Eleanor & Park

Why do these book covers have a picture of a tiny girl?

In three words, heavy, reminiscing, and feelings. It was funny, and romantic, and has a cute love story. If not for a few eye rolling, I would've given it 4 stars. I guess I wasn't that much into it, probably because I am having enough drama in reality, and this book was too painful. I couldn't relate to having an evil stepdad, or to having a mother who's too afraid to protect her own children. (Who am I to judge, right?) I guess I just... I was hoping to feel (more) attached (to the story or to a particular character, I don't know). But despite the lack of connection (probably my fault anyway, for being a heartless person), there's no argument that the book was beautifully written.

Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge

In which I took a bold move and set a goal of 50 books.
I guess I'm that kind of person who "reach for the moon and fall among the stars"; I guess I didn't want to think I could've done better. Or I'm just plain stupid.

2014 is doing a pretty good job being the year of endless reading for me. I've read some pretty amazing books, and some really really stupid, like "burn and condemn" type of bad, and then those books that were hmm just okay. I wanted to write decent reviews, but these are closest I could come up with.

//out of 5 stars
1. Forever (2)
Disappointment. Slow and boring. Out of loyalty stars.

2. Scott Pilgrim vs the World 1 to 6 (5,4,5,5,3,4)
(A few out of loyalty stars but) In love.

3. Girly: Volume 1 (2)
Cute but (a bit) disgusting.

4. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (5)
OHMYGAWDTHISBOOK.

5. Will Grayson, Will Grayson (3)
Okay. No attachment.

6. The Fault in our Stars (5)
OHMYGAWDTHISBOOK

7. Free Four (3)
Bitin.

8. Free Four (fanfic) (2)
Okay.

9. The Woman who Went to Bed for a Year (3)
Relate. A few "wth" pages.

10. Fifty Shades of Alice in Wonderland (1)
WHATTHEFUCKINGNO. Not cute and (A lot) Disgusting.

11. Anansi Boys (4)
I love Neil Gaiman.

12. Allegiant (3)
Slow. Not as good as its sisters. Didn't like how it end.

13. Love & Misadventure (3)
Okay. Not so much feels as expected.

14. Four: The Transfer (3)
I liked it. Out of loyalty stars.

15. The Lover's Dictionary (3)
Relate. Attached.

16. Ang Boyfriend kong Artista (1)
WHATTHEFUCKINGNO. Stupid. Immature.

17. Fangirl (4)
Cute.

18. The First Phone Call from Heaven (1)
Disappointment. Boring.

19. Attachments (4)
Totes adorbs. Too cute.

20. Linger (3)
Not as good as the first, but better than last. Loopholes.

21. The Graveyard Book (5)
I love Neil Gaiman. Interesting. Great story.

22. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (4)
Interesting.

The Belle's First Birthday

Pictures came in yesterday! Here's a sneak peek.


Photographer was the talented Gail Bitoon of www.foreverydayphoto.com


More photos soon. :)

Avengers Themed Birthday Party Invitation Set

My eldest son got a bit jealous that I gave so much of my attention and focus to his little sister's birthday, and now he's demanding for one, too, for his 3rd birthday. My husband and I said yes, putting us in this position.

My son's turning 3 this week, and he demanded requested for an Avengers themed birthday party. He picked out the theme himself, though we can see how hard it was for him. He wanted a lot of things; he's watching all these Disney shows, and he wanted everything to be made into a party. He's also into trains, and building lego, and superheroes. In the end, after a lot of 'could I pick three? ok just two. just two?' from the baby boy, I told him we can only have one theme for his party, and voila, Avengers! (Although, we bought Avengers lego toys for the kids.)

It will be a simple party for ten boys, his playmates, so we're DIY-ing everything, from decors to food (except for cakes -- sadly, I can't bake). I made this DIY invitation set for his party. It includes a memo from Director Nick Fury, informing the guests of an assembly, and how the details were encrypted, and they need decoder glasses to read, which were provided. I planned to make decoder eyeglasses, which they can actually wear, but I got caught up with work and well, life, til there's no free time left to craft. I had to drop into the set a piece of Avengers vintage card (no, I just printed out a photo of an old magazine cover, it's not actually the real thing), because.. well, because my kid would want to see a picture of his super friends, that's why! I also included a S.H.I.E.L.D. badge/ID, which will be their name tags during the party. Same with other DIY invitations we've done before, we created the layout (for each piece in the set), and have it printed in our local printing shop. So..

Tadah! Avengers Themed Birthday Party Invitation Set for Xandre Gabriel's 3rd Super Birthday!


Here are deets, close ups of the memo, the encrypted message, decoder glasses, vintage cards, and the badge.




And here's the baby boy, who's so excited, he'd wake me up every morning to ask, 'mom is it my birthday yet?'. And if I say 'no, not yet', he'd complain, 'tagal naman'. Pouting is normal, and rolling of eyes. But he'll be ok after a minute, after an explanation, that we need N more days to get ready. He's happy with his invitations, he requested to have one for himself (an invitation for the celebrant to invite the celebrant? Now that is new).

rum·mage /ˈrəmij/ -an unsystematic and untidy search through a mass or receptacle

I am trapped between two definition of success; a) society's, and b) boho's.

---
"You shouldn't even be here.", she said. "I know!", she snapped back. "You could just leave." "I don't want you here anyway.", she thought, but didn't add. "I would, but I couldn't! You know that. If I get out," she stopped to brush her hair and swallow, "if I get out and leave, I'd be out forever. I won't exist." "Maybe you should stop existing.", she hated it but thought it anyway. The room was too small for two cats. Or computer screens. Or, at the moment, for two naked girls. One of them had her chin up, had poise (Was it crisp? Or was she just plain stiff?), had her arms crossed. The other, she had everything of her curled into a ball, counting something invisible on the floor. The floor, by the way, was red. And black. And white at the same time. It was constantly changing, that to describe their place would take forever to be done. They were constantly changing, too, the two girls; from food to animals to about anything the Master would want. Personalities, people call them, although to be honest, they would rather be an internal organ than a definition (A thought? An emotion?).





---
"Hey H! Look here, we got a newbie!" A 'something' moved up. "H, this is D. D, H. And I'm R!", another 'something', which is, obviously, too excited (Was he normally like this? Like he's holding his pee for hours!) "R?", a 'something' curled his brows. "Yeah! R! Short for R U OK? You know? When you ask people? Because I care!", again, giddy. "Actually, he's P, as in short for Pathetic." H said, holding D closer by his shoulders. "Last time I checked, H is for Happy and not Hurtful, you bitter bitch." H ignored him. They're used to this kind of conversation. Since there was nothing else to entertain them, not in this disgusting world they're in, all veins, all blood. "Who are you?" H to D. "H could be for Honest, too straightforward", D thought. "Depression." he added. "I hate you.", H practically yelled, more to the Master than to D. "What got you in?" This time it was R. "I wonder if R is short for Reckless" D rolled his eyes. "The Master, obviously." H thought of things that got him here, back when things were... easy (or easier). He was as giddy as R, as big as D. He realized, he was getting smaller in every stick. Which made him think of the things that created D.

lately I've been losing sleep

exhausted, worn out, weary, fatigued, dog-tired, dead beat, bone-tired, ready to drop, drained, zonked, wasted, enervated, jaded; informaldone in, bushed, whipped, bagged, knocked out, wiped out, pooped, tuckered out

Today, I feel an extra scoop of tired. Physically, yes -- there is this pain on the whole of my back, like I've been sledgehammer-ed -- but then again, I was never physically too tired to be/feel.. as nothing as I am right now. So I guess, this has something to do with, well, probably all these depressing emotions and thoughts I got here.

Bullying is different when it comes from people I should you should consider your family. And it is entirely different (and deeper, I should add) when gossiping is involved -- or was, since it has been. I sure would want to talk about it. I can't don't want to talk about it.

Where is Comfort when you need him, really?

Enchanted Forest/Whimsical Woodland First Birthday Invitation

The last guy (/post re: bday invitation), was just there to share the digital art. But this guy right here, he gots the real thing.

Ta da ra rah!

My daughter's Enchanted Forest/Whimsical Woodland First Birthday Invitation. In B&W.

This is unofficial; I mean, official layout but, we still have to take these babes to the printing salon and blah and cut and stuff. BUT! This is the real deal! Except for twines and a feather or a trinket or whatever, but again, the real deal!

So uhmm..

I opted for a pamphlet style for this year's thing; I just something different this time. And I did a lot of invitations before (no, I had only made 3 and that is not a lot, who am I kidding?), and 3 folds pamphlet-ish invitation was not one of those (few, i.e. three, things I made).


To be honest, I saw this whimsical woodland invitation from greenweddingshoes.com, and it just... Plus it kind of tell a story. Like when folded, you'll see the forest, and deep in the forest is (you'll have to go through (aka open up) to find out about) a fete. I like that very much, and how it really works out my brain, to imagine myself out there with vine-cutting knives and skills and what-nots. I was am hoping it would have that same effect on our guests.


I wanted other things. Inserts. Because... I think, just because, I will never be a one-card-invitation girl. I was obsessed with calligraphy cut cake toppers, thus the calligraphy cut thingy. And the other card, I just, I decided wanted a poem, I guess. Or just wanted to write a poem, and had found an excuse in this invitation set. But uhm...


To be honest, I liked how our inserts turned out. Especially, the "the belle" on the poem card, and the "elle is one " on the calligraphy cut thingy, and how they, when arranged/inserted, are peeking out of the pamphlet. To be honest, I kind of felt a bit smarter than pre-invitation. I was like, "ha, genius!" It was pretty stupid and nonsensical, I figured that out immediately after.




So...

That's about it. For now, at least.
Bye!


P.S. Again, if you want a copy...