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And Audrey Was Her Name

 I am slowly getting back to hoarding books again. Books should always be a good thing but not when you buy one just to get a new one with zero regard to storyline or costs. In my case, I keep buying books on sale only to be disappointed later on. There's a reason that some books cost less. I also refuse to buy hyped books because it's not fair to well-written books that are not recommended on social media often enough.


I have also wanted to get a new Kindle. The one that was handed down to me was lost somewhere. Trust Shopee, an online shopping platform, to lure you into buying things that you don't actually really need but is a great platform for all the wants in the world. I decided to get the Kindle 2022 e-Reader 11th Edition because of its price tag. It was also sold by a reputable online store and I was also able to score some discount. The Kindle is so tiny! It is the size of a pocketbook! Good thing you can adjust the text size of the ebook. Book recommendation anyone? Comment below.

I am also trying to get back to writing book reviews. I also want to be able to write about books well like how it was taught in schools. To be honest, there was little chance to write book reviews in Highschool although the task was to read passages and write about them. But, not about books. Books are such a luxury! 

I want to learn, write, and be able to:

  • the prose fiction analysis
  • analyze how the author uses literary elements and techniques to develop a complex characterization
  • the literary argument question
  • select a work of fiction in which a character responds to a hierarchy in a significant way
  • analyze the character’s response to the hierarchy and how that response contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole, and
  • write a well-written response based on that analysis
  • understanding of the literary elements and techniques associated with prose fiction
  • to demonstrate choice, comprehension, and ability to develop and support a claim
..and more importantly, to NOT just write about the summary of the story!

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So I asked Chat GPT to recommend me a book with a 40-year-old something single female character in it. And, this is the book that was recommended to me.



The first time I requested a recommendation, it gave me a different book and was "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" which is a novel by Gail Honeyman. Then it recommended me other books every time with slight changes to the request phrase, "with" and then "about". I have to say, Chat GPT has excellent taste in books because of all the three that it recommended, I've heard excellent things about them. I won't be mad if I end up buying these books and reading them.
  • Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
    Goodreads Choice Award - Nominee for Best Fiction (2017)
    4.25 Stars Rating
  • The Last Letter From Your Lover
    3.99 Stars Rating from Goodreads
  • Where'd You Go, Bernadette
    Goodreads Choice Award - Nominee for Best Humor (2012)
    3.88 Stars Rating
I highly recommend Chat GPT to make such a request if you find yourself out of ideas for books to read.


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Advanced Placement, or AP, courses are courses offered in US and Canadian high schools that allow them to study subjects at a college level and in turn, will enable them to earn college advance credits.

One of the AP subjects offered in high school is AP Literature and Composition. In this course, you read fiction, poetry, and dramatic plays. You will learn to evaluate and analyze and write essays on your analysis. By the end of the course, you will discover close reading, interpret the meaning of the text, learn the author's techniques and the effects, and then write an essay on your interpretation and analysis.

Here are common books that are frequently cited in AP Literature exams from 1970 to 2014, PDF link here. The source is not mine and was generated online from one of the US public schools offering the course. The books listed are not complete and some schools also recommend books that are not on the list. Student bloggers who have undergone the study of AP Literature have recommended reading as much literature as you can. Before the end of the school year, the students will be tested and the most common part of the test is the free open-ended question, a prompt, where you will write in paragraphs to present your ideas. 

In the Philippines, we don't have AP courses. In fact, throughout high school, the reading of foreign literature was never part of the curriculum. The only books we tackle are the books written by Filipino authors and there aren't that many Filipino classic writers. The only books we've ever read in high school are Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, and Florante at Laura. Books are still considered a luxury to be had in the Philippines. 

So, I've tried through the list presented by one US school and found out how many of the books there I have, started reading, heard about it, and want to read them.

Read books:

  • Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
  • Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
  • Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift 

Books started but did not finish:

  • The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
  • Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 
  • Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
  • Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte    

Books I'm tempted to get started:

  • Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison 
  • Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevski
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 
  • The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
  • Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
  • A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
  • A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens  

There are movie adaptations of some of the books that are on my list. But, never miss out on reading the original piece if you ever have the chance.

Watch these bloggers and I hope it will inspire you to read classic literature.
 



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I love watching moving vlogs and house renovation. Imagine my excitement when a big celebrity from the Philippines decided to share the renovation of her 1-bedroom condominium and then it turns out to be simple and so attainable. 


Based on the renovation video, Bela Padilla value books, her upright grand piano and beautiful things, too, but only keeps what she uses. Everything about her things screams expensive, sure, but she does not hoard. I love a celebrity that does not value things like having a celebrity closet, a room full of expensive and luxury clothes and accessories. I would love to own and live in space like hers. 


I wish they also redid the kitchen and bathroom or at least shown it on the video. But, they didn't. So, I can only imagine how it looks like, like any other condo kitchen and bathroom built in the Philippines. If you are curious, here's the video from the designer/contractor.

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 I came across a video on the @Roommy_Roomtour Youtube channel and fell in love with the interior with eight_field house interior. The kitchen is to die for but the office space is the most romantic space in the house.

I imagine the house is really like a flat or condo because the owners are Japanese and Japanese housing are like that. But what they did to their space, it's really inspiring.



The wood material makes the interior earthy and outdoorsy. Living in a condo flat doesn't have to feel like living in a box or in a hospital with an interior that is mostly white. Watch the full video of the house tour here.


What do you think? It's brilliant, creative and romantic. Isn't it?
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Mindset is a daily self-care app that changes how people take care of their mental well-being. It offers self-care tools and resources, including meditations, sleep stories, journaling prompts, community reflections, expert tips, and advice, guided breathing exercises, and exclusive content from your favorite celebrities. It also has a signature daily check-in experience that helps you take actionable steps to improve your mental health and practice self-care in just 5 minutes a day. 
 
Mindset is also your go-to destination for exclusive, intimate audio collections featuring personal mental health stories and life lessons from favorite artists and celebrities. To download the app, click here. 

CELEBRITY MINDSETS 

Sometimes we don’t need advice. We just need to hear we are not the only ones. 

The app's makers invited K-pop group, SEVENTEEN, members to talk about their personal mental health stories and life lessons.




  

The 21 Questions videos uploaded on the MINDSET Youtube page gave fans the chance to get to know them better.
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New year, new you but I still refuse to make a bucket list for 2023. Getting a new year means a new year to lead a better life than we did last year. COVID-19 restrictions may not be strict this year but inflation hits an all-time high. Prices for commodities have increased considerably and it's now painful to enjoy the simple enjoys. What's a girl to do? Find new avenues that will not cost a fortune.

READING

There are sites you can download free ebooks. My mother subscribes to these fictional and not so well written stories but still engaging like your regular telenovela on TV. There are second-hand bookstores to get really affordable books or make a book exchange with anyone who, like you, is also a bookworm.

BLOGGING

I've parked blogging for years and somehow deleted a few more on some other platforms. But, I have always started blogging as a way to create and just write away random thoughts to escape realities sometimes, and now I am back. I've rekindled the love to write on anything that catches my attention and just throw in my thoughts and ideas on the subject.

RECREATIONAL HOBBIES

I've collected a few items to start and enrich my hobbies. Unfortunately, they have been left unused and neglected. That time is no more. If you are reading this, look around your home and look for unfinished projects. Great way to spend time creatively and not have to spend any extras, or I hope.

Leading a mindful lifestyle is not a surefire way to have a happy life. There's no formula. I haven't really read the Happiness book at all. But, if there are little things that spark joy, yes, including getting rid of useless things at home, then do that. 

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