Book of Days

The Count of Monte Cristo

sarahness — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:28:06 +0000

It has been ages since the last time I wrote a book review. Well maybe because I’m not reading that much anymore or maybe I just couldn’t find a good book. Anyway, a friend recommended this classic by Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo, during one of our dine-outs and he was right. This is a masterpiece.

There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness.

The Count of Monte Cristo is a perfect tale of revenge. This is one of those rare books that will keep you guessing. I like how the events are related to what is actually happening during that time, Napoleonic era, and how it was put together. I love how the author crafted some of the details which give you a hint without giving all the information out. This is indeed a perfect storytelling! You know there are books that is very easy to tell what will happen next. The Count of Monte Cristo is not one of them. In fact, this book will keep you flipping the pages over to feed your curious mind. I definitely recommend this book for everyone to read.

The movie, however, is such a disappointment. Just read the book and forget the movie. Your imagination is better than how it was put in film.

A Thousand Years

sarahness — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:42:42 +0000

Last day of 2011, let me share this very touching and sweet song:

I don’t know what else to write. The lyrics already say it all. ♥

A Thousand Years by Christina Perri

(Verse 1)
♫ Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave
How can I love when I’m afraid
To fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt
Suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer

(Chorus)
I have died everyday
waiting for you
Darlin’ don’t be afraid
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I’ll love you for a
Thousand more

(Verse 2)
Time stands still
Beauty I know she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything
Take away
What’s standing in front of me
Every breath,
Every hour has come to this

One step closer

(Chorus)
I have died everyday
Waiting for you
Darlin’ don’t be afraid
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I’ll love you for a
Thousand more

And all along I believed
I would find you
Time has brought
Your heart to me
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I’ll love you for a
Thousand more

One step closer
One step closer

(Chorus)
I have died everyday
Waiting for you
Darlin’ don’t be afraid,
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I’ll love you for a
Thousand more

And all along I believed
I would find you
Time has brought
Your heart to me
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I’ll love you for a
Thousand more ♫

Merry Chistmas!

sarahness — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 07:11:22 +0000

Carol of the Bells version of Celtic Woman is the best. It even made me feel as if angels were singing to me. Great voice and nice fiddler. I wish I could play like her. Oh, I miss my violin. This reminded me that since its holidays, I should play my violin before work and school consumed my time again.

My 2011 Christmas is by far the most stressful Christmas I have had. I was busy organizing our company’s party not to mention I was also hurrying tasks for my project. Whew! That almost drained my sanity. And speaking of project-related tasks, I should ready myself now for my boss’s inquiries and probably anger for not finishing my assignments. These are those moments when I really wish I could divide myself to accomplish more.

Adding to my already overwhelming stress was the jam-packed malls. There’s the long queue in cashiers that always made me drop the items I supposed to buy. Good thing I was able to partially finish my shopping.

On a lighter note, and I don’t know why this came last, were the things I love about this year’s Christmas. First was of course the gifts! Thanks to all my friends generous and thoughtful enough to give me one. I won’t be mentioning names anymore. I might miss one or two names and I don’t want to rouse sulky feelings. Second was the reunion with friends. It was very nice to see them after quite some time, share stories and laughter over food, and renew your bonds. It’s also great to know that they’re doing great with their lives. Happy for you guys! And lastly was the happy air christmases always bring. I really can’t explain it and I don’t know if you feel the same way as me but there’s something about Christmas that made me smile despite all the worries I might have.

Wishing you all a happy Christmas!

Heavenly Light Display

sarahness — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:08:34 +0000

Aurora Borealis timelapse HD from Tor Even Mathisen on Vimeo.

For me this is one of the most amazing phenomenon on earth. Aurora Borealis!

A friend posted on my wall a video of Aurora Borealis and after seeing it, I kind of instantly remembered how I adorned the northern lights. One day, I will go to places where I can view this beautiful night light display. And I will make it happen. I just hope it would be sooner!

Aurora Borealis is named after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas. It is caused by the collision between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth’s atmosphere. Auroras can be seen as a curtain-like structure in the night sky above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. Interestingly they are called ‘Aurora Borealis‘ in the north and ‘Aurora Australis‘ in the south. And, auroral displays appear commonly in pale green and pink. Although, shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have been reported. Hmmm, I want to see the purple one.

The most amazing phenomenon here on earth!

On Media Shooting

sarahness — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 04:55:18 +0000

Here are some of the images, put into a collage, I captured during yesterday’s shooting for the AVP to be shown on November 11′s inauguration.

I really enjoyed it. Despite the pile of delayed tasks, I happen to squeeze in little time to shot videos and pictures. It is refreshing to just forget about your programming tasks for a while and engaged yourself into conceptualizing how images and videos should be shot to fit in the story board.

I would like to give credits to the people I worked with in the 24th floor: Joseph Bueno, Stephen Rimbon, and Sarah Biblanias, and of course to the wonderful actors and actresses in CID sections. You guys are awesome! Thank you for your cooperation and for actually rocking it. Can’t wait for all of these to be compiled into a single media file.

Going Away

sarahness — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:47:17 +0000

We send my brother to the airport and boy I’m missing him already. I didn’t realize it would be this sad to part from him temporarily. We don’t get to see each other everyday since I started working but the fact that he’ll be flewing hundred miles apart from us is just sad.

My brother and me when we were kids in the old house in Bicol where I was born.

When he’s about to get in the airport my mom started sobbing. She tried very hard to hide it but my cousin, who is by the way a five year-old boy, busted her to all of us saying “Oh! Auntie is crying.” Then my brother’s wife, Kat, started crying also. I’m so feeling the heaviness of the emotions around me and being an emotion bomb that’s easily triggered, the task of holding that single drop of tear is too much for me. But I gave myself a pat at the back for actually doing it, controlling my tears.. at least for a while.

