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Hello All, Just a quick note to say that I haven't been blogging here for a while because Peter and I decided to get our own doma...
On My Wishlist # 3
On My Wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City, which will be posted every Wednesday. It allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured.
I would normally post one book per week as there are loads and loads and loads of books in cyberspace and if I list more than one, I might get a headache! lol.
For this week, I have two books! Hah! They're mostly British books and I think are only available in bookstores in the UK, so bear with me :P I'm not sure when I could buy these books online or physically [living in the far east sucks sometimes. If I have these books shipped, it'll cost me a LOT in shipping + in customs taxes :S ]
Take One 1990-1996 by Take That.
I love, love, love this boyband!! My love affair with this band reignited when I was back in the UK last year! Too bad I wasn't able to go back this year, but maybe in the next few years I could see them tour!
Product description from Amazon.co.uk:
The pop phenomenon that is Take That was formed in Manchester in 1990. Throughout the first half of the '90s the band sold an unbelievable 60 million records, resulting in two of the best-selling albums of the decade: Everything Changes (which was nominated for the 1994 Mercury Prize) and Greatest Hits in 1996. Their rise to the top was well-documented in the media but in Take One they tell, for the first time, their version of this incredible story of superstardom. Take One gains you exclusive insight into life on tour during those early years, with over 150 never-before-seen photographs. Glimpse at the world inside their hotel rooms, go backstage during their amazing stage shows around the globe, and see from their unique perspective the ever-present, overwhelmingly loyal fans that followed them everywhere – perhaps you'll recognise yourself... To accompany these exceptional unseen images, a narrative, written by the boys runs throughout, candidly and humorously documenting the highs and lows, the frenzy and hysteria – and the often surreal moments – of the meteoric rise of the world's greatest boy band.
And... the sequel book, which I absolutely have to get as well:
Take Two: 2005-2009 by Take That
Product Description from Amazon.co.uk:
When Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Mark Owen released 'Patience' on November 20, 2006, over a decade since Take That split up, the world welcomed them back with open arms to their rightful position at the top of the charts. Their return to glory has become one of the most exciting stories in British pop music and in Take Two they tell the amazing story of their comeback for the first time. With over 150 exclusive and personal images, and accompanied by humorous and revealing commentary written by the boys, relive first-hand the exceptional, and often heart-warming, experiences that make up the second part of the Take That story.
They are making me drool already. Both of them costs around 20+ pounds already! eeeek!! I really have to save up for these then!
I hope some of my friends who get sent in the UK read this post so they'll know what to get me when they go back home! lol.
What's on your wishlist today? :)
I would normally post one book per week as there are loads and loads and loads of books in cyberspace and if I list more than one, I might get a headache! lol.
For this week, I have two books! Hah! They're mostly British books and I think are only available in bookstores in the UK, so bear with me :P I'm not sure when I could buy these books online or physically [living in the far east sucks sometimes. If I have these books shipped, it'll cost me a LOT in shipping + in customs taxes :S ]
Take One 1990-1996 by Take That.
I love, love, love this boyband!! My love affair with this band reignited when I was back in the UK last year! Too bad I wasn't able to go back this year, but maybe in the next few years I could see them tour!
Product description from Amazon.co.uk:
The pop phenomenon that is Take That was formed in Manchester in 1990. Throughout the first half of the '90s the band sold an unbelievable 60 million records, resulting in two of the best-selling albums of the decade: Everything Changes (which was nominated for the 1994 Mercury Prize) and Greatest Hits in 1996. Their rise to the top was well-documented in the media but in Take One they tell, for the first time, their version of this incredible story of superstardom. Take One gains you exclusive insight into life on tour during those early years, with over 150 never-before-seen photographs. Glimpse at the world inside their hotel rooms, go backstage during their amazing stage shows around the globe, and see from their unique perspective the ever-present, overwhelmingly loyal fans that followed them everywhere – perhaps you'll recognise yourself... To accompany these exceptional unseen images, a narrative, written by the boys runs throughout, candidly and humorously documenting the highs and lows, the frenzy and hysteria – and the often surreal moments – of the meteoric rise of the world's greatest boy band.
