Oh Ghost Unwelcomed

They say, "August" is a ghost month in the Chinese period wherein the gates of the underworld opens which means ghosts and dead spirits are free to wander everywhere and cause misfortune to the living. This period began last August 10 and will end on September 8. 

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HUNGRY GHOSTS...

Hungry Ghosts are called “hungry” because by their nature they are unable to satisfy their hunger or thirst through eating ordinary food or water. To be fed, they are only able to smell the smoke of incense and the aroma of food – and so naturally they become really happy and appeased when incense or other special food items are burned and offered to them.  These are very desperate ghosts who are trapped in between realms; they are constantly suffering from extreme deprivation - so when left unappeased it’s not surprising that they start to cause mischief to those whose chi energy levels are on the low side - for example, those whose astrological feng shui or house feng shui for the year is afflicted and whose “ji oon” or life force is weak. Hence during this Hungry Ghost Month, more than ever, it is so essential to perform incense offerings - perhaps even every night! -source

It's never too late! You may want to check Feng Shui expert Marites Allen's tips to protect yourself from these ghosts and the misfortunes they bring - Do's and Donts  and Chinese Zodiac Reading. These astrological readings may be really informative and a great help yet we must still put in mind that bad luck still depends on how we believe on it, on how we react and take action from unfavorable outcomes and misfortunes that happens in our daily lives.

Our luck, in the end, is pretty much what we choose it to be.

101 Randomness You Might Never Want to Answer P1

source: tumblr

1. Think of the last person who said I love you, do you think they meant it? Maybe.

2. Would you date an 18-year-old at the age you are now? Nope.

3. When’s the last time you were aggravated and happy at the same time? Long time ago.

4. Would you ever smile at a stranger? Yes.

5. Is there someone mad because you’re dating/talking to the person you are? Idk

6. Have you heard a song that reminds you of someone today? Yeah. Maybe this time.

7. What exactly are you wearing right now? Dress.

8. How often do you listen to music? Always.

9. Do you wear jeans or skirts more? Jeans.

10. Do you think your life will change dramatically before 2015? Hope so.

11. Are you a social or an antisocial person? Socially awkward.

12. Have you ever kissed someone whose name begins with the letter ‘A’? No.

13. What about ‘R’? No.

14. Can you drive a stick shift? No.

15. Do you care if people talk badly about you? Not quite. I wont know it anyway.

16. Are you going out of town soon? Yes.

17. When was the last time you cried? Last night.

18. Have you ever told someone you loved them? Almost.

19. If you could change your eye color, would you? Bluegreen.

20. Is there a person who you would do absolutely everything for? Yeah.

21. Name something you dislike about the day you’re having. Confused weather.

22. Is it cute when guys kiss you on your forehead? Maybe.

23. Are you dating the last person you talked to? No. What's a date, anyway.

24. What are you sitting on right now? Bed.

25. Does anyone regularly (other than family) tell you they love you? I guess try to tell me about it.

26. Have you ever wanted someone you couldn’t have? Sadly maybe yes.

27. Who was the last person you talked to before you went to bed last night? It's you, right?

28. Do you get a lot of colds? No.

29. Where is the shirt you are wearing from? From the closet.

30. Does anyone hate you? Maybe.. Do you?

31. Do you have any empty alcohol bottles hidden somewhere in your room? None. 

32. Do you like watching scary movies? Hell, yeah! 

33. Do you want your tongue pierced? No.

34. If you had to delete one year of your life completely, which would it be? That year when i got into a terrible accident which i hoped i should have died right after.

