Between the Covers: Stories from My Bookcase

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

OK! Magazine–The Royal Wedding Special

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Grabbed the photo from OK! Philippines’ EIC’s blog – Topaz Horizon

I’ve long been a fan of OK! Philippine’s Editor in Chief Frances Sales. I stalk her blog, and I’ve liked her blog’s fan page on Facebook. I’m a fan.

But I’ve got to admit, I am not a big fan of her magazine. It’s not for me. I bought an issue a few months ago and realized that. Still, when the Royal Wedding Special came out (aka the May issue), I grabbed a copy.

I’m a bit disappointed though. A lot of the disappointment stems from the fact that I had looked at all those photos online already. I guess I was hoping to see other photos and back stories. Perhaps photos taken by OK! staff based in the UK or anyone who was there to witness the festivities.

But apart from that, it was a good read. I liked all the other features, even the one on Elizabeth Taylor. I also loved looking at pictures of pretty ladies in their pretty dresses.

And though I probably won’t be buying OK! at full price anytime soon, I’m still a Topaz Horizon fan and I’ll continue to support her in other ways. Smile

Monday, May 23, 2011

Offline and Online Personas

What’s your ideal online job? I saw this question posted yesterday on My Lot but didn’t respond. It was a simple question, but I wanted to think about my answer.

I’d love to be a content writer/researcher for an established site or for a number of blogs. But that can’t be easy. How many times have I had writer’s block? With three active blogs on different topics, one would think I should never run out of anything to say. But that’s not true.

Sometimes I go days without a post on any of my blogs.

Being a digital scrapbook designer or shop owner or a resource site owner would be top of my list too. Sadly though, I don’t have industry-moving ideas, nor creative talent that would ensure my success in that career. I’ve accepted that already. Haha. Smile

What else is there online? So maybe I don’t have an ideal job. But there are so many activities online I’d like to be more involved in. One of which is enrollment in an online university. Maybe I’d have much luck there than I’ve had in a real, mortar and rock school Smile Attendance would definitely be better, huh? Hehe.

I’d love an online job that would complement my passions in life. I think that site owner really is the way to go. But I’d need time and resources to pursue those passions, and then I’d blog/write about them. So the online job wouldn’t be my main bread and butter, but rather an extension of what it is I do offline. Know what I mean?

Hmm…

Eihdra’s First Blogversary Giveaway!

We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries with parties, special lunch or dinner, or out of town trips. In blogland, blog anniversaries are normally celebrated with a big bang – giveaways!

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Eihdra’s two blogs are celebrating their blog anniversaries and she has decided to run a fantastic contest to giveaway fab prizes! Checkout her massive list of sponsors:

My Tot’s Exactly * My Tummy Calls * It’s All About Me * Just Another Pixel *blankPixels.com * Make Money OnlineCertified Foodies * Notepad Corner *Delectable Ideas * Joy’s Flair * Home Buddies * Earning Online * Mike Mamaril *Work At Home Dad * YZ’s Little Steps * E.A.S.Y on Yz * Noob Foodie *LEVYousa * Living Life to the Fullest * Designer’s Depot

Viva Trips & Tips * House of Maria * Corsame Lane * Pinay Mommy Online *Proud Mommy of Three * The Filipina WHAM * Mom Writes * Heart’s Content of a Mama * Love Home Grow Garden * The Jolly Toes * Seasons and Seasonings* Insights of Over 30 Something Creature * My (Second) Hand Philosophy *Really Interesting Projects * Mommy’s Joy Ride * A Woman’s Shell * Multi-Tasker in Action * Everything Nice * The Misis Chronicles * Health and Beauty Geek *

Make Money Online * One Proud Momma * Samut-Sari * Foodies Galore * Earn Dollars Pinoy! * What’s UP?! * Chizmiz to the Max * Pop Ups of my Mind * Treat your Palate * Cebu News and Events * Travels and Explorations * Everything Alabama * A Woman’s World * Brown Pinay * My Point of View * Jared’s Little Corner * Pink Memoirs * Topics on Earth

Mom’s Ups and Downs * Azumi-Kawaii Princess * Kawaii Princess * Fabbielous Momma * Life of a Filipina Blogger * Mirage * Gracia Fashionista * Travel Sites and Scenes * Momma Helps * Zowanderer * Stylish Voyager * The Journalistic View * Hot Fun Stuffs * Neru Online * Yami Online * My Green Living Ideas

Joining is easy as pie and there are so many way to earn raffle entries from the required tasks alone. Doing the simple additional tasks would get you more chances of winning. There are a lot of prizes to be given away too. Amazing!

So hop on over to One Proud Momma and join up!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Zumba!

Have I ever mentioned owning a Wii? Well I don’t, the boyfriend does. What I love about it is it makes us move, given the right games. Smile

We’d battle each other with the Wii resort games – Tennis in particular. But my favorite so far, is Just Dance! I love that it gave me a much needed workout without getting me bored or making me want to give up like treadmills and ellipticals do. Smile

Sadly, I don’t play it enough.

But having games like it make me forget about wanting to buy RockBand 3 with the Fender guitar. Seriously. I love playing RockBand and Guitar Hero but I’ve so far stayed away from the added expense of buying a guitar for the Wii in the past three months. Thanks to move games I think I can hold out for a longer time.

There’s one game though that I might just go shell out money for – one that promises to get you on your feet, moving, and sweating – Zumba!

