More Good Flicks You Might Have Missed...


Hi Everyone!

If you're not out trick-or-treating tonight, check out these picks from our collection and let me know what you think!

Jill

The Ghost Writer


The Ghost Writer Poster

Directed by Roman Polanski. Starring Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Hutton. Based on the novel The Ghost by Robert Harris. When a gifted ghostwriter is hired to write the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang, he quickly finds himself trapped in a web of political and sexual intrigue. Lang is implicated in a scandal over his administration's harsh tactics, and as the ghostwriter digs into the politician's past, he discovers secrets that threaten to jeopardize international relations forever.  2010, Rated PG-13. Drama/Thriller.

Hysteria


Hysteria

Directed by Tanya Wexler.  Starring Felicity Jones, Jonathan Pryce, Rupert Everett, Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal.  In London, 1880, Mortimer Granville is struggling to establish his medical career. When he arrives at the offices of Dr. Robert Dalrymple, London's leading specialist in women's medicine, he is hired on the spot. Granville sets out to find a medical cure for what ails women diagnosed with “female hysteria” and accidentally electrifies love lives forever. 2011, rated R. Comedy/Romance.

Young Adult


Young Adult Poster


Directed by Jason Reitman.  Starring Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson.
After her divorce, a fiction writer decides to return to her hometown a rekindle a romance with a former sweetheart who is now married with children. 2010, Rated R. Comedy/Drama.

Fortitude






You may call it an affair - I mean, me and my plants. I water them late at night. When no one would catch my Martha Stewart humming, as steady drops of water go on a free-fall from my window. It is a matter of self-sacrifice as well. The pots keep the same window from getting shut. So when rain passes and a shear blows water towards my room's direction, it can soak everything - including the pillows I lay my head on at night.

Ours isn't a perfect arrangement. There are nights when I completely forget to water the plants. I would see them the next day, their leaves wilting and the earth which hold them in place dry and crumbling. They have already shed countless leaves for me. I in turn, have pulled weeds that stunt their growth. I try to make up for my shortcomings. Especially now that I have grown used to the little shade they provide when I forget to drop the curtains in the morning.

Two months and I find it amazing that we have gone this far. I could have neglected the plants and let them die, as new interests take my attention. But I stood my ground this time, stood longer than what this Eden Project and the home-maker spirit used to sum everything that is to me. Because once gardening had slip off my mind, and my misplaced direction miss where my old passion lies, I will have to start over, with a new set of garden plants, and cliche words to describe the feeling of doing it again, like I didn't make attempts to grow plants almost every year.




Trusteeship



At nineteen, I took over the family business as my dad and his business partner decides to spend the summer in Europe.

For two weeks, I stayed at my dad's rat-infested office to look after the company's 24-hour operations. I had to make tough choices - decisions that ran against the ideals infused in our heads in school. There were brief moments of euphoria too: road trips at 3 in the morning to drop my aunt at her place in Navotas, the matriarch cruising the city in a brand-new Kia Carnival my dad used as his wheels; friends dropping by to see how I was doing in the big company; late-night phone calls to the girl who will become my significant half when the school year opened a month later.

The recollections of those two weeks were handwritten in a torn-up sheet of paper. And as my boss prepares to fly to Singapore for a business trip today, the narratives of the old days serve as a fitting reminder that a very long time ago, such take-over took place, and my job at that time was far difficult than what I will be facing in a few hours.






May 9, 2001


Opisyal na nagsimula ang pansamantalang pag-take over ko sa Publishing House at sa Security Agency. Kahit paano'y alam na ng mga tao na ako ang mamumuno sa kanila. Para sa akin, ito'y isang patikim sa maaring mangyari pag ako'y nakatapos na, pero sabagay, mabuting matikman ko na ito kaysa mangapa ako pag nandun na.

Nauna akong pumasok kay Pa. Minabuti ko ito para kahit paano, magkaroon na ako ng mind-set sa mga gagawin ko sa mga susunod na araw. Nalaman ko na rin kahit paano ang mga kailangan kong gawin at paano ang buhay dito sa opisina.

Nakapanlalambot malaman na hindi lang overseer ang gagawin ko kundi pati rin mga articles ni papa. (ang column niya!) Ang pasok ko ay mula 11:00 ng umaga hanggang 1:00 ng sumunod na araw. Alam ko, napakahirap na trabaho ito, na kung minsan, parang trip ko atrasan. Ako lang ang magdedesisyon. Wala ng iba.

Maraming bilib sa gagawin ko. Pero sa akin, ito'y isang napakalaking responsibilidad. Hanggang sa ngayon, takot at pagdududa sa aking kakayahan ang naghahari. Bata pa rin pala ako. Gusto kong umatras pero ayoko maging duwag.

Bukas na ang alis ni pa. Pero hanggang sa ngayon, namumulot pa rin ako ng lakas ng loob. Kailangan kong maging matigas. Kailangan ko ng linaw ng pag-iisip. Kailangan kong magtiwala at magpaka-pinuno kahit di ko ito nagawa sa paaralan. Bahala na. Oras na lang ang magpapasiya.



Thinking about becoming like Bonnie and Clyde.

Sometimes life hits you in the face and says "Ha! I'm going to just see how much you can take before you go crazy and start robbing banks and living the life like Bonnie and Clyde!"

This weekend was a crazy weekend, first: on Thursday Preston called me (I thought on his way home) but he said that his truck broke down 3 office buildings from his. So I got in my car and went to see what was going on with his truck,  2002 Dodge Ram. Well, after looking under the hood we see the belt is shredded. So we go to Autozone and get a new belt and replace it, in the dark, in the cold, and also as a bonus it was raining a little. When we go to start the truck- nothing. The battery was Dead. Yes with a capital D. The worst part? It was all just bad timing, pay day and mortgage on the same week=poor Preston and Bailey. So we get a battery and put it in, right after the battery was in we start the truck and the entire parking lot was filled with smoke and we soon found the belt-melted 1/2 way off the pulleys, and it was a horrible smell. We finally gave up for the night and rushed to the nearest liquor store for a little whiskey. Our thought= at least it's Saturday soon and we can fix it then. 

Preston's comment: Air Conditioning is the root of all evil in cars. 

