Midspiration

Nike fan for life. This video is genius, but probably could've been better with less talk.

Songs could definitely perk you up the same way coffee does for people like myself who swear the world by it. Other times, when you slide straight to the middle of the week, you search for other things to keep you motivated--and not just cause you want to head straight to Friday night. Here are some cool videos I've gathered from around the web that'll give you that extra inspiration and also keep you looking forward to, well, more inspiring days.

The Spectacular Now is a book. And it's one those book-to-silver screen cases where you learn of the film first before the book (for me). Believe me when I say, I haven't, in the 23 years I've been alive, have felt this "melty" and fuzzy over these two pairing up. Kilig is the Tagalog term for it, that probably won't ever find its counterpart in the English language. Miles Teller (one of the cool kids on Project X) reminds me of Shia LaBeouf-spell check, and Shailene Woodley, I've loved since The Descendants. When Miles tells Shailene she's "absolutely beautiful" and she just erupts in this candid laughter, it feels like they're not in a movie at all. It's actually like watching classmates fall in love. And that's adorable. It's reminiscent of many t-shirt-wearing, simple-town America love stories that just stay with you until you're spent. It also helps that it's a coming-of-age tale that runs the whole spectrum of life experiences from falling in love to finding ones identity, to enjoying youth, the works. I bet my non-existent ass on it, that this soundtrack will be good. If not, that's a shame. Watch this and watch these two rocket to the skies faster than you'd expect. PAY ATTENTION!



I haven't seen anything as flawlessly edited a YouTube series as Jacks Gap's. Had they been Filipinos, I'll be rallying outside their doors to sign exclusive to W, then again...But yes. It helps that the two-twins Jack and Finn Harries look boy band-ready, but they also have substance. They're funny and they edit their videos the way YouTube videos should be edited. They've got their young girls screaming for them and their early 20s as a market and when you have a platform such as Jacks Gap-which is basically a video blog of their life and things they're interested in, you could start competing with celebrities. At least, that's how we do it here in Manila. I'm not yet sure if there are Filipino YouTubers out there who could produce something as clean, as consistent and as focused as these guys.

The Past Now

Julian Barnes' masterpiece: The Sense of an Ending
Photo obviously not mine cause this one's too cool...

Finally a week deep in the down South and I could say, with confidence, that I, know Southern style. Been flying back and fourth from Manila to Memphis since I was a kid and I now understand better why people love it here. Aside from staying in a hundred year-old mansion, all well kept and sprinkled with the finest I've seen, it's the sense of family and slow, warm hospitality that I truly love about Memphis. Food's great, people are all so charming and simple and when Target and Starbucks is a hop away (well, sort of), you know life's all good. But anyway, how is everybody doing?

I hope back home weather's better, in all sense of the word. Heard it's been raining crazy.  I love it when it rains in Manila. I want to believe it's cooler than those past weeks we've had---felt like everyone was melting. Here weather's dry and hot, but it still takes more to break a sweat.

So while I've left my hectic and fun job back home, I have all the free time in the world now to do just about what I've longed to do in so long: finish and read a novel. Murakami's 1Q84 is a whole different story, and when I do finish that, I'll let you know.

Whenever I go on vacation, I make sure I am occupied with something good to read. Last time I left the country I discovered Child 44 and Drink, Play, Fuck. Add to that a bag of magazines and I was happy. Now, I've chosen to get myself the book I've been waiting for: The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes. So far it's a splendor to read. Tons of philosophies, tons of retrospect in the context of the character, Tony, and a study of a certain part of human nature and what it is about.

The Perks of Reading

Sam and Charlie...The Perks of Being a Wallflower cast photo from Tumblr

I've grown tired of pretending I had the best say on what books one should read. Besides, I've been educated to keep an open mind and to always allow ones self to explore different things. Months ago, I've been hooked and picky on books that I add to my small library and most of the time it turns out that the coolest looking and sounding books that I pick, end up collecting dust on my shelf. I told myself I better drop the act that I had some literary radar for each and every good book out there. It is, anyway a matter of personal preference and it shouldn't be the way that just because you think it's good, it is actually good. 

The Year in Covers (Book Edition)

Designed by Chip Kidd.
When I see it in my room, I just want to race through all the rest, cause I want this savored.
Thanks to my sister for this one.

Year's about to end and I am delighted to have shopped and have received multitudes of books for myself and for others as well for this year. Just like most of us confessed bookies, we don't really get to read all of them right after its purchase, but we do feel the comfort in knowing that they're just there, a world separate from our own within reach.

To start my string of year-enders (and God knows I am late for these ones), let's start off the end of 2011 with my year in covers. I bring you the books I've loved, learned a lot from all read, half-understood and will always treasure from this year. Enjoy.