2AM Random Thoughts and Memories

For something to do and while waiting for sleep to come, here are my 2AM Random Thoughts and Memories on the 9th day of 2013—

Phantom of the Opera

Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be. Only then can you belong to me. ♥ (Phantom of the Opera, Manila-September 22, 2012)

“Atashin’chi” 🙂

 I can relate with their everyday conversation. It reminds me of my family in anime version. I highly enjoyed it since I chanced upon my brother watching the “tagalized” version. Photo from a Tumblr blog.

Corona Beer

I answered just for the heck of it the Facebook status question which goes: “What’s going on, Joann?” And I replied cheekily: “In times like this, I am thankful that I am not an only child. nyahaha! I have a built in beer buddy :p On other days, uhmmm, sige na nga payag na ako na may kapatid ako. bwahaha! (Translation: Ok, fine I agree to have a brother.) And I add, I also have a built in movie and TV buddy. I get to enjoy his Asian favorites from animes to Korean TV show to food. Yes, admittedly, I enjoyed western TV and movies having been a 90s kid and him, he’s an anime kid having grown up in the 2000s.

Gila’s Strawberry Salad

This is Gila’s strawberry salad. Mommy and Ninang finished this whole bowl in one sitting last New Year’s eve, then Gila was looking for it the following day. haha! Sorry, Gila, nasa mabuting tiyan na ang strawberries mo. (Translation: Sorry Gila, the strawberries are in Mommy and Ninang’s {Godmother} stomach.) We owe you one kilo indeed. haha! (Photo from Mommy Mai)

Adam Levine *swoon*

This photo was taken from a local clothing store. And for two weeks, it’s Maroon 5 in the earphone. Yes, I am crushing on Adam Levine. Haha! And I said in a previous post: “I can’t help it, surreptitiously took this picture and was going back and forth in this area even if I don’t have anything to do with it. haha! Yeah, make a joyful noise (and be swooned) xxx”

A

I am still crushing on A and his abs. haha! The Blue-bubble picture is from hdw.eweb4.com. Who’s A? I am not answering. Haha!

Inoxcrom Fountain Pen

I want a new fountain pen and a blue-black ink. I used to have four in the past, but for all the weird reason, I ended up throwing and breaking them. Picture from: gogirlcafe.jennyo.net.

***

I think, I am ready to finally read Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns, after crying a bucket for The Kite Runner years ago.

Will buy and read the following (as per my BBC Book list)

1) Atonement – Ian McEwan 2) The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger 3) The Color Purple – Alice Walker 4) Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell 5) Brave New World – Aldous Huxley 6) His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman. I have to add (I already have a copy): 7) The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald  8) Life of Pi – Yann Martel (before watching the movie which will come out this week in Metro Manila theaters) 9) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl.

Will read John Green too 1) Looking for Alaska 2) An Abundance of Katherines 3) The Fault in Our Stars

I should have a reading plan— both for leisure reading and for my attempt to write a “training material”

***

Bacolod

I wanted to visit Bacolod again. I don’t know, but for some reasons, I feel connected with this city. Actually, this house is the Balay Negrense in the nearby town of Silay. And the chocolate cake is from Bacolod’s famous Calea.

Pearl Farm

I wanted to go to the beach, perhaps Pearl Farm again, or Panglao, Bohol.

Or maybe Boracay once more, this time to enjoy the night life. haha! Last time, I visited, I just want to enjoy the sun and the sand, and said to myself, it’s far off my mind to visit it again, till I was reminded by someone about it, perhaps the fruit shake convinced me.

January 9- Feast of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo

January 9- The Feast of the Black Nazarene. It was dubbed as the “biggest Catholic feast in the country (perhaps in the world). An overnight vigil every January 8 is held annually in the Luneta Grandstand, and  grand procession will follow, which usually lasts ten to twelve hours. Masses are held in the church and a high mass at 6AM will be celebrated by Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle at the Quirino Grandstand. I was fortunate enough to take this picture amidst all the suspicious looking characters in the area during my Visita Iglesias in 2008.

And finally, a picture quote from All Famous Quote’s Facebook page.

Hello 2013!

I am still lost for words on what to write here is really an understatement. I’ve been attempting feebly to organize my thoughts in two notebooks— the pink and blue notebooks. The pink notebook is supposed to be for love stories I’ve been trying to make since 2008 and as of late last year, it had four character changes, and it still remain as an outline of the stories. Another flimsy reason why these stories are shelved out is maybe I am still having internal debate of whether or not ten out of the fifteen stories will have a happy ending. Meanwhile the blue notebook is more of the “editorial/opinion” type regarding the issues I’ve been meaning to give my thoughts since 2010. Assuming that I will be able to write something about it, there will be developments like that of the RH bill, now the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Act of 2012 (yes, I am pro-RH), the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, the impeachment of Chief Justice Corona (oh my, it’s almost a year), and even the “ flash points” in the Middle East, among other things. I also remembered making notes in my mobile phone about my daily thoughts, of the places, food, movies and books, some outline about my 2012, my recent Indochina trip and the old churches. I think I should set-aside some days to re-organize all of these, pictures included.

The world did not end as what the Mayan’s predicted and was taken out of context by some, instead a new cycle begins. As it unfolds, I am setting my sights this year to be the year where dreams come true, braving new heights, dreaming some more, laugh and love some more, and definitely the phoenix will raise once more. And I just have to agree to what @rapplerdotcom tweeted last January 4 “#ThoughtLeaders Now is not the time to delay ambition, nor settle for the mediocre. Here’s to daring greatly in 2013!” As always, I will be taking it one day at a time. I have resolved that I will do more this year, and do things that will make me happy, after all making a conscious effort to be happy is really the way to be, because you and I deserve it, after all it’s still a happy place to be (despite of and in spite of). And yes, we should not forget to have a thankful heart.

I will definitely take what the Phantom said… “Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world…. Let your soul take you where you long to be.”

Here’s wishing you a happy and blessed 2013.