Saturday: Since we are poor, we called all the salvage yards in the area and found the part we needed for $85! The part? The A/C compressor, yep, the pulley on it wasn't turning and that's why the second belt burned up. So we drive an hour round trip to save over $170 on the same part and replaced it, which took FOREVER because Dodges suck. That's why you should always buy a Ford or Chevy.

We finally get Preston's truck home Saturday night around 7pm.

Sunday we decided we needed to work on the house so the weekend wouldn't be completely lost. So what better thing to do than scrape off all the pop corn in what will become the office. When scraping pop corn always remember to cover the floor with plastic or something so clean up is easier! Now we are waiting for my parents and siblings to arrive to see all our hard work and have dinner!

Happy times renovating yall!

OH! Ps. Living in a home without insulation is really COLD! We walked outside today and it was warmer on the outside than the inside. Current temp outside= 58 degrees. Inside the house= 49 degrees.



 

Also as a bonus each wall is a different color sponged with a different color! So that translates into A). Really Ugly. and B). We have to prime it prior to painting it a normal color. 

In Transit







"At talagang kinunan mo ng picture ha?"

I said while we stood at the bend, on a bridge gutting out of the reclaimed land. 

In front of us was the other face of the famed bay, seldom seen in postcards but breathtaking and inspiring nonetheless. To the fisher folks who live in ramshackle houses, the bay remains a fulcrum in their see-saw lives. They flocked its shores to mark the passing of another day, while on the horizon, the sun makes an encore as it paints the sea in electric blue. 

I was astonished at how my companion's eyes sparkled as he gazed into the emptiness. It was past six in the evening and dusk had already spread its curtains across the sky.

"Balik ulit tayo dito kapag may araw pa." I assured as we inched closer towards the concrete beam. We stayed there until what remains of the day is but a sliver of light from the sun. We then returned to the street junction to continue our destination.

What I didn't tell is that my eyes see the landscape in different hues. Passing the same road every time I visit my relatives, I've seen that bend and the sea at different times of the day. 

I could bring my companion again at some other time, so he could take pictures while the sea shimmers and the street urchins take an afternoon dip.

But with my life at the mercy of the fulcrum, who knows where our transient, but common path is heading?

Nevertheless, I saw many things that twilight - grimy-faced toddlers clinging to their street-spawned mothers; young cocky men in motor bikes on their way to the fish port, the long empty stretch of the circumferential road, and the moon, yes, the full moon gracing the eastern sky. My eyes were everywhere - save for one direction:

The pair of lovely eyes in front of me.

Unfortunately, uncertainty still blurs my vision. Even kindred spirits fail to find each other when one remains blinded by a memory. 

The joy awashed on my companion's face may have come from the fleeting seascape, or maybe from stepping foot to a realm he had seen only in maps and visions. But for me, until I find my peace, and a history cease breaking me into chunks of dry rock, all I can lay claim for the present are the ephemeral moments I now share with another.




Shades of Lust



I was waiting for a new-found friend to go online - there - when a kid sent me a private message.

"Where in Santa Mesa?"

A polite question required a polite answer.

"Near Altura. Ikaw?"

He gave his location and because of the affable tone of our exchange, the conversation went on. We traded face pictures, asked what we're doing on Romeo's World (said I was listening to my mp3s at the moment) and when he dropped the "H" word, a grin on my face tells we're approaching a steep slope.

Because I find his pictures attractive.

"Up for some rough action?'

"Define rough action?" I asked, sheepishly.

"Kantot halimaw? Haha sorry to use such term."

His suggestion presented a huge dilemma. I may not be under a lustful spell yet, but the images wrapped inside those two delicious words were not easy to block. In my head flashed various scenes of perversion and I have no means to mount a defense. He stays near my place, and he lives alone. I could say yes to his invitation, and get the deed done without hesitation. After all, I may have tons of sugarcoated reasons for my return to PR. But it all boils down to that one truth I no longer deny.

Libog.

But to do so would mean giving up on so many things - a chance to make friends, no matter how impossible it is to find one - there; a chance at letting a new person come into my life - for even when the odds against him are so high, a mindless fuck on a rainy evening will impale my desire to embrace commitment. And finally, a resounding yes means returning home limping, for I have once again sunk back to the pit. I have already roused my other self, whose claim to fame in the past aside from teasing everyone is surviving the places I find myself in.

Like Planet Romeo.

Feeling the rush of blood on my disko stik, I let him do the talking. While I self indulged my way to finding a one-sided settlement.

"Masarap yun. You kiss pare?"

"Not much, do you?"

"Turns me on actually. Malaki ba yan?"

"5'6 - 6" lang, proportion with length."

"It's been a while since I did this."

"Honga, so anong plano mo, are you open to 3way?"

"3sum? So what will be our arrangement?"

The last time I found myself there, I was offered the same kinky proposal: a three-way match I've been chasing: a role I have been lusting for a long, long time. Wimp as I am, retreating just when the other party decides to seal the deal has always been my answer.

I'm holding back, still. And I don't know the reasons why.

"Yung barkada ko top rin, he's looking for someone we could fuck. I'm good with sucking."

"He's with you?" A soft whimper could be heard across my room.

"Yup, kasama ko siya right now. game ka? medyo XL siya."

By then, my right hand had found a crafty resolution. There's no need to set free my raging demons to meet the horny bastards.

Using a dirty rug, I wiped the evidence between the gaps of my fingers. Their up-sells no longer matter. Challenged but undefeated. Sensual, yet still in control. Relieved that my carnal meltdown didn't happen, I logged out of Planet Romeo, assured that the dance of the scorpions will end without me picking up a fight.




Just a Rant

Okay, so on the day's when Preston and I don't go crazy re-doing our home we watch the HGTV and DIY network for giggles and inspiration.  I just have to vent for a moment and forgive me if I sound like a huge bitch.

Watching the Renovation Realities just makes me so angry sometimes. These women are so stupid and are just not cut out for any home improvement task they are taking on most of the time. These women actually think that blow drying your hair and curling it and putting on make up and lip gloss  is something that should happen BEFORE renovation. NO. Thats not how it happens in home renovation times. You wake up and you just freaking get to work, you don't complain that you are frustrated and tired and sore after 20 minutes of working on a simple task like ripping out a wall of sheet rock! Last time Preston and I were working on the kitchen floor we both got cut really badly and were bleeding before we even noticed that we were cut!  Just get it together and realize if you aren't cut out for it JUST DON'T DO IT! Save your husband, tv viewers, and me the trouble and just go get your nails done and leave the work to the real people.

