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My one-book-a-week project was a complete epic fail. Having no time to pursue my reading, what with all the other schoolworks I am involved in, I gave up a week after. My other excuse? Reading one book a week was kind of a hassle. My reading span varies  depending on the book. It may take me more than a week to finish one, or maybe less if I’m really interested in the story. But I wasn’t that quick to give up. Therefore, I resigned to giving myself an ultimatum: 15 books or more for 365 days. So far, I’ve read four books this year, and I am just starting on the fifth. Two of these books are part of my 2010 Reading List/Book List. What’s on the list, you may ask? I have:

1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo
2. PS. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern
3. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
4. Gossip Girl by Cecily von Zeigesar
5. Nights In Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks
6. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
7. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
8. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
9. Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli
10. LA Candy by Lauren Conrad
11. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
12. Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carrol
13. Animal Farm by George Orwell
14. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
15. A B N K K B S N P L AKO by Bob Ong

All in all, the books on the list are quite an odd combination. I wasn’t thinking of a specific genre when I put the titles together. Furthermore, I’ve decided to add a few books I’ve already read before—such as Alice, New Moon, Bob Ong, and Gossip Girl—for it’ll help in completing the list faster. I’m very excited. Although I am a bit lagging behind on my reading list, I’m confident I’ll be able to finish before 2010 ends.

silently reading at the corner,
alekx

Last March 5-7, Cre and I headed down to Batangas for Camp Nivea, a three-day beach camp for teens held at Peninsula De Punta Fuego. It’s definitely not your ordinary camp: instead of learning how to start fires, tie knots, and pitch tents, the campers were taught survival skills of a different kind: the kind you need to flourish in the fashion and entertainment industry. I could go on forever about the wonderful time I had there, but this short list would have to do for now…

1. The camp masters were Reema Chanco and DJ TonyToni, and they were just so amazingly fun to be with! The campers were also really nice, really cool teens who are poised to become the next hottest stars in the local showbiz world. Among the campers were Regine Angeles from ABS-CBN’s Rubi, Beauty Gonzalez, Nicole Uysiuseng and Fred Payawan from ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Big Brother, Models John James Uy and Janeena Chan, and Ian Batherson from GMA’s Starstruck.
   
2. Punta Fuego was simply gorgeous, like it was made to be taken pictures of. The picture-taking opportunities were simply endless, and every shot taken of the landscape seemed to be effortlessly beautiful. In fact, this greeted us the moment we stepped in the country club:
   
   isn’t that beautiful?
3. There were workshops that were very practical for the modern style-savvy teen, and they were all handled by the best people in the industry. There was a DJ Workshop with DJ Mars Miranda and DJ Mike, a Fashion Workshop with Robbie Carmona and Sassa Jimenez, and a Headshot Workshop with Niccolo Cosme, and these were all capped by activities where the campers can show off what they learned. How cool is that?
   
4. All work and no play is a definite no-no in any camp, and that’s why all the hard work the campers put in the workshops was balanced by enjoyable pool and beachside games and themed parties for each night. The final night was made all the more special with a mini-concert by Callalily!
   
5. Last but not the least, the freebies! ‘Nuff said.
   

Honestly, I could rave about the experience for days. And yes, it was a perfect weekend, despite the fact that when I headed to the beach to work on getting some tan lines, I got jellyfish stings instead. haha! But really, Camp Nivea was an experience I’ll really never forget, jellyfish stings included. Now, if only time-turners existed…

Whenever I would go online, I have this set of bookmarked pages that I sequentially visit. I just got so used to it that it became a routine. I think a lot of people have their own site-hopping routines too but what makes mine different is that I have become attached to the sequence. I’m guessing I developed the habit out of the need to be constantly updated. Here’s my current cyber itinerary, in order:

1. Yahoo! Mail/Gmail
   College life would never be complete without Yahoo! Groups for classes and organizations. Teachers usually take advantage of technology to make information dissemination easier and so I check my mail everyday in case of updates (such as free cuts *wink*). Now that I’m done with that, I check my mail for work-related purposes and letters from my best friend.
2. Plurk
   I have been using Plurk since September 2008 and I believe I have grown quite attached to it. I have already reached 100.00 Karma and there are days that the fear of a Karma drop is the only thing that keeps it alive but a lot of my friends still Plurk so I still find it useful.
3. Twitter
   Thank God Twitter is not as needy as Plurk. I tweet less often because it’s not as high-maintenance but I frequently visit it for the latest updates on friends and my favorite websites/celebrities.
4. Multiply
   It’s sad how Multiply used to be the place where everyone uploaded photo albums of the latest getaways. Now that there’s Facebook, only a few people use Multiply. I, however, prefer uploading in Multiply because it’s already like a scrapbook of memories. I also upload photos in Facebook though whenever I feel like I’ll have fun tagging and when my friends specifically request it.
5. LiveJournal
   Aside from making them, I love reading blog entries. I visit my LiveJournal site and click the “friends” link to read the latest entries from my friends. Since I have added Sarah Dessen and Libba Bray on my blog roll, I get to read theirs too (and they update a lot!). My LiveJournal blog is also quite special to me because I have been using it since 2005 and I have had special and happy, happy memories with it.
6. Tumblr
   The fun in Tumblr actually starts when you finally follow the right people. Who are the right people, though? It’s different for everyone. Following the right people = following the people with similar interests as yours. I actually learn a lot through Tumblr, and there are a lot of pretty photos/words/ideas in there so I never want to miss a post. I back read until I reach a post I’ve seen, even if it takes 80 pages.
7. Facebook
   There are actually a lot of things you find out through Facebook that you would not have known if it weren’t for Facebook. And you get to know a person more by looking through the pages they are a fan of. HAHA! I also used to be addicted to some Facebook games like Geo Challenge (I loved it to bits!) but now I don’t play anymore.
8. Candymag
   I visit Candymag everyday because I look forward to reading the posts of the Candy editors and my COC friends. I hope you enjoy the posts too!

