I meant to post, really. But lately I’ve been busy doing the following:
Work.
And also:
Reading. And blogging about reading.
And finally:
Asthma. Again.
So…there. I’ve been stuck at home the past four weekends with an occasional movie, work stuff and all, but I’m still stuck at home, and frankly, I’m getting tired of being stuck at home. I hope I get better this week because this asthma is really annoying and stressful and who wants that, right? I will beat this asthma. I will.
So excuse the non-post. I promise to post sometime soon, lemme gather my wits and thoughts. In the meantime, how are you guys? :)
I started blogging about books last year in an effort to separate my posts about books from my personal blog. As a result, I also started tinkering with my Goodreads account more than the usual. After an online encounter with another Filipino book blogger through a meme I participated in, I saw that she was active at one of the Goodreads groups I had been lurking in for a while (more than a year) now. Because I felt the need to socialize then, I decided to drop in and say hi and try to make new friends.
A couple of weeks later, after posting on some of the threads and reviews with new Goodreads friends, I received an invite to the group’s second meet up. I had several reasons to say decline the invite:
It was in a part of the city that I hardly know.
I don’t know anyone there. Except for those exchanges online, I have no idea who they were.
It was a rainy week, and I’ve been recovering from asthma.
It was far. And I didn’t know anyone. Oh, wait, I said that already.
But after some thinking, researching and delaying (okay, it was only an hour of delay, but really), I said yes to the invite. I could always back out before it and give some kind of excuse you know. Then I got a reply where the sender said, “You are one of those I want to see in person! Wow! Finally, I will meet the person behind all those nice book reviews!”
Well, how could I still say no to that? :-s
So the meet-up came and gone and you know what? It was one of the best decisions I made last year. I met really good friends who share the same passion for books and reading as I do, and we even go out and do other non-reading-related stuff. They’re some of the best people I know and was I ever so glad that I said yes to that invite.
Imagine if I said no. I wonder how my life would have been today.
Also known as: Switchfoot in Manila 2011 Could also be known as: The best band in one of the best concerts this year.
Almost four years ago, I kind of had the best 24 hours of my music-loving life. I was part of Switchfoot‘s street team on their first visit to Manila, and it was one event that definitely goes down in the books. One that I will always, always look back on fondly. I didn’t have much proof because I was too busy, except for some parting shots like this:
Jon Foreman, before leaving Manila in 2007. Tim and Chad in the background.
And this:
With kababayan, Jerome Fontamillas
When news came out early this year that Switchfoot will be coming back to Manila for their Hello Hurricane tour, there is no doubt that I would be there to watch it. During their first visit, the producer was our friend so she recruited us to help her sell tickets and manage the event. It was chaos, but hey, it was fun. This time around though, it was a different group producing (our friend had long retired in concert production business), so my street team friends and I talked about volunteering again. However, because of busy work schedules, my best friend/concert buddy Happy and I just decided to be an audience on this concert.
But of course, we had to get the best seats we can manage. And that’s where having volunteer friends come in handy. :)
VIP ticket. Row A. Nothing less from the BEST BAND IN THE WORLD.
