My Favorite Children's Book (Pt.2): A Little Princess Novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett

  Yesterday, I bought a classic children's book entitled, 'A Little Princess,' written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I really love the story. I used to watch the Japanese animation dubbed in our native language when I was still a teenager. I also first saw the film adaptation, the one where Ms. Shirley Temple starred. It's a bit different from the book. There's also another movie adaptation in the 90's but it is also not the same as the story told in the book, again it deviates a little bit. The setting was in the U.S.A., instead of London, England. My favorite version is the one starring Amelia Shankley. I read its quite faithful to the novel.

Why do I like this novel? Aside from showing another country and culture like India, and England. (Very interesting that the author uses these 2 countries, since British colonized India before). That is why you can see an Indian man in the movie, and also read it in the book. The character of Ramdas, a sikh, he is the one wearing a turban. I believe it is diffirent from the middle eastern honorific title word, which is the sheik.                 

                       
I can say, firstly its very true. It portrays the harsh realities of life wherein if you don't have money, you will be treated as a nobody. That in this world, there are heartless, and abusive people like Ms.Minchin, who is only concerned of what she gets or what profit she can get from others. That's why she treats them nicely, and if she can't milk anything from them, she just treats them badly. Also, there are reasonable, good people like Ms. Amelia, but are just too afraid to voice out their opinion. Another is that there will always be people who are jealous, and envious over others, even if the person that they are jealous with doesn't have anything to do with them. But despite of these things, despite of the hardships, and difficulties in life. We can still hope, and things aren't always as bad as they seem. We just need to have faith. Believe that there are still a few good people out there. No matter what, we should always be good, and never forget the good values that we have learned as we grow older. Treat others kindly, even if you will not get anything from them. That speaks a lot about your true character. Treat other people the way you wanted to be treated.

The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun

    Yesterday, I bought another J.R.R. Tolkien book, The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun. Previously, I already bought all of the J.R.R. Tolkien book titles in our local specialty bookstore. I had this book reserved for me. This book was available only in their other store branch. I waited for this book for around 2 days. I haven't started reading this book. I still have a lot of Tolkien books in my list to read. If you are interested in this book please read the information I got from Harper Collins UK online.

Unavailable for more than 70 years, this early but important work is published for the first time with Tolkien’s ‘Corrigan’ poems and other supporting material, including a prefatory note by Christopher Tolkien. Set In Britain’s land beyond the seas’ during the Age of Chivalry, The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun tells of a childless Breton Lord and Lady (the Aotrou’ and Itroun’ of the title) and the tragedy that befalls them when Aotrou seeks to remedy their situation with the aid of a magic potion obtained from a corrigan, or malevolent fairy. When the potion succeeds and Itroun bears twins, the corrigan returns seeking her fee, and Aotrou is forced to choose between betraying his marriage and losing his life.

Coming from the darker side of J.R.R. Tolkien’s imagination, The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun, together with the two shorter Corrigan’ poems that lead up to it and which are also included, was the outcome of a comparatively short but intense period in Tolkien's life when he was deeply engaged with Celtic, and particularly Breton, myth and legend.

Originally written in 1930 and long out of print, this early but seminal work is an important addition to the non-Middle-earth portion of his canon and should be set alongside Tolkien’s other retellings of myth and legend, The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrn, The Fall of Arthur and The Story of Kullervo. Like these works, it belongs to a small but important corpus of his ventures into real-world’ mythologies, each of which in its own way would be a formative influence on his own legendarium.

I already browsed through this book. The one that I've got is a hardbound. It has a nice sort of leaflet cover, and the spine of the book has a gold embossing title. The famous Tolkien insignia is included of course. The paper quality is really good, and the font (text size) is good, very readable. It is a sort of a poetry book. I think this is not a sort of story style novel, but it is a story told in poetry style. This is something new to me so I decided to purchase it, and this work of Tolkien deviates from his Middle-Earth works. Personally I think, this is a must-have for Tolkien followers.

My Favorite Children and Young Adult Books (Pt.1)

       Yesterday, I bought 2 classic children, and young adult books. The first book that I'm gonna talk about is the Nancy Drew series. I got the title no.1. "The Secret of the Old Clock." I remember I used to borrow these books during my elementary days in the library, along with my favorite big book of Fairy Tales. Eversince, I was a kid I love books. I guess, that back then we were fortunate that during our childhood days, the kids are not that very tech savvy. We just have a game and watch, wherein there's only one game, and its not colored. We have the battery operated one, and the solar powered. I remember we have a game and watch, wherein a seal would balance the ball. We can play it near the flourescent light, or outdoors since its solar powered. Then came pc games. I really feel good visiting our school's library always. Aside from the Nancy Drew Series, I also like to read the Choose Your Own Adventure. Wherein you get to be the lead character and you choose what's going to happen next.The writer of the Nancy Drew series, I just found out wasn't really Carolyn Keene, but it was sort of an alias used by the writers of the book. Along with Nancy Drew Series came another young detective book named, Hardy Boys. These books were a huge hit and there was even a tv show before with the same title, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. The show ran from the year 1977 to 1979. A movie was made in 2007 starring Emma Roberts. I think that these books and tv shows inspired the many detective tv series today like CSI etc.