As another side note, Big Tex burned down and that really made me and Preston sad. Not only is he a very important icon at the State Fair of Texas, he is dear to our hearts. That is where Preston asked me (last year) to marry him! Right in front of Big Tex. Well, today while the new season of Dallas was being filmed where I work, I walked into the room and Jessie Metcalf said "I'm glad Big Tex burned down" I was shocked and angry so I asked him to repeat that (because I thought I had miss-heard) and he repeated it just the same. My response: " You are an asshole." and then after talking for a few minutes I came to the conclusion that he is a half-way decent guy but still on my not-so-good-list. When I told Preston what I had said he text me back "babe, you gotta control your inner old man".

Another episode of Renovation Realities and the wife is already making me A) feel bad for her husband and B) makes me want to find her and punch her in the face and stop asking so many dumb questions like why is insulation pink? Who freaking cares?!@(@*$&#(#@! Just tear the stuff out and stop worrying about brown recluses. 


Dry Run



All this has happened before. It will happen again.


Book of Phythia,
Battlestar Galactica








Slice Of Life



The third week of October will likely be remembered for certain things - like the permanent transfer to the morning shift, and the string of tardiness that would shock even the most reasonable of superiors; the nights of wild abandon, whose libation flow brought my feet to Trip's pad in Mandaluyong, then to Malate and Timog the next night; and the solemn observation of days, that mark my departure from the tender arms of the other. 

But life isn't just these stories. It's most interesting and poignant slices are sometimes encapsulated in 140 characters - in an online medium that intends to capture our most intimate and thoughtful moments. Borrowing the idea from Tipz, here are some of the highlights of the past week.   




A very good-looking friend gives up chasing a love interest. They were already becoming an item on Twitter, when the guy suddenly went cold. Friend lingered for a week to make sure his instincts were pointing at a known direction. He shared with me his travails and small, but important victories to win the hunk's heart. And then on the fortnight, he surrendered. As he poured his heart out over the phone, I said the words above to soothe his wounded pride.

In love and romance, everyone gains a mortal foothold.




Heard stories of laborers taking their own lives after their work shifts in industrial complexes in Southern China. The repetitive tasks to assemble electronic gadgets in exchange for low wages, the long hours in the assembly lines, the harsh working conditions under taskmaster tyrants, the madness of shrinking a human mind into a subservient drone. Even the thought of it can make a person insane.

To familiarize myself with the tasks I assigned to my team, I did their work for an entire shift and the monotony of it partially cracked open the guarded repository of my self-destructive thoughts. 




I remember my father, and how he orders me to peck him on the cheek even when my own seeds can already gift him with a grandchild. And he would sometimes demand the cheeky kiss in front of others. Those days, all I could think was the humiliation while other people hid their amusement. That is why I would always grudgingly follow his command but never bothered to find the reason for his need of affection.

Then, I went home one evening after counting 10 hours at work. The sleeplessness and exhaustion of forcing myself to work out after my extended office stay, left me with barely enough strength to travel from the gym to my place. The thought of my nephews, their squeaky voices, their amazing words, and their sweetest smiles kept me going. I said to myself that I would ask a kiss and hug from Baby Lenin when I get home - even at the cost of bribing him with a sweet and chocolate-y papay (bread) to get what I want.






A solitary pilgrim yearns to see places outside the world's field of vision. He seeks the road less traveled. For this reason, intrepid pioneers prefer the fringes over the heartland. The more difficult the trip is, he finds the experience worth taking.

I see myself as an urbanite who seldom leaves the city. Admittedly, I am in no condition for bumpy roads and day-long hikes. It's been ages since I boarded a plane, or a boat to cross the seas, and telling the matriarch of my travel plans requires a sugarcoated approach.

Because in reality, I am still guarded like a ten year old kid.

But there are destinations I would like to see in this lifetime. Forget travelling abroad, for it hasn't cross my mind. But to step foot in the peripheries, where the land across is a world apart - that I would love to put in my bucket list. Perhaps, in some future - when the Bangsamoro project becomes the beginning of the end, I will see Sitangkai and indulge myself with experiences I've already claimed as mine. 






To deny my sovereignty used to be my way of coping, so I may never fall apart while embracing the realities of being the vanquished. The upheaval still scares me. I am no longer used to doing and thinking things on my own. But once I had a glimpse of what lies ahead, of the millions of choices that could break or make me happy, this new-found freedom might not be as bad as I once claimed. I just have to live with the cycle, and hope it won't take too long before I get tired of the open road again.




Return To Bed



I can still remember the number of souls I pulled from the ground.

One was a skinhead guy. Short and manly. He has a mole smacked just above his upper lip. He was an energizer bunny at the fringes of the dance floor. He began swaying his hips long before I busted a move. I reached for his hand when the party gods picked me to share their podium. Being sober, he turned down the invitation and disappeared in the sea of crowd. When he emerged a few hours later, intoxication had already wiped his inhibition. Once again, I reached for his hand to join me. Accepting my offer, he went up the ledge, danced in front of me, before I left my spot as cramps were beginning to squeeze my leg muscles. 

Another was a kid, whose slim, smooth body became the playground of my clammy hands. He was an energizer bunny too. And being the only guy who paraded his nakedness for all to see, his presence sparked my fancy. So I climbed the ledge once more and took the spot adjacent to his sphere

He was aware that I was resonating his groove - even complementing his hand and body gestures with my own movement. The music turned a faster pace, and soon he was inching closer for a close-contact showdown. His body heat steamed off his sweaty chest. I felt it when I wrapped my arm around his torso. But when he refused to look at me in the eye, somehow I knew the reason why. 

On the ground, choked by noise and smoke, his companion was watching. I didn't see him standing there. But when my dance partner pulled him up to join us, I had to reach his hand, lest I would be seen as hostile. If there was such a thing as a Ménage à trois on the dance floor, I played my part, and I played well. Replete with selfless intentions, the naked kid was sandwiched between me and his companion, as the three of us hugged one another. But when I felt that my presence was no longer needed. When the romantic tension had already built up between my other companions, I happily disengaged and danced from a distance. When I looked at them again to see how they're doing, the kids were making out in the corner.

