Note to Self From 2024

Dear 2024 Jhun,

Hey there!

So it's been a routine of ours to include the song that is currently playing while writing this.

And that song is...

Christmas Tree by V

I don't know why but this song never fails to make me feel all bubbly inside.

Anyways, let's move on. 

So my dear, year older self, I hope you finally found the purpose that you were looking for. I'm so so curious. Did the plan for deployment for the emergency response to Gaza push through? Were you a part of it? I wish you were. and if you did, please just make it home safe because you still have stories to tell.

If it didn't push through, how did you spend your year then? I hope you still touch lives and make someone's day a little better. Never forget to be good no matter what evil life throws at you. But keep on fighting for what is right because whatever you do, it makes a difference. You may feel hopeless at times, but keep on holding on. Tomorrow will always be better, even if it takes a hundred tomorrows before it does. Tomorrow is gonna be better - never forget that.

Tell me your stories. Share the places that you've visited - I hope it's a lot. 

P.S. Just a nagging thought that crept out of the back of my mind - 

Keep yourself open to possibilities, whatever those possibilities may be. Life happens when you keep yourself open. (It even sounds like a song lyric - not sure if it actually is. Haha!)

2023 Jhun

*****

Dear 2023 Jhun,

Hello back!

What do I tell you? hahaha! Well...I'm currently on hiatus after our stint with MSF. It's been fun and enlightening and I've learned a lot. Sad to say but the deployment did not push thru. I guess it wasn't meant for me...yet. Who knows, maybe sometime in the future? For now, I've decided to go back to my previous work with the elderly by the start of the coming year, but not for good. It's just to have work while taking a course for foreign language so that I can finally apply for a job abroad. I know it wasn't in my plans before. But somehow, during this year, I've realized that if I want to do the things that I really want to do, I have to step out of my comfort zone, and I guess it means me literally setting foot outside the Philippines. It's exciting yet frightening at the same time. Maybe this is just me taking your advise of keeping myself open to possibilities. Who knows? I might not get hired or I might not finish the course for whatever reason, but at least I can say that I took the chance and tried my best. At least there'll be no regrets or too much what ifs. 

What did I do this year? Aside from focusing on work, I've also made new friends (and I also got to experience attending a real town fiesta in Tondo. It was so much fun, but I got drained afterwards because it was sensory overload for me). Sadly, I didn't get to go on long vacation but at least I got to see some of my favorite artists live. Last March, I went to Wanderland Festival where I finally got to see Novo Amor and Jack Johnson live! I swear I couldn't help my scream when Novo Amor played Opaline as his first song. And Jack Johnson, he ended day 1 so perfectly by playing all of my favorite tracks of his. By the 2nd day, I already have a sore throat because of my screaming/singing the day before. It was an awesome experience because I also got to discover other great artists. Then, I got a ticket for Bruno Major as birthday present from my sister and we watched him perform last September. Honestly, I was literally crying for the most part, especially when he played the surprise song, Tapestry.

One thing I noticed this year, most of the time I spent on vacation was with my family. It's like we always go out of town for birthdays and other family celebrations. And I'm glad we did. Because I realized that in case my plans to apply for work abroad next year will push thru, I might not get to spend as much time with them as I wanted to. 

Anyway, we'll see what tomorrow will bring.

2024 Jhun

*****

Dear 2025 Jhun,

Hey girl!

Based on my previous letter, pressure's on you. Hahaha!

So, how's 2025 been to you? I'm curious to know where you are.  Anyway, I wasn't planning on including the song that's currently playing because it's so, so sad. loml by Taylor Swift. I was like seriously, Taylor? Of all the songs, it had to bet this one. Now I'm getting sad while typing this. rawr. Anyway, let's get back to your story.

So again. how was 2025? Anything new about you? What did you finally choose to do? Let me remind you that during this time, you are still unsure about your plans. I know you already took the steps, but you're still watching out for other opportunities that may get in your path. Honestly, 2025 is the year that I don't know what to expect will happen. And suddenly Clarity by Zedd plays. You making fun of me universe? Damn, I do really need clarity. I wish you finally found it. Hehe.