35. Did you have a dream last night? Yeah, it was about you.

36. When was the last time you told someone you loved them? Some time ago in an anonymous blog. Go find it! Clue: "DP"

37. Do you think you’ll be married in 5 years? Not until you propose. I'm patiently waiting.

38. Do you think someone has feelings for you? Seriously? I wished it was you.

39. Do you think someone is thinking about you right now? I hope so. 

40. Did you have a good day yesterday? Quite.

41. How was it like to be single? Awesome and awful at the same time.

42. In the next 48 hours, will you hang out with someone? Probably when i get a lot better.

43. Has anyone told you they don’t want to ever lose you? Years ago.

44. What’s the best part about school? Learning. Friends. Recess.

45. Do you have any pictures on your Facebook? I guess.

46. Do you ever pass notes to your friends in school? Haha yeah. 

47. Do you replay things that have happened in your head? Most of the time.

48. Are you single? Reserved.

49. Is your life anything like it was two years ago? Idk. I miss my life two years ago.

50. What are you supposed to be doing right now? Working yet i am trying hard to answer this random q's.

51. Do you hate the last person you had a conversation with? No.

52. Are you nice to everyone? Ask them, you'll know.

53. Have you ever liked someone you didn’t expect to? Yeah. That jlc madness.

54. Do you think you can last in a relationship for a long time? with you? YES.

55. Are you good at hiding your feelings? Sometimes no, most of the time yes.

56. Do you think you like someone? I desire rather than like.

57. Do you know someone whose name starts with a ‘J’? Certainly yes.

58. Do you prefer to be friends with girls or boys? Doesn't matter.

59. Has anyone of your friends ever seen you cry? Yeah.

60. Do you hate anyone? I guess none.

61. How’s your heart? Still beating for you.

62. Is there something that happened in your past that you hate talking about? None.

63. Have you ever cried over someone? Uh huh.

64. Who is probably talking a load of crap about you right now? None i guess. Or is it you?

65. Are your toenails painted pink? Not this time.

66. Will your next kiss be a mistake? No.

67. Girls love it when boyfriends cry; correct? Maybe.

68. What's the most memorable date for you? January 25, 2009.

69. Who was the person you want to be stranded with? Lee Min Hoo. In reality, YOU.

70. How do you look right now? That cute messy look.

71. Do you have someone you can be your complete self around? Yes but that person is somewhere else away.

72. Can you commit to one person? Of course.

73. Do you have someone of the opposite sex you can tell everything to? Not exactly everything - to a relative friend.

74. Have you ever felt replaced? A lot of times.

75. Did you wake up cranky? Seldom happens.

76. Are you a jealous person? Super.

77. Are relationships ever worth it? If it doesn't end.

78. Anything you’re looking forward to? that we may see each other again.

79. Currently wanting to see anyone? Most probably.

80. Name something you have to do tomorrow? Be productive.

81. Last person you cried in front of? You.

82. Is there someone you will never forget? You.

83. Do you think the person you have feelings for is protective of you? I guess so.

84. If the person you wish to be with were with you, what would you be doing right now? Coffee-ing.

85. Are you over your past? Do i have to? 

86. Have you ever liked one of your best friends of the opposite sex? No.

87. Is there anyone you can tell EVERYTHING to? I already told you, YES

88. If your first true love knocked on your door with apology and presents, would you accept? Id still say Yes and never let go.

89. So, the last person you kissed just happens to arrive at your door at 3AM; do you let them in? No. That's crazy.

90. Have you ever liked someone who your friends hated? None.

91. Will you be in a relationship in a month? I prefer long term love connection.

92. Is there anyone you know with the name 'Justin?' No.

93. Have you ever kissed a pet? cats on their head. ^_^

94. What do you like most in a person? Someone who is trustworthy.

95. Were you happy with the person you met a few years ago? Yeah.

96. Who’s in your profile picture with you? Me myself and i

97. Who do you have texts from? GLOBE ?(how thoughtful)

98. If the person you like says they like someone else, what would you say? You'll be sorry. Haha.

99. Have you ever expect from nothing? yeah.

100. How do you define true love? A feeling that doesn't goes away even when you're not with that person anymore. It stays for years and years and even more years.

101. Has anybody ever given you butterflies? Yeah, live ones..muhaha!

Yesterday Once More

It's strange indeed how memories can lie dormant in a person's mind for so many years.  Yet those memories can be awakened and brought forth fresh and new, just by something you've seen, or something you've heard, or the sight of an old familiar face. 

Looking back those times give us that nostalgic feeling hoping that there would be a chance that we could still go back and rewrite the past into something more different from what had actually happened. Some are lucky to have second chances, but mostly, some are out of luck. Probably because of unknown reasons wrapped within. A change of heart or maybe life's unpredictable complications.