Smiling, I remembered the reason I came back.


Lightbringer


There were others that night. Happy ladies I had to pull up so they would feel at home among the gay crowd. Drunk, wasted boys who deserved a slice of the spotlight. Old, familiar faces who might need a friendly tug. "I'm back in the puddle!!" I would have shouted, gleefully. "Pardon me if I carry a glass shard...  under my skin." I would say in a soft voice.

That night, I returned to Malate with a proud smile and even prouder spirit. No longer slave to the needs of flesh - even when my subconscious-dripped-libido channeled those energies into raw body movements, I saw myself as one of those who enthused the exhausted to party on until our bodies quit.

Because when we all return to our old selves, with some nursing a hangover or blue balls until late in the afternoon, a hearty reflection would tell that it was all, but just an illusion. For those of us who seek shelter there, and get pulled by gogo boys up on the ledge, and dance until daybreaks turn into mornings, a detour is all that we need to carry on the journey.   

And move on.


Full of Ginger (Ale)

Full of Ginger (Ale)

Fun or crazy?  Making your own ginger ale, that is.  I vote for fun.  But some may disagree, and as my West Virginia relatives are apt to remark,  "you're just full of ginger!"; translate as, you are just so energetic, that you are really making us tired.  But this is so easy, anyone can make this with almost no effort at all.

I love making things that are usually store bought, because they almost always taste better, and, just because it's fun to try new things

As I was making dinner and watching football (Giants vs. Eagles) last Sunday night - lasagna with a light bechamel sauce (saves calories by not using ricotta) - I mentioned to daughter Kate that I was interested in trying the recipe for homemade Ginger Ale from the new issue of Bon Appetit (October 2012, page 66).

Kate promptly said ok, I'll make it, we've got ginger in the freezer.  Did you know you could store fresh ginger in the freezer for months and it keeps really well?  Just pop it in a baggie as is, skin and all, and it will be at the ready for all your ginger-requiring-recipes.

In 15 minutes she had concocted the ginger syrup, and we were enjoying bright and sparking homemade ginger ale.  Do try it, it really is better than bottled, and you can (literally) be full of ginger too, but in a good way.

(If you think you'll like it, double the recipe as this recipe only makes 4 tall glasses of soda. If you do have any extra syrup, it can be refrigerated and stored for up to 2 months.)
Fresh ginger!

Ginger Ale  adapted from Bon Appetit

1/2 cup honey or 1/2 cup granulated sugar (I prefer the sugar version!)
1/2 cup sliced, peeled fresh ginger   (Note:  Peel ginger with the back of a teaspoon, it gets into all the nooks and crannies really well, without slicing away a lot of the good parts.  If the ginger is frozen, it will be more difficult, but not impossible to slice - be careful!)
1/2 cup water
Bottle or two of seltzer water

Combine all ingredients except the seltzer, in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Strain through a sieve and let cool slightly.  Add 2 tablespoons of the ginger syrup to about 8 ounces seltzer water, or to taste, over ice, and stir.  Makes 4 to 8 servings.

Bonus:  the leftover strained candied ginger is delicious eaten as is for dessert, or served over vanilla ice cream.

Last Christmas we got a Soda Stream machine, and I have to report it does turn out outstandingly fresh tasting and lively seltzer, which is perfect for this recipe.

Bon Appetit, as well as many other magazines worthy of your attention, are available in our Library every day.  Come in and read, and/or take out a few.

Diane Whitman
Reference Librarian
Soda Maker


Sleepwriting



While attempting to get some sleep this morning, I thought of putting my thoughts into words using my phone's notepad. With the television turned off, my sagging gut pressed against the mattress, and with the nippy air augmenting the wind blowing from my electric fan , the outcome fell short of my loftier vision.

Apparently, my mind was too tired to even tell a story. 

Sharing with everyone the creative output of such sleep deprivation. Let it be known that some of the blog entries I will publish from now on will be penned this way. 



It's been a week to be exact since I transferred to the morning shift. It's also the first time I was able to enjoy a weekend rest day in ages. Life has never been this much gracious if I know the essence of gratitude. 

But with my late nights spent rolling over my bed, switching from one sleeping position to another, and then waking up to the crows of roosters, and a glimpse of the indigo sky painting a morning scene on my window, one is always tempted to return to slumber. 

Even when sinking under the blanket remains out of the question.

The demands of work, the endless grind to appease the client, and an order to be established to set a project in motion, inch me out of the bed. Never mind the crumpled face, the dizzy spells when standing on my feet, and this tired look even after taking a cold shower. The utter lack of rest doesn't show not only in my pallid appearance, it takes a toll on my well-being as well. 

And I got no answer to stop this downward spiral.

The four-hour shutdown hinders me to make decisions, and lead. Half the time, the lethargy of thought and body give this impression of disinterest. No wonder, the director seems to be eyeing someone as my possible replacement.

And the worse part is the night-long wait. Gathering one's strength doesn't come as easy as it used to when I sleep in the morning and wake up at noon. The wasted hours could have been used for more productive pursuits.

Like painting words and reading life's wisdom.

It's 3 in the morning, and with no resolution in sight, not even a temporary fix - as life's tasks threaten to overwhelm me while the sun marches across the sky - I am once again at the mercy of my struggle. 

Meanwhile, I will use the remaining darkness to cocoon my mind inside an unseen leaf, while the soothing squeaky voice of Gumball on Cartoon Network slides my thoughts gently into dreams. 


As it has always been these past several days, shut eye happened at 4 am, only to be roused from slumber by the persistent nagging of my phone's alarm clock an hour later.




Encyclopedia Britannica Only Online



 Did you hear the news that Encyclopedia Britannica will only be published online? 

Did you know that South Brunswick Library subscribes to Britannica Online and you can login 24/7 with your library card number?

 Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition offers two ways to access this wealth of information. You can choose a library appropriate for your grade level:


1. Britannica Reference Center for high school students and up.
2. Britannica Kids for middle school or elementary students and up.

