First Book of the Year

"For the first time in days, she felt absolutely confident. This was her world. She knew what to do."

How I Got It

In a mall, during a get together with college friends, we do not know what to do. Suggestion? Since cinema is not an option (we had to wait long), just go around and check things.

Of course, I would not miss a bookstore. While browsing for titles, I did not expect to find The 39 Clues in Booksale specifically the first book.  It costs Php135. As someone who is trying to control my book collection habit, I thought twice whether to buy it or not. We left empty handed to check on National Bookstore and think there whether to go back for it or not. I did not actually plan to check the regular price but upon passing by its series, I decided to look at the price tag. I did not see book one but I know it is of the same price as the following books. It is Php500 rounded off.

Before we left the mall, I went back for it. In my defense, it is a rare find as cheap as it is and well, I haven't bought any book in a while so I thought I deserve to treat myself one. I still have to manage and control my habit expenses though. Good luck with that but I know I will make it through.

I already finished reading it and I do not know when I will acquire the second book. As of the moment, when I checked it online, there are thirty one books for this series. If I would do it, it will be critical for my wallet so in the near future, I will not collect it yet. The important thing for now is that I was able to start with the first book.

What's In It

I liked the story. Especially that it was Mr. Riordan who wrote it first, I expected nonetheless. I haven't read his new novels yet but with his work with the Percy Jackson series, I know he will do something amazing again.

This 2008 book has another big twist wherein significant people are part of a prestigious family and that they are relatives, even if it's distant. As long as they carry a portion of the blood, as long as it runs in their veins. This journey of Amy and Dan Cahill for a secret, hidden in 39 Clues, reminds me of Capcom's Resident Evil game, not the movie. Everything there, from one place to another, involves the characters to look for items to be able to proceed. Those items serves as key access. Only this time, with 39 Clues, it's on a wider scope.

I cannot elaborate the details of the misfortunes of the siblings anymore but what I think is the most important lesson that this book is portraying is a simple as - your family is your support. Amy and Dan fight like normal siblings do. But as the story moved on, with its drama that can be compared in real life minus all the dangerous stuff, at the end of the day, you may not be in good relationship with your relatives, it will always be your immediate family that can always be with you through it all.

During and after reading this book, I was able to prove that my interest really lies in action-adventure-teen/young adult genre. I can read drama and others but it can either take a while to finish it or stop halfway through. It will now depend on the plot. That's why I think thrice before buying nowadays.

This is the first book of the year 2015. I hope there will be new good reads to come

Notable Ideas

~Amy had been reading more than usual. Dan knew it was her way of hiding,...
~The old man chuckled, "You have intelligence and youth, and a fresh way of looking at things. I, on the other hand, have resources and age,..."
~She looked at her brother. Despite how annoying he was, they had always been able to communciate just by looking at each other. It wasn't telepathy or anything, but she could tell what her brother was thinking.
~It drove her crazy when she couldn't remember things. She read so many books sometimes they got jumbled around in her head.
~"I'm going to regret this, Nellie muttered. "But I might as well regret it in Paris."
~He decided not to think about it. One thing at a time.
~Mary-Todd yelled. "Children, we can't keep arguing with each other. It hurts team morale."
~Amy couldn't believe how quickly his spirits had rebounded. A few minutes ago, he'd been complaining about his feet and his heavy backpack. Now, a hunk of bread later, he was as good as new. Amy wished she was like that. he felt like lying down and sleeping for a century,...

Down Time

He could lie here and simply think. His favourite occupation.

–Eion Colfer, Artemis Fowl: Opal Deception

 

Every Sunday, when I was still working with my first job, there is this thing called “down time.” Basically, it means system maintenance and with that, we cannot use our computers for a certain period of time. That term, “down time,” is appropriate right now for what I am feeling, not because I cannot use my computer but because I cannot seem to function myself.

