I've been entering a ton of giveaways lately because, a.) My country never has stock of good books, and b.) Even if they did, I have zero funds to buy them all. So, in an attempt to get at least one new book to read, I entered this new giveaway by Words And Whisperings :) You can find it by clicking the links. Everyone should join it; there are some really good books up for grabs.
I've wanted Matched by Ally Condie for the longest time now, and I really hope for my own sake that I win. The blog is giving it away, amongst all the other books in the list the winners can choose from. There can be two winners for the Words and Whisperings Giveaway, which gives me a whisper of a hope. (No pun intended.)
All the other contests I've joined so far have been to no success. I don't know how many other giveaways out there are offering copies of Matched, and most of all, I don't know how many of those I can actually win.
The odds are always against readers in the Philippines. It's a little sad. I'm thinking... we're in need of an Effie Trinket to wish us some luck.
But, anyway, for all the other people that are joining the contest, may the odds be ever in your favor. And I wish you optimal results. (See, I haven't even read Matched yet and I already know its tagline. That, my friends, for those of you who don't know, is tragic dedication.)
Pity party at my place. Who's up for it?
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Mockingjay and Memories
So, Mockingjay, the final book of The Hunger Games Trilogy was released a few days ago. I read the first few chapters via e-book, but I saved the rest for this weekend. I'll be passing by the bookstore then, and I'll grab a copy before the stock runs out.
I don't know why, but I'm really sad that this book has just been released. It's almost as if a part of me is dying. I've been a fan of The Hunger Games for about two years now, and over that span of time, I've gotten really close with the characters. They're just amazing people, and to me, they're my friends. Maybe the friendship is a little one-sided, but it's not like I care. They make me laugh and cry and they're awesome either way.
Truth is, I don't want it to end. Maybe I'm being a little too dramatic, but just the fact that the last book of the series is already released means a lot to me. Physics says one way to measure time is to count the events that occur regularly. These book releases have been regular for me for the past couple of years, and I've already counted them. One, two, three.
It's all too sad. It's ending. And I feel like it's strangely symbolic, here. Because, just like The Hunger Games, chapters of my life are ending.
And, just like The Hunger Games, I don't want them to.
I don't know why, but I'm really sad that this book has just been released. It's almost as if a part of me is dying. I've been a fan of The Hunger Games for about two years now, and over that span of time, I've gotten really close with the characters. They're just amazing people, and to me, they're my friends. Maybe the friendship is a little one-sided, but it's not like I care. They make me laugh and cry and they're awesome either way.
Truth is, I don't want it to end. Maybe I'm being a little too dramatic, but just the fact that the last book of the series is already released means a lot to me. Physics says one way to measure time is to count the events that occur regularly. These book releases have been regular for me for the past couple of years, and I've already counted them. One, two, three.
It's all too sad. It's ending. And I feel like it's strangely symbolic, here. Because, just like The Hunger Games, chapters of my life are ending.
And, just like The Hunger Games, I don't want them to.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Dreams
So, for as long as I've been alive, I've always had dreams. I've only had a couple of visions before and I've never prophesied, but I get dreams often. Last night, I had another strange dream, and I left home pondering what it meant. When I got to church, we had some pre-service prayer, and Pastor Emilio quoted a Bible verse while we all prayed. He said, "Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men dream dreams..." (Joel 2:28) And I kept thinking, "Hey, wait a minute. Does that make me an old man, then?"
Revelation of the century.
All right, on with the dream, then.
In my dream, I'm at home and packing myself some lunch for school or something. But as I'm doing this, a boy comes up to me and offers to pack my lunch for me. I agree, thinking, hey, why not? Which is strange, because first of all, I don't recognize or know this boy, and this is my home. So what is he doing here? That's not even the weirdest part yet.
At some point after filling my lunch box, the boy pulls a live worm out of no where. And then he says to me, "Do you want me to add this to your lunch? It's delicious." I nod my head, albeit uncertainly. What's strange is that I don't mind that he is putting a worm in my lunchbox for me to eat. I only regard the worm as if it were a type of food I have never tasted before in my life. There's a first time for everything, I think. And then I thank the boy and I leave my home with my lunch.
When I get to my school, it's already lunch time and I open my pack to eat, but then I spot the single worm, wriggling around in my otherwise good lunch. I wrinkle my nose a little at the sight of it, but I brace myself and grab my eating utensils. As soon as my spoon and fork touch my food, however, I decide against eating the worm and I throw it out. But then I'm hungry now and without the worm in my lunch, it doesn't look too bad. It's strange though, because, since a dirty worm has been swimming in my lunch, I shouldn't eat the food even though it doesn't have the worm in it anymore because it would be dirty as well. But I do. I eat what's left of my lunch. And then I get a sick stomach, I lean over to the left, and I vomit my guts out.
That's the end of my dream. It's gross, yes, but I think there's a meaning behind it.
