Mina, McQueen & Jason

Revenge of the Lemons

"I'm Back B*tches!'

Alexandria Everett

America's Next Top Model All-Stars premiers on Sept. 14

photo: http://www.usmagazine.com

recovery

GIVING THANKS
Prince Harry shows his gratitude to a team of firefighters – who were on duty during last week's riots in northern England – on a visit to Salford on Thursday.

photo: www.people.com

wanna be

1.Mikee Cojuanco- Jaworski
SIMPLICITY. She came from one of the richest families in the country but there is no hint of arrogance about her. She doesn't crave the limelight and she is not flamboyant. She was indeed one of the media darlings when she was still in showbiz, but there was no gossip and scandal that hound her. She doesn't need all the attention to affirm herself. She even brought glory to the country by bringing medals in international equestrian competition. Mikee is also a devoted wife and a doting mother. Her simplicity is one of her best traits that one should emulate.


2.Lea Salonga
WORLD-CLASS. When I was still studying, my teacher introduced us to a world class performer who was taking the West End by storm in Miss Saigon. When I became a teacher, years after, it was my turn to teach my students that Lea Salonga is one of the greatest Filipino artist that they should aspire for. She doesn't fade in the scene, she is a symbol that Filipinos are really have what it takes to be truly world-class.


3.Jessica Safra
INTELLECT.I respect the ideas and opinions Jessica Zafra. And I also admire her falir of words on how to express it. He blog, www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com, is well-written and entertaining. It beg to differ from the other blogs that I like which are mostly about fashion and showbiz. It is a breath of frest air if one would like to be worldly about her take on current affairs and updated on what literature to check out. She also blogs about her whereabouts but not in a narcissist, self-effacing way,which was why her blog is one of my daily reads.


4.Korina Sanchez
CREDIBILITY. Korina Sanchez is one of the few TV personalities that I trust. She is engaging when she is reporting or even just saying her spiel. She is someone who can really get my full attention and actually make me believe on what she is talking about. She lights up the screen, engage her audience with her news and advocacies.


5.Ruffa Gutierrez
STRENGTH. Everyone knows about the sob story of Ruffa on being a battered wife. I can only imgine the hell that she had been put to, being abused by the man who you love and thought that who loves you, the man that you married and the father of your children. But she was able to overcome all of that,because of her strength. I admire her because she was able to rebuild her life after that nightmare. She is a survivor and never a victim.

Pinoy Romance

1.Accidental Hearts
I was so 'kilig' when Sonia dedicated this novel for me. I was supposed to be the bitchy, rich, gorgeous and man-eater Rohanna Mercedes Peralta. Rhome is my favorite alter ego who is the editor-in-chief of her own magazine and a former supermodel. This story falls in the 'willingly kidnapped' category and it was fun to read how Byron made Rhome fall for him hard that she 'willingly clipped her wings for her to reach him'.
Rhome: “Say it again...”
Byron: (confused) “That I can freeze hell?”
Rhome: (laughs) “No, that you love me.”


2. My Lord Ace
This novel was one of the earliest of Sonia. I don't exactly remember the story but I loved the battle of wits between Ace and Prix. This was also the first novel of Sonia that I realized that she will be a future force to be reckon with in romance writing. She showcased her unique brand of writing which rivaled the prevailing style at that time.


3. Once and Again
Axel Drake de Roque, one of the manliest and cutest name Sonia had come up with. But aside from the perfect name for the hero, I think Sonia had came up with an intelligent story telling in this novel. The writing of this novel was impeccable, on how they were supposed to be partners in the JS Prom, on how Axel saved Raven from disgrace in the office because of gossip , how he pushed himself to excel so that he can be perfect for Raven and how he kept her picture in his wallet all this time. This novel is really one of my favorites, hands down.


4.Pustahan Tayo, Mahal Mo Ako
I had always been a fan of teenage drama shows, from TGIS to Gmik and even now with Tween Hearts. And this novel reminded me so much of these shows in a very good way. The rivalry between Ysabella and Zultan was so adorable it made me remember my fun times in highschool. And how about that bet that Ysabella lost at and Zultan was not able to claim his price, and when they met again, he wants to finally get it from her? It was a kiss anyway, Zultan was able to get it at the end with the Sonia Francesca's creative trademark.


5. Two Sweet Kisses
I believe this is one of the contemporary novels of Sonia. I liked it because it showed her maturity as a writer. The theme of the story was more complicated than usual. The characters are more dynamic with their feelings, thouhgts and actions. The flow of the story was unpredictable. In each page of the book, love really blossomed between the two of them. The characters were falling for each other in a subtle but intense development that only a genius writer like Sonia can do.

Goin' Korean

anticipation

I have high expectations for the film adaptation of Hunger Games. The first book of the trilogy provides a unique and exciting storyline of the futuristic dystopia. Such good material would easily translate in the silver screen.

I am excited to see the dynamics on District 13, on how on its’ oppressed state will give Katniss the needed strength to be the embodiment of freedom for the whole of Panem. Another must-see is reaping, wherein the young sister of Katniss, Prue, was chosen to be tribute from District 13 to participate in the bloodbath that is the Hunger Games. It was that love of Katniss to her, that was the twist of fate that started it all for her. I also like to see the tribute’s preparation for the Hunger Games, the presentation to the judges, the make-over, the interview and the game itself. The televised game until death appealed to me because it exposed the brutal possibility that an autocratic regime, corrupt morality and unjust society can really result to such dark future.


Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen

Katniss’ bravery and determination to stay alive in the cruel game will be something new to watch. Her conflicting feelings between her affection to Gale and growing attachment to Peeta will give the story a break from its’ bleak tone and add romance to the story.


Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and Gale

I am a fan of the triangle of Katniss, Gale and Peeta. That was one of the strong points of the book which I hope would burn the screen with the characters’ obvious chemistry. I really love the three heroes, seeing them alive; embarking in their adventures in the motion picture will be a huge treat.


Amanda Stenberg as Rue

Rue was the heart of the first book. Her friendship and teamwork with Katniss, and what became of her was an integral part of the journey of Katniss until the explosive conclusion.


Lenny Kravitz as Cinna

I adore his song “Are you going to go my way?” playing the role of the lovable stylist, Cinna will be surprisingly good choice.


Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy

He generally pulled the strings in the game to make sure that Katniss would even stand a chance. Haymitch is such a funny character, but saying that he has some inner demons is an understament. He already died the moment he became a champion in the previous Hunger Game, hoping to redeem himself, he will try to give Katniss back to her family, alive.


Elizabet Banks as Effie Trinket

I like the honesty of the character of Effie. At first, she just wanted to gain respect as the manager of the tribute from the hopeless District 13, but she eventually truly cared for Katniss and Peeta.

Here Comes the Sun

The start of August had been pestered by non-stop rain. Gloomy skies, cold weather, persistent rain and wet pavements are the order of the day. I really like rain, how it makes sleeping extra comfy, how the sound of the raindrops is like a lullaby at night and how perfect to sip a cup of tea while watching television. But it is another story if I am out for work. Threats of flooding, traffic jam and difficulty to commute home makes me wish that rain would stop, even for a while until I get home.

Today, it seems that the sky finally emptied itself. When I saw the bright blue sky and white clouds, I realized that I missed having a sunny day. It seemed really peaceful that the sun smiled upon us again. It was really pleasant to feel the heat again and be in a dry place. I appreaciated the two seasons that my country has by indulging myself with a large order of french fries from McDonalds. Here comes the sun, I'll enjoy it while it last.

TLs Say Goodbye to Harry

cream of the crop 2

1.Goliath
1.The Matrix had been one of the most influential movie that I ever watched. So, it was a pleasant surprised that Neil Gaiman actually wrote a short story based on the Wachowski brothers' epic movie. The main themes of The Matrix had made 'Goliath' one of the most inspired part of the collection. The alternative universe, wherein machines rule the world and humans are just slaves had been creatively captured in literature by the author.

2.Other People
One of the Catholic dogma is that sinners are going to be punished in hell. According to the Holy Bible, they are going to suffer eternally in the river of fire. While in Dante Alighieri's classic, Inferno illustrated hell with nine circles of punishments according to gravity of sin. The genius in this short story of Gaiman is that it went beyond the physical pain one would experience after his death. He claimed that there is something far worse wherein he would learn about the consequences of his actions: 'He learned the results of things he had done; things he had been blind to as he did them; the ways he had hurt the world; the damage he had done to people he had never known, or met, or encountered.'

3.Keepsakes and Treasures
This story intrigued me because of the fictional Tribe of Shahinai which is 'a race of people whose only asset is the beauty of their men. So every century they sell one of their
men for enough money to keep the tribe going for another hundred years.' The 'mob' theme of it added a gritty tone to the story that made it even more remarkable.

4.The Problem of Susan
It is refreshing to know that even gifted writers like Gaiman can feel problematic sometimes. He had trouble accepting what happened to Susan, one of the characters in the Narnia series. I think he was dissatisfied how the book just eliminated Susan and the reason why. I was meaning to read the Chronicales of Narnia for the longest time. But the huge volume of the collection discourage me. I don't even watch any of the Narnia movies. In my opinion, “The Problem of Susan' is really disturbing and hard to forget, the only way to be comfortable with it is when you already read the original Narnia books.

5.How Do You Think It Feels?
It would really be nice if there is a gargoyle to guard our hearts. We won't feel the crushed feeling of a broken heart. We won't shed tears because of unrequited love. We won't see everything in black and white when we lose in the game of love. This story is easily relatable and wonderfully written because at the end, there is nothing but void and emptiness but no pain at all. Which means to say that there is always hope, and yes, love, after a terrible heart ache.

of babies and marriage

Being pregnant doesn't always result to marriage. But one can't say that it is an unplanned pregnancy because if you are sexually active and doesn't take contraceptives regularly, there will really be big chance to be pregnant. In this modern time that women are empowered and traditional values had shifted, it is up to the couple to decide should they decide to marry or not. And it is not just because they are expecting, that would only one of the reasons. It would be wrong to wed just because of the baby. They should wed because they really love each other and they are committed to start a family together.

I am just baffled that since the couple is in the relationship, meaning, they do love each other, that would still not be enough to convince them to get married since they are also set to have a child. If they are really not sure about each other, then birth control pills are readily available for them. This is something that we can control, and yet, it still happens. Perhaps to give way to a new life in the world.
As someone who is not part of this kind of dilemma, I am just here to support and love. Having a new born in such a blessing , it is something to celebrate. Though the parent's lives would be changed forever because it is a life long responsibility, whether they chose to marry or not.