I’ve launched a new blog with that title. I figured, since I spend so much money on books, I might as well dedicate an entirely new blog for them. Checkout the banner I used, courtesy of Zoe Pearn’s Blog in a Box:
For a change, I used Blogger for this new blog and I’m actually liking it. I finally have a blog design that has a scrapbook feel, much like how my old blog was. There are already quite a number of posts on there, and you may be familiar with some of them. Naturally, I simply migrated posts here tagged with My Bookcase. I did add a note at the bottom of each post that they were being reposted – I wouldn’t want to be in trouble with Internet cops for duplicate content, lol. 🙂
What’s next kaya? I mean what other blogs will I give birth to? Haha. Maybe one for causes and charities, or maybe we can improve the blog of Baby Jon Angelo! Why not?! 🙂
Have you ever wondered how the ladies of Lipstick Jungle must have been like as kids or teenagers? Probably just like Em, Lyd and Cass from Jaclyn Moriarty’s The Year of Secret Assignments. Or not.
This book was again one of those books I picked up at my favorite second-hand store. That’s what I love about those places, they just get me to be so open about books that I would normally have snubbed at full price. Haha 🙂 In the past, I would only buy books by authors I’ve read before and liked. Or I’ll stay safe and go for those referred by a friend. When I started frequenting second-hand bookshops, I was more daring so to speak. The good thing is that I have only ever regretted buying one book. I picked it up (a novel that a tear-jerker of a movie was based on), tried to read it, couldn’t continue. It was soooo slow. Anyway, it wasn’t this book.
I enjoyed reading this book. A lot. It’s for kids/young adults as the characters are in high school. There’s no magic here, or mythical creatures. Rather, you’d read about kids who cut classes, pick locks, and play pranks. Very nice, haha. 🙂
The girls in the book go to Ashbury, a private school for girls. Their parents were all friends, and lawyers. I could imagine them with their book bags, binders, maybe even with their blazers/jackets, hair bows, or beaded lanyards, walking the corridors of their school just talking about the boys they’re exchanging letters with. I also imagined them on their sleep overs, talking about their hopes and dreams 🙂
They had a penpal project for their English class and their pen friends were to be from another English class from the rival school (seems to be a public co-ed highschool). The story is told through the letters exchanged by the girls and their pen friends Matthew, Seb and Charlie. Lyd’s special notebook and Cass’ diary also come into play. It was interesting to see how their relationship developed through the letters, until they all met in person. It was also interesting to see how their characters developed as they continued corresponding with each other.
Friendship and loyalty was, not surprisingly, the central theme in the novel. It also showed how friends help one cope with the death of a parent.
I’ve laughed a couple of times while reading this book. These kids are cool! Haha. And I might just pass this one on to my niece for a bit of reading. 🙂
…buy a few pieces of clothes that I can use to either work out or go walking (maybe even running!). A hundred dollars, when it comes to clothes for the plus sized girl, is not a lot of money (sadly) but it will give my budget a much-needed boost. Not only are they not cheap, they are also very hard to come by. I can’t just walk into a mall and be sure there will be something for me. Most of the time, there’s none in my size. Shopping for clothes in general, and exercise outfits in particular is a lot like lingerie shopping. You know there are all sorts of styles out there, but you know they won’t all look good and fit you. I mean, I’d see them with my eyes and they look great on a mannequin. But when I try them on, assuming they’d fit, they won’t look good. Or I won’t.
Imagine working out in these:
Screenshot of the product list at LuluLemon (http://shop.lululemon.com/store/productslist.aspx?categoryid=500&pagesize=15)
I’ve found that one of the excuses I have for not working out, or walking, is that I don’t have shorts that are good for that purpose. Neither do I have jogging pants or leggings or whatever. All I have are my short shorts that I use at home, or my walking shorts for when we go out (they have buttons and zippers and are not really comfortable when you’re exercising). My shirts are also mostly polos, I have a grand total of two shirts that are thin enough to keep me cool and loose enough to allow me movement when exercising.
But wait, even if I have the money, where will I even start looking for plus-size workout clothes here? Those samples in the photo? They’re for skinny girls, sold at LuluLemon.com. Basta, I think spending money on workout clothes would be a good thing for me. It’s an investment for wellness 🙂
So maybe I need a plan B. If I win the hundred dollars from Levy and Noel’s contest, I’ll spend it all on baking ingredients and packaging materials. I’ll use the money for seed capital to relaunch my home-baking business. If this happens, the two of them will be like my honorary partners in business. Hehe. 🙂 Wow, I like how this is shaping up to be.
Top-to-Bottom Crumb Cupcakes by me!
See those cupcakes? I baked them more than a month ago. I miss baking, I should do it more often. And I should make money from doing something I love 🙂 They are super yummy too, have I told you that? 🙂
Even though having the 100 dollars in my Paypal account is only a possibility, and one that will only happen if I win the contest, it has given me the opportunity to just step back and think about how to spend money wisely. For that, I already feel like a winner. Levy and Noel already deserve to be thanked for getting me started on this. I mean, I have that amount somewhere already. Yet, I choose to spend my money in so many other, unimportant ways. And sometimes, those choices are really wasteful.
So THANK YOU Levy and Noel! You have given me something even more valuable than the money you are giving away for your contest! You have taught me an important lesson. 🙂
Oh, I forgot to add… I always try to support causes in every little way that I can. Remember my Got Heart Giveaway, the Haiti donation, etc? Having extra cash will allow me to support more causes. Like Jon Angelo’s . Again, thank you for enabling me to do this. 🙂
Apart from my friend Kathie, another special person is celebrating his birthday today: Baby Jon Angelo!
Click on the photo (which I borrowed from the family’s site) to get to his website and learn more about helping out with his cause. I am already cooking up a small giveaway for my birthday next month, and his bracelets will be a central feature of the giveaway. I don’t have mine yet (haven’t ordered), but I sure will have one, along with members of my family 🙂
Two weeks ago, our Corporate Communications Officer sent out a mailer about the Bottle School Project. Tomorrow, June 13th, the Bottle School Run will commence. Runners and everyone else are encouraged to join. Just bring two 1.5/2 liter PET bottles and pay the small registration fee to join the fun run – 3k, 5k and 10k. The bottles, and the money, will be used to build bottle schools in areas affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.
The people behind the project will be pioneering a build at Maharlika Village in Taguig City. I’m hoping there will be more details at the event so I can learn more about getting involved. Sadly, their website (http://bottleschoolproject.org/) doesn’t have much information.
I first read about a school made from plastic bottles through this blog post in Be The Change back in February. I am so happy that the technology has been recognized here, and is now being explored.
It makes me feel good that our company is trying to be involved in such worthy projects. I hope a lot of people throw their support behind this too.