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If I’m not mistaken, this is the same fitness craze that has also invaded a local gym. I was  never one to join group classes at the gym because I don’t know anyone there, but I really want the workout! Zumba lessons at home via the console may just be the answer. Smile

Friday, May 6, 2011

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

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After seeing Coraline on cable, they showed Cloudy with a chance of Meat Balls next. I didn’t see this when it was shown in cinemas because there weren’t a lot of good reviews out there. Seeing it for free on TV though, I must say that I was entertained by the movie.

The story is set on the island of Swallow Falls whose people are stuck with their sardines. Young Flint didn’t want to live on sardines and wasn’t interested much in taking over the family business. He was an inventor.

Just when the town was set to reinvent itself under its very ambitious Mayor, Flint took the opportunity to sneak to the power plant to plug in his latest invention – it needed more power than what has little lab could muster.

But Swallow Falls wasn’t very welcoming of Flint’s creations. So when his plan was found out, everyone set out to stop him. And that didn’t go well. His machine, all revved up from the power from the plant, shot up like a rocket!

But that was just the beginning.

Sam, intern at the Weather Channel, was covering the reopening of Swallow Falls and she becomes key to what eventually happens in the story. I like Sam. And it’s not just because she’s blonde and pretty. She’s smart! Hehe Smile

I don’t if kids would necessary appreciate the bits of life lessons I picked up from the film given that they will be in awe of the giant-sized food from the sky. But the film spoke to me of these:

> Geeks rule!

> Gluttony is bad. So is Greed.

> Kids won’t always be like their parents, and that’s okay.

> Some parents just don’t know how to show (and tell) their kids (specially the grown up ones) that they love and appreciate them.

> We all (mostly) seek the approval of our parents.

Funny how the only impact of all that rain of food that they highlighted was the mountain of leftovers, and the obesity of the Mayor. No negative effects on the temperament of the people and the kids because of all the fatty and sweet foods they’d been having? No breakout of pimples on teenagers and adults alike? I mean, if you eat cheeseburgers and fries all day and other similar food, wouldn’t you breakout and maybe even need tretinoin gel eventually?

Oh well. Smile

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Natural Quick Fixes for Headache

My reading has not progressed so still no new book review today.

While having breakfast (or was it dinner?) at the table one day last week, Mom shared Cory Quirino’s column on that day’s paper: Natural quick fixes for common problems.
The first one she wrote about was for Headaches. My favorite.

Her first tip was to rule out dehydration. I personally find this to be true. Many times, I wake up from sleep parched dry, and with a budding headache. A nice cool glass of water gives instant relief. This type of headache usually attacks when I go to bed without drinking a glass of water before bedtime. Sometimes, I will feel thirsty and at the back of my head sense the onset of a headache. When I do, I don’t go back to sleep right away – I ask for a glass of water instead. If I don’t, I’ll wake up later on with a really bad headache.

For headache caused by low sodium level, she suggests 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Melt on your tongue before drinking two glasses of water.

For sinusitis induced headache, she suggests a nasal flush with a saline solution. Protecting the eyes from glaring lights will help too. I have allergic rhinitis. I have a feeling that this will help me a lot too.

She goes on with more tips that are really very practical and it’s easy to see how they can actually be effective. Go check out the article in the link above.

Meantime, I’ve been thinking about Yoga lately, and of running. I want to try them out but am apprehensive. I don’t necessarily want to become an expert at both. I just want to give them a try. Maybe one of these is the key to my health and well-being.  And perhaps getting fit is a long term fix for my recurring headaches. No?

Monday, May 2, 2011

Coraline–Be Careful What You Wish For

I finally got to see this wonderful animated film on TV last night. We almost moved on to another channel, but I was intrigued by the opening billboard, even before I found out what the movie was. Good thing we didn’t switch channels.

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Since learning of the movie, I’ve thought about the book it was based on, written by Neil Gaiman. I’ve wanted to read it. I hesitated then, but after seeing the movie, all the more that I want to read the book.

Coraline moves into the Pink Palace Apartments with her writer parents. They have a nice garden in the front yard but no one has time to do any gardening. Quite ironic as her Dad writes about gardening, and her Mom is the Editor.

So the young girl is pretty much left to herself. She meets a new friend, Wybie, grandson of the landlady. He gives her a doll the very next day – a doll that oddly looks exactly like Coraline in her yellow raincoat. Wybie isn’t allowed inside the pink house – her grandmother’s twin sister disappeared there when they were kids.

Shortly after the arrival of the doll, Coraline discovers a small door. It was wallpapered over, and it opens to a brick wall. She and her mom figured it happened after the house was divided to three apartments. But that night, Caroline discovers otherwise.

The door led to the other house, where the Other Parents dwelled. And the story went on.

How many times did you ever wonder how things would be if your parents were better than you thought they were? I’d always known I was blessed with my parents, but for sure there was at least one time in my childhood when I wished they were more “giving,” hahahahaa!

What if you actually had a choice? But it meant completely giving up your parents, and the world as you knew it. Hmm.

Suddenly, I remember the push and pull factors of Child Trafficking that we discussed day in and day out when I was still working for an NGO. Dysfunctional families push kids away. The promise of a better life pulls them into situations of exploitation. The Other Mother is just like an illegal recruiter. So parents, be warned, do not ignore your kids. And kids, be warned too, don’t be lured by shiny things, good promises and yummy food.