Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Hunger Games. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Hunger Games. Sort by date Show all posts
I used to pride myself in completing 20-30 books per year, which is easy to track thanks to Goodreads Reading Challenge, but as years passed this number kept dwindling. For 2019, I finished a measly seven books. It's not for the lack of reading material as I still One-Click at least one book every or every other week, nor lack of time because working from home afforded me time that would have been spent on transportation. I have no other excuse aside from wasting time scrolling mindlessly and lack of energy to do little else.
I finished The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins in three days. That's a feat these days, considering how I am only able to read on weekends and before bedtime.
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to out charm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined - every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
A quick scan on my blog would show I am a huge Hunger Games fan. When the announcement came that Suzanne Collins is releasing a prequel and speculations went wild over whose story we are going to learn more about, I was disappointed to learn that of all the characters fans loved so much, the new book would be about the young life of the tyrant President Coriolanus Snow. In my head, he is a completely evil man and reading any attempt to humanize him or any kind of justification on why he became what he was would turn me off this trilogy completely. Nevertheless I knew I really wanted to read this if only for Suzanne's amazing world-building, and so I continuously refreshed Amazon, waiting for the Kindle version to be available for purchase (since we are not able to go out to go to bookstores anymore). We are familiar with Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. We have no doubt that Snow rose to power and ruled with an iron fist for many years. It's just amazing to see how he got there.
In this book we are transported to the early days of the Hunger Games, the ultimate and most cruel display of the Capitol's power over all the districts of Panem. War has ended, and to remind Panem that the Capitol is in control, all districts must send a pair of tributes who will battle it out to the death in the arena until one remains. In the first book The Hunger Games, it was explained to us that victors from each district come back as mentors for tributes chosen at the annual reaping. Aside from Haymitch who was the only surviving victor that could help Katniss and Peeta, District 12 produced only one other victor that was not named. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is her story as much as it is Coryo's.
Apparently, the glitzy Hunger Games things like the fancy trains, sponsors, placing bets on tributes, glamorous designers and parades, and a technologically-advanced arena were not always the case. It was very interesting to see how they all came about, and the reasons why they were deemed necessary. Seriously, the level of detail in connecting this book to the original three is outstanding. My mind is blown.
Despite the grim nature of the book (kids forced into killing other kids for the whole country to see), this is actually the most lighthearted and funniest, if we would go by the dialogues and Snow's internal monologue. Make no mistake, though. We see parallels with our present times, like kids in cages, and I wonder if the horrific reality of the dystopian world of Panem is not very far after all.
In the same vein of the Hunger Games quartet of movies giving us an expanded yet condensed version of the events that transpired in the books, I am very much looking forward to seeing the characters be brought to life in the big screen, and hopefully by then we can come back to the movie theatres again. Please bring Francis Lawrence back to direct.
I have a list of books I would like to read for the first time again, and the Hunger Games trilogy is one of them. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a great and worthy addition to the lore. If you are a fan of the books, do make sure to read it. I didn't want to spoil any of the other nice surprises for you, but definitely get a copy if you loved the original trilogy and wanted to consume more from the dystopian world of Panem. Now if you haven't read any of the books yet, I would suggest that you also start with the Hunger Games trilogy before picking this up, because it would make seeing the Easter eggs more fun and special, like a nice gift from an old friend you haven't seen in a while.
These days, people asking for your WiFi password has become almost a standard in everyone's house whenever guests come visit. Whether for education, entertainment, getting in touch with family and friends, and even socializing, a solid and reliable Internet connection is no longer a luxury; it has become an indispensable necessity. With need comes innovation. Fibr, Home’s most powerful broadband, allows you to seamlessly and simultaneously experience the browsing of multiple websites, streaming hundreds blockbuster movies on-demand from Clickplay, and watching Cignal Digital TV Channels.
I am particularly partial to this commercial because the girl is one of my classmates and close friends in college.
Folks, you know
Dun dun dun dunnn...
In my fictional version of Panem, I came from District 2, the district specializing in masonry, weapon-making, and training the Capitol's army of Peacekeepers. Despite my small frame, having a lot of experience as a concrete finisher ensured I am more physically able than I look. I didn't need to work ever since I was crowned a victor during my year but I wanted to remain fit and strong - keep the machine well-oiled, so to speak. That, and coming from one of the wealthier districts with a dependable Fibr connection will give me a distinct advantage over the other returning victors.
Give me an advantage how? For one, Youtube is a treasure trove of fitness videos so I'm sure I'll have a grand time choosing which training to undergo for the day every day until we go to the arena, together with an accompanying playlist.
With Fibr, I can readily stream in Clickplay whole "seasons" of the other returning victors' respective turns in the arena to re-watch how they won and see what their specific strengths and strategies were. I can also download videos of their past interviews and victory tours to note what they like, what makes them tick, and have a general idea what their attitudes towards the Games are. After all, knowing is half the battle.
Being a Career, the other tributes are predisposed to stay out of my way, but I have a personality that can easily adapt to other people and
Since the Hunger Games is staged each year for the entertainment of the Capitol and my survival would most likely depend on sponsors, I will need to develop my personality and win the audience's hearts. To do this, I need to brush up on what's current and what's hot in the rumor mill, maybe even memorize a popular movie quote or two. Thankfully, Fibr allows me to open and run several tabs at once, ensuring I won't have any wasted idle time waiting for pages to load.
I am also very smart and ready to do all the research and studying I can so I know that unlike Foxface from the 74th Hunger Games, I won't be fooled by some poisonous berries. Berries. Tsss.
With my skills, strength, and Fibr, I am ready to be crowned a victor for the second time. Let the third Quarter Quell begin!
Fibr is available now in over 800-fiber powered villages nationwide. Visit www.pldthome.com or call 101-FIBR (3427) for more details.