Anyway, I don't have anything else to say other than I hope you had a good year. I can't wait for the stories that you will share. Keep your head up girl, you can do this. Fighting!

P.S. Tejano Blue by Cigarettes After Sex played. Whatever it means.:)

2024 Jhun

Cornelia Street

Lost in the city,

blinded by the lights;

even though I know this place

like the back of my hands.

Something's missing,

the fingers that

used to intertwine with mine; 

as we wandered through 

the city streets at night.

Searching for those eyes,

hoping to find it

as I turned on every corner.

Just so I can tell you -

I don't wanna lose you.

Note To Self From 2016

Dear 2016 Jhun,

First off. How was the road trip?!?!?! I seriously want to know. Were you able to make it? I hope to god you did because if you didn't, I promise I'll swear you off to the deepest darkest ends of the earth. Just kidding. For a moment. :P

So kiddo, how are we? I wonder where you are currently seated right now while you're reading this. Are you still surrounded by the books we've collected all these years? By the same walls that we've painted and written poetry on just a couple of weeks ago? Remember how you felt when you started repainting these walls and your heart just twisted a little bit because you knew that you're letting go of a part of you to the backseat of this ride because you felt that you have to do it to make space for new memories? I remember that after finishing this room and I looked around, it felt like the room became too small because my roots have finally grown too big for this place and they're longing to spread themselves in another place. So what did you do about it? Did you ignore that call or did you listen to it? What were your reasons? 

I wish you had yourself get lost. But not lost in the sense that you didn't know what to do with your life. I'm talking about getting lost in living - in fully experiencing your life not just by surviving it. When you let your own self decide where you want to go without the help of planned maps and  unwarranted advice. It doesn't hurt to listen to them from time to time, but I hope that the choices you've made are the ones that you wanted to do in the first place.

So where are we working now? I'm kinda curious as to where we've finally landed our feet on. Did you miss working in school? The holidays and class suspensions? I hope you didn't turn yourself into a workaholic idiot though. :P

What did we do? Any grand vacations that we had? What are the new things we've tried? Tell me your story. I promise I will be here to listen.

Yours,

2015 Jhun

P.S. Another weird coincidence. Because you wrote this post at home last night where the internet connection's still down (raawr) and was about to post it here in the office and when you opened up Tyler Knott's blog, this was his typewriter for the day. Need anymore signs my dear? :P

***

Dear 2015 Jhun,

I can't believe it's been only a year since I wrote you this letter. After everything that happened, it felt longer. So where do I begin. Ah, I remember. Let's start with our 2015 yearender. We weren't able to join the tour because sadly, they ran out of slots when we were about to reserve. Don't be sad though, because we still managed to have that long needed vacation that we've wanted for a very long time. This time, we went to Baler. It's a camping adventure less the hassle of setting up our own camp and preparing our own food. It's more of a relaxing staycation with the perks of staying in a hotel, but instead of having a room in a high rise building with elegant foyers and fine dining restaurants, we stayed in a tent beside the beach. We were able to catch a wonderful view of the sunrise and caught glimpses of shooting stars falling from the sky. It's one for the books, that I can be sure of. :) 

As for your next question, yes, we're still in the same room that we painted a year ago. Same walls, same texts written on walls, same books and more. And yes, I can still remember how we felt suffocated in this place back then. And now I understand more why you did. Because everything felt too repetitive for us already that's why we felt the urge to move along. And I fear this will be an ongoing trend for us. That we cannot stay put in the same place for long periods of time, except maybe for this place that we call home. I don't know what to make of it, but for now, we're just going with the flow.

Because of this, we finally left our previous work last March. It felt surreal during that time beacuse everyting happened so fast. I know we've decided for months that we would leave by the end of the school year, but when the time came, I still couldn't believe that it was our last day. 

