What’s the best way to travel around Europe? Sure riding an airplane could give you an unparalleled view of the country but how about taking a more intimate way to travel Europe? Nothing beats the scenic views of Italy or France as you ride on one of the trains using a Eurail pass. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Good news is Europe is well connected (how you wish it were like this in the Philippines) and you can just jump from one country to another hassle-free. You just need your visa, money (yeah you gotta have some of those), eurail pass and you’re ready to go! But what is a Eurail Pass?

These babies look like this

Eurail passes are train passes/tickets that give you unlimited number of times to ride the rail system and travel around 24 countries in Europe.

The different kinds of Eurail Passes:
1. One Country Pass
Get This When: You’re just stuck in 1 country for a long time
Price: Starting from 37 Euros, varies among countries
Validity: 3-10 days within 2 months

2. Regional Pass
Get This When: You only choose to roam around 2 countries
Price: Starting from 131 Euros, varies among countries
Validity: 4-10 days within 2 months

3. Select Pass
Get This When: You plan to hop between 3-5 countries
Price: Starting from 234 Euros, varies among countries
Validity: 5-15 days within 2 months

4. Global Pass
Get This When: Europe is your oyster and you are king
Price: Starting from 369 Euros – 1018 Euros
Validity: Choose from 10 days within 2 months, 15 days within 2 months, 15 travel days in a row, 21 travel days in a row, 1 months of travel days in a row, 2 months of travel days in a row, 3 months of travel days in a row

These are also only available for non-Europeans and are cheaper alternatives when one needs to hop around MULTIPLY countries in a few weeks. But there’s actually a debate whether Eurail passes are necessary or not. Sometimes if you think about it, you only save a hundred bucks (you could use those 100 bucks somewhere else though, it’s still helpful). I mean wouldn’t flying from Berlin to Spain be easier and faster instead of taking a 24-hour train ride? In this case, yes by all means please take the flight instead because it would be a time saver for your trip. But if you need to go to a lot of places in just a short time, the Eurail pass is definitely for you.

Let me break the pros and cons down for you:

Pros:
1. A more relaxed traveling experience. There’s absolutely no checking in or anything here. You just board the train on time and GO GO GO!
2. Practical for those going to 3 or more places. For example, going from Paris to Berlin could take about 400++ euros because you still need to buy the stopovers from Paris-Lyon, Lyon-Berlin etc. trains so it’s really pricey. With the Eurail pass (depending on which you choose, one eurail pass can already be availed at 365 euros), you can hop in any number of trains for one day or for consecutive of 15 days. Imagine where you can go and how much money you’d save.
3. UNLIMITED BAGGAGE WEIGHT
4. Simple to use, please look at this photo again. You just need to let the conductor fill this out on the first day (PLEASE DO NOT FORGET THIS, we almost forgot this and it would have been very embarrassing if we didn’t fill this up). After that, you just fill in the card the day you rode on the train. Another conductor inside the train will then check your passes or if they’re really strict (WHICH THEY ARE NOT) will puncture a hole to show that that particular has been used. But seriously only trains in Switzerland have very strict conductors, otherwise, you’re ready to go! *wink* Actually in general, Europeans practice the rule of honesty and hardly anyone checks your tickets. So guys, remember to emulate them and always be honest

Cons:
1. You still need to reserve a seat and sometimes there’s even a RESERVATION FEE. I know it’s outrageous since you’ve already booked a eurail pass and then you still have to pay, but this is one of the downsides really.
2. DO NOT EVER TAKE COUCHETTE/OVERNIGHT TRAIN WITH BED. It is cramped and sometimes it smells. Imagine the single bed in your room, multiply that size by 2 and you’ve got the overnight train compartment size. Then add 5 more beds so you can fit 6 beds (no bunk beds here! Only triples) in that compartment. GEESH. I actually like the seats better for overnight rides.
3. If there’s a strike, you’re kind of doomed with your plans and let me tell you, there’s ALWAYS a train strike in Europe. ALWAYS. I remember last time we had to go from Paris-Berlin and our train got delayed 2x I thought we were never going to get there. Good thing is they had us transported to an overnight bus and we got to go to another place in Germany (Manheim! With their amazing yummy breads <3) but bad thing is, our reservation fees because we booked a Couchette/overnight bed couldn't be revoked and we lost some money there :/ Plus European bus drivers drive really fast. But they're kind of funny too. Okay wait I'm getting sidetracked.