The other classic children's book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I only came to know during my adult days. But I have seen the old film starring Gene Wilder before during my younger days.I haven't read the book so I decided to buy it. Also, I cosplayed before as Willy Wonka in our workplace, so this story was really memorable for me. The latest movie adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel was starred by one of my favorite versatile actor, Johnny Depp (he starred in Edward Scissorhands, as a pirate in Pirates of the Carribean, a vampire in the movie Dark Shadows, Alice in Wonderland as the Mad Hatter, Chocolat, he also starred in suspense thriller movies like the Secret Window, Sleepy Hollow and many more) who played Willy Wonka. What I like about this story is that it teaches us about hope, and kindness. That no matter how hard life is, there's still a rainbow in the end. It also teaches us to never give-up. Just try and try. Also, greed, and other selfish acts does not end in a happy note.

This is just the part one of my favorite classic books. I'll just update when I have a new one coming-up!

The Tolkien Society

     I can say I'm a certified bibliophile (a person who collects and love books). These days I've been so fascinated with Tolkien's works. I bought a few of his books, and they are a bit pricey, but its all worth-it. I'm very proud to say, and to share with you dear readers of this blog of mine, that I'm an official member of The Tolkien Society now. I was accepted last week. Why did I join? Because, I wanted to feel how it is to be a certified Tolkienist. One of our group member in a social page (local Tolkien group), commented why did I say I'm not a certified Tolkienist. Well, like what I have written in my English fan blog. As a former member of Jane Austen Society in Australia, I joined the group because I wanted to belong to an organization or group that shares similar interest with me, and I also what to belong to a group officially and the status quo of course.

In our local Tolkien social group page, someone asked me what are the perks of being a member. I pointed out to them the society's web page. I was hesitant before, if I should go on and sign-up as a member. I'm afraid that I will not exhaust all the benefits of being a member, since I am not from the UK. Anyway, the prestige of being a member is enough for me. The membership fee is, £30. So that is equivalent to 2000 plus Philippine Pesos.

What are the perks of being a member? You can choose the student, postal or online membership. I chose the online membership because I dread to wait for the stuffs that's going to be mailed to me. Since its from the UK, its gonna take a long, long time for it to reach me. You also get Amon Hen their bi-monthly bulletin, and Mallorn their annual journal. Plus, you get online access. For online membership category, you get instant access to the society's publication. But a postal membership is also good, because you get a hard copy. If I'm not that impatient, I would have chosen the postal category. There is a "For Members" only access page in their website. Aside from that you get to join a worldwide fellowship who shares the same passion for Tolkien, and you get to promote his works too! According to their website it has 1,000 members from around the globe, in over 30 different countries. Also, you get discounts in their affiliated institutes like Mythgard Institute that offers fantasy, and Tolkien studies/courses.

So if you are interested in joining too, here is their website just click on this. -> The Tolkien Society

To those who do not know who J.R.R. Tolkien is here is his short info. about him.

Prof. J.R.R. Tolkien C.B.E. was a renowned scholar of the English language best remembered for his works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, which have become two of the most well-known, best-loved and biggest-selling books of all time. He is also a poet, and philologist.

I really admire Tolkien, because he was a brilliant story-teller, and writer. He devised his own language called Sindarin, the language spoken by immortal elves in his stories about the Middle-Earth. He also created his own insignia. The famous Tolkien symbol. If you have not read his works and have only seen the movies, I suggest you grab a copy of his books. I'm sure you will also be a fan! 

For more info. just visit The Tolkien Society page.

(Update, I just got my membership ID card and welcome letter this 23rd of March.)

Map of the Middle-Earth

 

Today, I just got my very own map of the Middle-Earth. I purchased this online, for less than a thousand bucks. This map is made of cloth. The feel is similar to silk.

Middle-Earth, is a fictional setting created by J.R.R. Tolkien. If you have seen the movie, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and have read the books, then you surely know what I'm talking about.

The term Middle-Earth was not originally from Tolkien, it comes from Middle English middel-erde. I believe that Tolkien got some inspiration from Beowulf the classic epic poem of English/Anglo-Saxon origins, that he had worked on. From the LoTR online Wikia, it says there that there are a lot of parallels between Beowulf and Tolkien's work.

There are a lots of inhabitants in the Middle-Earth. Iluvatar (origin of everything, the creator, The One) created the Ainurs, they were angelic beings who made beautiful music for Iluvatar, but one of them rebelled and his name is Melkor. I see a parallel here, the story of creation in the bible, and the fall of Lucifer. Next are those who entered the world, the Ainurs became Valars, and from the Valars came lesser spirits called the Maiar. The Maiars, worked for the Valars. For example the spouses Osse and Uinen, ruler of the seas, acted under Ulmo. I suggest you read the Silmarillion for better understanding of Tolkien's world and mythology. I had a hard time grasping it at first. So I made notes, and I also listen to the audio in YouTube. Over-all, as I read and learn of the writings of Tolkien, I am really impressed day by day of his works. I know that I should not make him an 'idol', God should always comes first. But in learning more of Tolkien, and other brilliant men like his son Christopher who continued the work of his father and because of him we have the Silmarillion, and Beren and Luthien among many others. I thank God for these men. All these came from Him anyway. 