The past week has been a blur of spending quality time with my family, badminton games (with me being a spectator only, of course), catching up with friends-I-miss-so-much, eating out with friends-I-never-get-tired-of-even-if-we-see-each-other-everyday until my tummy gets almost ready to burst from too much food and laughter, and shopping for *ehem* essentials like toiletries and groceries and a new bag.
Now I love shoes, bags, and other pretty thingamajigs, but I don't think it can compare with my love for books. I learned how to read at a very early age because I wanted to read the bedtime stories my Grandma used to read me myself. Once I felt how it was like to be transported to another dimension just by flipping a page, there was no turning back. Before I became known as Miss Plant-Myself-in-Front-of-the-Computer, I was Miss Bury-My-Nose-in-a-Book first and foremost!
August always either makes me very happy or very sad (explanation why it is so on my next post, hopefully) but I still eagerly await for it because National Bookstore and Powerbooks hold their annual BIG sale from the latter part of July until the most part of August! I swear I can stay there for hours and even more so during sales as I cannot decide which books to get! A couple of weeks ago I got Nina Garcia's The Little Black Book of Style for only P445, and that was only because it was the first book I was able to grab before my friend rushed me out of the store! Tsk. I know I should be saving up because our trip to Singapore is only a couple of months away(!) but who can resist the lure of books? Not me, apparently.
Earlier, I read from Bookmarked that today is the last day of reservation for Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins' last book for The Hunger Games trilogy. The book will be released worldwide on August 25 and reserving a copy guarantees a free Mockingjay shirt. I am embarrassed to admit this, but I haven't actually read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire (the first two books in the trilogy) yet. I have been meaning to do so - mainly because it was recommended by my Sinister Sister Jinna - but because I was busy with complicated matters like those of my heart's I never found the time to pick my copy. Now that I have more than enough time in my hands again I figured this is the best time to get started. So, after work today I trooped to the National Bookstore branch at the UP - Ayala Technohub (with my good friends/ officemates Frank and Mich) and reserved myself a copy. I also wanted to get the first book but they didn't have the hardbound ones anymore. The Mockingjay I reserved is a hardbound copy and I wanted my books to be uniform so I decided to go to another NBS branch at Commonwealth Avenue to see whether they have it. See how passionate I am about doing things once I set my mind to it? :D
The NBS branch in Commonwealth is one of my favorites as it has two floors, like a big, sprawling library full of wonderful books. I am not kidding when I say I spent over an hour browsing the shelves. I did manage to get a hardbound copy of The Hunger Games but I decided to look around a bit more since I had the whole afternoon free.
Practicality started to wriggle its rear in my mind though. I would save P400 if I get the paperback instead of the hardbound copy. I mulled it over while walking through the store but it proved even more unhelpful.
Mike Gayle's The To-Do List
I really wanted to buy this as it looks like a nice read. Basically, an almost-forty year old guy makes a list of more than a thousand items of things he wanted to do but never got around to starting. His aim is to finish the list. Once he does, only then will he be a "certified" adult.
Narnia Chronology: An Interactive Timeline
Have I ever told you I love C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia? Not yet? But I really do!
I walked around the store in circles debating with myself whether I should get them or not. I have the cash, yes, but as Mich said, "Having more than enough money does not mean you should spend all of it." The temptation of whipping out the plastic card was almost too irresistible, but after a few breaths (and a little heartbreak) I put the books down and paid for just the paperback copy of The Hunger Games. Yes, practicality won over that, as well. I can get the two other books some other time.
On my way out of the store though, I stopped dead on my tracks when I saw this:
Barney Stinson's The Bro Code (as seen on CBS's How I Met Your Mother)
I recognize that opportunities like this are very rare.
Notice the receipts; five minutes after paying for my first purchase, I immediately paid for the second book :D
Neil Patrick Harris as playboy Barney (sidenote: he and his partner are having twins by a surrogate mother soon!) is just perfect! I love love love How I Met Your Mother (an HIMYM-inspired post here before I started watching the series) and have been eyeing the Amazon listings of tie-up books for quite some time now! This reinforces what Paulo Coelho in one of my favorite books The Alchemist said, when you really want something, the universe conspires in helping you achieve it. You can't argue with that ;)
New additions to my family of books
Barney wins
Read any good books lately? :)
I saw The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 today and as expected, I left the cinema with a torn heart and wet eyes.
o(╥﹏╥)o
o(╥﹏╥)o
Following immediately after the events that transpired in Mockingjay Part 1, we are taken back to District 13 where they deal with Peeta's hijacking and the rebels continue to attempt to overthrow the Capitol. The Hunger Games arena is no more, but war has begun and there are casualties.
A LOT of casualties.
I appreciate that they did not show too much gore, though. Except for the Sweeney Todd movie, I can't stomach movies and TV shows that seem to derive satisfaction from showing too much blood.
I enjoyed the movie and I commend the whole team for again succeeding in giving us an expanded yet condensed version of the book. Attention was given to every minuscule detail; I was especially amazed by Tigris and the girl in the yellow coat. I re-watched Hunger Games and Catching Fire over the weekend and Mockingjay Part 1 just this morning so everything is still fresh in my mind, and it felt like a one-year break didn't happen. I have also read the last book in the trilogy so I know what was going to happen but that didn't stop me from jumping in surprise at most of the scenes and gripping my armrest for what was coming. I squinted my eyes and steeled myself for every time the moments I was dreading were about to come; too bad you can't press Pause at the movies, huh. Kudos to all the brilliant actors for doing an exceptional job on portraying the characters we have come to root for. Thank you for the goosebumps!
Still, I wish they didn't have to split Mockingjay into two parts.
