Align Left, Align Right and Justified

One time, over lunch, I and an officemate were talking about Facebook. She has an account but recently decided to abandon it for personal reasons, and told me that it's better for her to just maintain one personal site (another networking site, not FS though).

In my case, I have plenty of personal sites but maintained a few. I have a Friendster (w/c I left abandoned since early this year, and been long considering it for obliteration), Multiply (more of storage for personal photos shared with friends), Flickr (for my 'ambitious' photography portfolio and a few what nots), DeviantArt (for my artwork churvah). Twitter, and this blog in Blogspot. The recent addition to my so-called 'internet properties' was Facebook (July, last year).

My officemate thinks that having these sites is like revealing your life to the world. True -- but I assured her that my networking sites are set in 'private' (Blogspot, Flickr and DeviantArt are left open for public viewing). I am fully aware that maintaining a blog can be risky -- but as long as I'm not stepping others' toes, I'll do fine. I even have it linked to my FB because I chose to. It's not like I'm forcing people to read it -- for it's purely voluntary. They can ignore it if they want or even remove it. *defensive*

Seriously, I really don't have to justify this predilection of mine. To each his/her own, I guess. I enjoy writing irrespective of what others think of my posts or the mistakes I have with grammar (w/c I think it's not really that bad). I like sharing my random thoughts and moments to a faceless audience or to online buddies I met in the blogosphere. I like it more that recalling old good (and bad) memories is just a click away.

No need to justify further. It's my life, anyway.

P.S. I have yet to watch HP & the Half-Blood Prince. -- This is soooo not acceptable for an HP fanatic.

begging to be read

Currently putting myself on 'book-shopping' hiatus. Seriously, I have to keep myself away from Maruzen until my inventory of must-read drops to two. The total books begging to be read, including the newly purchased (refer to photo), is ten.
In other book-related news, I recently finished reading a non-fiction: Michael Gates Gill's "How Starbucks Saved My Life". The story tells about a 64 y/o man (the author), who unexpectedly became a barista/partner in Starbucks after losing his job as a creative director for a top advertising company. (More like a 'riches to rags' story). He tells about the life lessons he learned, his failures as a family man for giving more priority on his then demanding job as a creative director, and his dedication on the present job. Here's the thing: other than being a creative director then, he was born rich -- that's got to be some 'fall' -- but the fact that he pulled himself up and started anew is worth inspiring.

In one of the chapters, he mentioned about a mantra that goes like this "Less past, more future!" -- to which I couldn't agree more. Why waste thinking about the past? Though there are times they come to mind without warning that reflecting on them is just impossible to neglect. Since it's impossible to neglect on them, might as well we take it as a learning experience instead of wallowing in self-pity. Cliche as it may sound -- the only way to correct the past is by doing something in the future. Like, to overwrite a crappy file with a non-crappy one. I know, poor metaphor.

While reading the book, I learned a little about the work of a Starbucks partner --- the multi-tasking they do. One day you're in-charge of the cash register; the next days, you'll be making the drinks at the espresso bar. Also, I realized that Starbucks are not strict with age requirements (maybe, in the US) and they have, as the author said, great benefits.

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The author, in his afterword, mentioned that Tom Hanks is considering this for a movie. Awesome.

From 101 to 203

There are only a few things left in my old room. Somehow, i managed to finish moving 80% of my stuff. Not that it takes a lot of effort because all i did is transferred my stuff from ground floor to the 2nd floor. It took a LOT of effort! I did all the moving by myself!? I couldn't even count how many times i ran back and forth! I woke up at 9am to start the activity, and missed lunch that prompted me to stop at 3pm to go out and eat at Ppr Lunch. Resumed again at 7past and ceased doing before 10pm because if i keep going, the neighbours won't like it. Must reach 100% progress tomorrow.

It all started mid last month. {Flashback} D, a Filipino officemate, lives in rm. 203. She was scheduled to return for Cebu on 7/03. Considering this and the recent 'theft' incident that happened last pre-Golden week holidays to my Chinese neighbour (whose room is a room away from mine), our agent sent me an email suggesting me to move to D's room right after the day of her flight. According to our agent, it is safer for a lady (ehem) to live on the upper floor. {end of Flashback}

So, i did. And i don't know where my Chinese neighbour is. I think she/he (obviously, i don't have time to mingle with neighbours) moved to some another apartment building. I realized that i was the only person remaining in the groundfloor rooms because the mailboxes of my supposedly neighbours were all sealed.