Here are a few more tips from the man in Seat61 (please go to his website, IT COVERS EVERYTHING. He helped me a lot in planning for our trips.

1. The first thing to realise is that many European trains are now priced airline-style. Just like the budget airlines, trains in much of western Europe now have variable prices. If you are willing to pre-book 1 to 3 months in advance on a no refunds, no-changes-to-travel-plans basis, you’ll easily find some unbeatable ‘budget train fares’.

So it’s not a 2-way decision, it’s a 3-way decision.

Option 1: Pre-book cheap point-to-point budget train tickets online from the relevant train operator’s website.
Option 2: Buy flexible regular-price point-to-point tickets at the station as you go. You certainly don’t need a €70-per-day railpass to go from Florence to Pisa, a €7 hop, but in this case a pass will save money over the €130 full-price fare from Paris to Amsterdam, even with the passholder reservation fee added.
Option 3: Buy a railpass for unlimited flexible travel. Usually the gold-plated option. Ultimate freedom and flexibility, but you pay for it. May or may not save money over option (2), but usually more expensive than option (1).

2. Why not mix-and-match a railpass with budget train tickets, to save money on key pre-planned parts of your trip? For example, for 11 days of train travel in Europe, it’s cheaper to buy a 10-day Eurail Global pass plus one point-to-point ticket for the shortest/cheapest of all your train rides, than to buy the next pass size up, which is a 15-day Eurail pass. If the start of your trip is known and fixed, but you want to stay flexible for the rest, you could buy a cheap ticket for the first one or two journeys, then start using a railpass.

3. Are you just making a few short trips? To state the obvious, if all you want to do is make a few short €10 train trips, why buy a $700 Eurail pass? For example, Florence to Pisa costs around €7, so why buy a railpass costing around €40-€50 per day just to make a €7 journey? The only way to know for sure whether a railpass or point-to-point would be cheaper is to work out the point to point prices for most of the trips you’re planning using the various European train operator websites (not overseas ticketing agency websites which often charge more or ignore the cheap deals, I mean buying direct from the French railways website, the German railways website, and so on, at European prices with all the European special deals).

4. Passes seldom make sense for Italy! Italy deserves a special mention as it’s such a popular destination. Rail passes seldom make financial sense here, even compared to buying full-price tickets at the station on the day.

So what’s the final word? RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. You gotta work out the pass-price-per-day as this will help you determine which one is more affordable. Saving a little money goes a long way in Europe.

Some helpful links:
Austria www.oebb.at
Belgium www.b-rail.be
France www.tgv-europe.com
Germany www.bahn.de
Italy www.trenitalia.com
Netherlands www.ns.nl
Portugal www.cp.pt
Switzerland www.sbb.ch
Spain www.renfe.com
Sweden www.sj.se

So you ask, did it help me save money? A STRONG RESOUNDING YES! Imagine I was able to travel to 3 cities in France, 4 cities in Netherlands and 2 cities in Germany.(Unfortunately France isn’t available/included in the Regional passes anymore because… I HAVE NO IDEA WHY. You need to purchase Global Pass if you want France to be included) It saved me a fortune on train tickets. I did purchase tickets individually in Italy and just flew to Spain because Easyjet gave us a really good price. Don’t forget to plan ahead and purchase your tickets as soon as you have made an itinerary because it will definitely save you a LOT.

Speaking of budget, wait for my next post… it’s all going to be about

But I feel like I can’t just stop whatever… this is *points to whole blog* because of sentimentality. Mind you I am not a super sensitive person. I could just tear up any old photo or delete my facebook account and I would feel fine (okay maybe I’m kidding, I will feel enraged and hurt but I know that I will get through it eventually) but blogging has been a huge part of my life. I have decided to keep just one part of my messy self.

I will try to create a separate blog for each interests. A food blog is still in the works and I don’t know. Let’s just see what happens.

I do like to blog about important things (okay I forgot to blog about getting a new pope – HI POPE FRANCIS! – and also China getting a new president) and TIME’s cover title caught my eye. Literally. I kinda accidentally smacked myself with it on the face. But here it is.

Now who wouldn’t want to live forever? I recall creating a post a while back regarding how someone could have found the cure for AIDS and now we have SOMEONES (a team) looking for the cure for cancer. I am actually pro-life and would really like to lengthen the lives of people (whether these people are good or not… That’s a different and another lengthy discussion). I would like to live longer. I want my parents and friends to live long and pain-free so any progress in health science and medicine is a godsend. It’s a great timing for Holy Week and Easter. It’s a celebration of life and forgiveness. I do want to share the article with you all so I’m going to summarize it for you guys. Everyone should be informed and indolence is not an excuse for not reading the article. You, especially readers with relatives or friends with cancer, have to be informed about these kinds of things, I think it’s just right.

Mission: To Defeat Cancer by A Dream Team of Awesome (highly reputable and intelligent) Scientists
Who: Stand Up 2 Cancer (please visit their website!) which is founded by movie producers and celebrities) fund these teams composed of geneticists, pathologists, biostatisticians, biochemists, informaticists, oncologists, surgeons, nurses, technicians and specialists.
Why: Forgot egos and glory, it’s all about collaboration and team work. UBUNTU! (sounds like a basketball team). This probably won’t work for all cancer research though

Did you guys know that cancer research usually involves only one scientist or two? Collaboration at this scale wasn’t also possible back in the days and now progress has made them deliver deadlines faster and faster. What they could have done in 10 years, they were able to do it in 2. It’s a milestone for the history of medicine! I’m no scientist but I’ll try to break down and explain the teams and cancer in general to you guys.

1. One team’s at John Hopkins focused on the theory of epigenetic manipulation (in normal-speak, these are the manipulation of the enzymatic on-off switches on your DNA code that can regulate how those genes will be expressed) and how it can help improve the likelihood of treatments to cure cancer. It’s like a booster but it won’t guarantee the cure.

2. Team 2 plans to design and build a smart chip device that can trap/lasso circulating tumor cells (CTCs they call em) in a blood sample. Imagine how hard that is to build a super tiny chip to try to trap these little bad guys before they do any harm. They’re already trying to apply this to lung cancer. I SAY GO TEAM!

3. Cancer has been described as a “thief and biological con artist” and team 3 is trying to silence or reverse this malignant signaling. It could mean halting the growth or stopping the very lifespan of the cancer cell. They’re looking for a particular P13K which is the driver in ovarian, endometrial and breast cancer.

4. There’s the pancreatic team. They need to devote one team for pancreatic cancer because it’s described as a DISASTER. I guess more disastrous than the others because if diagnosed, it’s usually already in the late stage and inoperable. So there’s probably very very slim chance of survival Pancreatic cells communicate with stellate (star-shaped) cells that are involved in tissue repair and these bad guys kinda tell the stellate cells to conspire against the body’s own immune system. They build resistance to chemotherapies and you do know what that means. So what the scientists are trying to do is to prevent this hijacking so the tumor can starve to death.

Basically why they’re trying to make a team effort here is because cancers are usually related with each other and they’re highly complex so they need every qualified brain that they got. It gives us all hope that a cure for cancer may come soon, maybe the next 5, 10, 15 years. Who knows? It may be wrong to give hope to people diagnosed at a late stage of cancer but… I believe that hope can lead to acceptance and a positive perspective in life which no doubt can help one in pain, a lot.

Hope you guys can pick up this issue of TIME magazine. It’s worth it.

I remember the first time I coded in high school school (fortunately, our school had classes like visual basic, etc). What were just simple letters and symbols before not only became a phrase, they also brought forth life and activity. I could create a circle, color it red, make it go round and round and it’s just by typing something on the computer screen. It’s probably the simplest form of “creation” that I could think of doing. I was moved by the video that Code.org put up involving the great coders such as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates to promote the fantastical world of coding and programming. I agree that it isn’t for everyone, but everyone should have at least tried it. It’s even admirable that people like Chris Bosh and Will.I.Am appreciate coding and its uses. You don’t even have to be super good at it (I know I’m not) but it’s still helpful especially in this day and age to know how to code. Who knows, maybe you could learn to love and be the next big thing or you could be able to earn some analytical skills (yes you do indeed need some common sense).

So enough about me blabbering on, watch the video and be inspired

I’ve been trying to watch Oscars live since forever but I can never seem to get to watch it LIVE because it’s always on a bloody Monday. I missed it always because of school and now when I’m on a midshift and working, you would have probably thought I’d catch it by now but NOOOO. The cable I subscribed to apparently does not contain the channel that shows the Oscars so thank you Twitterverse and blogosphere for keeping me updated.

And especially thanks to The First Showing for compiling a list of Highlights. They even have VIDEOS in case you missed anything. Check them out here please. By the way, the videos can only be played if you’re in the US of A or using a Virtual Private Network connected to somewhere in the States.

I can’t seem to find them on Youtube (YET)

How did you guys like Seth MacFarlane’s opening? Honestly I had no idea who he was prior to the announcement that he was hosting the Oscars but I had a really bad feeling about the creator of Family Guy and American Dad and director of TED the movie because… I’m not really into that kind of humor. But surprisingly, I think he hosted it well. That “We Saw Your Boobs” opening song number was hilarious It was a bit weird to see Shatner reprising his role as Captain Kirk on the big screen talking to MacFarlane but I think he mostly hosted the Oscars well. He provided lively but somewhat bad tasteless jokes to wake up the audience. Overall though, I didn’t like bringing back the musicals as the theme of this year’s Oscars. Granted Les Miserables was AWESOME (I loved their live peformance) but come on, it’s probably the only musical last year so why devote 3.5 hours on it? I LOVE MUSICALS but I want to acknowledge the other films. Heck they should devote it on political films because of Argo, Zero Dark Thirty or even Django Unchained. And to think there was backlash from the Visual Effects artists protesting outside the Oscars ceremony, they could have devoted it to the art of film making or something. There are LOADS of improvements.

Macfarlane was able to liven things up but the ceremony was getting too repetitive and boring. It was weird seeing a Chicago number and then Jennifer Hudson belting out Dreamgirls (she was awesome though) because they weren’t relevant anymore. Adele gave an incredible performance though and had me wishing I could teleport and watch her live (it gave me chills!). I thought it was quite campy and rude for them to be playing off Oscar winners speeches (what was up with that cutting of the winners of Best Visual Effects too soon while the others had PLENTY OF TIME to finish their own speech?) using the Jaws theme. It was funny but come on, let these people give their thanks.

The best thing that happened though was the too adorable fall and speech of Jennifer Lawrence. She looked better than ever and who couldn’t go AWW and feel giddy when Hugh Jackman and Bradley Cooper tried to help her up (and BC is being linked with JLaw). She’s such an amazing actress and I suggest you guys watch Silver Linings Playbook AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Best speech of the night goes to Ben Affleck. That was such a sincere and heartfelt speech, admitting making a few mistakes over the years (who can forget Gigli?? – in a bad way. Daredevil at least made him meet his lovely future wife Jennifer Garner) but treasuring them for making him a better person. Here’s an awesome article for you guys, Ben Affleck – Hollywood’s Greatest Failure.