Upon getting home, the insant my right foot touched our floor, the tears I earnestly held for a couple of minutes flowed like a raging water on my face. I’m not exaggerating. In fact when I’m done crying, I felt like I’m gonna be sick.

I know you can’t read this my dear brother but please always take care of yourself. We’ll see you after a while.

If I Die Young

sarahness — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:32:56 +0000

I just can’t get enough of this song! Love it!

If I Die Young by The Band Perry

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

Lord make me a rainbow, I’ll shine down on my mother
She’ll know I’m safe with you when she stands under my colors
Oh, and life ain’t always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain’t even gray, but she buries her baby

The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I’ve had just enough time

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I’ve had just enough time

And I’ll be wearing white when I come into your kingdom
I’m as green as the ring on my little cold finger
I’ve never known the loving of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand

There’s a boy here in town, says he’ll love me forever
Who would have thought forever could be severed by
The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I’ve had just enough time

So put on your best, boys, and I’ll wear my pearls
What I never did is done

A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I’ll sell ‘em for a dollar
They’re worth so much more after I’m a goner
And maybe then you’ll hear the words I been singing
Funny, when you’re dead how people start listening

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

The ballad of a dove
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep ‘em in your pocket
Save them for a time when you’re really gonna need them, oh

The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I’ve had just enough time
So put on your best, boys
And I’ll wear my pearls

Like A Sister

sarahness — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:34:15 +0000

Today is Kerie’s birthday! She’s in Japan so I couldn’t surprise her. You see we have this tradition of giving gifts on Christmases and birthdays and we would hand it in unexpected way possible.

Anyway, I think it will be nice to recall moments on how we actually became friends. She’s my batchmate in my current office. We were not close at first because she’s part of another group and I kind of don’t have a group back then since I was pulled out from the training in barely a month and I guess that’s a little time to get to know everyone. Sometime in November I decided to rent a place nearby the office to avoid incurring more lates. I heard she’s also looking for a place and invited me to be her roommate. I agreed. However, there were four of us from our batch who rented a place in Pasig.

Kerie is a big talker and I must admit that during our first few weeks in the apartment there were times when I would really find her annoying especially when she tells me countless stories during bedtime and I couldn’t sleep. I would marvel on how she easily opened herself up to me because I’m the person who doesn’t easily divulge information about myself or family especially with people I barely know. But in no time I get used to it and I also find myself opening up to her. I talk about what’s bugging me, what’s on my mind, my problems, etc. We talk about almost everything. And when she’s not in the apartment, I weirdly find myself missing my talker friend.

She’s one of the very few people in this world whom I trusted with my secrets for I know they’re safe with her. She’s like my older sister that I never had. She’s selfless, family-oriented, and God-fearing. Her advices to me were not the usual advices. Sometimes I would feel disappointed but after analyzing things out, I know she’s right.

She’s that person who made me realize that I’m such a big analyzer. She even dubbed me Ms. Analyzer. I was in denial at first but I must admit, I’m a freakingly analyzer like what she said. She used to call me ‘Sis’ or ‘Girl’ but I just don’t like that. Hehe. So now she only refer to me by my first name.

Kerikin, thank you so much for everything! Thank you for being like my sister. Happy birthday and I hope to see you soon! I can’t wait for our next escapades.

Not Getting a Word

sarahness — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:12:28 +0000

Rain is pounding hard on our roof. The sound gives me an impression that any moment it can make holes on it. I used to love lazy rainy days specially when I’m just staying home. It’s nice to reflect on things that has got to do with my life. This day is different though. The rain made me think about my current predicament. I’ve been putting this aside my thoughts but it keeps creeping out finding it’s way on top of my head and silly me, I can’t put it back deeper in my reverie.

I’m not in good terms with one of my friends and it is just sad. I know I’m partly to blame since I made an issue such a big deal. But hey, I think it was indeed a big deal. My emotions got the better of me. I guess it’s the pill I’m currently taking talking. I wasn’t able to get hold of my emotions and then boom! I burst.

Another friend told me that I should have controlled my feelings but I hate that. I mean why do I have to pretend I’m ok when I’m actually not. That’s just not right. And besides if someone is mad at me, I want them to let me know or at least show me. That way, I wouldn’t have to guess and I would know what will make that person mad.

So anyway, I wanted to ease the cold air between me and my friend. I just realized that maybe he said those words to me that time because he has no idea what I’m feeling.. that he’s being logical and all. I wrote him a letter apologizing for being indifferent and further explaining myself in a hope to patch things up. I made someone gave it to him since I chickened out. I couldn’t just approached him and hand him my letter without feeling awkward.

This was two days ago and until now I have not received a word from him yet. I didn’t know if he had read my letter or if he just threw it away. I wanted to ask him but I stopped myself. Handing that letter to him already made me feel stupid and the idea of not getting a word back feels 100 times more stupid. I told myself that I have already done my part to save our friendship and now the ball is in his hands. I could have appreciated it if he told me something like ‘Hey, got your letter but I still don’t want to talk to you‘ rather than having no words at all. Oh well, if he doesn’t want to accept my apology and really wanted to stay like this then maybe he is meant to become just a memory of my past.

Should I Give Up Or Should I Just Keep Chasing Pavements

sarahness — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:31:46 +0000

♫ ♪ I’d build myself up,
And fly around in circles,
Waiting as my heart drops,
And my back begins to tingle
Finally could this be it or

Should I give up,
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place should I leave it there? ♪ ♫

This is the current soundtrack of my life. I don’t want to elaborate because it will just make this post unbelievably long and I’m not yet ready to write about this current dilemma. Maybe in time I will be able to do so but for now, enjoy Adele’s song.