Don't get me wrong. I recognize that cramming everything in one movie might not have given as much impact as the two films have as more scenes might be removed to ensure an acceptable running time. It's just that through no fault of the movie team, I felt that much of Part 2 was spent on them waking up from various states of unconsciousness and running. What can we do, those are really the things that happened in the book. It's just that it's a heavy movie and I missed the little touches of comic relief that Haymitch or Effie provided in the other adaptations.
I also think the Epilogue could have been done better.
Still, I think that all in all, this quartet is the best book-to-movie adaptations I have ever seen. And I have seen a lot. I'd like to thank everyone who made these movies possible for giving life, pain, power, vulnerability, and fight to these characters.
Still, I wish they didn't have to split Mockingjay into two parts.
Don't get me wrong. I recognize that cramming everything in one movie might not have given as much impact as the two films have as more scenes might be removed to ensure an acceptable running time. It's just that through no fault of the movie team, I felt that much of Part 2 was spent on them waking up from various states of unconsciousness and running. What can we do, those are really the things that happened in the book. It's just that it's a heavy movie and I missed the little touches of comic relief that Haymitch or Effie provided in the other adaptations.
I also think the Epilogue could have been done better.
Still, I think that all in all, this quartet is the best book-to-movie adaptations I have ever seen. And I have seen a lot. I'd like to thank everyone who made these movies possible for giving life, pain, power, vulnerability, and fight to these characters.
What a ride.
Do I dare to say I even prefer this trilogy over the Harry Potter series? *insert shocked face with hands over mouth emoji* Maybe because of the fact it's closer to home, the fact that if we're not careful, Panem can be our reality?
I hope not.
As is my custom of seeing these movies more than once, I'm seeing it again on Saturday. Ease up the goodbye, at least.
Mockingjay Part 2 is not my favorite movie (Part 1 is, while my favorite book is Catching Fire) but I'm still betting on the Girl on Fire.
If you are, too, and you are planning to see the movie soon, I recommend that you join Mod World Production's block screening on November 25, 8 PM in SM Megamall and help feed undernourished children at the same time! Modworld Popcorn Club has partnered with SIFCare—the humanitarian arm of The Science of Identity Foundation—and will be donating part of the proceeds to their GoPalakas feeding program in La Union, Cavite, Antipolo, and Lucena.
I've already joined two of their previous screenings (Jurassic World and my second time of seeing Inside Out) and all viewers went home with loot bags each time. Fun! Buy your tickets here.
Don't forget to bring a handkerchief and/ or someone to hold you while you deal with your feelings brought about by Katniss Everdeen and company.
*All gifs are from Giphy.
I hope not.
As is my custom of seeing these movies more than once, I'm seeing it again on Saturday. Ease up the goodbye, at least.
Mockingjay Part 2 is not my favorite movie (Part 1 is, while my favorite book is Catching Fire) but I'm still betting on the Girl on Fire.
If you are, too, and you are planning to see the movie soon, I recommend that you join Mod World Production's block screening on November 25, 8 PM in SM Megamall and help feed undernourished children at the same time! Modworld Popcorn Club has partnered with SIFCare—the humanitarian arm of The Science of Identity Foundation—and will be donating part of the proceeds to their GoPalakas feeding program in La Union, Cavite, Antipolo, and Lucena.
I've already joined two of their previous screenings (Jurassic World and my second time of seeing Inside Out) and all viewers went home with loot bags each time. Fun! Buy your tickets here.
Don't forget to bring a handkerchief and/ or someone to hold you while you deal with your feelings brought about by Katniss Everdeen and company.
*All gifs are from Giphy.
The Hunger Games trilogy is probably the best set of books I read last year. I was so hooked into it that I recommended demanded my close friends to read it. I couldn't stop talking about it for weeks! To think I just started reading the first book, Hunger Games, after I reserved my copy of Mockingjay which is the last book in the series. Remember how I even went to the Launch Party? :)
I found it hard to find a copy of the second book, Catching Fire, because all bookstores I went to ran out of stocks already. I chanced upon one on a magical Saturday though, and all those times spent looking for it was all.worth.it. I literally clutched my heart and gasped out loud after reading the last paragraph that my Mama asked me if I was okay!
The Harry Potter series is still my first love but these gems by Suzanne Collins deserve their own kind of lovin'. Really, it won't make any sense to compare the two because they both belong to a league of their own.
The Hunger Games trilogy stirred all kinds of emotions in me: grief, happiness, the joys of triumph through adversity, panic, despair, hope, and disgust at human folly, among others. Most importantly, I fell in love with the characters Suzanne created: the girl on fire and the boy with the bread.
When I first learned about the film version being made, of course I was skeptic. I didn't think anyone could ever translate the events in the book into film and still evoke the same feelings anyone who has read it felt. I also didn't like some of the actors they cast to take on the main roles, so forgive me for being prejudiced. It didn't help that they showed a sneak peek that I thought was terrible. In short, I didn't feel excited for the movie at all.
The first theatrical trailer was shown today though. I didn't bother checking it out at first, but curiosity got the better of me.
I watched it:
... and I got goosebumps.
I actually thought it looked cool and I have a slight feeling it would pass my expectations.
Have you read this trilogy? What did you think about it? I am excited to read the three books again, but I'm afraid it will somehow dampen my Christmas spirit so I guess I'll just wait until January next year. I actually can't wait until I have bought myself a Kindle Fire, I am so getting the Kindle edition of The Girl Who Was On Fire!
I really, really, really hope the movie gives justice to the book. If not, then I guess it's good I'll always have the books to just read again and again.I actually thought it looked cool and I have a slight feeling it would pass my expectations.