Now to our present work. The funny thing is, it's something (slightly) new. :P We're still working in a school, and it's a different one, but still a school (surprise!surprise!) so we didn't get to miss the holidays and such. Hahaha! But now, we're working in an inclusive school where we work with both typical kids and children with special needs. Let's just say we got carried away by a friend from our previous work that's why we got here. ;) 

Truth be told, this time around it felt more fulfilling even if our pay wasn't that high. It felt more like what we're doing means something more. And I guess this was what was lacking from our previous work. The real purpose. More than just making enough money to get through the day. The work is more tiring but at the end of the day, I appreciate how I spent my time. Don't get mad if I say that we turned into a little bit of a workaholic though. Because I'm telling you, what we're doing is something worth spending all our extra hours on. (I still can't believe how you were able to foresee what we're going to do even if we do not make any concrete plans for ourselves. 0_o)

As for now, I'm preparing for a three-day out-of-town trip for tomorrow. I forgot to tell you, maybe also this is why we felt too confined last year because this year, we're making a lot of trips between our current school and the other branch that we're building in another place. Let's just say it's a school within a nest of very, very old trees, situated in more than an acre wide land. Do you think it's wide enough for us already? ;)

I hoped you were happy with the things we did, because for me, I sure am. :)

Yours,

2016 Jhun

***

Dear 2017 Jhun,

How's life? I hope you're doing fine. Seriously, as of this moment, I can't think of anything to say to you. It's like I'm afraid to ask you, and of what, I don't know too. Blame it on the hormones, I think? 

Okay, just so I can think of something, let's do a round of Chuwariwap. Right now Kodaline's One Day is playing. Somehow this part gave me the goosebummps 

"You've felt this way for far too long

Waiting for a change to come

You know you're not the only one

And life passes you by
Don't be wasting your time
On your own"

Now let's wait for the answer to the reason what's in it for next year...

and it says...

Ten Feet Tall by Afroack 

and I still can't comprehend why.

the next one is...

Beating Heart by Ellie Goulding

as for the last one...

The Sound by The 1975

now this cheered me up just because it's one of my faves

Let's just wait and see how your year will go. ;)

Seriously, even after all of this, I'm starting to get anxious again. It's like the coming year, I'll spend time waiting, for what, I hope you'll know the answer by then, once you read this. I hope you're still listening to your guts my dear. Trust them as much as I did, because as far as I can recall, it has never failed us. Go with the flow. See where life will take us. Believe.

I'll be waiting for your story soon

Yours,

2016 Jhun

Oh! The Places That You'll Go

So today is your day,

and I don't have too much to say,

except these words

that I've come to know so well to tell.

Have a great day!

Be awesome.

Thank you for everything.

They may sound

too much of a cliche,

but these words are true,

and I hope that they too

are good enough for you.

Though the word grateful

is not enough for me

to describe how I feel

for having someone like you

stumbling into my life.

Even the words

bestfriend,

or even sister

feels like a cliche too,

when they ask me to describe you.

All I know is 

that you're my antonym

and yet, my synonym

in every single way;

both at the same time.

It may sound confusing to some,

but I'm sure you will understand

even if I too 

gets confused at times.

We are lost kids

still trying to find our

place in the world.

But even if the wind decides

to blow us in different directions,

just remeber that you will always be:

the Grey to my Yang,

the Autumn to my Summer,

the Rainbow to my Storm.

So here's a toast to another

chapter in your life.

May your feet never lead

you astray.

Cheers to all the places

that you will go.

Photograph

*** originally posted in the Moon Sister's Blog. ;)

It seems like we've neglected our blog for quite (?!) a long time now. So to make up for it, here's a song from us that hopefully will make you smile (or strangle us to death; whichever floats your boat.:P) As usual, it's just us, singing our hearts out along with secret jokes, side glances and missed cues and skipped chords. but as what we've said, we're just trying to have some fun. Keep your heads up, BLUE MOON's coming. ;) 

Multiverse

Cheers to my sister, 
who'll get a little bit wiser in life
as the clock strikes 12
wisdom comes with age, that's what we say
or let me rephrase
that's what we believe
we'll grow up...eventually
but until then, here's to our
never ending quest 
on finding the fountain of youth!

