Snippet of my life #1

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Random photos during my longus holiday with the quotations from my favorite philosopher. :)

"Life is a series of surprises and would not be worth taking or keeping if it were not" - RWE

A new addition in the family. Baby Bella Dalisha Albert. :)

"The earth laughs in flowers" - RWE

Baby Brandon with his little sister. *Adorable*

"Write it in your heart that everyday is the best day in the year" - RWE

Bella's cake for her full moon party. An unexpected event held over her mother's hometown.

"In a library we are surrounded by hundred of dear friends imprisoned by an enchanter in paper and leathern boxes" - RWE

The novels that I read over the holiday. 

"Books are for nothing, but to inspire" - RWE

And currently reading Jodi Picoult's novel, Sing you home.

"I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me" - RWE

My favorite phrase from the book. *Funny*

"When it's dark enough, you can see the star" - RWE

Self cam with my new contact lens. *The picture was dark tho*

"Every artist was first an amateur" - RWE

My first attempt to draw my favorite youtube's artist.

"Nothing great ever achieved without enthusiasm" - RWE

 Half-way done knitting project. -.-

"I dream of a better tomorrow,  where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives" - RWE

And non-other than the haze-y weather.

"Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment . The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little coarse and you may get you coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble." -RWE

Book review: It's not the end of the world by Judy Blume

"Divorce.. It's the end of the world." - Karen

Everything changed for Karen when her parents had a big fight and her father stayed out all night and the days after. Karen tried to make excuses for the reason why her father didn't come back home but to no avail, it ends with a divorce. 

Karen tried to fix the situation with the insight of her parents getting back together if they’re given the opportunity to spent time together again after the fight. She plan for a natural encounter for both parents but before she take action, her rebellious brother run away from home and her father did went back to their home to discuss about her brother disappearance. But, he didn't reconcile with his wife and their fight gotten more intense than before. That were the time that Karen realize that both of her parents had made the right choice of getting on their own way and there were no use of trying to fix the damage.

The story portrays the inner thought of the children (or teenage to be exact) in the process of understanding and adapting to the situation whereas their parents are going divorce. It let us see into the mind of the divorcee’s children. Hanna kept it as a secret from others as she thought that they may think of her differently if they know the truth, and she also has been having denial of her parent’s divorce and take measures to get them back together, but with Val’s help, she finally understood and slowly adapting to the situation. 

"Why did the man put Band-Aids in his refrigerator? Because it has cold cuts!" - Amy

Book reviews: How it ends by Laura Wiess

“Get you head out of a book, Hanna. You don’t live in a novel.”

Living at a farm house at the countryside (I supposed), deer hunting was a common practice at their neighborhood, especially to those who own their share of land over the forest. But Hanna and gran’s family kept their land as a sanctuary for the wild life and even provide foods for the does during winter to keep them at their land and not fall into prey to the hunter during the opening season.

When she was little, Hanna was left at her neighbor’s house when her parents had a conflict, and that was the time that she grow attached to the Schoenmakers couple, the one that she addressed as gran and grandpa in the story. And even when her parents get back together, she still went for routine visits over the Schoenmakers place.

To protect the bright and small Hanna from the trouble of the world, gran told her a lot of story that ends with happy ending. The story that Hanna loves the most was about how gran and grandpa first met and it was a love at first sight. It was like a fairy tale and to make small Hanna happy, gran make up a lot of lies without intending to do so. But, the truth remain sealed until later..

As Hanna grows up, she ceased down her visit to the Schoenmakers’ place and falls into the usual flow of a teenager life. She had a crush and after years of chasing after the same boy, she had her chance when her crush finally turn to her and ask her to be his girl. But, their love life doesn’t goes as what she imagined it will be. The boy was not loyal to her and it was a hurtful relationship, but believing in fairy tales and happy ending, she endures it.

As life goes, the Schoenmakers grew older. Gran was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and grandpa has heart problem. Gran need to be put on a wheel chair and was unable to move. Later, she even has difficulty to talk and can only communicate by eye movement.  