 

Down time can be caused by “what if…” I was able to confirm that staying too much at home doing nothing most of the time, or at least looking for something to do, can be very toxic. You have nothing else to do but think. Looking at an excerpt from Artemis Fowl above, that is how exactly I grew up. So, I can be described as an overthinker.

 

The best solution that exists is to pray. The other option I that comes after that is to listen to music. Other than Christian music, below are titles that contain what I feel. The first three songs convey negativity. It is followed by the fourth that portrays hope. The rest that comes after until the end, sustains hope and turns on positivity. You may try to listen to them and see the meaning within. The right time will come that I’ll be back to normal and I can say, “Systems up!”

 

~Broken by Lifehouse

~The Scientist by Coldplay

~Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne

~Let Me Go by Avril Lavigne feat. Chad Kroeger

~Give Your Heart A Break by Demi Lovato

~On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons

~Phoenix Burn by Alpha Rev

~Somewhere Only We Know by Keane

~Shake It Off by Taylor Swift

~Suddenly I See by KT Tunstall

~Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield

~Radioactive by Imagine Dragons

~Stronger by Kelly Clarkson

~Smile by Avril Lavigne

~Life Is Good by Junk

Little Signs

Hershel: "Just hold it a little longer. Please?"

My favorite quote comes from Arthur Conan Doyle for his character Sherlock Holmes. It goes this way, "It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important." They definitely are as there are little signs that show and mean something. However, I chose to use a different quote above (from a character in The Walking Dead) as it best describes what I have felt. On one note, both are relevant.

 

I do not know what happened to me. Maybe I just had cold feet. I understand how my colleagues will react when they learn about my plan, some will be positive while some will be negative. A few understood what I was going through while many still tried to convince me to stay while. Those who understood said it is normal and they went through the same experience when they first started. Some also said that I am still young and that there will still be other opportunities out there.

 

Last month, these happened continuously: one stopped and one delayed wristwatch before leaving the house, slow moving jeepney while travelling, and I almost tripped while walking. The next day, I was delayed by slow walkers and I got late.

 

I tried to lessen my overthinking but I cannot deny and ignore these little signs - that this is not for me. Maybe it is just for the moment. I don't know. Maybe not for me ever. I tried to challenge myself and stand strong, I held on a little longer, but it was not that long enough and all I can manage is just for a specific period of time. It may be disappointing to others, I'm grateful for their concern and I will surely miss them, but my limit came and this is where I have to change course. I cannot go any further. I have to re-evaluate myself and my decision-making to find my next journey.

He Shall Return*

For the last week of October, my scheduled changed with Monday and Tuesday as my rest days. Little did I know that a colleague of mine will be leaving for another road to travel and yes, also literally, because it is another journey.

I already had an idea that it will come soon but no specific date was mentioned. So, on my second day of off was his last day in the office. Everyone else was able to celebrate with him because that day was also our pay day.

Then, the first week of November came and again, my schedule changed. In this line of business, flexibility in time is needed because that is how it works. With this, my rest days moved as well to Tuesday and Wednesday.

While watching early in the morning in Philippine standard time (as I am following American time), I received a message and it is from him. He was asking if I have a duty and I told him that it was my off.

Well, that was two times in a row that I am at home when he was in the office. I may not have seen him before his adventure but I reached to him through text. Well, we will just see each other someday. We may have just met for a short period of time but I am blessed to have a great family in our wave.

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*Based from the famous line of General Douglas MacArthur only that this is on a second person point of view and it is for Mark Anthony a.k.a. Mac

Push Up

I have tried push ups at school during P.E. classes and sometimes at home when I exercise, all of which are done the way push ups are done by most people. Today, was a first: I tried  push ups while someone was sitting on my back. Take note, however, that it was part of a dare and the circumstance is for fun.

 

We were playing a game because our volunteer duties are coming to an end as the event itself comes to a conclusion. Same day as its last day is the birthday of our supervisor. We have come to celebrate it with simple bonding moments.