God has been dealing with me lately about the entertainment that I allow into my life. Just a week ago or so, I emptied my music player of all the worldly music in it. And let me tell you, that was a lot of worldly music. It was admittedly a little difficult letting go of all those artists that I loved so much, but once I realized that I was honoring God by doing it, it was a much easier job to do.
I asked God about it this morning, and this is what He revealed to me.
I think the boy, whoever he was, might have been the devil. Looking back at it, I think I remember the boy being really good looking, and in the Bible, it says that Satan fashions himself as an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14), and an angel of light would look good, right? And the worm represents the things of this world - dirty, unhealthy, and although it seems all right, it will taste absolutely awful once you eat it. My lunch, of course, is the entertainment or music or movies that I allow into my life.
By putting the worm into my lunch, it was like compromising my standards by watching and listening to entertainment that didn't glorify God. And even though I threw the worm out already, I had to suffer the consequences by eating the bad food (because I was hungry; this also applies spiritually) and I ended up having a bad stomach from doing so.
Though I think the vomiting part of my dream, however disgusting it seemed, is a good thing. It means I got rid of all the junk that I stomached. And, even though it left a bad aftertaste and didn't make my throat feel very amazing, there was relief in my stomach after I puked it out.
Revelation of the century.
All right, on with the dream, then.
In my dream, I'm at home and packing myself some lunch for school or something. But as I'm doing this, a boy comes up to me and offers to pack my lunch for me. I agree, thinking, hey, why not? Which is strange, because first of all, I don't recognize or know this boy, and this is my home. So what is he doing here? That's not even the weirdest part yet.
At some point after filling my lunch box, the boy pulls a live worm out of no where. And then he says to me, "Do you want me to add this to your lunch? It's delicious." I nod my head, albeit uncertainly. What's strange is that I don't mind that he is putting a worm in my lunchbox for me to eat. I only regard the worm as if it were a type of food I have never tasted before in my life. There's a first time for everything, I think. And then I thank the boy and I leave my home with my lunch.
When I get to my school, it's already lunch time and I open my pack to eat, but then I spot the single worm, wriggling around in my otherwise good lunch. I wrinkle my nose a little at the sight of it, but I brace myself and grab my eating utensils. As soon as my spoon and fork touch my food, however, I decide against eating the worm and I throw it out. But then I'm hungry now and without the worm in my lunch, it doesn't look too bad. It's strange though, because, since a dirty worm has been swimming in my lunch, I shouldn't eat the food even though it doesn't have the worm in it anymore because it would be dirty as well. But I do. I eat what's left of my lunch. And then I get a sick stomach, I lean over to the left, and I vomit my guts out.
That's the end of my dream. It's gross, yes, but I think there's a meaning behind it.
God has been dealing with me lately about the entertainment that I allow into my life. Just a week ago or so, I emptied my music player of all the worldly music in it. And let me tell you, that was a lot of worldly music. It was admittedly a little difficult letting go of all those artists that I loved so much, but once I realized that I was honoring God by doing it, it was a much easier job to do.
I asked God about it this morning, and this is what He revealed to me.
I think the boy, whoever he was, might have been the devil. Looking back at it, I think I remember the boy being really good looking, and in the Bible, it says that Satan fashions himself as an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14), and an angel of light would look good, right? And the worm represents the things of this world - dirty, unhealthy, and although it seems all right, it will taste absolutely awful once you eat it. My lunch, of course, is the entertainment or music or movies that I allow into my life.
By putting the worm into my lunch, it was like compromising my standards by watching and listening to entertainment that didn't glorify God. And even though I threw the worm out already, I had to suffer the consequences by eating the bad food (because I was hungry; this also applies spiritually) and I ended up having a bad stomach from doing so.
Though I think the vomiting part of my dream, however disgusting it seemed, is a good thing. It means I got rid of all the junk that I stomached. And, even though it left a bad aftertaste and didn't make my throat feel very amazing, there was relief in my stomach after I puked it out.
Exposition and explanations
Hi, hello there.
I started a new blog because I thought, being someone into reading and writing and such, I ought to. Yeah, basically, I'll be posting a lot about my life, my thoughts, and every random thing in between.
As for my blog title, well... I kind of like the word mundane. It's ordinary, both in meaning and pronunciation, but it's beautiful (at least, for me, it is). I also tend to get lost in my thoughts whether I'm alone or not, so that accounts for the last half of my blog title.
Yeah, so now I've unraveled my not-so-mysterious-to-begin-with blog title.
Lovely story.
I started a new blog because I thought, being someone into reading and writing and such, I ought to. Yeah, basically, I'll be posting a lot about my life, my thoughts, and every random thing in between.
As for my blog title, well... I kind of like the word mundane. It's ordinary, both in meaning and pronunciation, but it's beautiful (at least, for me, it is). I also tend to get lost in my thoughts whether I'm alone or not, so that accounts for the last half of my blog title.
Yeah, so now I've unraveled my not-so-mysterious-to-begin-with blog title.
Lovely story.
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