Been purging the bookshelf again for more books to giveaway (or sell, although, I've yet to see buyers).  I've already cut the book stuff in half last year.  But I'm still left with alot.  While there are a few books I will never ever give away, I do have some now that I'm willing to part with.

Hence, a book contest!

Some of these books are in really good condition (most are wrapped in plastic cover), while others are in a pretty bad shape (specifically The DaVinci Code) mainly cos I got them second hand that way.  No lost pages or anything that horrible though.

(The Book List)

Here are the rules:

1.  Pick any book you like from the list.

2.  Write in your blog why you want that book.

3.  Include in your blog post the words cigarette-girl with a link back to my site: http://cigarette-girl.com

4.  Leave the link to your post in the comment section, and your email address.

5.  Once somebody posted an entry for book A, I start counting 5 days, and if no else posts an entry for it, then it's yours.  If another person wants the book though, I check which one has a nicer entry and give it to the winner.

I have one condition though:  You have to be living in metro manila cos I'll just be handing you the book.  I'm too lazy to do postal.  Sorry.

I will inform the winner through email.  I'll be crossing-out books from the list as soon as somebody won it.  Contest will run all throughout the month of January until there are no books left or I'm gone, whichever comes first.

p.s. books with ♥ means that somebody wrote something about it already.

“I was born under unusual circumstances.”

And so begins “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: A man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. From New Orleans at the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, on a journey as unusual as any man’s life can be, the film tells the grand tale of a not so ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he finds and loses, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time.

Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures Present A Kennedy/Marshall Production A David Fincher Film, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Tilda Swinton. The film is directed by David Fincher. The screenplay is by Eric Roth, with screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The producers are Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin.  The behind-the-scenes team is led by director of photography Claudio Miranda, production designer Donald Graham Burt, editors Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, and costume designer Jacqueline West. The music is by Alexandre Desplat.

I was one of the lucky people who got invites from Az to get tickets for the advance screening of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Benjamin Button's many love

The movie has the same director as that of Se7en and Fight Club, and it's surprising how this movie seems to be their complete opposite.  It was full of picturesque sceneries, relaxing colors of yellows and browns, and beautiful people.  While there were no memorable lines to remember, the shots seemed to be perfect.  It was a story about Benjamin's life, how he dealt with growing backwards, and more specifically how other people in his life dealt with it.  It would be interesting to know how we deal with growing old, and dying.  The movie took its own sweet time showing these, almost three hours actually.

Lookie! It's Dakota Fanning's sister!

So now I have stupid question: did the Button family chose button-making as a family business because their last name is Button, or did they chose Button as a family name cos they want to make buttons?

The other day I went to Gilmore (and I know this is Gilmore because LRT 2 said so) and applied for my international driver's license.  A totally pointless thing to do I've been told, as MY philippine license is valid in the US for up to six months anyway.  BUT person-in-charge says I have to get one, so meh.

The whole thing was over pretty quick, so it really wasn't so bad.  Except for the fact that you hafta pay Php1,800 for the whole processing.  Potential shopping money lost!  There were only two windows to work on.  First window is where you submit your shit.  Second window is where you claim and pay for your license.

Ta-da!  My license!

which is better: hot pink hair, or as a locoroco?

*photos edited by teh boyfie <3

To all those who joined my blog for book contest, thank you!  Due to sudden developments in my leaving, I need to cut short the contest.  I'm listing everyone getting the books regardless if the five days due date haven't been met yet.  For those who didn't get to win their book of choice, you have until tomorrow to post what you'd rather get instead.  I will be leaving two weeks from now, so I need to hand those books by next week.

Here are the winners:

Annauk - The Class

Tiffy - Fairy Tales Mother Never Told You

JohnPaul - Tuesdays with Morrie

Schmakity - Strange Angel

Ria - The Lovely Bones

Hyukta - Oranges are Not the Only Fruit

The Storyteller - The Life of Pi

Shari - The Birth of Venus

For those who won, I will email you on how to get your copy.

For those who didn't get the books they want but wrote a post already, just leave me a message which book you'd rather get instead.  For those who still wants to join, you have until tomorrow, 12 midnight.

Check here to see which ones are still available.