I want to thank them and I want to thank what they taught me, which is that you have to work harder than you think you possibly can. You can’t hold grudges. It’s hard but you can’t hold grudges. And it doesn’t matter how you get knocked down in life because that’s going to happen. All that matters is you gotta get up.

Inspiring words Ben!! It’s picking yourself up after a fall that seems the hardest but it’s the most rewarding feeling you’ll ever get. Just what Pi said in Life of Pi, “Above all else, never lose hope.”

Please do indeed watch all the Best Picture nominees. Argo did indeed deserve that Best Picture Oscar win and Ang Lee deserves that Best Director Win. They’re all gems.

Will update this post with videos as soon as I find them

I do want to share this AMAZING short that I think SHOULD be awarded with THE golden man-statue (yes I have watched Papermand and Fresh Guacamole and Adam and the Dog but THIS IS THE BEST). This short is actually the only one among the list which was directed by a graduate student, Timothy Reckart. It’s a puppet stop animation film which makes everything more real as there is depth to the story and characters. It reminds me of the silent yet poignant scene of Pixar’s Up because it brought me to tears after only 10 minutes, without using dialogue! It was a perfect 10 minutes of just being able to “feel”. This also won Best Student Film at the 40th Annie Awards (which is the biggest awards show in Animation).

The story is simply about an elderly couple who have literally and emotionally drifted apart and how they try to cope with each other. It’s a story that everybody can relate with and one where we realize how beautiful and painful love really is. It’s all about how relationships are so hard to understand, and so hard to keep. A really beautiful piece of film making, enjoy and watch it below!

I’m thinking how this will be the next Perks of Being A Wallflower movie because… the book is just really movie-able. All they have to do is select the best parts of the book and PUT it in the movie. Or they could just hire the author to be the director (like Perks) and then it’ll be a match made in heaven hopefully. I’ve watched John Green’s video blogs and they are amazing so I think he’s got what it takes to be a director. If Chobsky could do it, so can Mr. Green!

Definitely have high expectations now because of great screenplay but they haven’t even chosen the director yet, what more the actors who should play these characters? I have a few choices in mind and they might not be as agreeable as some (NO I don’t want to see Chloë Grace Moretz anymore, I just don’t know why I don’t like her as much as everyone). I actually don’t have a perfect person for August Waters because… he’s just DARN TOO PERFECT. It’s hard to find anyone who look young and have the acting chops to go with it but I shall try to find!

Before anything else, I am recommending this book to ANYONE, be it a classic fiction, science fiction, fantasy, fiction, or of course young adult fan. You have to read it because of the insanely witty and smart characters but still who are able to do dumb things. You have to read it because it’s full of emotion and relatable. You have to read it because of the charming and not-so charming characters and plus, their AWESOME NAMES. You have to read it because of the dreams you already forgot. You have to read it because, life is too darn short. Here’s a summary by the way (I’m not good at summaries so I’ll let Goodreads do the talking).

“Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs… for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.”

So here’s my casting for

Hazel Grace

1. Rooney Mara
The 2 main characters are difficult to portray so I really think that some acting chops are required and who has proven herself the past years as such? Who else but this really pretty lady who can be both sophisticated and smart-ass too. Have you watched the first 5 minutes of The Social Network? SHE OWNED THOSE SCENES!! And she is thin for the part of Hazel Grace + she can still look high school-ish PLUS she can really handle the conversations between Augustus and Hazel. I swear you need a fast talking mouth like hers

SHE IS PERFECT.

Okay 2nd to Emma Watson. Emma Watson is still my ultimate girl crush which leaves me to…

2. Emma Watson

UGH MY OVARIES! LOL haha But really she is so pretty and she does prove that she can do Indie movies just like Perks of Being A Wallflower. I believe that having experienced the role of Hermione Granger, she can carry awesome intellectual conversations and be a sullen teen at the same time.

And now we have my last (okay maybe not my last, will still think this through) pick,

3. Mae Whitman
She is actually John Green’s personal favorite and he actually sees Mae Whitman (another Perks of Being A Wallflower star) as Hazel Grace. I actually think it’s an okay casting because I have seen her in Perks and she did such a great job. I do believe I have a better casting in mind though (HAHAHA). What do you guys think?