You can search the encyclopedia as well as magazines, Web sites, and videos. You can also explore Learning Materials, a dictionary and thesaurus, atlases, timelines, and other features — all at the appropriate grade level.

So, don't just Google it.  Use Britannica Online from the your library's website to search more than 120,000 editor reviewed articles which are updated regularly. Read daily features, updates and links to news reports from The New York Times and the the BBC.

Check it out by scrolling down the the library's alphabetical list of databases to click on Britannica.

If you have any questions click on Help to Ask-A-Librarian.

:-) Renovation :-)

WOAH NELLY! The kitchen is going A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!  I am so thrilled beyond pieces how the floor is going. I spent today cleaning and doing homework and had a great conversation with my mom!

Kitchen= My almost favorite room in the house. I'm scared still of the oven/stove combo-and in a dream land world Preston would surprise me one day with a new stainless steel oven/electric stove combo with a microwave/hood vent combo; but we are poor so that wont happen.

Here is a before of our crazy 4-layer laminate flooring and a bonus layer of plywood:






And the Stain drying part of the kitchen floor craziness: (well me staining it :-)   )




I just have to say, I am by far the luckiest girl in the world to have such an amazing husband who I can do home improvement projects with, without having any arguments. I just can't believe how lucky I am, we are just having the best time renovating our home together we just don't want to do anything else-like go to the movies, nah we would rather stain the kitchen floor. :-)

Getting The Best Home Remodeling Design

Home remodeling can be one of the most daunting processes or quite exciting. Whilst the results can either be very fulfilling or can be the absolute opposite of what you wanted! To ease you worries, the best way to eliminate the anxiety behind home remodeling is to have great planning and a good home remodeling design.
Planning in the form of getting ones finances in place and hiring a good contractor and other labor is very important. But having all the recourses in place and not having a solid home remodeling design in mind or on paper renders all the other planning useless and frankly like directed the project into a ditch by not really knowing the outcome.
So how does one source a good home remodeling design? It really starts with an idea in ones head. Ones you know more or less what you want or how you want your home to look you at least have a starting point. Put these ideas to paper next. If drawing is not your forte, there is software such as, amongst others, Smartdraw available either for download on the internet or in stores. This software has various templates that you can use to customize your own home remodeling design.
With resources such as software available to create home remodeling design, it not only becomes easier and fun for one to start remodeling but also cheaper than finding someone to draft the design. When it comes to remodeling, many people redo their kitchens, bathrooms, or living areas. But regardless of how intimidating basement remodeling can be, there are plenty great ideas that one can use.
Many people like to turn their basements into an entertainment area, playroom, TV room or office area. Because the basement is often a wide open space, one can practically create anything in there, the trick is to get as much lhght as possible in this space to give it a more warm and comfortable feeling.
Home Remodeling Designs - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Not always does having a good plan or home remodeling design in place work out as you wanted and occasionally you get that sorry mess you've created and now don't know how to get out of. Don't worry, no matter how bad it is there is always a solution. By creating a whole new home remodeling design working with what didn't work could sometimes save the day and in other situations it might be best to hire someone to draft the planning for you and finish off where you finished...or didn't finish.

Why is there not a 24 hour sandpaper store?!?!?!

Part 2 of Preston and my crazy kitchen re do on a whim. Well, it's 10:22 and Preston and I both look like homeless people, we went to get Chioptle to go and eat it on our front porch because the rest of the house is crazy covered in dust from the kitchen floor that we sanded. 

To briefly recap the day that just happened would take another day, so I will summarize on parts and go into great detail on the funny bits.

To start the day we knew our task on hand: get the last layer off the kitchen floor. This was the 1930's vinyl floor adhesive backing that was stuck on the hardwood floors, PS the only good looking layer of flooring other than the wood floor was the third layer of laminate flooring, most likely from the 60's. Since we didn't have  a floor sander or any kind of sander for that matter we knew that we needed to get one ASAP. Since it is Sunday most of the pawn shops we frequent were closed, we searched all over the three nearest towns and found only one pawn shop open and he had a few sanders which were all overpriced, when he didn't go for my sweet southern charm to get the price lower I pulled a John Wayne move and walked out. We (about 2 hours later) ended up exactly where we started from- Home Depot- which as a side note I went to 6 times just today; and 4 out of those 6 times  I was in the return line returning the items that didn't work for sanding our floor. We became known with the return lady as "The newlywed home improvement couple).  We learned today many lessons, 1: Ryobi is our friend, since we are poor and we had to make the most out of Prestons most recent pay check we had to go with the cheaper tools. 2. It would be really nice if they made a "never dulling sandpaper" or atleast make it more freaking durable. 3. If they couldn't make a more durable sandpaper why cant there be a 24 hour sandpaper mart where Preston and I could buy some more and finish the little bit of sanding we needed to do. 

Altogether we ended up buying a whole lot of sandpaper, a orbital sander which is good for more detail work, a belt sander which has more balls and really gets after it without any fear like a WW2 Sherman Tank or a tiger ready for a nice dinner, more sandpaper, some big gap filler (because under the thresholds there are big gaping holes to the underneath of the house) and a really cool "bit" to our drill. It is a metal wire crazy thing and really is good for getting the top layer of crap off the last later of the wood floor.

Funny sayings for the day:

Preston: atleast if we ever ended up to be homeless people we would be happy!


Man at Chipotle: MAN! You are so dirty!
Preston: Yeah, we've been living on the side of the road for the last month.
Mr. Chipotle: Which road?
Preston: hahaha, naw, we've been sanding our kitchen floor, believe it or not we showered just this morning!

Also as a side note, Preston and I both ended up injuring ourselves; I got a gash in my shin from a piece of flooring that jabbed me. And Preston was going so crazy with his crowbar that he made a piece of flooring jam into his arm and slice him. Thank goodness for band-aids and neosporin.

PS. Just as another side note. The DIY folks on all those shows on DIY and HGTV completely bypass some of the most important things when renovating your home. First; Not any sanding job is a "quick sanding job" no, we realized (perhaps too late) that you really should cover your doorways with plastic and tape so your house doesn't begin to look like your Aunt Gertrude died and then her cats died and all the dust in the world came into your home and settled on EVERYTHING.  Second; it takes so much more effort than they let you see to do this stuff. Preston and I are walking around like 80 year old folks after 2 days of this kind of crazy labor and we are both under 30 and in decent shape. Thirdly, the last thing they don't ever share with you, sometimes you just need a shot of Whiskey to continue. After working yourself silly and sanding a kitchen floor with a 5 inch orbital sander and a belt sander and going through soooooooooo muchhhhhhhhh sandpaper, whiskey is almost the only things that keeps you going. Not to mention the laughter that Preston and I shared, sometimes you just reach the point that laughter is the only thing that keeps you going because if you start to cry it is just straight to hell for your home improvement project.

Preston and I need to shower up and get ready for tomorrow, since Preston works a real job we need to get some sleep.

SIDE NOTE: People are really crazy, they just tell you things like you can't use a belt sander to sand a floor and blah blah blah but honestly, have you tried it? Everyone has an opinion and not everyone has tried it, and not everyone opinion is a good opinion.  You have to sometimes try things for yourself to know if something really works or not. Just try something, because if you are right you will be completely happy and if you are wrong, big freaking deal and you can just figure something else out. If you are smart enough and don't just listen to everything everyone else says you can pull your own John Wayne move and just figure it out your self and not have to have your hand held like you are in 1st grade going to the bathroom or a spineless twit who can't think for them-self. This will save you a LOT OF MONEY.  Too many people go around asking Can I do this? and then they end up at Home Depot asking the workers "How can I do this?". LET ME REMIND YOU: They work at  Home Depot! Probably not the sharpest tool in the box. Insead just get after it, last time I checked I was able to potty by myself, hold a steady job, and re do a house with my husband and throw other peoples suggestions out the window because they just act like they know things.

Bed now, check out these pictures. Even our crowbars love eachother. 

                                         It looks like Preston has sleeves on, but really just dirt.


Floor after a day worth of sanding: 

a lot of different whims

Oh, as a side note, even though Preston and I have been sick we have been still killing ourselves making our home more livable :-)

One weekend we went completely nuts and painted the entry hall, stairwell, and upstairs landing the most beautiful blue. Also we re did the light fixtures on both floors and they look amazing! It just goes to show, if you have mildly good light fixures and are willing to take a chance with spray paint and new globes you can save $$$$$$!  We also caulked the entire upstairs, on a whim. Let me tell you, so many people take caulk for granted but Preston and I have become HUGE fans of caulk.

We also have finished the upstairs master bedroom and closet, which makes us feel really good about our home improvement skills.

We also had a whim and put in french doors. Who does that?! We do. We put in french doors from our dining room to the sun room. That was a crazy whim but completely worth it, they look beautiful and have really helped with our electric bill.

Also, the first cold snap that we had we went completely crazy and ripped out trees and bushes, and bricks, and all kinds of other crazy things out of the front yard. We worked literally all day and made a dent. The lady who lived here before us apparently loved the look of brick, broken up concrete and was a hoarder that spilled over to the yard. It took a whole day but it looks better. Just waiting on the electric company to cut the tree limbs that are laying down on the power line.


Kitchen Floor Redo on a whim...*pictures*

Holy Moly. My husband and I are possibly the craziest people in the world. Not in the creepy-im-going-to-kill-you-next-time-I-loose-a-poker-game-and-had-a-bad-day kinda way. Nope, we have a day off and while I'm cleaning, Preston and I begin wondering what exactly is under our kitchen floor. Well folks, since we had the whole day off and no where else to go we un did the threshold and realized that under three layers of linoleum, and layer of plywood there are original hard wood floors. WHY WOULD YOU COVER THAT UP?! I would like to go to who ever did that and slap them in the face with a wet sock.

So Preston and I decided why the heck not just on a whim tear up the whole entire kitchen floor? So at 10am we went and got some breakfast and then got two crow bars from the Home Depot and just pretty much when to town ripping up the whole floor, 3 layers of linoleum, plywood and all! It took us several hours, and a lot of craziness and the thing that creeped us out the most? Well, we took out the stove/oven combo and realized not only were the sides of that completely gross and covered up with what appeared to be left over grease from 15 years of fried chicken. There was a crazy hole in the wall leading to the laundry shoot. When I opened up the laundry shoot I was shocked, disgusted, and horrified at what I found. A pair of tighty-whiteys that looked like they had been worn by a homeless man, since Preston doesn't have those underpants we realized they belong to the man who broke into our home; we are contemplating hanging them on our front porch with a sign saying "Dear Person who broke into our house, if you ever break into our home again, we will hang you by your toe nails in the town square for all to see your atrocious acts." We're still thinking on that one. After that (at noonish) we had to take a shot of whiskey to make it not seem so bad, then back to work ripping out the flooring.

Now after all the layers are gone, we are just stuck with trying to figure out how to get the glue backing off the wood floor from the moister barrier. We'll most likely finish this up tomorrow if nothing goes wrong, we're thinking a good sanding is what it needs to be beautiful. Pizza for dinner because our oven/stove is too gross for us even to look at. We'll be cleaning that up with all kinds of cleaner and sell it in the garage sale.  YEEEEEEEHAWWWWWW!

                                                                      BEFORE

 
DURING

                                                                   AFTER


Flashback


A text message: 
October 14, 2010. 12:25a


Gisingin lang niya araw-araw, text lang niya maya't-maya. Sabayan mag lunch, sabayan mag dinner, sabayan magbuhat, antayin matulog, i-cuddle niya araw-araw, dalhin niya sa ferry sa pasig. magfoodtrip sa binondo.




Baler, Dreaming



"Punta tayong Baler!!"

"Kelan?" The kid across the table asked without even looking at my direction. He continued cutting the Spicy Garlic Calamares to bite-size pieces still steaming on his plate.

"Umm... sa 15 sana eh..." I had hoped my suggestion would brighten his face and reanimate our conversation. But knowing he had seen the place twice - in less than a year - a return trip for him would seem casual.

But not for me.