On a serious note though,
I just want to say thank you
for being there
it's much of a cliche, I know
but you're the bestest friend
a girl could ever have
finishing each others sentences
sensing each others emotions
sharing each other's dreams
admiring each other's crazy ideas
some might call it folie a deux
but for us, it's what we call friendship

Not everyone can remember
the moment they became friends with someone
but lucky for us, 
we have a cinnamon roll to thank at
I'm thankful enough
that I have you in this world
and I wish you all the good things in life
because you deserve much more 

I once read an article about multiverse,
where we are simultaneously existing
in other worlds
it made me believe that the reason why
we could think each other's thoughts
is that in some other world
we are real sisters,
or much more, we're twins!

I have one more wish though
and this more for me, than it is for you
and that is,
in of all these worlds that exists 
- that is, if they really do exist-
is that none of them is a world
where I've never met  you. :)

A Peek on 2013

1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
~ Made cover videos. 
~ Job hunting all by myself. 
~ Rode a real Ferris Wheel (the big one, not like those that can be found inside the arcades). 
~ Started my blog.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for this year?

~ Didn't keep one and not planning on starting one for this year :P

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

~ Nope

4. Did anyone close to you die?

~ Yes :( 

5. What countries did you visit?

~ Do the ones I visited through books count? No? Oh, then I guess I'd have to say none. :P

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
~ Patience. Patience. Patience. I'm gonna need it big time.
~ Ability to start conversations with people just like what normal human beings do because somehow, I never got the hang of it. But now I swear, I'm willing to learn. Fingers crossed.
~ Savings. Need to distance myself from bookshops from now on. "Must...resist...the...smell...of...new...books"
~ A winning lottery ticket :)

7. What date/s from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

~ October 29 - that mind boggling text message that still bothers me up to now.

~ November 18 -  that weird game I played with the universe involving Shooting Stars and Airplanes

~ December 10 - signed the contract for a job that's quite surprising for me :P

8. What was(/were) your biggest achievement(/s) of the year?

~ Looked for a job. Landed it. All. By. Myself. (for an introvert like me who's not used to talking to strangers, trust me, that's a huge achievement)

9. What was your biggest failure?

~ None that I can't think of. Thankfully.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

~ Yip, but nothing serious. :)

11. What was(/were) the best thing(/s) you bought?

~ BOOKS! This would probably be my answer every year.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

~ Me of course. haha! :P

13. Whose behaviour appalled you and made you depressed?

~ Most probably, this kid I mentioned in one of my posts. I still feel a little bit depressed whenever I think about him. :(

14. Where did most of your money go?

~ Please refer to the answer to question #11. ;)

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

~ This is getting redundant. Again, please refer to #11. 

16. What song(/s) will always remind you of 2013?

~ Check out my 2013 playlist 

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? 

~ Definitely HAPPIER :)

ii. thinner or fatter? 

~ Thinner (ahem!ahem!)

iii. richer or poorer?

~ Rich on books. Poor on money. See the connection? 

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

~ Talking to people. It's...it's...so...hard...@_@ It just sucks my energy stores dry.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

~ Hiding behind my books. Can't help it. And waiting for signs before I do something because sometimes, the sign I'm waiting for is the act itself.

20. How did you welcome the New Year?

~ With a HUGE smile. :)

~ Jumping up and down hoping to increase my height for even just a few more centimeters. :P

~ Gobbling food - which would probably increase my width instead :/

21. Did you fall in love in 2013?

~ With fictional characters - yes, alot. With a real human being - nada. 

22. What was(/were) your favourite TV program(/s)?

~ Once Upon A Time

~ Sherlock

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

~ Yes. The strangers who block my way whenever I have to go somewhere.

24. What was the best book you read?

~ What WAS the best book? You're making me pick one? Are you freaking serious?!  This should be "What WERE the best BOOKS...?". Now that it's fixed, let's see...there's The Traveler by Daren Simkin, This Is All by Aidan Chambers, Tunnel Vision by Keith Lowe, The Giver by Lois Lowry, books by John Green (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, The Fault In Our Stars), books by Gayle Forman (If I Stay, Where She Went, Just One Day, Just One Year) and books by Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door). There, happy now? 

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

~ Again, there goes that "was" again. You seriously do not believe that a Gemini like me could only pick one, do you? O_o

~ For songs: Smack Into You by Jon McLaughlin, Sad Song by We The Kings, Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran, Tea and Toast by Lucy Spraggan, Acapella by Karmin

~ For artists: Sunderland, Parachute, Jamie Campbell Bower, He Is We, Zedd

26. What did you want and get?

~ Books

27. What did you want and not get?

~ Books. I'm just a simple girl, with very simple needs. 

