I generally prefer “brick and mortar” over online stores but I’ve bought a lot of books (in the past) from eBay.ph and one of the other local auction sites.

Anyway, I forgot where I got this but it’s one of the best memes I’ve ever come across. But then, it’s about books..so I’m biased.

1. Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?
   I collect the hardcover editions of my favorite authors’ novels. If I can’t find a hardback, I settle for the trade paperback. For all other books, I buy the mass market editions — especially when money’s a bit tight.
2. Amazon or brick-and-mortar? (buying online or in a store?)
   I prefer buying in a store because I can check the condition of the book — I’m very particular about scratches, nicks, bumps, etc. especially with hardbacks. Plus, I love just going around the store and finding new stuff. BUT I’ve acquired some pretty rare finds online so I still browse when I can.
3. Amazon or the Co-Op Bookstore?
   Uh… Sorry, what?
4. Barnes & Noble or Borders?
   We don’t have either here. Here, it’s either Powerbooks or Fully Booked. I have discount cards for both stores but I usually make reservations with Powerbooks since it’s more convenient. I love browsing through the collections at Fully Booked though.
5. Bookmark or dog ear?
   BOOKMARK!!! I hate dog ears… I don’t care if it gives the book “character.” I like keeping my books’ pages crisp and neat.
6. Alphabetize by author, or alphabetize by title, or random?
   I alphabetize by author then by title.
7. Keep, throw away, or sell?
   I have an extremely hard time letting go of any of my books — even if I didn’t really like it. I could never throw away a book (no matter how old and battered it is) so I either give it away or sell it but only if I’ve acquired a better copy or if the person I’m giving it to would really appreciate it.
8. Keep dust jacket or toss it?
   Why would you throw away a dust jacket?! It’s PART of the book.
9. Read with dust jacket on or remove it?
   When I have time or I’m not in too much of a hurry to start reading, I cover my books with plastic WITH the dust jacket on… When I’m not able to do that, I just slip the dust jacket off and put it back on when I’m done reading.
10. Short story or novel?
    I prefer novels but I love short stories by local (Filipino) authors.
11. Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?
    I usually end up buying anthologies but I buy short story collections by my favorite authors.
12. Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
    I love Harry Potter. I’ve always wanted to read Lemony Snicket but I watched the movie before I got around to it… I still hope to read it someday.
13. Stop reading when tired, or at chapter breaks?
    Chapter breaks.
14. “It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
    Hmmn… The former always makes me think of Snoopy — I love the Peanuts gang! Hmmn… I suppose I still prefer the latter.
15. Buy or Borrow?
    Buy. Unless it’s a book that I’m not that interested in.
16. New or used?
    New. Unless it’s a rare first edition then I wouldn’t mind if it’s not in mint condition.
17. Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation, or browse?
    Browse. Sometimes book reviews. I rarely go by recommendations unless it’s by someone I know understands or shares my interests.
18. Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
    I like cliffhangers but only if the book is written by one of my favorite authors — George R. R. Martin, for example.
19. Morning, afternoon or night-time reading?
    I read whenever I get the chance. I’d read all day if I could!
20. Stand alone or series?
    I love series. My favorite genre is fantasy and most of the novels I read are part of a series.
21. Favorite series?
    The Lord of the Rings. George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is a close second.
22. Favorite book which nobody else has heard of?
    Catch Me a Firefly and other stories by Freda Jayme (a Filipina author). It’s a short story collection.
23. Favorite books read last year?
    Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman and The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. I didn’t get to read much last year because I was so busy with school.

I’m tagging Sarah. And anyone else who wants to do this meme.

Chestnut is here again. She can be so annoying! She makes me so mad… But before she went all bratty today, she gave me these:

I thought it was really sweet of her…except I found out that she used the sticker paper my mom was saving — well, I can’t remember what for but I’m pretty sure it was important. haha.

There was an earthquake! I got all dizzy watching my desk sway from side to side. LOL. I remember the last time I “felt” an earthquake… I was having lunch at the cafeteria (12th floor) in the School of Design and Arts building (Benilde). I thought the building was going to implode.

“Hindi lungkot o takot ang mahirap sa pag-iisa, kundi ang pagtanggap na sa bilyon-bilyong tao sa mundo, wala man lang nakipaglaban upang makasama ka.” ~Bob Ong

Rough translation:
“It’s not sadness or fear that makes being alone (single?) hard, it’s the fact that among the billions of people in the world, not even one fought (made an effort?) to be with you.”

I was supposed to go out with my college friends the other night but it rained so hard. I was watching the rain pour down when my sister got home. I went downstairs to keep her company while she had dinner then Chestnut decided she wanted to have dinner too — and she wouldn’t eat unless I ate too so I did..very slowly. Anyway, in line with Jess’s latest post:

Chestnut: “Keep eating, Your Royal Highness, so you won’t starve on your way home.”

That made everyone (my sister Leslee, my uncle Mao, and our housekeeper Linda) laugh.

If the rain had let up, I would’ve still gone out but I fell asleep while waiting. I hope Jen’s not too mad at me.

My sister has given me a one-month deadline to find a job — the same thing I did when she started job hunting. I asked her, “What if I don’t find a job after a month?” She said, “We’ll keep extending for 15 days at a time until you do!” LOL.

I’ve been moody all week — partly because I’m missing Jim and partly because I’m so anxious about getting a job. I need to get a job as soon as possible.

My family has been really nice. They’ve been keeping me busy — I think they’re worried that I might get depressed. The first couple of days after Jim left, my mom took me everywhere she went. LOL. I drew the line at going to the car repair service. There was no way I’d just sit there, waiting.

Then every night, when my sister comes home, we watch a movie or two.

But I still get lonely.

Today was pretty fun though. My siblings and I watched the first De La Salle Green Archers game of the UAAP, Season 71 on TV. But sadly, we lost.

I’m going to watch the Green Archers’ second game — versus the FEU Tamaraws — next Saturday with my cousin Clarenz. hehe. I told him we’d have to stay at the La Salle side or I wouldn’t go — he studies at FEU.

Ack… This post is all over the place. I’m too sleepy to concentrate.

What I really want to do right now is to go downstairs and eat ice cream. My sister bought me a tub of Choco Chip Cookie Dough this afternoon. YUM!

But I’m really sleepy… *BIG YAWN* so I’m just going to crawl under the covers and sleep. Good night everyone!

We’re going to watch Pathology tomorrow — Harvard Medical School graduate Dr. Ted Grey arrives at one of the nations most prestigious Pathology programs and is quickly noticed by the program’s privileged and elite band of pathology interns who invite him into their crowd. It is also here, where he is introduced to Dr. Jake Gallo, who brings him to a secluded wing, where he and four other indulge in their after-hours, extra-curricular activities…finding ways to commit the perfect murder!

Every morning before I leave for school, my mom panics because she can’t find her car keys. I’m hoping that tomorrow we won’t have another episode of that because I found the keys in the bathroom and placed it on top of her dresser.

I had a pretty good day. My DESKPUB prof loved my design studies. I digitalized them during class this morning then emailed them to him.

I spent a few minutes during lunch sorting out the papers in my planner and I found this: