Malditang Librarian

I read books more than graphic novels, but I do read some comics or manga when I find good ones. In the local publishing scene, there has been a growth of books that were originally posted in the popular website Wattpad. There are local publishers to specialize in printing stories from Wattpad. Black Ink is a local comics publisher, a part of Precious Pages. Judging from their covers and storylines, their stories are aimed towards the Wattpad reader demographic and they also try to appeal to manga and anime fans with their art style. To be honest, most Wattpad stories and novels aren't really my cup of tea. When I try to read them, I can't get past the first few pages. I'm not saying it's bad, just maybe not for me and I haven't found a story that captivated me. I have an account in Wattpad to read stories and hopefully post some stories in the future. I found this particular comic, A Boy Named Alex , in Booksale SM City Iloilo branch. What caught my attention...

This is part 2 of my blog entries about my Singapore trip this April ( read part 1 here ). I couldn't include everything in one post because it would feel too long. Here are the other places we've visited and my thoughts about the place. Sentosa Island Sentosa is an island near Singapore, connected by a bridge. The place is a popular tourist destination and is home to beaches, resorts, hotels, a casino, and theme parks. Visitors can cross to Sentosa by car, monorail, or the cable car. The most popular attractions are the Universal Studios theme park and Resorts World casino. Universal Studios A trip to Singapore isn't complete without a visit to the theme park Universal Studios. It was okay but it wasn't my favorite part of the trip. It was smaller than Disneyland (I enjoyed Disneyland more). There are many rides, shows, and short movies inspired by Universal Studios movies. There's something for fans of Jurassic Park, The Mummy, Shrek, Transformers, Sesame St...

Last week, I was in Singapore with family. This is the fourth country outside the Philippines I went to (after Hong Kong , Taiwan, and Malaysia ). Before a couple of relatives expressed interest in going to Singapore, I already wanted it to be my next destination to go alone. I was planning to go around December, but then my grand-aunt and another aunt decided to bring along me and my mom. It's also the first time my mother went to another country (problems with getting a passport). Our other two companions are both senior citizens, so they brought me along because I'm the millennial techie and they might need someone to use Google Maps or other stuff they're not really familiar with. The four of us shared something in common: our love for the Crazy Rich Asians books and the movie! I'm a fan of the book and even watched the film the very first day it came out in the Philippines. I wrote a review of the movie [click for link] . The story is mostly set in Singapore, an...

Picture from Pinto Art Museum, Antipolo I turned 26 years old last Sunday. Yet I was in a mall the day before my birthday, eating and enjoying a chocolate-covered vanilla popsicle ice cream, feeling more twelve than twenty-six. I remember a friend once said that 25 is a special age, a sort of turning point, where you will do new and different things with your life. Her words turned out to be true. I'm actually still struggling with *adulting*, but so far, it has been a good 25 years! The past year, I: I Traveled alone for the first time. I went to a month-long unforgettable trip to Taiwan for the whole of July and some of June and August. I went to Malaysia alone, and these journeys made me want to see more of the world. Last month, I started painting again. After a long time of feeling frustrated with my writing, I found myself restless. I then remembered that when I was a kid, I used to draw. I had a very strong feeling to try to do art again, even as a simple hobby. ...

I had written about last year's Avengers: Infinity War in this blog and other Marvel films as well such as  Thor: Ragnarok   and  Black Panther . I have also reviewed other superhero movies: Venom and Aquaman . In the end-credit scene of Infinity War , Nick Fury is disappearing into dust, but in a modified pager he left behind we see the logo of Captain Marvel. She will be in Avengers: End Game after the story of Infinity War. Captain Marvel is the first Marvel film with a female superhero as a protagonist. I was excited as I was for Wonder Woman , I loved that film too. I love Marvel and their past films have been great and I had great expectations for Captain Marvel. Story (without giving away too many spoilers) Vers is a member of the Starforce, a group of fighters from Kree, an alien race. She has been in the planet Hala for six years, and she has no memory of her life before that. She only knew that she had always been there but somehow lost her...

"When she had achieved almost everything she wanted in life, she had reached the conclusion that her existence had no meaning, because everyday is the same. And she had decided to die." Veronika seems to have a perfect life: she's young and beautiful, she has loving parents, she has a decent job in a library. One day, she decides to end her life. She found her life dreary and monotonous, there is nothing more to look forward to. She writes a last note and overdoses on pills. Though, she survives and wakes up in Villette, a mental hospital. The doctor tells her that the overdose has done irreparable damage to her heart and that she only has a week at most to live. She had expected a quick way out but has to prolong her agony for a few more days before dying. In her last days, though, she meets other people in Villette who are also similar to her: living a perfect life on the outside but has inner struggles that led them to the mental hospital. There's Zedka, who...

Outside the Museum of Philippine Economic History, Iloilo City It's an exciting time for arts and culture here in Iloilo City. Many museums and art galleries are opening and I can feel the enthusiasm and excitement of Ilonggos who are also visiting and supporting these new places. For me, Ilonggos have always been inclined to the arts and culture, and the blossoming of the art scene is something that has been waiting to happen. It just ripened at the right time and I hope it keeps on flourishing. I wrote about my visit to the new National Museum Western Visayas last time, and now here is one of the newest and best museums in the city: the new Museum of Philippine Economic History. It is in the former Ynchausti y Compañia building, which was later known as Elizalde Building, then it was bought by Commission on Audit before it was turned into a museum. It was opened to the public last February 11, 2019. It is accessible and easy to spot too, it is along the road, right acro...