And... the sequel book, which I absolutely have to get as well:
Product Description from Amazon.co.uk:
When Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Mark Owen released 'Patience' on November 20, 2006, over a decade since Take That split up, the world welcomed them back with open arms to their rightful position at the top of the charts. Their return to glory has become one of the most exciting stories in British pop music and in Take Two they tell the amazing story of their comeback for the first time. With over 150 exclusive and personal images, and accompanied by humorous and revealing commentary written by the boys, relive first-hand the exceptional, and often heart-warming, experiences that make up the second part of the Take That story.
They are making me drool already. Both of them costs around 20+ pounds already! eeeek!! I really have to save up for these then!
I hope some of my friends who get sent in the UK read this post so they'll know what to get me when they go back home! lol.
What's on your wishlist today? :)
Tag :
books,
on my wishlist,
Review: Sweeney Todd, The Musical
Last December 6th, I was lucky enough to get second row orchestra side seats to Repertory's rendition of Sweeney Todd.
Starring Audie Gemora as Sweeney Todd/Benjamin Barker and Menchu Lauchenco-Yulo as Mrs. Lovett, the musical is about a British urban legend where a demon barber from Fleet Street goes around, seeking revenge, slashing the necks of his customers, and in turn, their bodies are being used as uh... filling for Mrs. Lovett's Pies.
Everyone pretty much knows the story of Sweeney Todd, right? Then I'd better not dwell much on the story and on to the review. First off, the music -- I love, love, love it! I first saw the musical via the film adaptation starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter [which I dubbed "Sweeney Todd - The Harry Potter version, since the cast members playing Bellatrix, Peter Pettigrew & Severus Snape were in the movie] and I loooooooved it. My mom, on the other hand, thought that it was too gory so she stepped out of the room while I was watching it on HBO. In this Repertory version, Audie Gemora played a wonderful Sweeney Todd. He had all the facial expressions of boredom and "I could not be bothered" looks to Mrs. Lovett while she is busy trying to profess her love for him! LOL! Menchu Lauchenco-Yulo was also brilliant, but of course, not as brilliant as Audie Gemora. The rest of the characters [Franco Laurel as Anthony and Lena McKenzie as Joanna] were also quite good.
The set was awesome. My favourite part was the steaming oven! Awesome, awesome! Plus the trapdoor where the dead people fall into from the barber's chair was nice! Lighting = superb! Sound = superb as well!
Soundtrack = ahhh... my favourite part! It's been a week since I've seen the play and the lines "I feel you Joanna....." are still stuck in my head.
If I had to choose which one's better between the movie & the local production, then I'd say the local production! Well, nothing beats the real deal, doesn't it? Of course, there's always the movie to fall back on everytime I need a dose of the musical [and Johnny Depp hotness amidst all that makeup too]. Quite a shame the run ended last Sunday [December 13th]. However, if it would be shown again on additional runs [I dunno when though], do watch it! :)
For next year, I am looking forward to the following repertory productions:
Romeo & Bernadette [February 2010 -- same month as I'm going to watch the local adaptation of RENT!]
Little Women [November/December 2010 -- their big musical and directed by Menchu Lauchenco-Yulo!]
Till then! :D
** all photos from Broadway World - Philippines **
In My Mailbox # 5
For this week, I didn't buy any books! Yay for my wallet! :) I can't say it will stay the same for next week though :P
But I did get the below in the mail -- they're Mythical Creatures Stamps that I've won from Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon last October :) Aren't they pretttyy??? :) I think they're only available in the UK and are mint condition!
But I did get the below in the mail -- they're Mythical Creatures Stamps that I've won from Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon last October :) Aren't they pretttyy??? :) I think they're only available in the UK and are mint condition!
What did you get in your mailbox this week? :)
Tag :
in my mailbox,
On My Wishlist [the DVD edition] # 1
It's not part of the On My Wishlist posts I do every week but since I need a complete DVD list to look after when I go to the UK [someday, hopefully]
Boyzone: Dublin... Live by Request
-- I had a video CD of this a few years back but now I want a DVD to add to my collection! *sigh*
Product Description from Amazon.com
The boyz perform hits from BY REQUEST live in their home town of Dublin. Songs include: "Going Gets Tough," "One Kiss," "All That I Need," "Love Me for a Reason," "Different Beat," "Words," and more.
The next DVD on the list is a three-disc one:
Boyzone Live and Behind the Scenes.
It contains the DVDs for: Said and Done, Live at the Point and Live at Wembley.