Baler, a rustic little town opposite the Casiguran sound has enamored me for ages. I read a lifestyle article a long time ago describing the place. The provincial capitol used to be an off the beaten track with unpaved roads and a single bus company connecting the city. The mental picture of unspoiled beaches off the edges of the Sierra Madre, unlit roads next to deep ravines, and lush rain forests overlooking the Pacific has never left my mind. I had my chance last year, but I chose to set course to far distant shores instead where I would be closer to my ex-boyfriend.

"Anu ka!! Monday kaya ang 15!?" When I checked my phone's calendar, my companion, who was smiling at me turned out to be speaking the truth.

"Edi Saturday and Sunday na lang. Magfi-file ako ng leave sa trabaho."

"Siguraduhin mo lang ha! At maghanda ka na rin ng budget na P3500."

"Oo ba. You sure you want to go back? Nanggaling ka na dun eh?"

"Diba, balak nga namin bumalik dun every month?" Ever since he was prodded by his colleagues to discover the joys of surfing, returning to Baler became a regular pilgrimage.

I do not know if my date was truly unaware of the occasion - the reason I would defy my aversion to countryside trips to spend some quality time with him, or he merely chose to put it behind the piles of other thoughts. But that night, on our last dinner together, I felt a rather nippy reception.

For if the portents of that evening reveal the events of the future, such journey to the eastern fringes would never take place.

And as if life decides to play a cruel joke, my rest days have been moved to weekends this week. My salary also got a kick up the pay scale and the weather forecasts herald a sunshiny weekend. 

What isn't there however, and will no longer be around is my travel companion.

Gone, along with the idea of celebrating a milestone, the Baler trip has to be ditched. I have no desire of taking solitary sojourns, only to be haunted by a painful memory once I reach my destination.




Home-improvement Audio-video

Surround sound is a technology that makes use of auxiliary speakers to enhance recreation of sound
waves.But if you are going to use a disc, which one are you going to use? You know that you have two choices.

One particularly exciting product is the Sony S-AIR wireless speaker system. It is compatible with popular iPod models and works for WiFi.

After turning the projector on and putting in a Blu-Ray disc, it didn't take long to see why this projector is popular and getting high ratings everywhere.

There are two different types of contrast ratios. The first is the dynamic contrast ratio, the other is called the static, or native contrast ratio.

The other option is the optical cable, a more superior choice than the coaxial version.What most people fail to realize is that the existing warranties do not cover accidental screen contact.

After you have found the HDMI connectors on the back of the display and on your PC, connect the cable to both inputs of their respective devices.

Wireless indoor outdoor speakers are designed to be water resistant, so you don't have to worry about leaving them outside.

Opinions: Start-up time has always been one of the main areas of concern with consumers.You'll weant to make sure that you don't affect the structure or the fire resistance of your home.

Let us take a look at a couple of white bookshelf speakers available at the moment.Bose Speakers are generally priced higher then other popular speaker brands.

Many people often hear the name CD Jewel Case whenever they are looking for information on how to manage and safe-keep their CDs.

 If your need is less, you can always go for a flash drive while you have loads of data to be stored away, a hard disc drive is the thing you need.

Dog Days



To be rewarded with weekend rest days should be a cause for celebration. The last time I had my Sundays for leisure was ages ago, and to secure that one day, I had to make sacrifices and spend years having separated days off at work.

But the expected switch was met with ambivalence, if not downright dismay. It is because it was announced by the director during the end of my work week, and that I have to spend seven days toiling for the company before I could enjoy my break.

The issue however is not really the rest days. It is the tidal shift that threatens to overwhelm me with work thoughts outside of the office. It would have been a crescendo in my dull and sometimes poignant life. The company had found a new client, with ways of doing business that is different from what we perform.

If our agents were trained to think green - with lust. Now, they have to think green - with the planet in mind.



My heart was ready to give in, and given my accomplishments, I was tasked once again to lead the project.

A voice inside me says that this is what I wanted: To lead and nurture a team in behalf of the company. I had my baptism of fire before the monsoon rains came, and even though it was a short unforgotten stint, I delivered - despite having limited resources, experience and time.

This new back-office work is as promising as the last one. It spreads out so fast, that the client wants us to fill 10 seats by the end of the month. It would make the company grow double in size. The project would require hiring new people, training them in ways that I was forced to learn in two days. It would put me at the head of the operations - running the show in partnership with the director. The scope of the project leaves me gasping for air, than when I look at it from a distance, I could see an entire floor becoming my workplace.

But the sudden abruptness caught us off guard. Instead of doing Beta-Testing and documenting how the web interface works, the client demands measured output. Instead of preparing training materials, we are scrambling to have those empty seats taken without poring over the applicants' previous work. The lack of readiness on top of a circus of processes, website bugs and once again - limited resources had almost diminished my resolve. If not for the thought that no one could overturn heaven and hell, like I do whenever I want to make things work, I would have declined the challenge and stay within my comfort zone instead.

The tasks at hand pile up as personal doubts manage to crawl in, even as I revise this blog entry. Given my lukewarm reception to the project, my capacity to make plans and make them work has still not diminished. These pent-up feelings however will linger on for sometime. Even when summer in my profession is fast approaching.

For after all is said and done, and our first real deliverables get the commendation of the client, I know within that winter has yet to thaw my disposition. Sullen and disheartened with other things that remain unsaid, I still have to push myself - to the wall if necessary - despite the arctic spell.


Guidance For Home Improvement

Big home improvements may make a hole in your pocket. Even if you manage home improvements and the money involved in it, you should ensure that the corresponding value addition to your property is much more than your actual expenditure.

Many homeowners fail to save enough money for home upgradation. For such people, the lenders and other financial institutions may prove helpful. These lenders can provide you home improvement loans at competitive rates. The loan market is going through a very competitive phase where every lender is trying to outdo the other. In such a scenario, the customer is the king. 

Anyway, after arranging the finance the next question that arises is how to use the funds in a best possible manner. After all, home improvement loans carry a price and you have to repay such loans with due interest. The best bet lies in ensuring that the property value of your condominium rises more than what you spend on it. In particular, this aspect assumes a greater significance if you want to sell your condo.

If your condo has laminated floors and they are in good condition then what is the point in ripping them out and install real wood or a higher quality laminate floor. Instead, you can explore and adopt some other means to make your condo look beautiful. Many real estate experts believe that the money spent on your kitchen brings in the highest return on investment. After all, a new buyer usually heads to the kitchen before seeing other things. You should keep these things in mind if you are doing home improvements with an intention of selling out the condo.

