meme me, win books & bucks

Host Blog: Storytelling 2
Deadline To Enter: July 3, 2007
Prizes:

(1) an Amazon gift certificate for a hundred bucks, and
(2) a pile o’ books, signed author Rosina Lippi

Rules: All you have to do is visit Rosina Lippi, answer her meme on your blog and post an advertisement box promoting her new book – Tied to the Tracks.

all for the love of winning. here’s mine:

Five Reasons the Best Writers Come from Japan:

(from a non-Japanese’s point of view)

1. People here don’t talk a lot so the only way to express fully is through writing.

2. When we talk, we are not so honest. We always say play-safe words and with respect. This is the Japanese way of communicating. Most often, what we(they) say are sripted. So, again, the only way to be honest is through writing.

3. We do ride trains for hours and it leaves us a lot of time to reflect and then, write.

4. Almost everyone here lives alone (not with family members nor friends) and that leaves us no one to talk to, so comes writing.

5. Women here do the courting (most often) while men rarely do. And i guess, it’s something striking to write about. And they rarely say “I Love You”. They say “I like you” instead.

Tied to the Tracks by Rosina Lippi. July 3, 2007. ISBN: 0425215326″[This] is a hilarious, smart, sexy novel with a heart of gold.” — Susan Wiggs

“[Lippi] turns her buoyant creative talents to the romantic comedy genre with an effervescent tale of a trio of offbeat Yankee filmmakers plunked down deep in the heart of Dixie.” — Booklist

Read an excerpt. (Adobe Reader required)| Watch the book trailer

You can find Tied to the Tracks at Amazon , Barnes & Nobel, Borders, Powells, or at your local independent bookseller.

This meme has been entered in the Tied to the Tracks contest, originating on Rosina Lippi’s Storytelling2 weblog. If you’d like to enter the BUCKS & BOOKS meme contest, get the rules here.

That was hard. HONESTLY. I hope I’ll get the prize/s though.

cookies

I got this one from my bestfriend. I thought this one’s great so I’m sharing. I do not own the pictures nor the messages on it (whoever owns this, let me know and i’ll acknowledge you).

happy father’s day!

to all the fathers in the world esp. mine – Happy Father’s Day!

Oh! I guess, I have to tell you about me watching “Frequency”. It’s a father and son movie. I super love it. If you wanna know why, you have to google the movie or better yet, watch it yourself. It’s one of the best! made me cry though.

i miss you, pa! i wish you stayed longer….

message relayed

a friend was chatting (me, not around) with a 50-year old man we get to know just this week.  striking to me is this -

“am i too old for Rose?”

my personal reaction? “hehehe…”

the keyboard’s flaw

I never really cared till I noticed.

You see, I haven’t been really manually writing for quiet a long time. I used to write lengthy letters to loved ones on my girly stationery papers. But I quit. I used to write poems and diaries manually. But I quit. I used to take down notes diligently. But I quit.

And now, I am bothered. As I try to write lengthy notes again (such as this one), my hand doesn’t seem to cooperate. It says, “use the computer, my dear!” It gets tired so easily. And my handwriting? Oh my! They’re shameful! (such as that of a doctor’s).  

Perhaps it’s time to write lengthy notes again, diligently, for I don’t want my hand to forget all that it’s been doing during my pencil-pushing days.

Aren’t you bothered too?

weekend report

Mistaken Identity.

Below is a conversation I had with a (stranger) Japanese guy while I gave him something.

Japanese guy: Kamsahamnida (Thank You)
Me: I am not a Korean.
Japanese guy: Yeah, I know. You are a Chinese. (guessing again after feeling a bit embarassed for not guessing it right)
Me: No, I’m a Filipino.

Motto Muzukashikunaru (has become more difficult)

I was talking to a newly-introduced Chinese national. He only has a few Japanese words and fewer English words. I couldn’t speak Chinese, so we converse in Japanese. A lot of times, since he only has a few Japanese words, he spoke in Chinese and of course, I didn’t understand the word. I frowned to show I didn’t understand and then he picked a pen and paper and wrote the word in Kanji. HA!HA!HA! motto muzukashiku naru yo! (it has become more difficult for me).

how my weeekend schedule went?

Badminton last Saturday was cancelled because the Japanese were so excited to play badminton too that we never had a court to play. There were 6 courts and we were 7th in line. So, we went home and attended the birthday party in the afternoon; consumed calories instead (of losing them).

Swimming was great last Sunday. The water’s depth was enough for my height and enough for me to stay alive and never drown. But then, I had cramps (on my left leg) soon as we were about to end the session. Maybe, that’s because, I forced myself to cross the pool twice without pausing. Until now, my left leg still aches.