28. Favorite film(/s) of this year?

~ Sound City - a documentary about the Sound City Studio directed and produced by Dave Grohl. It's downright AWESOME! :)

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

~ I celebrated my 23rd birthday by going to church. Spent most of the day alone, strolling around. Did alot of writing. Met with the family later on for a dinner out. 

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

~ Don't have one. What I wore on 2013 were most probably the same clothes I wore the year before, and the year before that and so on and so forth. I'm just not into fashion that much. If I were to describe my fashion style, I usually go for the comfortable look.

31. What kept you sane?

~ Who says that I am? 

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

~ Hhhhmmm. Johnny Depp is out for the moment because I'm still mad at him for breaking up with Vanessa Paradis. For now, at the top is Ed Sheeran. :)

33. Who is your real-person crush?

~ Got me there. Doesn't Ed Sheeran count? He's a person and as far as I know, he's real. If you mean by ordinary, everyday people lurking around, then nada.

34. Who did you miss?

~ My dads. :/

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

~ It's too much of a cliche but with all of the people who died in 2013, it's just too real to ignore: Life is short.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year

The doors are open, the wind is really blowing

The night sky is changing overhead

~ "Closer" by Tegan and Sara

Looking Forward to 2013...


1) GOALS/DREAMS FOR THE YEAR 2014:

~ Fill my fund jars up to the brim.

~ Be the best that I can be.

~ Do a lot of crazy stuff.

~ Witness something magical! 

2) PREDICTIONS FOR THE YEAR 2014:

A. LOVE

~ Surprise Me! Truthfully, I don't have any idea and I won't expect. Que sera sera...

B. CAREER

~ I'm gonna be awesome! It's the new year and a new job, a clean slate. Hopefully, I could fill it with lots of colorful doodles and create a pretty picture.

There. Hope you had fun.Wishing you all an awesome 2014! Cheers! :)

Mixtapes and Stories

And here's my 2013 mixtape. This is a collection of songs that I usually play day in and day out. Most of them are songs I discovered while wasting away my time on the internet. ;) 

~Jhun

source

1. Acapella by Karmin

~ My guilty pleasure for 2013. :P I don't know...but there's something about this song that perks me up everytime I hear it. 

"Wooh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, I'mma do it acapella!Yeah!"

2. Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute

~ I got this one from my sister. She made me listen to this track and from then on, I searched all of Parachute's tracks and listened to every-freakin-one. Perfect music for the hopeless romantics like moi. 

"Well I'm not sure what this is gonna be, but with my eyes closed all I see is the skyline through the window, the moon above you and the streets below. Hold my breath as you're moving in, taste your lips and feel your skin. When the time comes, baby don't run, just kiss me slowly."

3. Get Your Guns by The Darling Buds (Jamie Campbell Bower)

~ Have I already said that I'm a sucker for awesome musicians? This guy, he's one of them. I first saw him as  Anthony in "Sweeney Todd" singing "Johanna" even after being battered and beaten to the ground by Professor Snape and Peter Pettigrew...ahem! I mean, by Judge Turpin and Beadle Bamford. I forgot about him after that movie until now, when he came back as Jace Wayland in The Mortal Instruments. 

"Everything seems to fall into place when you put hand in mine it's like we're flying through space. Give your trust, put your heart in my hand, don't you stress your pretty head it's all going to plan."

4. Campus by Sunderland

~ I stumbled upon this band when I saw their cover of Parachute's Kiss Me Slowly. I checked out their channel and fell in love with their original tracks (seriously, these guys are amazing).  But this song is special for me because one time, I woke up from a dream (I can't even remember the dream itself) singing the chorus of this song in my mind and I found it weird because it sounded like a message from the universe, I think. ;P

"It's funny how in moment my life can change, all the pieces rearranged. One false step and I have changed who I become."