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| Here's a photo of the Tributes from the different Districts Source |
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| Source |
Looking forward to the movie that'll be shown on 23 March 2012. Another movie to add to my list of '2012 movies I'm excited to see' which already includes The Dark Knight Rises on the top spot! I swear books, movies, books about movies, and books turned into movies will be the death of my savings account. Not that I'm complaining ;)
If there is anywhere in the world I wish I could have been in just a few hours ago, it would have been San Diego for Comic-Con. I don't care if I would have had to line up for hours or even camp there for days, I would have relished the experience like I do going to concerts.
Here are just four of the reasons why:
1. The cast of How I Met Your Mother
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| From Neil Patrick Harris: Here's a candid pic of the HIMYM cast before going onstage at ComicCon. Love this gang. |
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| via CBS |
2. Tom Hiddleston as Loki
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| via Buzzfeed |
3. Batman AND Superman in ONE movie? AAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!
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| via Buzzfeed |
4. The new Catching Fire trailer and some of the cast!
I loved the Catching Fire panel and gushed at how adorable Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson answered the questions thrown at them. I just wish Josh could've been a wee bit taller, but perfect casting, I tell ya.
And of course, what we were all waiting for, the newest trailer of the movie version of the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy!
I must have watched it more than ten times. More production budget equals a more grandiose Captiol, I love it. We even had a peek at shirtless Finnick hee.
Katniss's wedding-turned-Mockingjay dress is nothing short of spectacular. Truly Cinna's finest hour, yes?
And can we all take a moment to appreciate how vulnerable yet fiercely brave Jennifer Lawrence looked here as Katniss Everdeen:
She is A.Ma.Zing. I watched The Hunger Games in the cinema thrice last year and there was not a single second that I wasn't convinced she was Katniss, fighting for her life in the arena. What a phenomenal actress.
And then I spent the rest of the afternoon watching old episodes of Glee and feeling sad again for Cory Monteith. Glee's execs have already addressed how they're going to address Finn's absence from the show, and that is that they are leaving it to Lea Michele, which I think was nice.
I spent half of Saturday sleeping and then more than half of today glued to my computer. I can't believe it's already Monday again tomorrow. But oh well, today was a good day for the different fandoms and nerds out there including myself, so I guess I can't really complain, can I? Ha ha have a happy week ahead!
The whole scurrying around Manila for the last week took a toll on my body as I went home today feeling very tired. I am not complaining, though! If anything, I feel very happy and thankful that I am spending my time wisely - that is, by going out there and exploring the city (and then recounting everything in my little space in the world wide web).
I have sooo many things I want to talk about: my first (of many in the future, I'm sure!) meeting with a very cute and adorable blogfriend Mai, exploring Cubao Expo, going thrifting and eating Singapore Chicken Rice (all in the same day, mind you. Would love to post about it now but my Internet connection via my Smartbro Plug-It is acting moody and I can't edit the photos properly); the lovely people I met through Mommy Terry who are sharing their precious time with me by giving me Bible lessons; new old books from Booksale; and my frustration that Eat Pray Love is still not being shown here. Oh wait, let me tell you about that now. I am sad and frustrated that Eat Pray Love is still not being shown here :(
This is just a quick post to say how pysched I am that I was finally(!) able to get myself a copy of Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. I guess the odds are in my favor today. I got the first book - The Hunger Games - last week but I did not start reading it until last Tuesday. I am telling you, the book was brilliant! Definitely a page-turner! The only reason why I did not finish reading it in two days was because I did not want to be left hanging until such time I get my paws on what happens next to Katniss Everdeen. I wanted a copy of the second book before I finish the first but alas, all the bookstores ran out of stock! I even dreamed of Katniss and Peeta last night. This morning though, during my second break from work, I cannot delay it any longer. I have to know how the first book ends. And so I finished it and let a friend borrow my copy, with a fervent wish that bookstores will have new stocks soon, or else I would have to resort to ebooks which I didn't want to do.
Also bought some bookmarks.
I have to finish Catching Fire in two days as Mockingjay will be released worldwide on the 25th of August. In my side of the globe, that will be this Wednesday. On Wednesday I will claim the copy (and my free Mockingjay shirt!) that I have reserved in National Bookstore last week. I will write a comprehensive review when I finish reading the Trilogy.
I will start reading it tonight and I am so excited! So there's my quick post. :) As they say during the Reaping, "good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"
I have sooo many things I want to talk about: my first (of many in the future, I'm sure!) meeting with a very cute and adorable blogfriend Mai, exploring Cubao Expo, going thrifting and eating Singapore Chicken Rice (all in the same day, mind you. Would love to post about it now but my Internet connection via my Smartbro Plug-It is acting moody and I can't edit the photos properly); the lovely people I met through Mommy Terry who are sharing their precious time with me by giving me Bible lessons; new old books from Booksale; and my frustration that Eat Pray Love is still not being shown here. Oh wait, let me tell you about that now. I am sad and frustrated that Eat Pray Love is still not being shown here :(
This is just a quick post to say how pysched I am that I was finally(!) able to get myself a copy of Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. I guess the odds are in my favor today. I got the first book - The Hunger Games - last week but I did not start reading it until last Tuesday. I am telling you, the book was brilliant! Definitely a page-turner! The only reason why I did not finish reading it in two days was because I did not want to be left hanging until such time I get my paws on what happens next to Katniss Everdeen. I wanted a copy of the second book before I finish the first but alas, all the bookstores ran out of stock! I even dreamed of Katniss and Peeta last night. This morning though, during my second break from work, I cannot delay it any longer. I have to know how the first book ends. And so I finished it and let a friend borrow my copy, with a fervent wish that bookstores will have new stocks soon, or else I would have to resort to ebooks which I didn't want to do.
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| I got it for only P607.25 from its original price of P759 thanks to National Bookstore's sale! :) |
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| Srsly, how cute are these? :D |
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| Louisa May Alcott is one of my favorite classic authors. |
I will start reading it tonight and I am so excited! So there's my quick post. :) As they say during the Reaping, "good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree?