So much so about that, going on other inhabitants of the Middle-Earth are, the Elves (my favorite is Legolas Greenleaf), they are intelligent beings created by Iluvatar alone, the first born. There are many clans of Elves, there are the dark and light elves. But the dark here doesn't mean they are evil. They would just never see the light of the 2 trees in Aman. Because, they remained in Middle Earth, dark elves are called the Avari, and the Eldar. The 2 main languages of the Elves are called Quenya and Sindarin. Physically they resemble human, but are beautiful, and they have pointed ears. They are agile and quick-footed, and are taller than men. Though they can be killed, they are immortal, they can die of grief too. 

Men are the second born of Iluvatar. They are mortal, ageing and dying quickly. Men, are less beautiful. Next are the Dwarves, who were said to be created by the Valar, Aule. They are master craftsman. Their language is known as Khudzul, a secret language for their own use. They are mortal, but live longer than men. Also, male and female dwarves are identical in their appearance. They are smaller in size too. Next, are the Hobbits or Halfling, according to Tolkien, they are offshoot of the race of men. They were generally half the size of men. They speak the Mannish tongue Westron. There are 3 kinds of hobbit, The Stoors, Fallohides, and Harfoots.

Other races were the Ents, shepherds of trees. They speak, and move. Created by Iluvatar, at the request of Yavanna. Treebird, in LoTR was the oldest Ent. Evil creatures such as Orcs and Trolls were created by Melkor also known as Morgoth. They are mockeries of the Children of Iluvatar and Elves. Other animals like the Eagles also live in the Middle-Earth. There are also giant spiders that descended from Ungoliant, also dragons are present here like Smaug. Another are Wargs, they are species of wolves allied with Orcs. In the Hobbit movie, one creature that I cannot forget was the skin-changer names Beorn, a man who could assume the form of a great black bear. I think he is the last of his kind. There are a lot more creatures in the Middle-Earth. (All the information here I got from Wikipedia and LoTR Wikia.) 

Back to my review of my Middle-Earth map. The small characters are not that very clear, but when viewed from afar, over-all, its nice to look at. It is great for a room decor, either in your own room, or in your living room. I'm sure Tolkien fans and visitors will be amazed if they saw this hanging inside your place. If you are a Tolkien fan this is another must-have. 

My Jareth Funko Pop Toy

  Finally! After waiting for almost 3 weeks. I received my Funko Pop Jareth. If you are wondering who Jareth is, he is one of the main character of the classic, 80's movie, Jim Henson's Labyrinth. This movie has left a mark on me. I really can't forget it. Before, I even bought the book that I saw in a local second-hand bookstore. Inside that book are Labyrinth movie photos. Too bad, I left that book in the house where I grew up.

Now, I have the Labyrinth vcd. The part that I remember fondly is the ballroom scene, wherein Sarah, wearing a beautiful gown, dances with Jareth. I find the character portrayed by the late David Bowie, kinda attractive. That's why I have a crush on Jareth. I also like storyline, Jareth the goblin king fulfills the wish of Sarah. I think Jareth has feelings for Sarah, its just that Sarah is oblivious to it. Argh! If I were Sarah, I'll go with Jareth, and we can be happy together with my baby brother Toby! He!hehe! That is... if I was Sarah!

Back to my new vinyl toy. This is kinda a huge Funko Pop for me. Because my first Funko Pop was the pocket pop keychain, Peanuts edition, Charlie Brown. This is the Labyrinth edition, Funko Pop Movies no. 364. Over-all I like the appearance of this Jareth, Funko Pop. Nice details on the jacket, necklace and the eye-shadow of Jareth is cool! Jareth is a goblin king, but I also have this theory that he's not a goblin. He is an elf. He is tall for an elf, and handsome too!

I also love all the songs performed by David Bowie in the movie, and I also love the ballroom scene, as the song 'As The World Falls Down' plays on. This is a kid-friendly movie. For me, this movie has also nice special effects because, it was the work of the late Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. If you have not seen the movie, I suggest you see it now. You are definitely missing something!

Leuchtturm1917 Notebooks/Journals

 My quest in finding a good, and long lasting notebook didn't cease. I was disappointed with my previous experience regarding another brand of a popular luxury notebook. It has not met my expectations.

I am happy with my Leuchtturm1917 journals. I can now say, the search is over! I have two. Each regular sized notebook costs around a thousand Philippine pesos. I have no complain about this notebook or journal. Leuchtturm is known for their high quality notebooks, binders, and portfolios. Leuchtturm1917 is made in Germany.

I bought two lined notebooks. One in metallic silver and another in metallic gold. These are special editions. They are both hardcover. It also comes with stickers, for the spine and for the title cover of the notebook. It also has a built-in bookmark, and a flap jacket inside. It also has a blank table of contents. From the look and feel. It is indeed a sturdy notebook/journal. I chose a lined notebook because I'm really going to write down my notes. I am studying Tolkien's Silmarillion now, and I am enjoying writing down my notes in these eye-candy journals. These journals also look posh. I would definitely recommend this to everyone.