 

With this body type, even though the game master was not entirely sitting on me (as claimed) and had requested only five, push up was not easy. Haha! Everybody laughed, cheered, and enjoyed. This new experience, with newly met people, is worth our while.

I had a fun night.

A Number of Test

The last day of Civil Service Exam Review (courtesy of LPU CAS Faculty) officially ended last Friday, April 04. As night fell, the question that normally grow on regular days grew as well this time, am I ready for the actual exam?

After the pre- and post-test, the lessons I have learned over the course of my educational background since pre-school is once again put into challenge and the results were just quite satisfactory. I got 59/85 in the first and I might not know my score in the latter. This means to say that my knowledge expertise over a particular topic is inconsistent wherein for a regular three-unit minor subject during class, I usually get higher score.

That is seconded by CEM (Center for Educational Measurement) tests I took during high school. For four years, the results varied for English, Mathematics, and Science. Once, I got higher in English than in the two. Another time, I excelled better in Mathematics than in the two. This shows that I can actually do well in anything if I put my mind into it but I just will never get everything all at the same time. It is like saying to get a high score for one, I have to sacrifice the other scores to be just average.

The day of the Civil Service Exam came and my mother and I arrived in the venue at almost exactly 6:30am, the call time. The exam started by 8am and the examiner decided to brief us of do's and dont's only by that time so our three hours and ten minutes time alloted for answering lost by more or less twenty-five minutes. So wise in using one and a half hour of preparing when that itself had excess time.

Overall, I answered all the items. Like everyone else, on some items I am sure of my answers while on others I was not. For the remaining, I totally guessed around twenty items because I had no time to solve or properly go back after I skipped them.

After all the tests I took since I was young, I don't know why suddenly my anxiousness activated. I had my dilemmas before but sitting on a chair for so long and just answering a test made me grow tired. As a result, I don't know if I did so well. The goal was achieved - complete the test - but there is no telling how high I will get.

This is just a number of test among the tests we have in life: the test exam itself and how we will overcome the test problem of answering the exam when the exam itself has a lot of problems to be solved. Expect more in the real world because graduation is next and a new chapter of tests will come - some are like what we have encountered before while some are new.

SEW Hard*

Today was the first day of the Civil Service Exam Review, the first day of experiencing work environment continuously. Three more days left and let us see if I can do this.

The review is from April 1-4, from 8am to 4pm. This means to say that I wake up early but might go home late. Doing it for four days is an exercise to the future of working everyday. No more vacation, just rest day... or if lucky, rest days. Go to work, go home, go to work, go home, and so on. Will I still have time for barkada or family getaways? I will become exhausted but I know I must continue because it takes a lot of effort before I become stable and regular.

In relation to that idea, on my home a while ago, a random thought came to me that I want to make an entry about it. The idea is very common but I just like to document my experience of it.

I have been working before on a project-basis so I already know how it feels even though they have time gaps. When there is not enough manpower, we can be summoned and it was a nice experience. However, the allowance that we earned for taking part in the event does not match the energy we exerted in accomplishing our tasks. Today, I am still a student but I am done with going to school. I am just waiting for our graduation. As they say, we are grad-waiting. I am going to school but for a different reason. It is still studying but it is no longer required.

My mother still gives me allowance because I am yet to look for my job. My work before was an eye opener to what lies ahead of our field. Back then, I still had the luxury to spend for wants and needs without fear of empty pockets. We are provided financially. Today is different. We are nearing the period wherein parents are still providing money but it is now just for the mean time that I search for a job. When I work, it will be my own money that I use not only for myself but also for my family.

We really have to work hard because spending is simple and easy but earning those money before we get what we like other than our needs, we have to sweat and use our strength. That is one slice of life. Now I realized how hard it will become for me by experiencing it myself and not just watching my mom and brother go home, sleep, wake up, and go to work day by day.

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*SEW Hard - may also signify "to stitch for the life you want" but the first thing it means is "Spend Easy, Work Hard"