To make up for the monetary requirements, you can apply for home improvement loans. These loans are also available online. The rate of interest usually starts from 6.5 per cent and may go higher up as per your individual circumstances. 

The Buyers Have Spoken







Asian American designers are running away with the spotlight. From top to bottom, Alexander Wang, Thakoon, Joseph Altuzara, Jason Wu and Prebal Gurung.



The Spinner



When Arrjae Puno and I were in our early twenties, our tireless selves used to be the poster boys of Orosa. At 1 am on a Saturday morning, we would walk the streets of Malate on our way to Bed. The scene then, littered with wasted, happy folks who want to be seen and get laid were hardly a distraction. We still yearn to get to our destination.

After paying the 200 pesos cover charge, we would force our bodies in spaces already packed with frenzied crowd. The club then was a narrow strip tightly squeezed between the New York Cafe and another resto-bar, whose name had already slipped my mind. Two bottles of beer empty, the sound of bass bouncing off the man-sized speakers; and with the sight of half-naked revelers sweating from the collective body heat; there is no way to hold back the euphoria. With eyes half-closed, arms floating in mid-air, and me giving up control with every pulse of the strobe lights, my body loosens and begins swaying to the beat.

I have no doubts that Arrjae had the same sweeping feeling as well. Given the nights we would mount the ledge, take off our shirts and occupy the spot the Gogo boys had just left. The experience never left. I still listen to Electronic Dance Music whenever I get hold of the sound. What I didn't know is that my dance partner had other aspirations. Seeing the spinner becoming the heart of the dance floor, he wanted to become the DJ himself.

Once, I showed up in one of his gigs. He was just an apprentice then, and the watering hole where he spun his music wasn't really the places he would like to show his craft. With a bottle of beer in hand, I leaned across the turntable and watched him as he smoothly transitioned an RnB track to another. Back then, the crowd hardly paid attention. Being a social gathering corner rather than a place to dance, he was merely a wallflower.

I remember that time, for I hardly followed his rise to stardom. He spun in some of the swankiest club in town until he landed on the very same place where we used to forget the weekends. I had retired from clubbing because of other aspirations, and him being the resident DJ of Bed hardly crossed my mind. But with the events happening around me lately, the only place I know - to start over again - is the place I used to run and forget.

The club.

It was Friday evening when I saw his invitation on my Facebook Wall. Arrjae was chosen as one of the five finalists who will compete for a chance to open for David Guetta this Friday And as part of the race, exposure counts when candidates play at clubs where the judges take residence. Not knowing what to do that night, I said I'll come to his event. High on House is one of the shows I listen on FM radio and since they were the ones who set the gig at Time, I knew where I'm getting at.

It was home.

So at three in the morning tipsy on alcohol and drunk on Electronic Dance Music, I took my place outside the DJ's booth as Arrjae flipped open his laptop. With the Apple icon glowing amidst the smoke-filled room, he introduced his set with a Trentemøller classic. The DJ said he would play disco, but he ended up electrifying everyone with a progressive house set. And there we were, the spinner and the dancer. One, living his dream, while the other reclaiming his old spot in the new order of things. I may not be that kid who used to mount the ledge and take off his shirt in Malate. But that night, as one of those who lead the crowd and got consumed by the music. 

I knew a part of me was awakened.

It was almost 5 in the morning when Arrjae ended his set. He left the booth amazed by his exceptional performance. The reception was insane, for despite being an outsider in the sea of straight crowd, we walked past the dance floor still packed with people gearing up for the night's climax. He had asked me to join him and his friends for breakfast. But having to work that afternoon, and with my strength already used up, it was time to go home.


Prelude:

I was reading Bien's blog when his EDM sampler put me on a party spin. The idea to grace the dance floor was his doing. And to return the favor, I will share my music. May these songs put you in good spirits the whole week.

These are for you too Tipzsta. Cheers! Let's celebrate, for you have found your one. 












Home Improvement Painting Tips

Painting your home may not be much of a overwhelming task, it can often times be a great and enjoyable way for families to bond and be more involved when it comes to their homes. But as much as we would like to spend a whole day painting the entire house, the smell that comes out from ordinary paint just makes it too hard to handle. Studies have shown that fumes coming from paint can trigger a headache and other untoward reactions, which can be harmful to the body. As a result, companies have developed a great way to enjoy painting your homes and that is through the use of odorless paints.

Yes, odorless paints. After years of research and experiment, companies were able to discover a way on how to deal with the painstaking smell that comes with paint. As a result people do not have to move out of their homes while painting jobs are ongoing. No need to stay in a hotel for a few days to wait for the paint to dry up and the smell to subside, no more hassle, no more headaches. This is the reason why a lot of those whose homes are on FSBO listings patronize this product. 

Not only do these FSBO home owners save time, but they also get to save money since they can even do it on their own. Aside from the fact that these paints are helpful to those whose homes needs improvement, the main reason why people are celebrating this odorless paint, is because of the fact that it is eco-friendly. For certain you are aware of how volatile chemicals can ruin the environment, and with this paints, the level of these chemicals are lowered therefore reducing the smell and saving Mother Earth at the same time.

But the good news does not stop here. With continuous improvement, companies were able to develop a way to make painting job easier for the newbie’s and that is with the contemporary matte finish. This contemporary matte finish was developed to help improve the painting results. If you are not a paint guru, I’m sure you knnw what I mean- and that would be uneven paint job. Now with this new development, painting job has never been made easier not just for adults but even kids can do it as well. The contemporary matte finish ensures that the entire paint job is evenly done and that all paint surfaces will appear even and well balanced.

Lastly, drying time as we all know may take days. And so like all the above mentioned dilemmas that most FSBO proprietor encounters during home improvement, companies were able to find a way to make it better. They did it by cutting down the drying time to 2-4 hours. You can now get into the details of other painting jobs like certain wall painting or frame paintings, since the main coat has already dried up. So you save yourself another day or two with this job.

So what are you waiting for? If you think your house needs a new paint job but just can’t stand the smell and don’t have much time to waste, then odorless paints with cotemporary matte finish is the best thing for you.
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