Moleskine pocket sized notebook

  My first luxury notebook was Moleskine. Heard a lot about this popular brand of notebook that's why I decided to buy one. I bought two pocket-sized plain notebook. It costs less than a thousand pesos. A few of the pages are detachable, they can be teared easily because of the paper line marks. This notebook comes in black and dark blue color.The covers are cardboard like. I think it has approximately 50 leaves. These first Moleskines of mine were not that impressive for me.

My other Moleskine minis are colored purple, and black. These two costs less than a thousand Philippine pesos. The purple dotted mini journal has a thin cardboard covering, while the black one, which is a mini-sketch pad has a hard cover. These Moleskines for me were just fine. I used the purple dotted one as my 'note' book. I use it for writing down episodes from my favorite classic cartoon,The Charlie Brown and Snoopy show, and the other one I used as my sketch pad. These 'notes' are more sturdy compared to the first one.

Over-all, I just don't feel like buying any Moleskine mini notebooks or journals in the future. Like most of the reviews that I read and saw online. It does seem like the quality of Moleskine has dwindled these days. Moleskine is designed in Italy but manufactured in China. Anyway, if you always like to write and jot down things. These portable mini Moleskines are for you. You can take them wherever you go, and they can be easily stored in your bag.

Parker Jotter Pen Valentine's Day Set Promo

  Today I went to a local bookstore that has a Parker pen kiosk. Parker company are known for manufacturing luxury pens. This is kind of a late post because I bought this pen a year ago. This vday promo set pen is only available in this color, in dark red. It just costs around less than a thousand pesos because it is a bundle promo.

I often use this pen now at work. Like when I sign documents, and when I write something. I like it because it has that smooth feeling when writing, and it does not blot, even if I have dropped my pen several times. When I was little, I saw my late aunt having a lot of steel pens. I never liked them because its kinda heavy for me to hold. It is only now that I appreciate it. I also bought 2 Parker jotter pen refills. One in black (fine tip) and one in blue ink (medium tip). They also released new colors of jotter pens. I am eyeing the dark blue one since blue is my favorite color. I also had my name engraved on the pen. Script style.

Over all, I think this is a finely priced pen. There are more expensive branded pens around like Cross, and Sheaffer. The jotter pen now is priced around 500+ Philippine pesos. I think its worth it. The ink lasts a long, long time. Have been using my pen for a month now, and it still has an ink. So if you like to write like me. Grab a Parker Jotter Pen now! Parken pens origin is from the US. The founder is George Safford Parker. I suggest you buy from a reputable store, because there are fake Parker pens circulating around especially online. Look for the logo, and the warranty paper inside.

J.R.R. Tolkien Book Haul

  Today after work I bought a few books by Tolkien. My favorite specialty bookstore which is Fully Booked carries a few Tolkien books. The titles that I've got are, The Children of Hurin, Beren and Luthien, and The Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth. These books are all stories before the events in The Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings. I decided to buy them because these titles are the only ones left. I also made a special order, "Tolkien's World from A to Z: The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth." It usually takes 2 months if you request for special order for a specific book. I'm thankful that even if I'm from Asia, I have access to these wonderful titles. I just realized my some of my favorite books, and authors come from UK. I love Jane Austen's novels, and I like the movie Harry Potter. I have also read some of the writings of Tolkien's friend,  C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia, but maybe as I got older, my taste in literature has changed. I go for a more serious read.

The books that I bought, two of them are soft-bound, and one is a hard-bound. I got a 10% discount in each of the books because, I got a Fully Booked discount card. I have saved all of my receipts, and it reached to the total amount of 15,000 Philippine Pesos. To get a Fully Booked discount card, you can simply purchase it for 700 pesos, or just do what I did, save all your receipts for the whole year until it reaches the amount of P15, 000 Philippine pesos, and then you can apply for the Fully Booked discount card.

Back to these books. I'll just include  here the summary of each of the books.

1. The Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth are stories and essays that were never completed by J.R.R. Tolkien. But they are compiled and edited by his son Christopher Tolkien. This is a must-have for all LoTR fans. One reviewer of this book said that this is a very good supplement , to the Lord of the Rings.

2. The Children of Hurin - This is the first complete book of Tolkien since 1977. The story is about the evil Morgoth and his war against the elves. Since I am fascinated with the Eldar (elves), I simply cannot let this book pass me by.

3. Beren and Luthien - Anyone who is a sucker for love stories this book is for you. Even if their story is included in the Silmarillon (just a brief one). In this book you will know everything about these two. It is basically the story about Beren, a mortal man, who fell in love with an elf named Luthien. This is another must-buy for me, since its about an elf.

So that's it! If you still have not read the books that I mentioned, you can still grab a copy. The photo shown here are some of my Tolkien book collections.Not much, but I'm proud of 'em! I also have a Legolas toy from, The Hobbit, and a Lorien leaf brooch/pin. Tolkien's work is surely an adventure! Happy reading!

The Hobbit: Legolas Greenleaf toy figure

   This month, I bought a Legolas Greenleaf toy figure. I ordered it online. The regular price is $18, but I got it more than that, around $50. My workmate told me that it was overpriced. But personally for me, I think the price was just okay. Because nowadays, you cannot find toy figures from The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings that easy. I bought this toy figure, because its my favorite character aside from Gandalf. I also need this to satisfy myself. Aside from the LOTR books, Lorien leaf pin, a toy figure is another mark of a true fan. I'm now happy with all of my LOTR collectibles. When I first saw the movie I was attracted to the character played by Orlando Bloom, none other than Legolas.

This is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey toy figure edition. The website of The Hobbit is printed at the back of the carton case. This toy is copyrighted by, The Bridge Direct, Inc. from U.S.A. As usual it is made in China.

Legolas Greenleaf is the Prince of Mirkwood. His father is King Thranduil. Just a few information. He is also included in The Fellowship of the Ring. He is a skilled archer, and his best friend is Gimli. Kinda unusual, since Elves and dwarves has a not so good smooth relationship in the past. Both elves and Dwarves are good weapon makers.

This toy is exactly 3.75 inches tall. His costume is similar in the movie, and the facial feature has a resemblance. Not that bad. What I like about this toy figure is the details in Legolas weapons. There is a quiver, it contains a bunch of arrows but it is not removable, it is stuck in the quiver. It also has a bow, and two swords are also included. The swords are removable. You can see the beautiful details in those weapons. Also, with regards to the toy figure itself, nice details are shown on his armor and tunic. Plus, it also has intricate designs on Legolas boots. Quite impressive for a small toy figure. There's also a 6 inches toy figure available. For me this is a good Legolas toy figure.

The Princess Bride PC game

  Another goldmine for me is the Princess Bride game. I don't understand why some people didn't like this game. This was released in 2008 and I came to know it maybe a year or two. This game was included in the cd game pack that I bought in a nearby mall from my place. It was developed by Worldwide Biggies. Anyway, this game has been for quite awhile in my possession. I am in level 14 now. I don't regularly play it, and I have no patience actually with regards to PC games. Eventhough I use to play PC games during my younger years. I played classic games like King's Quest, Tapper, Alley Cat, Spy vs. Spy Artic Antics, California Games, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego. Also I have tried playing newer ones like The Sims, Monkey Island, Myst. I also know Ultima Pagan, Counterstrike, Starcraft and Warcraft. I'm just not fond of playing strategy  games (like Starcraft, and Warcraft). I also don't like shooting games like Counterstrike, and Doom because I get dizzy. I just like the classic, and simple games, like The Princess Bride.

The Princess Bride game has nice graphics. It has the same storyline as the movie. The gave is divided into five parts. The first part is 'As You Wish', here you should do all the task that the game or Buttercup requests. There's a quiz part in the Battle of Wits by Vizzini, finding things, and arcade type games. You will meet all the characters, and of course you get to play as Westley. For me, this is a good game. Actually, for an adult player like me. I find the game a bit difficult. So it's really challenging. Plus, you get to play different kinds of games, and puzzles. If you're a fan of The Princess Bride, then give this game a try.

The Princess Bride Book (Deluxe Edition)

  I bought this book as a heart's day treat for myself. I have seen the movie wayback. Even if this is not my most favorite classic movie (my favorite is the Labyrinth), I still bought the book today. Actually, I just chanced upon this book the other day when I was browsing the Sci-Fi/Fantasy section of a popular local specialty bookstore. I did not buy it, but instead I bought Stardust by Neil Gaiman. My interest in this book got re-kindled when fellow geeks from our online group talked about this. Speaking of the movie, I must admit when I re-watched it, I got bored. But I have respect for this movie because for more than 30 years, it has still remain a favorite in every family's home. I think I need to watch it again. The movie has a lot of moral lessons, and I'm sure that this book is also good to read as well. Relieve your memories of the beautiful Buttercup, and the dashing Westley. There are lots of funny moments in the movie.

Going back to the book. This deluxe edition is illustrated by Michael Manomivibul, and the story of course, is by William Goldman. He did struck gold with this story that he wrote. Who would forget these famous, catchy lines? "Inconceivable! As you wish!, and my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father! Prepare to die!" The deluxe edition is hard-bound. As you can see from the photo, the design is very intricate, and classy. The book has lovely illustrations. It is designed like a fairytale book indeed! If you want to know the complete story of 'The Princess Bride' then you should also grab a copy of this book. This is a must-have for all the fans.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

  I just watched Stardust again. I mean, I re-watched it again. I was able to see this movie a year or two before but I was not that interested, at first I found the movie to be really long (2 hours to be exact), and it bore me. But then again, I bought the book yesterday. So I decided to watch it again. All I can say is I was impressed!

It felt like watching, the classic movie, 'The Princess Bride,' with a 'Wizard of Oz' twist. I just love the characters in the movie, and I like the build-up. This is not my first-time to watch a Gaiman's film. I have watched Gaiman's, 'Coraline,' and it sure is creepy. Just like what dreams are made of. Sweet dreams at first, and then in an instant it becomes a nightmare. No doubt Gaiman is a good storyteller. Everything that you're looking for is in this movie. A magical fantasy, wicked witches, flying pirates, and falling star. (Just like what the caption in the movie poster says).

