Book Review: The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom (2013)

It's been a while since I've reviewed a book full-scale, I believe. Since I believe I've also been busy with school and reading other books to make sure I get to finish a 100 in a year, I cannot set my priorities straight. But I still, in my right mind *whispers* I believe, that I can review a book even if it's not as intensely long as some of the others I made. I'll probably just go straight to the point.

             (Hopefully, there won't be harsh reactions to any of my reviews... THANK YOU!!!)

Go to GoodReads for synopsis and to order your copies: The First Phone Call From Heaven

The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom is one of those books that challenges my mind as well as my faith, in what I believe in, in what's the truth, in the regrets of the past and the wonders of the future you can't necessarily grab.

Photo Credits to ABS-CBN News

(Mitch with his book! Isn't he adorable!)

Mitch Albom has again, delivered a wonderful read that focuses on life's biggest regrets being piled into one and how a single phone call can change anyone's life for better or for worse. The book talks about how we are driven to do things out of the mistakes and doubts. The main character Sully was such a complicated character to analyze at first but when you get to know him, you'll find that he's just a man, a husband and a father. 

MUSIC POD: February Playlist, TOP 5

This post includes my current favorites for the month of February, but it could also change in the course of time. This may also include old songs that I feel like listening to during the month... Let's get started...


1. WHAT YOU WANTED by OneRepublic (SONG)


So, as you all know, I did an album feature of OneRepublic last month, but I seriously love them and would love to feature WHAT YOU WANTED because it's a song that's going to be feature in one of the most anticipated movie adaptations of the year, The Fault In Our Stars.
The song features wonderful lyrics, something you'd always expect with OneRepublic songs. What I loved about it is the intensity of the drums and the play on the synth piano, if I got that right. You can never really go wrong with OneRepublic! <3

Listen to the song here: Take some time to read the comments and see how many book nerds have actually listened to this clip. HAHAHA! Credits to Mohammad Maaz's SoundCloud

WHY DID I EVEN? HAHA

(This post is my feelings. Don't try to make it big of an issue. I love my professors. Just in reality, work is.. well, work...)

You might be aware of the program I'm taking up right now, if not, LET ME REPEAT IT AGAIN! I'm taking up Bachelor of Science in Development Communication. And I truly ask of you, not to ask me to define it to you! Just go search it on Google! HAHAHA! SASS!

I now regret taking up too many courses within the program for this semester. We're taking up film class, which requires making a 10-15 min film, Radio and TV class with the documentary, a radio forum, an IBS and School-On-Air, a paper for Strategic Communication, MEDIA INTERNSHIP at a Community Newspaper and a few more requirements for Development Writing class...

One thing I'm thankful for: I didn't take thesis classes. OR ELSE! I'll probably die! I'm not really a multi-tasker. I just believe I am. I have time management issues too. IN OTHER WORDS, I AM A LAZY BUM! HAHAHA!

BOOK NERD SPECIAL: GAYLE FORMAN IN MANILA!

Hello fellow MISFITS and BOOK NERDS!!! Now is a very special blog post coz I say it is! LOL! This is the very first episode of BOOK NERD SPECIALS. HAHA! Tis will feature authors, characters and we'll either talk about him/ her or anything special! Got it? GOOD!

Anyway, if you've read my previous posts on my THE MISFIT DIARY section or my BOOK NERD section, you'd find that I did a short post on my meet with the author of If I Stay, Where She Went, Just One Day and Just One Year, Gayle Forman! And here's a bit more of the deeds of that day!!!

(Photo Credits to me, Eriele and Ate Jho! Thanks sooo much)

(The venue was sooo cozy)

That was January 18, 2014. The venue was at Glorietta, in Makati! I didn't exactly know how to get to the venue, but I knew how to ride an MRT to Ayala, so at least, I felt that I was safe! 

(Pretty Lil' Mermaid Eriele, my sweet book nerd buddy!)

This girl is the reason why I traveled all the way from home in order to meet Gayle! HAHAHA! We planned this for a long time, and we can't exactly pass it up, can we!? Thanks Eriele!

Gayle then, arrives at the venue! The crowd was soooo loud, I can't even! She was soo responsive and sweet towards her fans. 

She was also very eager to answer questions from fans! Unfortunately, they only allowed 3 people to ask, and I didn't get a chance. I was also very shy and nervous! I wasn't as FANEY (fangirlish) as some of the others, coz I've only read one book! But as she talked on and told her history as a writer for magazines and an author of YA novels, I understood her struggles and how she managed to follow her dreams! And she told us to follow ours! She inspired me from that 1st hour! SHE BECAME ONE OF MY HEROES.

So the signing started after the forum. There was a huge pack of people! And to be honest, t'wasn't exactly fun being #508.. Errrr...

HIM: A Short Story (HER, Part 2)

(So recently I decided to pursue this story in my head. It will be in parts until I think that the story could end or even not end but I feel like it did... I'm sorry! I'm complicated! Anyway, here it is. Please enjoy!)

Photo Credits to Advanced Scribes

The order of things should always be the same. I liked it that way. My movements would be frozen by any changes in how I've always lived. 

I am blind. For 10 years, the world has been dark and cold, shapeless and indefinite...

But the order of things around me has depleted. The daily routine I forever would've lived with, has now been invaded by eyes I felt were looking at me.

You stood by the counter, waiting for the basket of things Anthony (if you would like to know is my chauffeur), carried for me. I felt every your every gaze, somehow piercing towards my skin and the blankness of my eyes.  Did you find me disgusting? Am I an eyesore? 