Where I told you to run,
So we'd both be free.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree.
This post is a couple of days late again but who cares? I'm watching The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 today and I don't think I'm ready. I don't think I'll ever be ready.
In preparation, I re-read Parts 2 and 3 of Mockingjay and re-watched The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay Part 1, and now I shiver in anticipation while at the same time dread the end.
I just know my heart will be crushed.
Here is this week's Currently!
READING
Still Welcome to Night Vale and Big Magic. I've been surprisingly slow in reading these days, which is baffling considering how I finished rereading Mockingjay in one day.
WRITING
A story inspired by One Direction's song Taken. I'll probably write a longer post about this in the future, but in the meantime you may check this for the complete details about this new writing challenge, as well as the #WriteBreakupSongsAbout hashtag on Twitter. Fun!
LISTENING TO
One Direction songs. I know I should be preparing for Nate Ruess (LOL) but I just need to finish this story first, okay, Nate? Heh.
SMELLING
Sweet Tarts. My boss Jenny just came back from New York and gave us a bunch of candies and chocolates and of course I got a lot of my favorite Sweet Tarts.
WEARING
House clothes because there's no work today and tomorrow! Thank you, APEC holiday!
THINKING
Of all the things (work tasks, personal chores, dream essentials, et cetera) I have to accomplish this week but I guess I'll just let Future Krissy mind those.
FEELING
Lazy. Wasting time before I have to prepare for Mockingjay Part 2. I'm bringing Kleenex.
LOVING
The Christmas lights and decor. It's going to be a festive holidaze, as always!
WANTING
More trinkets to decorate our Christmas tree yet. I'm going to stop by SM Home in Makati after work on Friday.
NEEDING
To sort out stuff for Bloggers United 10, happening at the World Trade Center on December 6! I hope you can drop by!
WISHING
Saturday comes soon. I haven't even seen Mockingjay Part 2 yet yet I'm already excited to see it again on IMAX! Hee.
So there! Are you going to see Mockingjay Part 2 anytime soon? I'm praying for our hearts. ♥
Coming to the tree?
Where I told you to run,
So we'd both be free.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight
In the hanging tree.
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| THE END IS NIGH |
In preparation, I re-read Parts 2 and 3 of Mockingjay and re-watched The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay Part 1, and now I shiver in anticipation while at the same time dread the end.
I just know my heart will be crushed.
Here is this week's Currently!
CURRENTLY Vol. 46
READING
Still Welcome to Night Vale and Big Magic. I've been surprisingly slow in reading these days, which is baffling considering how I finished rereading Mockingjay in one day.
WRITING
A story inspired by One Direction's song Taken. I'll probably write a longer post about this in the future, but in the meantime you may check this for the complete details about this new writing challenge, as well as the #WriteBreakupSongsAbout hashtag on Twitter. Fun!
LISTENING TO
One Direction songs. I know I should be preparing for Nate Ruess (LOL) but I just need to finish this story first, okay, Nate? Heh.
SMELLING
Sweet Tarts. My boss Jenny just came back from New York and gave us a bunch of candies and chocolates and of course I got a lot of my favorite Sweet Tarts.
WEARING
House clothes because there's no work today and tomorrow! Thank you, APEC holiday!
THINKING
Of all the things (work tasks, personal chores, dream essentials, et cetera) I have to accomplish this week but I guess I'll just let Future Krissy mind those.
FEELING
Lazy. Wasting time before I have to prepare for Mockingjay Part 2. I'm bringing Kleenex.
LOVING
The Christmas lights and decor. It's going to be a festive holidaze, as always!
WANTING
More trinkets to decorate our Christmas tree yet. I'm going to stop by SM Home in Makati after work on Friday.
NEEDING
To sort out stuff for Bloggers United 10, happening at the World Trade Center on December 6! I hope you can drop by!
WISHING
Saturday comes soon. I haven't even seen Mockingjay Part 2 yet yet I'm already excited to see it again on IMAX! Hee.
So there! Are you going to see Mockingjay Part 2 anytime soon? I'm praying for our hearts. ♥
It was too early in the morning to be fangirling but I couldn't help it! If you are a fan of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy and are eagerly awaiting the movie adaptation of Catching Fire like me, then you are in for a treat! Subway has released an exclusive online debut of an all new TV spot featuring Christina Aguilera's contribution to the Catching Fire OST and IT. IS. PERFECT.
Coincidentally, I also finished rereading Catching Fire in the van on the way to work this morning. Collins deserves a lot of credit for making me feel like I was reading it for the first time! Granted that I first read the book three years ago and I never found the need to read it again until a month before the movie is shown because it's just too heartbreaking, but all the emotions I felt - happiness, grief, faith that the spirit will triumph over any adversity, panic, despair, disgust at human folly, rooting for my favorite fictional characters who do not have the odds among their favor, among others - are still there, magnified even more because being older (and hopefully wiser) has made me understand more from this dystopian fictional universe that, truth be told and frighteningly so, might not be too far from reality.
Others have turned their noses up on the series because it "belongs to the Young Adult genre". Excusez moi, but The Hunger Games is much more than that. Yes, there's a love triangle between three teenagers, but there are a lot more at play - complex characters with different motivations, subterfuges, deception, the consequences of having an insatiable thirst for power, politics, the society's skewed obsession with celebrities and reality TV, friendships and alliances even while having preconceived prejudices... I could go on all day, but I guess what I'm trying to say is don't knock it 'til you've read even the first few chapters at least.
What it all boils down to is that Catching Fire is my favorite book in the trilogy and I am counting down the days until I am inside the cinema, watching the movie.