New year means having to hear all the astrology bits for the year that is.  While I don't believe in my fate being written in the stars (what about free will and all that jazz?), it's always fun to check what the stars say about you. So I checked TheFrisky for what's in store for me this 2009.

Here are the highlights of what the AstroGuide says for Librans:

♥ the romance returns, but for a limited time only

So I guess I get a love life -Wait. I already have one!.  Anyway, looks like it's going to be a Cinderella affair.

♥ Most of the 2009 will have you flying high, taking chances, and being amazed.

Well my first few month IS going to be a whole lot different from my previous years.  New place, new people, new job.  I'm getting an anxiety attack...

♥ Yes, time to put on the pants in your relationship.

Yes, cos I've always been the submissive type. Suuuuure.

This is one cute guide:

FriskyScopes: Libra

Hmm... so romance is good the first part of the year, with relationships ok from March to June, and lotsa love the whole year through.  and so while there is no romance at the later part, I will be oh so lucky.

Let's see how this year really goes then.

So finally got my hands at the baconator everybody was talking about for weeks now in plurk.

Baconator, I am not impressed

The baconator is supposed to have 2 4 oz. patties, 2 slices of cheese, 6 strips of bacon, and ketchup and mayo.  This is an all meat baby.  I've heard complaints of it being too greasy.  Sure, it's a little messy to eat, but I did not find it too greasy at all.  Too mayonnais-y, yes.  It's supposed to be big too.  But it looked puny!  Not at all worth the php 200+ you pay for it.  Or maybe it was the cost of bacon strips?  Ionno.

To be honest, I liked this more

Biggie drinks is a biggie!

I know, I look stupet in the picture, but I was hungry! lulz.

Yesterday was travel day.  Woke up at 3 in the morning to get to the airport around 4-ish for 7:45 flight to Narita. 

We took Northwest airlines, which wasn't so bad, but I still prefer China airlines: friendlier airline personnel, slightly better food, and waaay more comfy accomodations (personal video per passenger tilted that in China's favor).

Camwhoring began in Japan.

Guess what flight I'm in!

Cute little souvenir shop. I love this dolls the most.

Overview of Japan, which we obviously didn't get to see cos we were only passing through the airport

Next stop was Detroit.  Long trip ahead was made great cos of passenger supposedly seated beside me being gone.  I got two seats for myself.  HOORAY!  no pics in Detroit terminal though cos we got uber delayed in Immigration (i.e. loooong lines) we were pretty much rushing the whole time.  Thank goodness flight got delayed, otherwise we would've missed it.  Also guess who ran from gates 39 til 19 cos she forgot to take the tram? GUESS?!?

Destination: Baltimore.  See snow covered whatsits aren't really pretty from high up.  Fine crap shots, but still.  I prefer the greens over this. 

Please take me somewhere sunny.  Now na.

Tomorrow, I show you my house for the next weeks.

I'm now on my fourth day here.  So far nothing really exciting happened yet.  We're still pretty much trying to find our routine, and getting to know each other, and getting used to the weather, and not waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning cos that means hell-ish noon when there's classes na.

This is where we live: Kaiser Drive.  Rows and rows of townhouses.  We're in townhouse 2:

And this would be how the insides look like:

(left to right) 1st: living room in the second floor; 2nd: kitchen with little miss cook, and the garbage man (his job is to take out the garbage); 3rd: my room, which I share with Irene (guess which one's mine); 4th: master's bedroom (they have the nicest beds.  and huge mirror!)

We haven't really done much yet.  Just some orientation thingy, and short lectures in the office.  Then trips to Walmart and SuperFresh for the groceries and stuff.

Also, place is uber cold, must find time to buy decent snow boots and cute coats.

Oh wait.  I need monies for that.  Blegh!

Bumming wednesday cos of the ice-y streets.  Yesterday was the first time we had to actually walk through snow.

What started out as flurries last monday, turned to actual snow by tuesday.  And yes, now we have ice.  Ice means no work unless you want to slip and fall.  Water heater was pretty wonky early tihs morning too, which would be awful if it continued that way the whole day cos I happen to like taking baths.  But no cold. Brrr...

And because I had nothing to do, I was able to work on pillow cartoons again!  No attempt to be funny this time.

(click for more)

My Project 365 is in its first month! 

Drop by the tumblr and give me some love!  Got the comment box up, so there.