Funny is that way back 2007, my previous company mandated girls to transfer to another apartment building which is closer to Kasai stn. --- to which I vehemently rejected. I defended myself by sending an email to them, stating my reasons of refusal to the point of citing the inexplicable emotional attachment I had to the room. True story. More so than the 'inexplicable', big major reason was my laziness to go through the packing and unpacking =P.

Now, I'm blogging at my new room! I love it here because it comes with a new companion, a pet fish (Whitey) that D left. I was hesitant to adopt the fish at first because I'm a cat person. I feared the responsibility that comes with it: cleaning its crib, feeding, overfeeding, etc.

Whitey (w/ toy Nemo at the background)

Two nights ago when I went to D's room, she told me that even if I don't adopt it, she intends to leave it there and decide for myself the fate of Whitey. In short, i have no choice. Flushing it down the toilet is just unimaginable and I would be sooo heartless if i do that. (Supposedly, she was to give Whitey to a friend of hers. However, D's friend was in Phils., leaving Whitey no owner).

When I went to check Whitey last night, it seems friendly and responsive to my gentle knocks at its aquarium. It likes me.

P.S. Part of my summer agenda is to buy Whitey a bestfriend.

white chocolate mocha is for kids

After going to M bank yesterday (i know it sounds impossible but this bank opens every first and last Sunday of the month), I went to SB which is just a block away to have lunch and read a book. I normally follow this routine because having gone that far (Suidobashi), an approximate 45 min train ride from Tsudanuma, the least I'd be doing is hop on a train bound for home =P.

Settling myself in a comfortable seat with jazz as background music, I opened 'Sputnik Sweetheart' and engrossed myself with its story. Once in a while, I took my eyes off from what I was reading to ponder on the metaphors that K shared to Sumire, and often, got a glimpse of passers-by outside with their umbrellas. It was raining.

After some chapters, I decided to go home despite the rain outside. I got on the train for Tsudanuma and instead of sleeping to kill time, I focused on the fading view outside that speeding trains produce. It was not a rush hour, thus, there were not many passengers inside and thus, the fading view. I decided against reading the book inside the train for I don't usually do it and the fact that I just can't do it, lest i go blind or cross-eyed for doing so.

45 mins or so after, it was still raining when I reached Tsudanuma. Not heavy though.

Not wanting to go home yet, I went to Maruzen bookstore and browsed at books. I don't know, there's something comforting about just browsing and reading their synopsis at the backpage. I avoided books by Nicholas Sparks, Danielle Steel, Sidney Sheldon and too romantic novels -- too sappy for my liking. As predicted, like I always say to myself, a simple shop-browsing eventually leads to a purchase. I bought books from Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club), David Sedaris (When You Are Engulfed in Flames) and Kazuo Ishiguro (When We Were Orphans). I haven't read any of their works in the past so I'm quite excited.

After the mini-book shopping, it was still early but the clouds outside look grey and gloomy. Rain was still pouring.

Not wanting to go home, I end up in SB (again), the one nearest to my apartment. This time, I ordered white chocolate mocha and to my dismay it was toooo sweet! Like 'tonsiliting' sweet! Regardless the awfully sweet drink, I immersed back to the world of K, Sumire and Miu. This time, they were in an island part of Greece. Miu called K to come and help her search for Sumire, who vanished without a trace. It was quite complicated.

That night, i made it to the last pages of the book. Murakami (the author) made sure to let the reader guess, and successfully gave me insomnia (adding the too much caffeine and sweetness I had the whole day).

I am 100% sure that at the last few pages, K was just dreaming about his phone conversation with Sumire. He did thought about it being just a dream but was convinced after checking the moon outside which is exactly the same description Sumire gave.

This i'm not sure but an assumption, Sumire committed suicide by jumping off from a cliff. Her remains were unfound because the sharks ate it, leaving not even a hair strand.