5. If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn (Acoustic) by Sleeping with Sirens

~ Don't ask me about the title because truth be told, I don't have any idea what was it's relevance to the song. As far as I know, those two had never been together on any film or show, so I don't see why they decided to put those two names side by side. Anyhow, this was one of the songs that I just happen to stumble upon Youtube because I was already sick and tired of most of the songs that's playing on the radio. If you're brave, check out the original version of this song right here.

"They say that love is forever, your forever is all that I need. Please stay as long as you need...It goes to show, I hope that you know that you are what my dreams are made of."

       
6. Remembering Sunday by All Time Low

~ This song always hits a soft spot in me. It's somewhat related to my post "Sweetcakes and Milkshakes". Just figure it out. ;)

"Eventhough she doesn't believe in love, he's determined to call her bluff."

7. No Matter What (Acoustic) by Papa Roach

~ This I got from my brother. Delivers a perfect dose of cheesiness for my hopelessly-overtly-dramatic-romantic-heart. 

"We're indestructible, we are untouchable, nothing could tear us down tonight. You are so beautiful, it should be criminal, you should be mine."

8. Kiss Me (Acoustic) by Ed Sheeran

~ Are you starting to see a pattern here? Give a guy a guitar or a piano, a good voice, a pen and paper to write his song on, and I'm a goner. It's a done deal. With Ed Sheeran, there's something endearing with his personality. He's like a shy-type-kind-of-guy who just sits silently on a corner and you wouldn't notice him instantly, not until he picks up his guitar and begins to play one of his songs. I could just listen to him play over and over and over again.

"Your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed to my neck. And I've fallen for your eyes, but they don't know me yet. And with this feeling I forget, I'm in love now. Kiss me like you wanna be loved, like you wanna be loved."

9. Smack Into You by Jon McLaughlin

~ One of my best finds for 2013. I loved his version way, way, much than Beyonce's "Smash Into You". I wouldn't mind smacking into someone, if that someone is in the likes of Jon himself. haha! dream on girl! ;P 

"And I soaked in your love. And love is right in my path, in my grasp. And you and me belong...I wanna run, run smack into you. I'm willing to run, run smack into you."

10. All About Us by He is We (feat. Owl City)

~ This one was shared to me by my moon sister last summer. It kind of became our national anthem for quite sometime. I know, I know, too much mushiness already. Deal with it.

"Cause lovers dance when they're feeling in love. Spotlight shining it's all about us. It's all about us. And very heart in the room will melt. This is a feeling I've never felt but it's all about us."

11. Tea and Toast by Lucy Spraggan

~ Beautiful Song. Managed to make me feel sad to happy to giddy to anxious and ended up bawling, all in under 5 minutes. 

"When the skies are looking bad my dear and your heart's lost all it's hope. After dawn there will be sunshine and all the dust will go. The skies will clear my darling, I wake up with the one I love the most. And in the morning I'd wake you up with some tea and toast."

12. Clarity by Zedd feat. Foxes

~ I've never been much of a fan of house music but sometimes, there's an exception to the rule. And this one is THE exception.

"If our love's a tragedy why are you my remedy. If our love's insanity why are you my clarity."

13. Closer by Tegan and Sara

~ I came to love this duo by accident. I was reading the paper and one of the articles covered their performance here last month. And on one of the pictures are captioned with a part of the lyrics to this song. I checked it out and since then, it's been playing every day.

"All I wanna get is a little bit closer. All I wanna know is, can you come a little closer."

14. Sad Song by We The Kings

~ Just found this a couple of days ago and became an instant fave. Yeah, I know, part of the predictable pattern again. Guy, guitar, beautiful voice, cheesy music. Shoot me.

"So stop time right here in the moonlight cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes."

15. Les Etoiles Secretes by Ida

~ Saw this from a playlist on one of the books I've read this year. "Hold Still" by Nina LaCour

"Driving home in your car, listen to the secret stars. Can't believe how great they are. Would you say you love me?"

16. Just A Kiss by Lady Antebellum

~ The video and music reminds me of the books "Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins and "Just One Day" by Gayle Forman

"Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight. Just a touch if the fire burning so bright. I don't wanna mess this thing up, I don't wanna push too far. Just a shot in the dark that you just might be the one I've been waiting for my whole life."