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I was at SM North EDSA last night with Angel of Wonder Woman Rises to be among the few to watch the premiere screening of The Hunger Games and I am sooo tempted to post my review right now but I know most people won't be able to watch 'til this weekend. I don't want to spoil the movie for you, so don't worry, this post is spoiler-free :) But I am writing this because I want to encourage you to go watch it!
While in line for the movie, it was very obvious that all of us were excited to see it! There were even people wearing fluorescent-colored wigs and costumes, reminiscent of the people in the Capitol. There were also lots of girls wearing Katniss-inspired garb, complete with leather jackets, boots, and with their long hair in braids! It was during that moment that I wished I have longer hair LOL. Everyone who were there are fans of the trilogy because we all had the same reaction at every scene! Priceless! Angel and I took turns sniffing at the "heavy" parts hehe.
The movie is like a condensed, yet expanded version of the book. I know majority of book-to-movie adaptations aren't so good because the essence of the novels somehow get lost in the process in the attempt to Hollywood-ize the film, but in this version, the director and screenwriters were able to add to the book's over-all experience. I don't know how else to explain it, but you'll understand once you see it :) And I can't wait for you to watch it so we can gush about it!!
I waited so long for this, and now that I've seen it I feel a little lost and empty. The next thing I'm looking forward to is The Dark Knight Rises! Fast forward to July, please!
Anyway, I have to go now because I will go to SM North EDSA yet again for the 3:40PM screening of the movie. Yes, it'll be my second time to see it but it's okay because the movie is worth it. Hope to see you there! ♥
What you are seeing, my friends, is how I normally dress for the office. A typical work-day for me consists of a simple jeans and tee combi - no frills, comfort dressing at its finest. Sometimes I do feel the need to make a little bit more effort, but yesterday was one of those days when I wanted to just wear my favorite jeans and a cute shirt and let the color scheme come together. In this case, I was going for a red-and-purple theme.
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| Shirt - Black Sheep | Jeans - 168 | Sandals - Grendha |
The jeans I'm wearing here is one of my favorite pairs ever because I just love how it hugs my body. Would you believe I got it for only P200? There is a shop in 168 Mall that sells jeans and they all cost not more than P300! The quality is also great, considering the price! I must have bought about four pairs from that shop already and they all still fit me perfectly :) I find it difficult to find jeans in my size from more expensive brands because they're all a little too big for me. It's great that I don't have to resort to having pairs custom-made just to find my perfect fit :)
The cuff was given to by my friend Paula and it's just so pretty. As for the bag, I've been using it for the past week and I love how it's the perfect size to carry my everyday essentials (like face powder, wipes, lip balm, lipstick, IDs, coin purse, and keys).
So why the title Nightlock? It's perfect for the red-and-purple color scheme I have going on, plus it's also in honor of The Hunger Games movie. For those who've already read the book, you may remember nightlock berries as the poisonous berries that [SPOILER ALERT!] saved Katniss and Peeta at the end. I will watch the premiere of the movie tonight with my friend Angel and, based on tweets from the people (fans and critics alike) who've already seen it, it is going to be AMAZING. I am not regretting that I also bought tickets to the 3:40PM screening of the movie tomorrow!
I hate to be one of those people who spoil the fun for everyone, so I promise I won't post any reviews of the movie here yet ;) Happy Hunger Games!
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| Cuff - Maria Paulita | Bag - SM Accessories |
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| Not really related to the post, but I just wanted to share a photo of my favorite cake from Goldilocks, a slice of Choco Cherry Torte :) |
I hate to be one of those people who spoil the fun for everyone, so I promise I won't post any reviews of the movie here yet ;) Happy Hunger Games!
Postura [noun]
Literally, it translates to posture. But colloquially, “posturang-postura” is an expression used
when someone looks very well dressed. We chose the name because we want
the Postura Project to showcase proud Filipinos garbed in local fashion.
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The hope for the Postura Project is to become a portal for Filipino branded fashion and locally inspired looks. Started by four fashionalism advocates Arriane Serafico, Knox Balbastro, Sarah Meier, and David Guison, it has a very simple mission. To get fellow Filipinos to start wearing something Filipino everyday.
To kick-start the movement, we’re posing a challenge to ourselves - to wear something Filipino everyday, for one whole month. This is to show how we’re loud and proud, and we firmly believe that “Made in the Philippines” can be young, fun, and fashionable. We show how it takes very little effort to incorporate a piece of Philippine fashion into your everyday outfit.
I spent a lot of waking days waiting for this moment, and now that it has finally come, how could I possibly explain how it feels?
It's like getting the wind knocked out of you. It's like one of those moments when you hold your breath and you feel like you ran out of oxygen. It's like you can't breathe out of sheer anticipation. I've been trying to think of other ways to describe it as succinctly as possible but my thoughts are all over the place.
I'm reacting like this because I saw Catching Fire on its first screening earlier today and man, it left me speechless!
The whole train ride going to the office after was spent taking down notes of my 'feels' and being enveloped in the movie's awesomeness. I'm trying to think if I'm just being biased - Catching Fire is my favorite book in Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy after all - but no, I seriously think the movie's flawless.
It certainly helps when the movie that precedes yours becomes a blockbuster since it's almost always given a no holds barred budget. Even by watching the trailers, you can tell that no expense is spared in making this. Rightfully so, as I feel that even though I think the first movie was great (I watched it thrice in the big screen!), I didn't think the divide between the Capitol and the rest of the other districts in Panem was displayed that much. Here, the Capitol is much grander, more ostentatious, more boisterous. The costumes are a lot better, too. But like the first movie, this one is another condensed, yet expanded version of the book, since the book is told through Katniss Everdeen's point of view. You'll know when you see it.