That onslaught of memories are too painful enough to bear. Only time can heal almost everything - hurt, betrayal, regret, loss and sadness. Pain will eventually be less hurting in time and it would make us more stronger at the present time and be at our best self  for the future to come. *crossfingers

Kutchinta (Brown Rice Cake)

It's such a long time since my last food post, i was preoccupied with random thingys that i seem to ignore these things i should be doing rather than burying myself being a bitterana. I feel kinda lazy and distressing thoughts still haunt me every now and then. I guess it would stay for a moment but i hope not for so very long.

 So, this Kutchinta (Brown Rice Cake) is one of my favorite native delicacies. My first attempt of cooking Kutchinta was way back in high school and it tasted terribly bitter because of too much lye water. Well, i didn't know then that it was lye that made it tasted like that. So after that incident, just recently, I've thought of trying to make again, this time should, at least result into something edible.

There are lots of different ways to make this delicacy but here's my Kutchinta edible version ^_^ Yey!

1. In a bowl, mix the rice flour, brown sugar and lye water.
2. Gradually add 3/4 cup of water while mixing.
3. Strain to removes lumps.
4. Dissolve annatto seeds in 1 tbsp of water and add it to the mixture. (optional - used for coloring)
5. Pour into tin cans/llanera (grease with oil so it will be easier to remove it when it's cooked) and steam for 20-30 minutes.
6. Serve with grated coconut on top.. Share and enjoy!

*Best to use round tin cans/llanera instead of this molder because the ricrac curve didn't shaped that much and it took time for me to remove but then it does taste like a real kutchinta..a success!

TOP 11: Good Books to Read

Hey August, Please be good to me!

I once was looking for good books to read and this is what i had found. Actually i had 300+ e-books but this 11 books are on my top list. But of course, Goosebumps Collection is on the very top of them all. And im quite glad to have the Most Wanted, Horrorland and Nightmare Room series of Goosebumps just recently. I've really been wanting to have those and it came just right in time. Well, those are better than the nightmare of the reality i'm in. Throwing out some hateful bitterness of last month..again. 

I get drowned too much of hoarding books, unsure when will i get to read them all. I also went to National Bookstore the other day and got really lucky coz they are having that bargain sale - 50 pesos and below books! Isn't it amazing? Been there for hours and hours looking for something that will interest me most. Books never fail to give me that calm feeling and momentarily divert my mind into those sickening thoughts. It made me really sick..literally.

Anyway, so these books are on my top 11 reading list for August..actually if i get to read them all this month. Peek now! Books are randomly arranged.

11. The Unfortunate Fairy Tale Series by Chanda Hahn

Genre: Young adult, Mystery, Fairy tale, Fiction

Synopsis:
UnEchanted: Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated; that is until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight.

But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is a descendant from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her its' next fairy-tale victim.

To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.

Fairest: Mirror, Mirror, on the wall,
Who is the Fairest of them all?

In the sequel to UnEnchanted, Mina Grime discovers that all is not fair when it comes to the Fae and their tales, especially when they don’t all play by the rules. Barely surviving the Story’s first fairy tale quest, Mina still has hundreds to go before she can end the curse on her family. But a new player arises to challenge Mina while new rules revamp the game she has just barely begun to understand.

All the while, people are mysteriously disappearing, including Jared, whom Mina must finally determine to be friend or foe. And with the loss of her greatest weapon, Mina must try to outwit a deadly hunter. Can Mina survive the most difficult quest yet while protecting those she loves from falling victim to one of the lethal tales of all? Or will she become a pawn when she strikes a bargain with the Queen of Fae?

Fable: When something precious is stolen from sixteen-year-old Mina Grime, she will do anything in her power to get it back, even if it means traveling to the dangerous Fae plane and battling one of the strongest fairy-tale villains yet.

However, nothing can prepare Mina for the dangerous obstacles she will face in the Fae world, or the choices she must make when love and life are on the line.