Or maybe we should just let Meryl Streep do it. The writers could change Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters into 50-year old cancer patients or something and they go to Amsterdam. Hey that could be a really good plot for a new movie.

“I’d like to thank the Academy for this gold little statue in advance *muah muah muah* I love you all!”

Okay next character and THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTER FOR ME

Augustus Waters

1. Aaron Johnson
For Augustus, you need to have EVERYTHING. Talent. Charm. Wit. Insanely Handsome features. And who else could play all these but the dashing and talented Aaron Johnson. I loved him in Nowhere Boy, Kickass and now he’s actually starring Anna Karenina (haven’t watched but WOULD LOVE TO) so I think that he could pull it off. His current rocker look now won’t suit Augustus but chopping it up won’t be harmful at all! I think he can really do it. (And I am not choosing Logan Lerman just because… he already got lots of YA movies!)

*SIZZLES*

I BADLY WANT to put Ezra Miller in the list (i might as well) since I was blown away by his performances in We Need To Talk About Kevin + Perks of Being A Wallflower. I believe that he is the next big thing in our generation (well the 20s people anyway). I really do. Now I have NO DOUBT that in my mind, he can speak like Augustus Waters. I can hear his voice but I can’t seem to picture Ezra himself as Augustus. But I think there’s a way for it, THERE HAS TO BE A WAY. He looks adorbs here too anyway!

Okay I have yet to compile the other characters but I already have Seymour Hoffman as the reclusive writer Peter Van Houten. I think he’s a good choice. I do believe though that auditioning unknowns is actually the best way to get the characters. It’s awesome to discover new talents. It may be risky but it could be the best decision the director has ever made.

What do you think? Do share with me your choices too!

Speaking of bargains, I insanely love their user interface because you can definitely instantly see great deals right away. They’re actually quite informative and actually give suggestions. I’m actually looking for a particular good book, and what do you know, they even have sales on them! I think it’ll save me the trip to a bookstore or save me the time for waiting for our local bookstores’ sales. Oh this is just too good to be true!

I think it’s time for me to browse. Do comment what was the last item you bought on bargain.

UPDATE!!
I’m giving away PHP300 Discount vouchers to my lucky readers! All you need is a MINIMUM WORTH OF PHP3000 PURCHASE and by typing this code at checkout : LZDbrDgr

Enjoy shopping!

And I could do that and more because my best friend Stephie just opened her very first baking blog called Bakeventures. It’s not just any kind of food blog (you won’t find that many reviews) but it’s gonna be an EDUCATIONAL baking blog. She’s passionate with baking, why she BREATHES baking. Pies, cakes and cookies aren’t just pastries for her, they’re a work of art. She really provides in-depth information as to why she’s using those particular ingredients. Plus she’s great at innovating old recipes and making these recipes her own. Plus she provides nifty and easy-to-follow recipes.

Doesn’t your mouth water when seeing these delectable goodies?

I can’t wait to see what other recipes she has in store for us! I suggest you go visit her site soon because she’s going to be the next great baker that you see in lifestyle networks.

**Plus she hasn’t posted her recipes for Cinnamon rolls, Fudgy brownies, Pies, Cakes… really TONS! Remember though to proceed with caution and keep in mind that exercise, such as sweets, is an important part of life (to be healthy you know)

So anyway HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Welcome 2013! If you’re reading this right now, let me just give you the highest five of fives and let’s dance around to celebrate that we have defied all the odds and survived the apocalypse. Hurrah! Isn’t it exciting? We get another clean slate to do whatever our hearts’ desires.