I am not a purist when it comes to book-to-movie adaptations but I do agree that you can only do so much with the source material. As it is, let me tell you that The Hunger Games : Catching Fire is probably the best book-to-movie adaptation I have seen. EVER. I've reread the book fairly recently and watching the scenes unfold in the cinema earlier was like having the book read to me again, only this time it has visuals! There are some things they had to change due to time constraints and everything but they were all very minor. Given the circumstances, the director Francis Lawrence and the rest of the producing team, the cast, and crew did a great job in staying faithful to the book.
I hate giving spoilers, but please give me this. I get a special thrill when characters break down the fourth wall, and when that happened so bravely, so defiantly, well, I wanted to stand up and clap my hands so bad.
Now I'm looking forward to the last two movies (since Mockingjay is going to be divided into two). See that is what I'm talking about when I said you should never run out of things to get excited about. ;) But before that, I'm going to another screening of the movie tonight care of Nuffnang Philippines and PLDT Home. I've seen movies more than once before, but this is the first time I'm actually seeing one twice on the same day.
Took the Catching Fire geekery a little bit further by wearing my
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| Mockingjay necklace... |
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| and an under-the-sea charm bracelet as a tribute to Finnick. |
Come and make sure to catch the movie! Even if you haven't read the books, just make sure you saw the first movie and you're set.
Happy Quarter Quell!
First of all I'd like to thank you for your comments in my previous post where I put a little postscript about an office bully. Let me assure you that it's not my new manager. If anything, he has been really supportive about the whole ordeal. Depending on how things turn out, I might tell you more about it in the next few posts.
Today I'll tell you about an event I attended yesterday with my good friend/ officemate Mich and her sister Jed. After work, we went straight to Robinson's Galleria in Ortigas for the Mockingjay Launch Party which was held at NBS Bestsellers.
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| Wore my black jumpsuit with the new belt I got the other day and my black wedges. The wedges gave up on me though (the strap on one shoe split) so I had to buy new slippers at the shoe section of the department store. :( |
The program started at 1PM. Since we get off work at 2PM, we were not able to listen to the book discussion but we were still able to watch the games and avail of some Mockingjay-themed treats.
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| The post-apocalyptic country of Panem divided into the Capitol and the thirteen districts. |
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| Look at all the people! It felt so surreal being in a room filled with fans of the series! |
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| Chocolate cookie stamped with the Mockingjay :) |
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| Drinks from the Haymitch bar. That's colored Sprite with lychee jelly. Yummy! :) |
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| Look Ma! A Mockingjay tattoo! :D |
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| I also met blogger Blooey! She writes really good book reviews :) I actually saw the invite for the event from her blog. |
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| Jed, Mich and me holding my copies of the Hunger Games trilogy :) |
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| Hhhhnnnggg I want my own bookstore! |
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| Of course I had to have photo taken there :D |
We also had our photo taken at the photobooth. I might be able to scan the photo later hee. Thank you Mich and Jed for coming with me!
I finished reading Mockingjay yesterday. Gosh, that series left me speechless. I'm still recovering from the range of emotions it made me feel, so I'll publish a much more comprehensive review once I have more time in my hands. I have to get ready in a few minutes because I'll go to SM North EDSA where I'll meet my Seventeen Sigaw sisters Belle, Grace, and Kaiye. I met Belle months ago but it'll be my first time to meet Grace and Kaiye after about six years of online friendship! I'm on leave from work today and the next two days are my rest days and they will all be spent getting together with friends. :)
I can just feel that this week is going to be great. I wish you all a wonderful week ahead!
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| Team Peeta all the way! |
My bags aren't packed, yet here I am, blogging haha. Maybe I should look into free article writing services so I can get some new content for my blog while I am away? In a couple of hours I would be leaving the scorching heat of Manila and go on a roadtrip to Kampo Berde in Tagaytay and spend the weekend there with my oldest and closest friends (I've known some of them since we were four, and the rest since we were eight!) and I AM SO EXCITED!! We're planning on playing again the outdoor games we used to play before so the next 36 hours should be filled with fun times (",)
I'm going to leave you guys with this fun Q&A. I was tagged by Angel to do this, and man, did she leave me some tough questions to answer! Here are the rules:
- Post these rules
- Post 11 random things about yourself
- Answer the questions that the tagger set for you in their post
- Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
- Post 11 random things about yourself
- Answer the questions that the tagger set for you in their post
- Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
Random things about myself:
1. I have had a LOT of nicknames. At home I've been called Kring-Kring, Ann-Ann, Aann, Ethel, and Tetay. In high school my closest friends called me Teta (they still call me that until now, actually), and I also made my classmates call me Bryttel (because I was - and still am - a BIG Britney fan). In college I was called Tetel. When I started working, my former teammate Charles called me Krissy, and the name stuck. My blog URL was derived from that nickname :)
2. I would like to have a fairy tattoo on my back. Just a small one, on the right corner of the part where the bra clasps meet. I have yet to figure out how to make my parents agree to it, though.
3. The sentence above might seem kinda odd, considering that: I've been living independently for more than three years now. The first two years were spent with housemates, but I started living alone in the latter part of 2010. I go to my parents' house during my rest days (like now), and whenever I'm here I get babied endlessly. I love home-cooked food ♥
4. My favorite part of my body is probably my butt. False modesty aside, I love how shapely my hips and butt are even before I started gaining weight. Thanks to all those physical training we did during my COCC and CAT days, I guess.
5. I used to be so outgoing. Whenever there's a program at school I was always tapped to host them, I was a COCC trainee, a CAT officer, and also held positions at the Student Council from elementary to college (and you know it takes guts to do those things). I even represented the country on an international youth camp held abroad! That's why I find it strange that all those self-confidence seemed to have flown out the window and I feel like I've been reduced to a whimpering wallflower x_x
5. I used to be so outgoing. Whenever there's a program at school I was always tapped to host them, I was a COCC trainee, a CAT officer, and also held positions at the Student Council from elementary to college (and you know it takes guts to do those things). I even represented the country on an international youth camp held abroad! That's why I find it strange that all those self-confidence seemed to have flown out the window and I feel like I've been reduced to a whimpering wallflower x_x
6. I can sing all the words to Me Against the Music by Britney Spears and Madonna haha. But I sincerely hope Britney would retire for a while and just leave the public eye for a few years, and maybe stage a big comeback tour once she is completely well. It's sad to see her "dead" eyes these days.