The next songs are the ones I usually play whenever I'm in the mood to write. Others are specific inspirations for certain stories. :)

17. For You by Duncan Sheik

~ The inspiration for the story "Infinite World". 

"You're a beautiful girl and I want you to know it. It's an infinite world and I want you."

18. La Vie En Rose by Louis Armstrong

~ This one inspired me to edit "Infinite World" and add a specific scene in the story.

"Give your heart and soul to me and life will always be, la vie en rose"

19. Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift

~ This is the inspiration for the story "Coffee for Two". 

"Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain. Kiss me on the sidewalk and take away the pain cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile." 

20. Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg

~ Inspiration for one of the scenes in "Coffee for Two"

"The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old. But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul. My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man. I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band."

21. It Might Be You by Patti Austin

~ When I heard this song for the first time after so many years, my fingers just itched its way to my laptop and poof! there goes "Leap of Faith". (now I need a new song to finish this mess.)

"Time, I've been passing time watching trains go by. All of my life wondering how they met and what makes it last. If I found the place, would I recognize the face. Something's telling me it might be you.

***Hope you had fun listening to our playlist. A tip of the hat to 2013, and cheers to 2014!:)

Santa Can You Hear Me?

Since it's New Moon and it's the last month for the year, me and my moon sister Rhio decided to make our last new moon post for 2013 something special. So here's my Christmas Wishlist for this year:

First things first, I wish that I could spend this holiday season with the whole family. If I could only have one wish, this would be it. It's the only thing that could make this Christmas extra-special. :)

Next, I wish for more patience and  courage. For what? I don't know. And I guess that's what makes it scarier for me. I just feel (oh there goes that feeling again!:|) that I'd need these to make my 2014 awesome, so there. 

Third, for everyone to feel the warmth of the Christmas cheer, especially by those who were affected by the recent disasters and tragedies all around the world. They may not have gotten over their grief and loss by this time, but the least the rest of us could do is share our blessings with them and make them feel that they're loved. I may sound like a hippy on a high by saying this but I'll say it anyway "Spread love and peace people! Love makes the world go round." ;)

There goes my top three wishes for Christmas and now...it's time to be greedy - ahem! I mean - to be wishful... :P

1. For the book-geek me: BOOKS of course! What else can I say? They're my first love.  :) Any book will do, but if I were to choose (haha!:P), these titles would do the trick:

"The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
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*** I want this book because I've always been fascinated with Sylvia Plath's poetry. :)

 "Ulysses" by James Joyce
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*** This one's special because I learned that this book has its own special holiday 
~ the Bloomsday ~ which happens to be my birthday as well. :)

 "Saving June" and "Speechless" by Hannah Harrington 
*** I've already read Saving June in ebook format but I got attached to the story 
(maybe because our names sound the same), that's why I want a physical copy too, 
and Speechless has an intriguing premise making me want to read it too. :)

 "If I Stay" and "Just One Day" by Gayle Forman

*** I've already read these too, regretfully in ebook formats also. :| 

But they gave me so much feels that I want to have my own physical copies too. :)

2. Record Player and Vinyls

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*** That sound when the needle makes contact with the vinyl...aaahhh...feels like music for me already.
What can I say? This gift's for me old soul. :)

3. In Utero 20th Anniversary Edition by Nirvana

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*** This is for the forever-90s-grunge-kid me. ;)

4. Skin and Bones Live in Hollywood by Foo Fighters

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*** This for the present grunge/rockstar me. haha! :P

4. Snow Globes and Toy Trains

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*** Now these are for the misty-eyed-Santa-believer-kid-me. 
If there's one thing I'm grateful for from my parents, 
it's that they raised us as kids who "believe" 
no matter how impossible or illogical it maybe. :)

5. Red Stilettos

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*** And lastly, these sparkly red stilettos is for the strong-independent-woman in me. ;)
Gotta be ready to kick some ass on 2014. haha! :)
If only they could have magic the same as Dorothy's slippers.
So that when the going gets tough after I kicked some butt and I'd need a means for escape,
I could just click my heels and say...
 "There's no place like home!"
*poof!*