I saw this at HMV when I was in London and it was worth 35 pounds! Eeek! Quite expensive. I didn't get a chance to go back to the store but if I could, I would and I'll get this!! :)
So, that's it for now, will post another batch of my wishlist of DVDs some other time :D
So, that's it for now, will post another batch of my wishlist of DVDs some other time :D
On My Wishlist # 2
On My Wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City, which will be posted every Wednesday. It allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured.
I would normally post one book per week as there are loads and loads and loads of books in cyberspace and if I list more than one, I might get a headache! lol.
This week, its Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
This book is reviewed by a lot of book bloggers out there now who say it was a really good book!
My friend and I were just in a bookstore after watching Spring Awakening when we saw this in the shelf. It was in hardcover and the font was in blue ink! Awesome!
I didn't read the back part of the book at the time because the price of the book turned me off a bit [we all know that hard covers are more expensive than trade paperbacks or mass market paperbacks] but now I would really like to get a copy of this too [though I'll probably wait until it's in the used bookstore or in paperback form]
Product Description from Amazon.com:
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.
I would normally post one book per week as there are loads and loads and loads of books in cyberspace and if I list more than one, I might get a headache! lol.
This week, its Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
My friend and I were just in a bookstore after watching Spring Awakening when we saw this in the shelf. It was in hardcover and the font was in blue ink! Awesome!
I didn't read the back part of the book at the time because the price of the book turned me off a bit [we all know that hard covers are more expensive than trade paperbacks or mass market paperbacks] but now I would really like to get a copy of this too [though I'll probably wait until it's in the used bookstore or in paperback form]
Product Description from Amazon.com:
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.
Tag :
books,
on my wishlist,
Apocalypse: The Second World War
I managed to watch episodes 3-6 last night and let me tell you, it blew my head away!
Filled with clips from collectors and other various sources, it is the definitive documentary that gives you an insight peek on what really happened during World War II.
I love, love, love, love, loved this documentary! If there's a DVD out I would definitely get it. Not only did I learn a lot about this historic event that changed peoples lives, I also gained an insight on how and why this war had happened and how it became a world war.
Now I'm not sure if this series will be airing sometime soon [believe me, I've just checked tonight's and tomorrow's programme listing on National Geographic], please do look out for it in National Geographic! It's the channel's highest rating documentary ever [and believe me, it totally deserves all the top ratings].
Now I don't have my own war story to tell, but my mom tells me that her brother died during the war. He was sick at the time and since going out of hiding during the war is out of the question, he passed away. :(
Another story was about the LaSallian brothers that were killed in the chapel in the university grounds when the Japanese trooped in to the school.
Trivia: Manila, Philippines was the second most affected/destroyed city during the war after Warsaw, Poland.
So, if you want to learn more trivia, do watch this series!
I vow to read more about World War II and find out what was in the mind of the leaders that were involved at the time, of course I'll TRY not to be unbiased and read more about both parties: the Allies and the Axis.
Any suggestions on books, both historical fiction based during the time and also non-fiction books? Would really appreciate it if you could comment below with your suggestions and I'll see if those books are available in the bargain bins or in local bookstores here in my country.
Tag :
history,
telly shows,
2010 Audiobook Reading Challenge
And so another challenge I've signed up for! This time, it's for an audiobook challenge :)
This one also runs from January 1 -December 31, 2010! And since I do "read" audiobooks, this one should be a breeze!
My goal is to reach at least the Curious or the Fascinated level:
-- Curious – Listen to 3 Audio Books.
-- Fascinated – Listen to 6 Audio Books.
Watch out for this space as I place the list of books I've read relating to this challenge :)
Tag :
books,
challenges,
2010 Historical Fiction reading challenge
The 2010 Historical Fiction reading challenge is hosted by http://theroyalreviews.blogspot.com/
Now, seeing that I've signed up for a bazillion other reading challenges before and never really seemed to finish one yet, I thought I'd give this a try as some of my other TBR books are historical fiction! Plus, I seem to have a knack of reading them as it gives me a glimpse of history :) Also, it'll be nice to interact with other bloggers who are joining this challenge!
Since I am a slow reader, I am gunning for the Curious level -- read three books.
Since I am a slow reader, I am gunning for the Curious level -- read three books.
Challenge will run from January 1, 2010 until December 31, 2010.
I could probably do this in conjunction with the other challenges :) That's it for now!