There were also unforgettable lines from the movie. One short, but meaningful quote that I remember is, "No star can shine with a brokenheart." Also, with all the chaos, lies, bad happenings in this world. Love makes life worth living for, it makes life more meaningful. Without love, I'm sure this world would be zillion times chaotic. There's also a lot of lessons in this movie. (Spoilers ahead!). Some of us think that the person we like, or the one that we pine for is really the one meant for us. But the truth is that there is someone more worthy of our feelings/affection. Someone who will love us back, wherein we don't need to go to great lengths to impress that person, to prove our love is true, or to make that person fall for us. You don't need to wear a mask, or pretend in front of that person, because he or she accepts you just the way you are. He or she is someone who brings out the best in you. Another good lesson learned in the movie, is that family is important. Riches, and inheritance can really be a problem, but what is more important is your respect, and love for one another.

If you haven't seen this movie, or if you still have not read the book. I suggest you grab a copy now. Also, this movie is available on Netflix.

Isn't it nice to think that there's a star watching over us. A star that's shining down on us every night. More than just a stardust.

My Tin Whistle

  It has been a long time since I wanted to own a tin whistle. Ever since I saw Andrea Corr of the Irish band, 'The Corrs' play the tin whistle, and when the played the lively Irish melody called 'Toss the Feathers.' I clearly remember looking at the tin whistles online way, way back, and dreaming of owning one but it was impossible to get one at that time because you need to pay via credit card. Now, I had the chance to own one because there's a lot of online shop around which sells any musical instruments, and you can pay via Cash On Delivery (C.O.D).

The tin whistle is a wind instrument. According to Mr. Moss, a member of one of the tin whistle group online, the tin whistle is the descendant of the much older flageolet. The entire class of fipple flutes share a common style. The recorder and the native American flute is played the same way as the tin whistle. Here in my country we also have a similar instrument, and we call it the bamboo flute. One of the well-known maker of bamboo flute is the King Flute, it is in the key C. I own one wayback, when I was still a teen. The price of the bamboo flute before when converted to dollars was around $6 or less.

My first tin whistle was made in China, it is silver, and had a color black mouthpiece. The brand is Clovers. This is not the customized one named Clover, that is probably made in Argentina. The second flute that I own now is a Feadog. This is a popular brand from Ireland. This is the tin whistle that I'm using now. It is made of brass, has a color green mouthpiece, and it has a Feadog sticker on its body. I can play a simple hymn now called the Amazing Grace.

From the Feadog online shop, quoting: "The Irish tin whistle has been in existence in one form or another for hundred of years. Example of whistles have been found in many different materials including wood, clay, cane and metal. Of all the traditional Irish instruments, the Tin Whistle is probably the most commonly played and the easiest to learn. It has one of the most pleasing sounds of all the musical instrurments. The Feadog is the original Irish whistle and is made in Ireland. Available in the key of C and D. They use a seamless brass barrel, and color coated whistles. It is a real musical instrument produced to the highest standards."

Another reason why I like to own a tin whistle is that it reminds me of the music from Lord of the Rings, and it evokes magical feelings, enchanting music. It also a portable instrument you can carry it anywhere unlike the piano, guitar, or other bigger instruments that's really a hassle to bring. Another popular brand is the Clarke. It is made in England. Most tin whistle players in our fb group favors the Feadog over Clarke. This Feadog costs me around $26. So if you want to feel like magical, start getting your own tin whistle too! Let's play and make beautiful music!

(Just an update! I purchased two new tin whistles. The brand is Clarke. The Feadog is made in Ireland, and the Clarke is made in England. I have now a Clarke Sweetone in C (silver), and a Clarke Celtic tin whistle in D (black). Plus the seller gave me a free Kazoo (a small American instrument that produces a vibrating sound when you hum into it). I also bought a Penny Whistle guide book for beginners).

The Silmarillion, and The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien)

  Yes, I'm also a fan of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, and The Hobbit. This week I went to a local specialty bookstore to get the books that I ordered, and reserved for me. Only few specialty bookstores carry The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Deluxe Pocket Boxed Set. The Hobbit is also included in this set. It is a bit expensive around P2,299 Philippine pesos. The books are publish by Houghton Mifflin. The price in British Pound is 49.95. The Silmarillon, published by Del Rey Books is cheaper since its paperback, costs around 414 Philippine Pesos. The Deluxe Pocket Boxed Set is very nice to look at. It is not bulky, and heavy to carry. It also comes with a mini-book case. The books have different hard bound colored covers.

I have seen all of the LOTR movies, and they're all amazing! My favorite character from the start is Legolas. He is portrayed in the movie as a handsome elf. He is also very skilled, and a great archer. I also have the leaf brooch that Legolas, and the group wore. The fellowship have this brooch, and it is called Leaves (leaf) of Lorien. They use it for the cloaks, for it to be fastened securely. A lot of people have asked if the brooch has a special use, or if its magic. I don't know. One thing I know if its hand-crafted or made by elves, and its a gift given to you. It sure is special!