HER: A Short Story (Part 1)

(So recently I decided to pursue this story in my head. It will be in parts until I think that the story could end or even not end but I feel like it did... I'm sorry! I'm complicated! Anyway, here it is. Please enjoy!)

Photo Credits to IPickMyNose of DevianArt

I've always wondered about that existence of yours, whether you were real or just a fragment in my eyes, playing with my heart. It seems that I am playing with my own, hurting the very veins by the thought of you.

I've marveled at your beauty when we first met. I could not take my eyes off of your eyes. There was distance in them but they were never dead. You never did notice, didn't you? How I looked at you? You come by the shop almost everyday, with a man by your side. I envied him. He was near you, while I was in the counter, looking at you profusely, with all the intent in my heart to love you.

MOVIE REVIEW: FROZEN (2013) BE UNDER THE FROZEN FLURRY

So, it's practically been 5 months I guess, since I posted a movie review! And I feel so terribly damned by that! I have been seeing movies lately, but not entirely in the mood before to blog about them. But I am gonna blog about them. Soon. Pending reviews. I feel like I have a death toll. 

I have been itching to write a review for some time now (though I did say I was not in the mood. Sorry. A certain self-proclaimed disorder playing about). But I am a true masochist and I like to make it hard on myself to have so much other content and pages on my blog to update that I sort of forgot that this even existed. OH YES! THE SHAME!  But I am making it up to you now!!!

I have promised to do a Catching Fire movie review, but since I just recently got the necessary materials for that, then I'd leave that pending even if you all know what I will be talking about -_-

Okay, no more rants! Time for the review! Here we go! I PROMISE YOU! IT WILL BE FLUFFY!

Photo Credits to Disney Wikia

Frozen, produced by Disney, is a story of two sisters Anna and Elsa who are both princesses of the quaint country, Arendelle. Elsa, who is the eldest, can use ice sorcery. She amuses Anna with it but an accident causes Anna to lose her memories of Elsa's powers and for Elsa to keep her powers secret from Anna. This also causes a rift in their relationship. This also causes the King and Queen to hide this fact from their subjects, thus closing the palace gates and keeping the children isolated.

The years passed, and after a tragic voyage to the sea, the king and queen die, which leaves both the princesses orphaned. This in the end, causes Elsa to become queen of the land of Arendelle.

During the coronation, everything seems to be fine. Anna is happy about being able to meet the people from outside the palace gates and meeting true love in the form of Prince Hans. He proposes marriage to her that very day. Elsa who find out about it, is infuriated but walks out telling Anna she could not get married, scared to reveal her powers but Anna disapproves and confronts her. At rage, Elsa unintentionally reveals her magic! Afraid she'll hurt anyone, she runs off but leaves the whole kingdom in a curse of eternal winter. 

Photo Credit to Movie Wallpaper

Anna, with the help of  ice trader and mountain man, Kristoff and his trusty sidekick reindeer, Sven and a magical snowman named OLAF, they search for Elsa in the wicked angst of the winter storm, to stop her by all means, bring her back to Arendelle, and most importantly, bring back summer!

Photo Credits to Rope of Silicon

I don't want to spoil the story for you guys by giving you some sort of introduction already. HAHAHA! But I will tell you this: THE STORY IS ADORABLE, RIVETING AND ALL IN ALL, WONDERFULLY CRAFTED! You got to hand it to DISNEY! They did it again, and put on a plot twist to an original, and almost redundant concept of TRUE LOVE! HAHA! And this plot twist my friends, would make you so much more appreciative of relationships I tell you!

The visuals of the film are fantastic, reminiscent of TANGLED (another Disney film) which uses CGI and hand-drawn animation! The mix of pastel and vibrant colors to contrast the gloomy mood of winter offsets and brings life to the characters! Each character is given enough attention to detail and their personalities, shine through each scene, giving you a taste of what to look forward to next! 

THE MOVIE, as always with Disney, IS A WONDERFUL MUSICAL! I love it to pieces! From the beginning up until the end you'd be given sentimental walkthrough-icey-capped-mountains sort of musical numbers or a skippidy, joyous single of a funny snowman looking forward to summer and getting a tan! HAHA!

Listen to some of them here:

Poppy: A Short Story

(NOTE: First of all, I changed my Photo Junkie page into this Story Board Page!)

This is the first story I ever posted here. Please don't hate me for it! It's a typical story, so please don't hate me.. :')

Photo Credit to Fine Art America

There were times when Poppy would just pop up from our window and climb in to our house. She was a bottle of sunshine to everyone in the village. I loved how Poppy smiled and would take my toys and rip them apart like it was hers. She lived a few houses away from mine, but she became my friend instantly after a few bullies at the park ganged up on me.

“OI! Leave the kid alone!!! I think he’s had enough!”, she said to the other kids who were then, pushing sand to my face .

Since Poppy taller and bigger than most of the kids, they ran away and left me alone. She pulled me up, patted my clothes clean of sand and flashed me a smile. I think that was also the time that I knew that Poppy would mean more than a friend. She would be my strength.

Poppy was never the type to talk about herself. She just liked living for the day; play as much as she could, laugh as much as she could, but she never sat down to tell me secrets of her life. She never invited me to her house but she was always welcome in mine. I got curious.

One day, I decided to secretly follow her. The way she walked was much calmer and slower. She then stopped at one house that look shambled and distressed. I stared at her as she quickly rushed inside the house. She held her small, tattered coat as she went in, with her head down and a face that I have never seen. I heard incessant screams afterwards. They pierced through both my ears and heart. I wanted to go to the house but my legs won’t move. In a heartbeat, they moved the opposite direction, headed home.