Tag :
books,
challenges,
December 2009 24-hour readathon
So I've joined in another 24 hour readathon on www.dreadlockgirl.com. It was slated from December 5th, 7pm [Manila time] to December 6th [Manila time]
Unfortunately my internet was acting up yesterday evening so I wasn't able to update at around 9pm Manila time and only got online today.
I love readathons, they give me a chance to cut down some of my Mt TBR list and interact with fellow bloggers out there :)
Unfortunately, with this December 5th readathon, I only found out a few hours before, and my weekend plans have been taken! I've been to watch New Moon at the movie theatre and a bit of shopping on the 5th and watch a local musical production of Sweeney Todd on the 6th.
In the past Dewey readathon last October, I managed to save at least an entire day for the readathon.
Sad to say, my stats for this readathon were dismal. Finished around 10 pages in total inthe books I'm reading *blushes*. I didn't stay up late to read any books, but got tempted and saw three episodes of Gossip Girl season 2, slept, and went to the shows I've mentioned above.
Not that I mind reading, but I've just had a very busy month-end at work so I took a very easy weekend off.
For those of you who entered this readathon, how was it for you? Was it more successful and productive compared to me? :P
Unfortunately my internet was acting up yesterday evening so I wasn't able to update at around 9pm Manila time and only got online today.
I love readathons, they give me a chance to cut down some of my Mt TBR list and interact with fellow bloggers out there :)
Unfortunately, with this December 5th readathon, I only found out a few hours before, and my weekend plans have been taken! I've been to watch New Moon at the movie theatre and a bit of shopping on the 5th and watch a local musical production of Sweeney Todd on the 6th.
In the past Dewey readathon last October, I managed to save at least an entire day for the readathon.
Sad to say, my stats for this readathon were dismal. Finished around 10 pages in total inthe books I'm reading *blushes*. I didn't stay up late to read any books, but got tempted and saw three episodes of Gossip Girl season 2, slept, and went to the shows I've mentioned above.
Not that I mind reading, but I've just had a very busy month-end at work so I took a very easy weekend off.
For those of you who entered this readathon, how was it for you? Was it more successful and productive compared to me? :P
In My Mailbox # 4
In this week's mailbox, I didn't buy any books [brand new or used]! Instead, I got the following as parcels from contests I've won from Cherry Mischievous and Bitten By Books! =)
From Cherry Mischievous:
"The Magicians" by Lev Grossman and a bunch of swag [postcards of "The Cracked Throne" by Joshua Palmatier, and a postcard from Cherry too]. This looks like a really awesome book! I can't wait to read it, although I'll have to find more reading time first!
"The Magicians" Synopsis from Amazon.com
Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A senior in high school, he’s still secretly preoccupied with a series of fantasy novels he read as a child, set in a magical land called Fillory. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the craft of modern sorcery.
He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. Something is missing, though. Magic doesn’t bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he dreamed it would. After graduation he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real. But the land of Quentin’s fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he could have imagined. His childhood dream becomes a nightmare with a shocking truth at its heart.
The other book is MaryJanice Davidson's "Drop Dead Gorgeous" from Bitten By Books
It's a chick lit book, I think? Another genre I so adore! I have one of her Queen Betsey vampire series in my TBR too!
Product Description from Amazon.com
Ah, weddings - every single woman's reminder that she'll probably die alone, covered in cat hair and dressed in unflattering sweatpants. And as far as bad wedding experiences go, my friend Stacy's could take the cake - I'm dateless, I'm a bridesmaid, and someone just attempted to whack the groom (known, no kidding, as The Boss) in the middle of the ceremony. Whoa...hang on. I might not relish reception food or doing the Electric Slide, but anyone who tries to ruin a girlfriend's big day by bumping off her true love will have to go through me first. So now I, assistant hairdresser Jenny Branch, am helping to hunt down a real-life bad guy, and the prime suspect is Kevin Stone, who claims to be working undercover for a group called Covert Ops Protection. All of this is hard to believe - my new role as spy-in-training, the fact that I'm surrounded by people with freaky superhuman powers, and most of all, the way that this unbelievably sexy villain/double agent/whatever Kevin is makes every (and I mean every) nerve-ending tingle the second he comes into view...and it appears to be mutual. Living with flying bullets and constant danger is a long way from sweeping up hair at the end of the day. But if it means being around Kevin, a girl could get used to it...