10. My Name is Rapunzel by KC Hilton

Genre: Fantasy, Folklore & Mythology, Fairy Tale Retelling

Synopsis:

My tale has been told again and again, and I’ve heard each one. Except for my hair, I barely recognize the pitiful renditions. Muddled versions, crafted to entertain laughing children…but the children wouldn’t have laughed if they’d known the real story. It wasn't their fault. They didn't know the truth. Nobody did.

My name is Rapunzel. I will tell you my story. I will tell you the truth.

9.  One Moment by Kristina McBride

Genre: Young adult, Mystery

Synopsis:
This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.
Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?
As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?
The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

8.  28 and a Half Wishes by Denise Grover Swank

Genre: Young adult, Fiction, Mystery

Synopsis:

For Rose Gardner, working at the DMV on a Friday afternoon is bad even before she sees a vision of herself dead. She's had plenty of visions, usually boring ones like someone's toilet's overflowed, but she's never seen one of herself before. When her overbearing momma winds up murdered on her sofa instead, two things are certain: There isn't enough hydrogen peroxide in the state of Arkansas to get that stain out, and Rose is the prime suspect.

Rose realizes she's wasted twenty-four years of living and makes a list on the back of a Wal-Mart receipt: twenty-eight things she wants to accomplish before her vision comes true. She's well on her way with the help of her next door neighbor Joe, who has no trouble teaching Rose the rules of drinking, but won't help with number fifteen-- do more with a man. Joe's new to town, but it doesn't take a vision for Rose to realize he's got plenty secrets of his own.

Somebody thinks Rose has something they want and they'll do anything to get it. Her house is broken into, someone else she knows is murdered, and suddenly, dying a virgin in the Fenton County jail isn't her biggest worry after all.


7.  The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas 

Genre: Young adult, Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Adventure

Synopsis:

When a sinister old woman leaves Griffin Penshine a box of twelve shiny pennies, she sets in motion a desperate quest; because the old woman was a wish stealer, and each penny represents a wish she stole from a wishing fountain decades earlier. Somehow, Griffin has to make things right, or the opposite of her own wishes will come true; and it could literally be a matter of life and death. The Wish Stealers introduces a new voice in middle-grade fantasy, as bright and sparkling as Griffin's pennies.


6.  Unremembered Series by Jessica Brody

Genre: Young adult, Chick-lit, Mystery, Romance, Suspense

Synopsis:
Unremembered: When a sixteen-year-old girl wakes up among the wreckage of a devastating plane crash with no memories, she’s forced to piece together her forgotten past with only one clue to her identity— a mysterious boy who claims he helped her escape from a top-secret science experiment.

"The only thing worse than forgetting her past . . . is remembering it."

Unforgotten: Packed with mystery, suspense, and romance, this riveting second installment of Jessica Brody’s Unremembered trilogy delivers more heart-pounding action as loyalties are tested, love becomes a weapon, and no one’s memories are safe.

"She can escape the past but she can't run from the future."

Unchanged: Will be out in February 2015 and yes, ALL the secrets will be revealed, ALL the mysteries will be solved, ALL the cliffhangers will be…unhung?

"They can manipulate her memories but they can't change her mind."

5. The Fault in our Stars by John Green

Genre: Young adult, Romance, Personal Philosophy

Synopsis:

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.




4.  Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Genre: Young adult, Fiction, Mystery

Synopsis:

For popular high school senior Samantha Kingston, February 12—"Cupid Day"—should be one big party, a day of valentines and roses and the privileges that come with being at the top of the social pyramid. And it is…until she dies in a terrible accident that night.

However, she still wakes up the next morning. In fact, Sam lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she ever imagined.


3.  Looking for Alaska by John Green

Genre: Young adult, Personal Philosophy, Romance, Mischief

Synopsis:

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words–and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the “Great Perhaps.” Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

2.  Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

Genre: Young adult, Fiction, Mystery, Fairy Tale

Synopsis:
It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past—and hers?


1.  If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Genre: Young adult, Chick-lit, Romance

Synopsis:

Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.

Where she went (BOOK 2)

It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life.

And three years he's spent wondering why.

When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night.

Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?  

I think life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense.

________________________________

How about you..Read any good books lately? Share em too!