful story of friendship and—even though it was darkly portrayed in this book—the things we do for love.  







    4. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum


                    When I googled “Best Movies of All Time,” the Wizard of Oz was at the top of the list. It’s a shame that I have not watched the movie yet. I had a glimpse of it when I was a kid, but when I saw a talking robot (that’s what I thought it was), a man made of straw, and a lion, with an amazingly naïve girl, I stopped watching. Weird things like that creeped me out. But being constantly bothered by the many book recommendations, I made the decision to try it out. Boy was I surprised! I had a hard time putting it down. I can’t quite tell if it was the writing or the story. Maybe it was both. It just captivated me so much that I felt like I was walking down the yellow brick road with Dorothy and the gang. I understood then why it is a classic and why everyone should read it.







    3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak


                    There are those moments when you watch a movie and it affects you so much that it becomes a favorite. Then later on, when you find out that that movie is based on a bestselling book, you silently curse yourself for not knowing that and not reading the book before watching the film adaptation. This was the case for the Book Thief for me. It would have ranked higher in this list if I hadn’t watched the movie first. It spoiled the beautiful parts (a.k.a. the whole book).  But even though I knew what would happen and there were no surprises whatsoever, it still made me cry. The story of Leisel—of her struggles, happiness, and discoveries—was so beautifully written that every word feels precious. The fact that it was told by Death was enough to get me hooked. Because the story is told using World War II as the background and setting, this book is informative as it is impactful.  We get to see what it was like to live as well as die during the times when people were discriminated against just for being who they are.




    2. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini


                    Kahleid Hosseini is the only repeated author in this list, and that’s saying a lot about this writer’s ability. Hosseini was able to make me cry multiple times in this masterpiece about two women in Kabul who are trying to survive in a society where war is unending and being a female is a disadvantage. We get to follow Mariam and Laila, two women from different generations, since their childhood and see the everyday struggles they faced through the years. They are two very different women whose lives are intertwined due to unfortunate events. This book paints a picture of what Afghan women have to go through every day and their inner struggles to make sense of a life where they have no choice but to love, serve, and obey.  The honesty and the emotions portrayed in this novel was so intense it made my heart ache.








    1. The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling


                    To be clear, this is not a reread. I read Harry Potter for the first time in 2016. I first watched the movies in 2011, just after the last installment was released. It took me nineteen years after the first publication to read the first book. I did not really care for this series before. I had kept putting it off because I wasn’t into fantasy, especially ones that involve a lot of magical creatures and a complex world. But with the urge of the many BookTubers I watched, I finally decided to rent the first book and started reading. I was hooked from the first chapter. Since then, I never stopped reading about the adventures of Harry, Hermione, and Ron until I got to Deathly Hallows. The best thing about this book series for me is the school and its setting. J. K. Rowling is such an incredible storyteller that I felt like I was in the classroom when Neville was messing up his potions and in the library when Hermione was researching about the Chamber of Secrets. I’m still hungover with the emotions this series had made me feel. I’m sure I’ll be rereading it soon.
    How about you? What books have you read in 2016 that have stuck with you and impacted you the most? Tell me in the comment section below, and feel free to leave any book recommendations.



    Photo Credits
    Claudia and the Middle School Mystery 
    Rizal Without the Overcoat 
    The Hex Hall Trilogy
    Crown of Midnight
    The Kite Runner
    Of Mice and Men
    The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
    The Book Thief
    A Thousand Splendid Suns
    The Harry Potter Series 
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