Even if male elves rarely or maybe they don't fall in love with female mortals/humans, if ever I'll meet an elf (immortal) I will still like him. (I'm still romantic by heart ha!ha!ha). I believe that male elves are more logical, and also they know that mortals die, and the world beyond death is unknown to them, so they really don't want their daughters to fall for a mortal man. For them, it is a tragedy. There's also a romance on the side. In the movie, unforgettable stories of Tauriel and Kili (broke my heart), and Arwen and Aragorn's love story. A lot of likeable characters in the story. Top of my favorite is Gandalf. Hobbits, dwarfs, and mortals interaction made the whole story magical, and amazing of course! Before, I thought I would never like Tolkien's work, because its deep and it seems dark for me. I thought the Chronicles of Narnia would be my forever favorite story but I was wrong. By the way the movie adaptation of The Hobbit is different from the book. Legolas and Tauriel were not in Tolkien's, The Hobbit.

I also bought the Silmarillion book, because it is about the beginning.  You will know more about the world of the Middle-Earth, and the elves, dwarves, mortals, and the hobbits who share a similarity with the humans. You will know about the First-born, which are the elves, and the Followers which are the men. It also includes the story of Beren and Luthien. The book, The Silmarillion contains J.R.R. Tolkien's letter to Milton Waldman, explaining further his writings. This book was already edited by his son Christopher Tolkien. I also found out that there's another story of a female elf who fell in love with a male mortal (according to a few internet articles, Tolkien, viewed his love, courtship, and eventual marriage, similar to Luthien and Beren's relationship.) There's a separate book, entitled Beren and Luthien. (their story is included in the Silmarillion, but its only brief.) An interesting fact, in the tombstone of Tolkien and his wife, names of Luthien and Beren were engraved. Moving on, aside from the dvd's. LOTR books is also very nice to collect. So, if you're an LOTR fan, and like me who has also seen all the movies,  I say, better buy these books to see the complete picture of the story. Treat yourself! These books are my Valentine's day gift for myself. Love books, love life! Happy reading!

UNIQLO Everyday Peanuts T-Shirt Series 2018

     This week I bought a few of the 'Everyday Peanuts' t-shirts series at UNIQLO. I'm just glad that they released this in the opening of the year. Aside from the Peanuts t-shirt series, they also have the Mickey mouse, and Sanrio shirt series. The price per shirt is P590. The women's UNIQLO  graphic shirt collection has a small embroidered week on the side (back), expressing daily feelings from Monday to Sunday. I've got Schroeder (Tuesday-gray shirt), Snoopy (Monday-pink shirt), Linus (Thursday-white shirt),  and the Peanuts gang (green shirt-Sunday) character shirt. Aside from these designs, they also have the Peanuts shirt with embroidered Peanuts character on the left breast pocket. It is the same retail price with the full-graphic t-shirt.

I really like the feel of UNIQLO shirts. This one feels like cottony, and light. After washing you don't need to iron it because the material is wrinkle-free. I suggest that you hoard these kind of shirts at UNIQLO, because its really comfortable to wear. This shirt is also perfect during summer. Compared to the Kaws Peanuts t-shirt sold last year, the material used in these shirts is lighter. If you're a Peanuts fan like me better head to your nearest UNIQLO shirt, and wear Peanuts everyday! Everyday happy with the Peanuts gang!

Mcdonald's Happy Meal January 2018 Toy Series

      Happy New Year everyone! This year Mcdonald's Happy Meal 2018 series is none other than the world's famous dog, SNOOPY! I came to know this when I saw the commercial on tv, and my officemate informed me about this. This Sunday, I got the Snoopy Famous Author Embosser toy figure. I chose this because aside from Snoopy being a pilot fighter in WWII, this is another well-known character role of Snoopy in the animation, and comics strips. I really find it cute, when I watch Snoopy typing on top of his 'dog-house'.

The Snoopy's World happy meal toy series, consists of 4 figures. Snoopy Beagle Scout Light Up Torch, Joe Cool stamper, Snoopy as the Flying Ace, and the Famous Author Embosser.  The toy that I got has an embosser function, you place a paper underneath and then you will get an embossed Woodstock's head design in your paper. Woodstock is the bird friend of Snoopy.

What a great way to open the New Year with this fun, and affordable toys from Mcdonald's. What I like about their toys. Even if they're not that expensive. I can see that the quality is not that bad. So what are you waiting for? If you're a Peanuts, and Snoopy fan, grab a Mcdonald's Happy meal, and join Snoopy in his fun world.

Grimm's Fairy Tales

      "Only preserve the love of God in thy heart, and all will go well with thee." - Jacob Grimm

   Today, I went to Trinoma, to do a special order at Fully Booked, and while I was there. I also grabbed a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales, soft-bound copy only. As I have mentioned before I was so hooked with the Grimm NBC tv series that ended last year. I needed to familiarize myself with the stories from the tales of the Grimm brothers, and I also want to re-read good stories from my childhood.