Being caught on not doing her mandatory community service on time, Hanna made a proposal to her counselor to serve her time at the Schoenmakers home and it was approved. She looks after gran afterschool when grandpa goes to work and help around with the housework.  When gran was well, she was a member of 5 book clubs and she had a collection of novels at her house. Back then, Hanna used to borrow books from her and they will discuss about it after Hanna finished it all. But, after having the disease, unable to read as she normally does, gran turned to audiobook instead of the normal hard print books.  Hanna turns the radio on for her every day, and on one of the occasion, she was drawn to the audiobook as well.

Throughout the visit, they’ve been listening to an audiobook entitled ‘How it ends’, which was a life story of an orphan. Turned out, the story was the real life story of gran and grandpa at which was totally different from what Hanna had been told before. Affected by her past, gran was not fond of the hospital (Doctor) and she made an agreement with grandpa to end their life when her last batch of medication finished.

Grandpa shot gran and he on the first day of the opening season after gran’s medication finished. Hearing the shotgun’s sound, Hanna immediately knows something was not right and ran to the Schoenmakers’ home. But she was late and both gran and grandpa was dead. She found the audiobook on the porch with a stick-on-it note saying: Hanna, this is how, and why.

Hanna was the only one that heard of the audiobook and understands the real reason behind the couple’s suicide.

The incident affected Hanna and she finally broke up with her boyfriend and chose to be together with another man that deserves her better.

“I pray you will realize that a happy ending is not the same as happily ever after and that fairy tales are fiction, but love, true love is trustworthy, steadfast, and reliable, is not”
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How it ends was a great book revolving around Hanna and gran's life, and it was told by both person point of view. I love how Hanna's life and thought was well describe in the story. And as for gran or grandma Helen, I never expect her life to be that tragic. Her life as told in the audio book was totally different from what I thought she was earlier in the story.
Whenever Hanna turn on the audiobook, I was so horrified with some of the story that I wish Hanna will faster finished the chapter that they were listening to and go to her part of the story. But, afterward, I also anticipate the sequel of the audio book as much as Hanna do after finishing each chapter.
Although this was a great story,  I feel that the part where gran and grandpa ends their life was a little disturbing. The description was too vivid for me and I didn't expect them to end their life that way. @.@

D.R.E.A.M

Stepping away from the student's realm mean that I'm gonna start my career soon. 

Despite knowing the busy day that looms ahead, I decided to be positive and day-dreaming about the things that I would like to have in the future. . 

'There is nothing like a dream to create the future' - Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

G.O.A.L

1. A comfy home 

I've been planning since like forever to have my own home. But I still hasn't decide what kinda house I'm gonna buy. I prefer a bungalow, but apartment is not bad too. It's too early for me to daydream about these tho, so I'll leave that thought to future me to decide.

2. Car

This is the most important and essential thing in my must-have list. Without these, how else am I going to work or even anywhere else. I'm not aiming for fancy car, i'm gonna buy one of those small and affordable car. 

I.N.T.E.R.E.S.T

3. DSLR or lomo camera maybe? 

And P.L.A.C.E.S 

That I would like to go when I finally can afford to do so.

I MUST go to Japan at least once in my lifetime. I'm in love with Japanese culture and I vow to myself that I must go to Japan on spring to appreciate the Sakuras before getting married.

Hmmm. That's all that I can dream about for now. 

*Finger-crossed* 

Hope that I'm going to have all of it real soon. 

'No person has the right to rain on your dreams' - Martin Luther King Jr

Hello-ing

It's been more than a month now. The 'honeymoon' phase of le post-student's life. 

I've been spending most of my time at Sandakan accompanying my sister 'ber-pantang'. 

I feel normal. No need to worry for the coming exam. No need to study every night.

And having a toddler at the house, it was not convenience for me to play with the laptop as the nephew will surely attack me/ more of the laptop if he see one. So, that's attribute to the lack of update from me. Hee.

This is just a short post though.

Just want to say Hi to the lovely folks who are reading these and wish all of you a good day  and a fun weekend ahead. 

Bye bye. :)