Though everyone could escape with a really good movie, there is nothing like a good book to walk us through on every turn of the page. Reading may be time consuming and straining to the eye at times, but there is always that satisfying feeling you get every time you close a book and put it back to the shelves.

And here were my recent companions:

MacArthur by Bob Ong. 7th book from the author that brought us that infamous ABNKKBSNPLAko and my favorite, Ang Paboritong Aklat ni Hudas, comes this fiction having one of the most close-to-reality Philippine diaspora I’ve ever read. It may be a coffee table book, but it is 100-page good. You’re even helping people when you purchase the book; part of the sales goes to Gawad Kalinga.

How I Got This Way by Patrick McManus. One of my ad-hoc-chosen books to read recommended by a co-worker, this has the same spark Bill Bryson had offered. Ok, I’ll admit I like Bill Bryson’s more, but Pat McManus’ antics are out of this world. Filled with short and funny stories, this one is perfect for people having difficulty finding time to sit down for a book.

Deception Point by Dan Brown. Hat’s off to Mr. Brown. I’ve read The Da Vinci code, and this one did delivered. One thing though, predictability is quite high. having learned his writing style on Da Vinci, this one was quite easy to figure out. But still, it is one hell of a ride (um, read). Like his previous work, seems like a novel meant to be adapted into a movie. I could see McAdams and Clooney in it.

Digital Fortress by Dan Brown. Somewhat on the weaker side, but still a nice read. Similar to Deception Point, but this one maybe a good movie-for-TV sort of flick. Though I really like the hunt at Spain.

Now, I’m going through another McManus, Never Sniff A Gift Fish. If you could recommend a good read, just drop me line.

So what’s new you ask? Nothing. SSDD. LOL

I recently met up with a high school friend. We’d been wanting to get together (more on my side) then to catch-up and exchange DVDs. There were a lot of Saturdays that didn’t came through and just the last one was the lucky day. Earlier that day, I was on the mobile passporting project of the government. I woke up late and when I got to the gym, hundreds of people were already on line. I was probably on the 1/5 group on the back of the line. Hoping more slots would open up; I suck it all up and stood on the line. 30 minutes in, I found out that all the slots were gone and 2/3 of the people on the line will not be able to make the cut. Time to go home. As a bunch of the folks on the line started to broke off, I followed. As I walk away, I kept telling some of the people that we have no chance of getting in and that they should go home. Even when I was about to get a ride home, I saw a few people lining to the Xerox machine getting their papers copied and advised the man that all the slots for the passporting were gone. A short chit chat and I was on my way home.

On some other note, I watch the finale and my bet for Pinoy Big Brother Season 2 did won. Beatriz Saw (Bea). Among the diplomatic, the metamorphosis girl, the fighter; the country liked the bubbly motherly Bea better. I also wanted Wendy Valdez to win. I think she deserved it as much as Bea’s. We had the PBB2 24/7 Live Stream on pay-per-view cable which my mother religiously watched, well we all did, and probably I know them as much as they knew each other inside the house that if only the whole country saw everything, they would understand her more. The primetime showed highlights, we saw the whole thing. If only they showed some of those small bits we saw. Oh well, it’s all over and Wendy did won something anyway. With all the boos, I can only say one thing; she will be big.

Also I watched the Concert for Diana on cable, the whole thing. Lengthy but really entertaining. It had a great bunch of acts that pleased the young and the oldies as well. You don’t see an old lady grind to a P.Diddy song everyday.

Just finished re-re-re-reading (if such a word did exist) The Order of the Phoenix to freshen up for the upcoming movie. I’m really excited to see them all again. This is my favorite book and I have huge expectations for this flick. And on the same month, the last book will be on bookstores worldwide so I’ll be re-reading The Half-Blood Prince for it.

Still looking for a job.

About the website, it is nearly there. I have 4 prototypes to choose from. And it’s getting harder to decide which one I will choose. Maybe I’ll put screenshots on some forum and have the folks there decide which is which.

And with recent acquisitions concerning my quest to speak the language of love, this is one distraction that will be hard to fight. Bonne chance à moi.

Bill Bryson – I’m a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away. His weekly columns for a British newspaper about America complied and “Americanized” some of the phrases (his columns were originally for Brits) for worldwide release and domination.

Bill Bryson wrote in the funniest, attention-catching and even informative kind of way. Makes me want to write more (see, “write more” and not “start writing”) When I was collecting links for this entry, I found his official site and immediately went to his profile. In the most positive, compliment-giving, respectful way I could possibly imagine, I laughed as soon as I saw his photo. Almost all the funny things he wrote in the book came flashing back. I said to myself I have to get all his books. I will definitely shake this guy’s hand if I have the chance; I am one of his avid fans. And for my mandatory quote:

“I had ‘dribbles’ and ‘dambusters’ from laughing hard! Flex your face muscles before reading this book.”
- Onat Lopera, ONATLOPERA.COM

If you happen to know and like Bob Ong’s works, then you will love Bill Bryson.

And last night, armed with a guava leaf as my bookmark, I closed the book for good.

Stephen King’s Skeleton Crew, an old yet timeless classic from the King of horror compiling 22 of his uniquely unnerving short stories (with 2 poems) that he had written from late 60’s to the mid 80’s.

I couldn’t find an image of the same cover on the net so I scanned it. And as my second quote (first one was on this):

“It was a kiss to remember, chilling and baffling while it lasted.”
- Onat Lopera, ONATLOPERA.COM

Having said that it’s a collection of short stories, I didn’t have that “urge” to flip and read through the entire pages one after the other (like what I did on all Harry Potter books). The story not ends, but halts after a few pages. Short. And once I had reached that, I feel content and put down the book for now to be scared again tomorrow or maybe later on the day. I turned it into Twilight Zone with different episodes on each show. The excitement came from the thought of “what would the next story be?” King mentioned it on the book that reading novels are like “having long and satisfying affair” but on short stories, it was more like “a kiss in the dark from a stranger”, and it did felt like it.

From a mist of death, a toy from hell, a weird shortcut, a floating blob on the water, a thing with God-like powers, a handshake, a beautiful hitchhiker, “Fornits” and a frozen reach; they were uncanny, disturbing and downright bizarre. But there is this one story that really got me, including the fact that I read it in the dark accompanied only with a single burning candle (and whatever that is unknown) on the room upstairs because we got struck badly then. It was “Cain Rose Up”, after reading it, I remember I ducked and looked on the windows that night wondering if I am being watched. It sent shivers straight down to my spine.

Going through every page (and I mean every damn page), on the review-section, there is one comment that describes the book well:

STEPHEN KING takes the reader by the hand and leads him slowly to the haunted house, then shoves him inside and locks the door.
-Playboy

I recommend this to those who daunt on the thought of reading pages and pages of a story and not getting anything from it, for the impatient (because some of them are really short), the adventurous and to those who would like to be kissed in the dark by a stranger.

I always wanted to make one of those “quotes” you see on the books’ reviews section so here is mine:

“Rowling bewitched the world again! I laughed, got mad, shout the spells (and I do mean say the spell out loud) and sobbed while reading the book. It is indeed a shame to put down this book once you started it.”
- Onat Lopera, ONATLOPERA.COM

Good thing I just re-read “The Order of the Phoenix” 2 weeks ago, this book picked-up right where the 5th ended. It tied up the loose knots from the previous books and spins new ones for the next installment. As what I expected, this one is darker and more mature than the previous books. It would be better to freshen-up on your “The Order of The Phoenix” knowabouts before picking up this one, it is just one long story and as what it may seem, the 7th book would continue where it “paused” on this. Comparing from all other 5, perhaps this is the most different from all, but still, I have other favorites. This book has everything, from grand adventures, teenage hormones going wild and gut-wretching twists and turns. Looking for spoilers? Then you came to the wrong place. I’m just saying read the book “like you will never be able to read” (LOL), it is really great. It will leave you wanting more.

And about the “saying the spells out loud” part on my quote, I was really into the story and from the previous movies based upon the book series, I was picturing every line of the book based on the movies and when Harry said that “S” spell [seen also on the "Chamber of Secrets" movie, proves that some movie adaptations have lots of errors on them, you should know what I'm talking about if you have watched (and listened to) the movie and read this one], I did said it out loud! (without the swish-and-flick gesture though):D Good thing I was alone upstairs. LOL I really got caught up on that part.

Having 600+ pages, I have to say it is quite short (super bitin). After reading the last page, I was in the middle of “That was it?!” and “I think JK Rowling is going to do an akin-Matrix/LOTR cliffhanger also.” The book was more like a screenplay of a movie than a novel. And after hearing some rumors that the 7th will be the last, no such thing as “Harry after Hogwarts” book, (not entirely sure, but I’ll check on it) of the Harry Potter series, I don’t care even it has 1000 pages or more just as long as she concludes it “bloody good”. We’ll all see after …hmm… 2 years maybe?

OK, enough of this, I shouldn’t be doing this, it had been 4 days and yet I am still mourning.