7. I like Once Upon A Time's Snow White a LOT more than Disney's.
8. How I Met Your Mother gets better and better! In a way I would love to learn who the Mother is, but I also don't want to, because knowing her would mean the end. And I'm not sure how I can cope with that yet. All these feelings for fictional characters ♥
9. I LOVE Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. To meet one person randomly and be able to connect with him in all levels and talk about anything and everything, I think that's the dream.
10. My favorite love song is Keane's Somewhere Only We Know. The lyrics and melodies... so haunting, so bittersweet.
11. I wish people would lay off me and think they know what I feel. Here's a thought: you don't. The worst part of everything that has happened is having this dark shadow that I could never leave behind because people keep on bringing it up. I know, I've realized, and I've acknowledged that I've made a huge mistake before, so there's no need to remind me every.single.time. I've moved on, so I guess you should all do, too.
Answered questions of the tagger:
1. What do you believe in?
Neil Gaiman said it best:
"I can believe things that are true and I can believe things that aren't true and I can believe things where nobody knows if they're true or not. I can believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and Marilyn Monroe and the Beatles and Elvis and Mister Ed. Listen — I believe that people are perfectible, that knowledge is infinite, that the world is run by secret banking cartels and is visited by aliens on a regular basis, nice ones that look like wrinkledy lemurs and bad ones who mutilate cattle and want our water and our women. I believe that the future sucks and I believe that the future rocks and I believe that one day White Buffalo Woman is going to come back and kick everyone's ass. I believe that all men are just overgrown boys with deep problems communicating and that the decline in good sex in America is coincident with the decline in drive-in movie theaters from state to state. I believe that all politicians are unprincipled crooks and I still believe that they are better than the alternative. I believe that California is going to sink into the sea when the big one comes, while Florida is going to dissolve into madness and alligators and toxic waste. I believe that antibacterial soap is destroying our resistance to dirt and disease so that one day we'll all be wiped out by the common cold like the Martians in War of the Worlds. I believe that the greatest poets of the last century were Edith Sitwell and Don Marquis, that jade is dried dragon sperm, and that thousands of years ago in a former life I was a one-armed Siberian shaman. I believe that mankind's destiny lies in the stars. I believe that candy really did taste better when I was a kid, that it's aerodynamically impossible for a bumblebee to fly, that light is a wave and a particle, that there's a cat in a box somewhere who's alive and dead at the same time (although if they don't ever open the box to feed it it'll eventually just be two different kinds of dead), and that there are stars in the universe billions of years older than the universe itself. I believe in a personal god who cares about me and worries and oversees everything I do. I believe in an impersonal god who set the universe in motion and went off to hang with her girlfriends and doesn't even know that I'm alive. I believe in an empty and godless universe of causal chaos, background noise, and sheer blind luck. I believe that anyone who says that sex is overrated just hasn't done it properly. I believe that anyone who claims to know what's going on will lie about the little things too. I believe in absolute honesty and sensible social lies. I believe in a woman's right to choose, a baby's right to live, that while all human life is sacred there's nothing wrong with the death penalty if you can trust the legal system implicitly, and that no one but a moron would ever trust the legal system. I believe that life is a game, that life is a cruel joke, and that life is what happens when you're alive and that you might as well lie back and enjoy it." (from American Gods)
2. Do you prefer being single or being in a relationship?
I've experienced being single and being in a relationship. Heck I even did the pseudo-relationship thing. And although there are some things that are great about being single, I think I prefer being in a relationship. Because it's always nice to have someone to watch movies with.
3. How would you describe yourself in three words?
Alive, passionate, and dynamic.
4. Do you have any good books to recommend?
At the top of my mind, just because the movie is coming up, I'd say The Hunger Games trilogy! And you should get The Best of Archie Comics, too, just because we all need a good dose of fun and pop culture :)
5. What about any good music?
My iPod is filled with songs from the 90s and early 2000s :D
6. Would you rather go 24 hours with a frog in your mouth or a mouse in your butt? :p
LOL 24 hours with a frog in my mouth? I imagine it'd be slimy and gross though XD
7. Why?
How did you even come up with these questions?? :D
8. Who, in your opinion, is the sexiest celebrity out there?
Chito Miranda, the lead vocalist of Parokya ni Edgar. Wit and humor will win my heart anytime ♥ Ryan Gosling is a close second. And then Ben Barnes.
9. Do you think 'making ligaw' is old-fashioned?
All I can say is, I feel sorry for the teenage girls who won't get to experience what it feels to be 'maligawan' :)
10. Do you play video games?
Only kiddie games like Chocobo Racing LOL. Does The Sims count?
11. Do you believe in second chances?
Yes, every one deserves one. I'm not a fan of third chances, though.
11 new sets of questions:
1. What do you like most about me?
2. What do you like least about me?
3. What is your favorite childhood memory?
4. What is your favorite Disney movie and why?
5. What is your favorite thing about summer?
6. Who is your favorite superhero?
7. If you were a boy for a day, what's the first thing you would do?
8. Do you think heaven exists? What is your idea of heaven?
9. What is your favorite body part?
10. What is your biggest regret?
11. Not to sound morbid or anything, but what would you like your epitaph to read?
It's 11:20AM. We're leaving at 12 noon. I haven't even started packing yet. I really should log off now haha. Thanks for reading, guys! See you when I see you! ♥
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