ALyXaNdRiA_BaRBiE (the Sexiest Spy of the Underworld)

"It's the good girls who write in a diary, the bad girls don't have time. Me? I just want a life I am going to remember, even if I don't write it down."

@>----

By Joyce C. Abaño

And yes it was exhilarating!

As I was leafing through the final pages of the seventh and last installment of the Harry Potter series a few hours after buying the book, I couldn’t help but feel like I was saying goodbye to a dear friend who was both intriguing and exciting at the same time. A friend who has been with me for ten years.

The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book by J.K. Rowling was released worldwide last July 21. Yes, it was like every other Harry-Potter-book releasing date, thousands of people were queuing outside bookstores. In fact, this time, the sales have surpassed the previous six books. It sold more than 50 million copies worldwide in just the first 24 hours it was released in the bookstores.

Many young adults grew up with Harry Potter; I have captured my youth with it.

As I closed the book ten hours after I bought it, I was ecstatic and devastated at the same time.

Ecstatic because the story surpassed even my wildest imagination and the action-packed plot played out well; and devastated. I was devastated because it was complete. I will miss the thrill of waiting for the next book to be released; I will miss the excitement of guessing what’s going to happen next. I will miss the fun of discussing possible plots with my friends, I will miss… yes, I will miss queuing up for the book outside bookstores and the Harry Potter parties that go with it.

The Hallows doesn’t have Quidditch, or petty classroom duels, or candies laced with love potions and Blast-Ended Skrewts. It doesn’t have Hogwarts School as a friendly backdrop. We don’t even get to read into which house the new first years were sorted.

This book is about answers. It has matched and closed all the loopholes in all the other books, as a good conclusion should. Here we learn about the struggle of good versus evil in Harry’s magical world.

We learn about hatred, prejudice and mistrust… and how these things can lead to war and destruction. But most of all, there is hope. Hope, wisdom, tolerance and love.

I have made every effort to control myself from revealing spoilers here and I will not test my self-control any longer. I have already irked several friends and family members by giving a loud whoop and telling them I was right! Snape was not evil and that he and Dumbledore staged the latter’s death.

Oopps! There I go again, giving spoilers to readers. But seriously, this is a must-read. Rowling outdid herself in this book.

To sum up this review: it was a page-turner, a gripping story, and yes, it was magical. A magical tale… of epic proportions.

ALyXaNdRiA |

@>----
I can't understand why most people here in France aren't eagerly awaiting the release of the last Harry Potter book... people in London were so eager to talk about it when I went there during Christmas break!!

Anyway, there's no accounting for taste (in clothes, men, or... books)... I can't wait to get my hands on the last book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!!!! I hope it will be released very soon...

ALyXaNdRiA |

@>----
I posted this in my old blog: alyxandriabarbie.blogspot.com last Oct. 1, 2004 and i thought i'd repost it!

I have never been in any serious relationships. I swear! I balk at the word commitment. I find it extremely freaky to date the same guy more than once that I think I might break out in a sweat or puke my guts out if ever I'd be in that situation. And yet, from my vantage viewpoint, I have collected information and have gotten my fair share of ideas on how to keep a man and light his fire. That caught your interest girls, didn't it? ;0)

Ok, pardon me for being verbatim, for quoting exactly what most books and people say, but this is oh-so-true. The first principle in making a love relationship work is to love a man for who he is, not what you fantasize he should or could be. Do you realize that most men marry or ask a woman to be his lover or girlfriend and hope that she would never change, and women marry the man or agree to be his lover or mate and hope that he would change for the better? Ironic, isn't it? :)

The majority of men I have befriended shared that they had been captivated with those special women who made them feel stronger, more capable, more intelligent, sexier or more knowledgeable than they had felt about themselves before these women came into their lives.

I had this friend whom I'll nickname Patrick who was really quiet and withdrawn and he had told me that he had been a loner before he met his girlfriend whom I'll call Marie. He said Marie always commented that she liked his calm nature. He said Marie has a volatile personality and she would always tell him that being with him makes her feel calmer and more peaceful. And her confession made him feel good about himself and made him open up to her. I had this other friend I'll call Mark. He's the touchy-feely kind. You know, the type who can't keep his hands off the girl he's dating. He told me that he recently found a new girlfriend, Jill, who really made him feel wanted. He said Jill didn't label him a flirt or thinks he's like an octopus, like what most of his previous girls commented ... Jill told him over a romantic dinner one night that she thinks he's very affectionate and passionate and it made him feel normal and special at the same time.

Are you beginning to get my drift? Men fall in love with those special women because of the way those women made them feel about themselves when they're with them. Ok, it sounds like a mouthful so I'll explain it in short bursts. When a woman brings out the best in a man, he feels good about himself, and when he feels good about himself when he's with that woman, he would really like to see more of that woman and spend more time with her. When a woman starts to nag and point out a man's faults, the man starts to veer away from the discussion and the woman herself ... and that's when they go and seek comfort from other women. Wow! I sound like a shrink, don't I? :)

How exactly do you make a man feel good about himself? Well, this is what I've observed:Men enjoy being complimented as much as women do. Some men might brush it off as something insignificant when you tell him you like his haircut, or say his shirt makes him look cuter than he usually is, but he really notices it ... and what's more ... he will remember it.When you and your man go shopping ... ok, fine! When you drag your man to go shopping and you ask for his opinion on what dress would suit you, please don't ignore his choices. If you don't like the dress he chose, tell him "wow! you have really good taste honey, but I need something that will make me feel more human." hehehe :) Oh and, when he kisses you, act like you really like it and tell him that he's a good kisser. But that's only when you want to keep the guy, then you can teach him how to be a better kisser later on, that is, if he's really lousy. Since I don't like to date the same guy twice (which means kiss the same guy again), what I usually do is tell him bluntly that he needs improvement, or ask him how many girls he's kissed and if he's learned from any of those experiences ... kinda harsh, I know, but it's a way of fending of unwanted suitors in the future. But what am I thinking? I'm here to write about keeping a man, not turning him away. (I've only wanted one guy to kiss me again and again and you all know who that guy is so I'll refrain from mentioning his name here to save space.)