"The Magicians" by Lev Grossman and a bunch of swag [postcards of "The Cracked Throne" by Joshua Palmatier, and a postcard from Cherry too]. This looks like a really awesome book! I can't wait to read it, although I'll have to find more reading time first!
"The Magicians" Synopsis from Amazon.com
Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A senior in high school, he’s still secretly preoccupied with a series of fantasy novels he read as a child, set in a magical land called Fillory. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the craft of modern sorcery.
He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. Something is missing, though. Magic doesn’t bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he dreamed it would. After graduation he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real. But the land of Quentin’s fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he could have imagined. His childhood dream becomes a nightmare with a shocking truth at its heart.
The other book is MaryJanice Davidson's "Drop Dead Gorgeous" from Bitten By Books
It's a chick lit book, I think? Another genre I so adore! I have one of her Queen Betsey vampire series in my TBR too!
Product Description from Amazon.com
Ah, weddings - every single woman's reminder that she'll probably die alone, covered in cat hair and dressed in unflattering sweatpants. And as far as bad wedding experiences go, my friend Stacy's could take the cake - I'm dateless, I'm a bridesmaid, and someone just attempted to whack the groom (known, no kidding, as The Boss) in the middle of the ceremony. Whoa...hang on. I might not relish reception food or doing the Electric Slide, but anyone who tries to ruin a girlfriend's big day by bumping off her true love will have to go through me first. So now I, assistant hairdresser Jenny Branch, am helping to hunt down a real-life bad guy, and the prime suspect is Kevin Stone, who claims to be working undercover for a group called Covert Ops Protection. All of this is hard to believe - my new role as spy-in-training, the fact that I'm surrounded by people with freaky superhuman powers, and most of all, the way that this unbelievably sexy villain/double agent/whatever Kevin is makes every (and I mean every) nerve-ending tingle the second he comes into view...and it appears to be mutual. Living with flying bullets and constant danger is a long way from sweeping up hair at the end of the day. But if it means being around Kevin, a girl could get used to it...
Tag :
books,
in my mailbox,
Treasure Island Musical
Tickets were at P450 a pop, and was free seating.
I normally try to watch as many plays/musicals as I can whenever I'm free or have extra funds, and this play is much more special because a very, very good buddy of mine is playing a part!
It's actually my first time to ever watch a musical with my friend in a supporting role. Granted, I had a few sniggers here and there because my friend is not himself [ie in character], but it's part of the whole threatre persona!
The show was good -- it remained true to the original tale, based on a book by Robert Louis Stevenson. And I have to admit, when I was watching the play, I couldn't help but compare bits and bobs of the story from the Muppets version of Treasure Island. I can't help it! I loved that movie when I was younger! And who could top those cute little muppet characters?
The props were excellent! It showed the jungle scene very nicely as well as the bar and ship scenes!
There were lots of funny parts in the tale, the music is okay as well, but there were parts of the dialogue I wasn't able to listen [probably because I'm sniggering or whispering around with my friends lol]
At the front of the auditorium, there were numerous props that you could have photos in! Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera and my mobile phone was low on battery so I wasn't able to take photos! Dang! Before and after the show, cast members also go around meeting the show watchers! Now that's effort!
Too bad the last run of the show was on the 29th of November, however, I'll watch more musicals by this group [well, mainly because my friend was in it] once the time and fund permits!
On My Wishlist #1
On My Wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City, which will be posted every Wednesday. It allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured.
I would normally post one book per week as there are loads and loads and loads of books in cyberspace and if I list more than one, I might get a headache! lol.
This week's On My Wishlist:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl.
I've seen this book on various blogs and they gave it ace reviews! It just came out this week and apparently the rights have been sold to make this into a film! Wow! Something to look forward to!
This is the first out of a series of five novels! Yipes, another series we can drool on after Harry Potter & The Twilight Saga!
I would normally post one book per week as there are loads and loads and loads of books in cyberspace and if I list more than one, I might get a headache! lol.
This week's On My Wishlist:
I've seen this book on various blogs and they gave it ace reviews! It just came out this week and apparently the rights have been sold to make this into a film! Wow! Something to look forward to!
This is the first out of a series of five novels! Yipes, another series we can drool on after Harry Potter & The Twilight Saga!
Book Description from Amazon.com:
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.Tag :
books,
on my wishlist,