How about you, what are your cyber dailies?

I was sifting through piles and piles of papers in my room the other day when I came across an old issue of the school newspaper where I wrote before. I saw my article about me time (my favorite) and I want to share it with you. Here it goes:

There are times when I find myself staring into the blank and empty world of nothingness. Maybe you’re wondering now what am I talking about. Doing nothing is such a waste of time. Since nothingness is the same as emptiness, I fill the spaces by spending time with myself. The moments of aloneness are what I call, “me time.” It’s absolutely boring if I don’t do anything at all so I do the things which I can’t do during class hours or things to free myself from stress. I want to share with you a few things that I do during “me time” so you can also get some ideas on how to spend quality time with yourselves:

Daydreaming. Daydreaming exercises the power of my imagination. Sometimes, I get inspiration from it and I put it down into writing essays and stories. I also figure out the answers to essay questions given in class like philosophical ones. Out of the blue, the answers just pop out of my mind.

Doodling. This helps me bring out my emotions and creativeness. Doodling can be tempting to do in class when you start getting bored but why not try it in your “me time?” During my free time, I doodle in my diary to pour out all my feelings and it makes me feel better. I also draw some figures and stick people to bring out my creative juices as well as entertain myself.

Read a book. Reading is a hobby that I grew up with. Reading has always been fun for me. It’s like an adventure where it took me to different places through my imagination. Not only that, it helped me enhance my vocabulary and grammar skills. In “me time,” I don’t read subject-related books because there’s a world outside of definition and terms. I don’t keep myself occupied with subject-related materials. That’s what “me time” is for—doing things that will help detach one’s self from stress.

Nothingness is never meaningless. Spending precious time with one’s self is good because it enables a person to connect with his mind, body, and soul. A person should always remember to give time for himself. He shouldn’t give in to too much stress to avoid sickness, have a happy disposition, a healthy body and a positive outlook in life. Stop worrying and thinking about so many things. Just relax and remember, it’s all about you.

Enjoy your “Me time” Candy Girls!

Jesselle

As another school year ends, a new adventure is about to begin, but before you grab your swimsuit and flip-flops, here is a list of 11 things you can do to gear up for that adventure called “summer.”

1. Study and ace your tests. March… now before you sigh, exclaim, and joyfully await the summer season, there’s still a lot more work to be done. End your school year with a bang and in flying colors! Don’t miss your last chance to impress your teacher and classmates with your stellar grades.
2. Plant a tree or two. Aid against Global Warming and make summer better by contributing to Mother Nature. Summer is a lot more beautiful, one tree at a time.
3. Keep fit. Don’t waste your last few days in school by pigging out on those potato chips. Welcome summer vacation with a new body appropriate for that swimsuit you’ve been eyeing.
4. Prettify your toes. Match your new bikini with a brand new mani-pedi. Have your nails done in bright colors that complement the joyful spirit of the summer season.
5. Take off that mascara. Summer is all about embracing the natural outdoors. So, let your skin breathe. What better way to face that summer air with a fresh face?! Feeling incomplete without make-up? Go au naturel and trade your plum peepers for beige and light greens that identify with in and now the colors of the season.
6. Make MORE friends. When is it not a time to create new friendship? Two months is short so why not start now? When the next school year begins, you have more people to include into your social circle.
7. Rebuild broken bonds. Summer will be two months of no school and no social circle. Save yourself from the awkwardness when the next school year starts and link broken relationships back together. If you’re leaving High School or College, all the more reason to recreate ties with friends you’ll surely miss five or ten years from now.
8. Load up your wallet. Summer is vacation and vacation means the annual barkada summer trip to one of your friend’s family rest house in Tagaytay. Don’t miss out on all the fun you can have and start saving for your next trip. The next shopping opportunity might be just around the corner!
9. Clean. With all the hassle you’ve had to face the entire school year, it’s no wonder you can hardly see what’s on the bottom of your pyramid of clothes. Give your mom a break and begin putting stuff into order. Remember, summer is no excuse to be disorganized!
10. Plan Ahead. In less than a month, you’ll have more free time than you can handle. Use it wisely and avoid to procrastinate. Get the help of a trusty planner and keep to it faithfully. Plan your ventures ahead so you won’t get overwhelmed with all the new activities you want to try doing this summer.
11. Read the March issue of Candy. Jess and I have scoured far and wide for  activities you can do over the hot summer days. Compiled in an incredibly-awesome article, you’ll be poring over the pages thinking of what to do next. March 2010 is Candy’s 11th birthday so make sure you get a copy!

Have a great month!

All the love,
Alekx