But I kind of started this entry with more than 1 self for a reason. I realize that starting a new year doesn’t mean forgetting your past or even your old friends, most of all your old self. Actually your old self is still with you right? I mean after all, the only difference between 2012 and 2013 is just a second, a minute. This is why I love the Scottish poem/song Auld Lang Syne so much.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

It’s like the song’s telling you to not forget your past. New year is all about toasting to what had been and I think also, cheering for the what will be. The New Year is a reminder for us how wonderful the past years were. They might have come to past and they might be over, but with the lessons we’ve learned from them, we hope that the new year, will be as good to us/or even better than then. Let us rejoice over our triumphs. And let us not forget our mistakes.

This is why I dang love history!

Okay a random thought suddenly spouted out of nowhere.

2012 has been such an extremely, incredible AWESOME year. I can’t highlight it enough. I graduated with honors, got great jobs, earned independence and gained great friends. I feel like I want 2012 to go on forever, but who’s to say I can’t? What I can do is to thank for the past year and pray to God that 2013 will be as good to me.

I wish these things for 2013:
1. Good health
2. Great relationships
3. Ripe wealth
4. Awesome adventures
5. New, better soul (hopefully I find it!)

I actually have a lot of things in store for 2013 or actually it’s the other way around. 2013 definitely holds a lot of good fortune and surprises for me. I normally don’t do New Year’s Resolutions since I think you can challenge yourself ANY DAY of the year. But having an occasion to cement this resolution, actually helps in getting it.

Tiff K’s New Year’s Resolutions 2013
1. Be more patient
2. More time with family
3. Lose weight (lose like 15 pounds XD)
4. Eat more healthy stuff
5. Strive harder in work
6. Experiment more with cooking
7. Maintain my blog and projects
8. Finish 50-book challenge once more (and read more classics and non-fiction!)
9. Watch more films and try to create some as weel
10. Replace all gadgets in house (3 phones down, 1 phone and 2 laptops and 1 pc to go D8)
11. Travel with a hungrier heart (and stomach).
12. Learn a new skill (like knitting or something!)

I think that’s it for now. Maybe I’ll add more to these resolutions.

OH! And I would just like to present my Top 10 books that I’ve read in 2012. Please do read my reviews here and I greatly greatly recommend them all. These are all 5-star books for me as they made me laugh, cry, angry, hysterical, confused and so much more. It’s an experience reading these books… definitely a great experience http://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/212210

In no particular order…
1. Habibi by Craig Thomas
2. The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein
3. Maus 1&2 by Art Spiegelman
4. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami
5. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
6. Ethel & Ernest by Raymond Briggs
7. The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene
8. How’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
10. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson | The Pixar Touch by David Price

What are your 2012 highlights and 2013 resolutions?

Can’t wait to rock 2013 with you guys! A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL!!

Life is full of unsolved mysteries. One of the most baffling for me though, is why so many people are still offended by the idea of someone calling them a geek. No seriously, I don’t get it. Sure, back in the 80s and 90s a geek was seen as someone who was a little too intelligent, with interests which should never be spoken of aloud. They were grouped together to be made fun of by the people who were branded ‘cool’.

Times have changed though. The nerds and geeks of the world run this joint. All the cool gadgets that are loved the world over, were created by clever people with geeky imaginations and a lot of drive to succeed and prove themselves. While the Average Joe was playing Cheekybingo, avoiding doing their work and going out socialising every night, geeks were out changing the world.

The result? Being a geek in the 21st Century may still be a niche area, but it’s a lot cooler. Why?

Well, for starters the internet was invented. Information is power in the age of the internet, with widespread knowledge conveniently at our fingertips. Those who understand the way modern technology works, has the power to turn this knowledge into currency and make more money than the average spender. Those who do not use the internet are left behind. Who created the internet? The sci-fi loving, Middle Earth dwellers who understand computer coding better than they do the English language, and wish they could go to Hogwarts and build their own robot. Not necessarily in that order.

In short, being a geek is something to be celebrated. So if someone refers to you as a geek in future, and you’ve never considered yourself one before, be flattered. It’s a compliment. They’re telling you you’re an intelligent person with a lot of interesting quirks about you, which make you the awesome person you are. Superhero worship and all.