Wednesday, March 31, 2010

past meetings...

2nd meeting of 2010 : January - The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maughan
Unfortunately, thre weren't that many members present at this meeting it was just Bernadette, Shanna, and me with Berndette's and Shanna's boyfriend. We didn't get to talk about the book because I was the only one who had read it... but we did have another meeting on Feb. 13th at Pasha with more members and discussed about the book a little. I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to everyone.

3rd meeting of 2010 : Feb - Wicked by Gregory Maguire
Sadly, I didn't read this book because I was planning my move to Vietnam and was busy packing and prepareing for the daparture which turned out to be a total waste of time. At this meeting, if I'm remembering correctly, Susan, Sandra, Shanna, and Dana were present, I was not going to be present because I had something going on but I did arrive towards the end of the meeting..

4th meeting of 2010 : March 28th - Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan
Not everyone finished reading but we all were about half way through I think we all liked the stories though they were depressing. We talked about different parts of the world where similar things were happening and about the book and other stuff. The people present at the meeting were Susan, Sandra, Shanna, Jill, Bernadette and me.

V.

organizing...

While I was organizing and making a new list of books we read ever since the group was up and running..
I realized that since June 2005, we've had about more or less 85 meetings.

Isn't that amazing? I mean there were some books we've read again so it isn't exactly 85 books but meeting wise.. well, I thought it was amazing.. This year will be the 5th anniversary since the book club was established.. and we might be able to celebrate the 100th meeting or that might happen next year.

I'll post up the whole list when I'm done with it on this blog..
I just need to make sure I got the list of 2009 right because I was pretty out of it last year..

V.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

latest news and updates...

I know I haven't been keeping up with this blog much lately but I do have my reasons and a good one too.. so bare with me folks.

Anyhow, I also do hope that our book group members actually stop by our group blog to look at things and post things there as well.

So, we had our February meeting and March meetings and it all went swell.
Our latest meeting, March 28th, was an absolutely brilliant meeting for me especially because I've been going through a crappy time lately and book meetings always brightens my day just because I'm with the people I love and we share a common love towards reading and books in general.

Back to the meeting...
We had a great talk.. though it wasn't all about the book itself because not all of us had finished it, me included. However, we all  seemed to like the book.. or was it just me that got that impression? I'm definitely going to be done with it within this week.. just one more story to go.. So, we sat around a big oval table drinking our coffee and eating our brunch.. we talked of future readings, the book of the meeting, and other interesting issues and whatnot. Then as we always do like a ritual we all headed towards Kyobo bookstore and talked of books, books, and more books. We hung around young adult section for some time and reminisced of the times when we used to read "Harriet the Spy" "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" and all those lovely children's book you read growing up... and we came across a book that I absolutely WANT!!! "1001 Children's Book You Must Read Before You Grow Up" it was way over my budget so I had to hold back the temptation to buy... UGH! I hate it when that happens but oh well... So, we had our little ritual got our next book and headed out to go home and meet friends. I was a great ending for our meeting as always...

Ok. Here are the books we read but I haven't posted about them.. don't kill me but hopefully it won't happen again.

After Disgrace the first of 2010 meeting.. we read "The Painted Veil" "Wicked" & " Say You're One of Them" (Why do I get always mixed up with 'Say you're one of us' all the time? anyways, that's beside the point) We're now reading "Sea of Poppies" by Amitav Ghosh and we'll be meeting on the 18th of April.

HAPPY READING EVERYONE!!!

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

this is total BS!

I just have no words to describe what I'm going through..
just really really pissed that they screwed things up for me..

I won't be going to Vietnam.. anytime soon.. and probably NEVER
The school I was going to go backed out on me and I just am so frustrated that I have no idea what I'm going to do.. I had my tickets and everything..

Well, I was going to call you up and let you all know what was going on.. but right now.. I'm just out of words and too depressed and bummed to do anything.

I'll let you all know how I'm doing soon... as soon as I get myself together.
I'll be ok... I know life doesn't really turn out the way you would like to.. so.. I'm trying to think positive and think that this happened for a reason..

Friday, March 05, 2010

Got my Tickets! HCMC, here I come! (FINALLY)

                                             So Finally got my tickets today. I'll be leaving Korea on the 11th of March at 10:30 am from Incheon Airport and arriving in Ho Chi Minh City(HCMC) at 1:50pm local time. 

I'll settle down in my new place and start work from Monday 15th. I know it's going to be somewhat hectic but I am excited to go and experience new things. Living my whole youth in different countries I was always with my family.. but this time.. well, it's just going to be me. And I think, that's what scares me the most. Work, well, it's just teaching and that I can do. But, the only time I've been away by myself, the longest time I've been on my own was 6 months and even that was at a homestay.. so in a sense it doesn't really count.

I guess I've always wanted to step out of the safe zone but was frightened.. but now, I do have that chance SO, I guess I'll explore and see what 's really out there for me.

I'll try to update as much of my adventure in Ho Chi Minh and keep you all updated.

I am all packed but.. there are still so many things to take care of!

Monday, March 01, 2010

Through Trial and Error

so here I am trying to re-decorate my blog and I've been trying to add tabs and new pages.. NOT knowing that BLOGGER had their own pages available and tabs.. I searched madly through googles on 'How tos' and found it and been editing all day today and partly yesterday.. and guess what...!!! It was all for NOTHING..(well, not really nothing.. because I did learn how to add new tabs and whatnot.. not really useful anymore..) Now, I'm trying to change my bland design.. change the background and make it more appealing.. I don't know how I'm going to go about this.. and I have no idea on any designs yet.. but I'm going to search first and get my facts right before I actually apply it on here... or not. I'm more do it first  and research it while you go along than research, research, research and do it perfectly. I don't know what's better.. or maybe there's no such thing as better.. but as long as I'm getting the end-result to my satisfaction, that should do right?

k...

need to do more thinking and designing on the blog..

see, I can do this now.. but I'm pretty sure I'll be all in chaos when I fly over to Vietnam..
I'm gettting really nervous 'cus I still don't have my tickets in my hand.. but they did tell me the flight will be latest the 9th or the 10th.. but me, I need to see the tickets!!! THEN I'll be saying "yes, I'm really going"

Right now I'm just a nervous reck trying to figure out my blog and leaving Korea after 12 years.. YIKES!!!