The book that I bought was entitled, "Grimm's Fairy Tales", a Puffin Classics book. They actually have a lot of classic titles. I have various collections of English classics before, from other English and American publishing companies such as Collins, Bantam (they are known for their cheaper price), Dover, etc.

The truth about Grimm's fairytales, it is not really a good read at first. In an article written by Jesse Greenspan in History.com, "Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's collection of folktales contains some of the best-known children's characters in literary history, from Snow White, and Rapunzel to Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. Yet the brother's originally filled their book, which became known as 'Grimm's Fairy Tales,' with gruesome scenes that wouldn't be out of place in an R-rated movie. It has also a more 'adult' content. Only later, as children became their main audience did they take out some of the more adult content. There stories were further sanitized as they were adapted by Walt Disney and others." I was not aware of the truth behind Grimm's fairy tale, it is only now that I've researched it that I became aware.

Some info about the brothers Grimm that I got from my book. The brothers are Germans. They are from Germany. Their full name is Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm, and Wilhelm Carl Grimm. They were born in Hanau, Germany on January 4, 1785 and February 24 1786. They lived in the old German state of Hesse. Jacob never married but his brother did. They are both well-educated.  Their father Philipp Wilhelm Grimm was a lawyer. They were also known for the compilation of German folk lore and oral traditions. They died in Berlin Germany.

This book that I bought is complete and unabridged. At first I was sad because I thought this book didn't carry one of my favorite fairy tale which is Cinderella. But its included, the title is Ashputtel or Aschenputtel meaning, "digging in the ashes." This one is the original story and not the 'Disneyfied' one. Actually, there are a lot of version of Cinderella, the Chinese even has their version called Ye Xian. I have seen the cartoon wayback. I have started to read a few story from this book. The first story that I read is 'Hans in Luck.' I needed to look into a deeper analysis of the story to understand it fully. Honestly, while reading it, I think the main protagonist is kinda stupid, exchanging something that has value, into a more not so valuable. But I was wrong, for the moral of the story is that the more possessions you have the more troubles there will be. (Got this from the blog of Wesly Yiu) I think maybe this book is suited for adults. Because if the story is gruesome, or maybe there are parts that are not suitable for children to read. Like I said I just wanted to be familiarize with the stories that the Grimm's brother made, and to better understand the tv series that I'm watching. This is just for entertainment purposes only. There are a lot of available Grimm's Fairy Tales at Fully Booked, hard-bound. I just didn't buy it because its a bit expensive, and I am contented with a soft-bound, pocketbook. This is one book that will keep you awake at night, maybe it will also give you the sweetest dreams.

Grimm (NBC TV Series)

      This Holiday season I started re-watching again, the NBC series, 'Grimm', on Netflix. Thanks to my sibling account share. I can watch good series online. Actually, this series was already finished. It ran until season 6. This is a detective tv series (thriller, horror, a bit of comedy and romance, and of course folklore). I love watching detective tv series before. I used to watch the comedy series, Psych (one of my faves). I also watched a few American series like Two Broke Girls, Selfie, Supernatural (which I was hooked before but the story began to not interest me anymore, to much of the hell thing). For me Grimm is way better than Supernatural even if Supernatural will again resume a new season. I'm hoping that Grimm too!

There has been a lot of movies about the Grimm. We are all familiar, and grew up with fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm from Germany. In this series you will know that there's truth to all of the folktales. Every opening of the episodes there is some sort of quote that is written. It is some sort of reference that the episode is based on. For example a line from the fairy tale, 'The Little Red Riding Hood.'

Grimm is about Portland Detective Nick Burkhart, and his partner Hank Griffin. Investigating a series of unusual death, and criminal cases. In this scenario, Nick descended for a long line of Grimm's who could actually see the other side of a person. Wherein they have this 'animalistic' side. They call it 'woge', changing their appearance and physical characteristics, sort of transformation. Not all people have the ability to see that, only a 'Grimm', like Nick. There are a lot of special persons, they call it Wesen. Anyway, you will get to understand what I'm talking about if you will start watching the series. Actually there's a lot of going on there. Politics, and royal family is also in the story. I'm in Season 3 now, and I can't let a day go by without watching an episode per day, even if I have regular work. They also released Grimm merchandise on the website. I like the book, Grimm: Aunt Marie's book of Lore. I already have a copy of it. It is not available in local bookstores here, I made a special order with regards to this book.

Grimm reminds me of the real people, like why they act the way they do. It's like there's an animalistic side to each one of us. Like in the series, Eisbeiber Wesen, or someone who's like that. A person's personality can be a bit shy, fearful, and a little awkward, and is typically good-natured just like the beaver. This series was written very well. My favorite character is Monroe, actually when I took an online test, I'm similar to Monroe's personality, and also his partner Rosalee. They are both Wesen. Monroe is Blutbad (a wolf like Wesen), while Rosalee is a Fuschbau, sort of fox like wesen. There are many lovable characters in the story, and also villains that you will really hate. Everything is in this series.  If you're tired of the true crime detective series. You can try watching this. Do take my word for it. When I watch a series, I'm usually bored, and I fast forward it. (Like most of the Korean series that I have seen). But on this one. I have watched every episode from the beginning until the end. I rate this show, two thumbs up!