Oh no! I forgot about the first date. Ok, on your first date with that special guy, take your time in getting ready and look your best. As in take your time ... don't rush things because it will make you feel really nervous. When you converse with the guy, you look him in the eye. You laugh when he says something witty ... a sexy lady's laugh, not the kind of boisterous laughter you usually hear from me. Hehehe :) Oh and, guys nowadays don't think like the guys in the dark ages ... a guy would want to converse with a girl who, at least, knows something. So sharpen your wit and spar words with your guy, he'll love it and thinks it's sexy. Never give your life history on the first date ... just something that will keep his interest and tell him you'll tell him more next time. *hint hint* Try and ask him what he likes for pete's sakes! Show your interest by asking questions about himself. Not all guys are arrogant and self-centered like some of the guys I've gone out with who did nothing but talk about their resumes on dates. Ho-hum ... who wants to go out with guys like that? Duh! Ok, let's go back to that compliment-your-guy part. It's something us girls usually neglect doing. This is what you do, when your guy enjoys working out, tell him it's great that he's in good shape and takes pride in his body. I've seen one of my girlfriends do this and I swear, I've seen the guy melt right in front of her, that's when I knew I'd store that info for future use. ;0) If he does things for you, tell him how nice it is to have him around. Etc.-Etc. You get the picture?

Oh, by the way, I've read this somewhere and I think you'd all benefit from this:"Remember, your love, to some degree, is a measure to a man's worth. Become a woman who is indespensable to your man and his self image and you will be a woman to whom a man feels deeply committed." There, isn't it cute? :)

And here's another one, "God gave us two ears and only one mouth, which means we are supposed to listen twice as much as we are supposed to talk, otherwise, we should have been given two mouths and one ear." So listen to your man when he talks. There is just as much value in listening as there is in speaking. Someone who is different from you has as much value as you do. "If two people agree on everything, then one of them is not necessary in the relationship." So what I mean by listening doesn't necessarily mean that you don't voice out your opinion about things. Hell! I'd be the first person to disobey my own rules if I get to have a guy who won't let me talk. I'm a talker, don't you know!!! ;0)

Oh and, create memories with him. He might find it a nuisance that you interrupted him during his meeting to tell him you love him and you enjoyed your night out last night or he might find it irritating that you've kidnapped him in the middle of the day so you can spend the afternoon together at some cute place somewhere, but trust me, he will really appreciate it and bring a smile to his face when he looks back on it. :)

Oh, here's another quote I've read somewhere "True romance is making a decision to let your mate know in many ways that he means more to you than anyone else in the world." Jeez, this one sounds really hard for me to do. I don't even think I can do it ... I do things based on my own decisions. Whew!! I didn't know it's this difficult to keep a guy until I made this list ... there's even more but this is already long. Girls, it takes hard work, but if you want to keep your guy, then there's no harm in trying what I mentioned, is there? :) I wish Nicole Kidman could have read this before she and Tom got divorced ... or Demi Moore for that matter. Liz Taylor is a hopeless case.

ALyXaNdRiA |

@>----
I posted this in my old blog: alyxandriabarbie.blogspot.com last Oct. 1, 2004 and i thought i'd repost it!

Ok... today, I would like to talk about "Happiness" for i know it's something very significant to all of us. I think that most people find happiness an elusive word it makes unhappy individuals crave it all the more. On the other hand, I see some people blessed with happiness that it makes me wonder "Hot damn! How do they do it?", "Is there a secret to it?", "What would it take to make me happy?" Then I remembered Leo Tolstoy's words: "If you want to be happy, be."

It sounds very simple, isn't it? But it's very hard to do. Sometimes, most people's facades give a semblance of happiness, some project a happy and contented countenance, but are they really happy? Or are they just trying very hard to make people see what they want to feel inside?At my age (which is still quite young, I assure you), with the help of my outgoing personality, I have met and gotten to know many people in different walks of life, with diverse lifestyles and varied ages, and I have observed and noticed that many people build prisons for themselves.

You see, I have seen, known and met people who weren't happy with the kind of lifestyle they were leading and the kind of jobs they were stuck with, and yet ... they never tried doing anything about it. They didn't try going out there and seek for something that will make them fulfilled, satisfied and happy. They've remained in the prison walls they've built for themselves.I think it must be because they've occupied their prisons for a period of time and they had gotten accustomed to their walls and they had accepted the false premise that that was all they wanted. They were secure, therefore they were happy.Some of the people I've talked to didn't like the lifestyle they were leading, and yet they didn't try to do something to correct it. Some didn't like the jobs they've had, and yet, they didn't try to find something more challenging, more fulfilling, simply because they were scared of venturing into the unknown. I've met some who didn't like living with their families or their in-laws, and yet, i didn't see them doing anything to change that.

I have noticed that most people have simply abandoned all hope of ever giving their dreams a chance to be fulfilled. They had become puppets and had mistaken security for fulfillment and happiness. They began to suffer living deaths. Which is a waste ... a big waste.

I had wanted to tell them that it may be praise-worthy and noble that they had sacrificed their lives to a business, a cause or the happiness of others, but if they were miserable and unfulfilled with whatever they were doing, then remaining in it was a hypocrisy and a lie. And it would be a long, empty and sad existence to look back on.

I should know because I had been there. I had known what it's like to be unhappy; had known what it's like to be imprisoned in a lifestyle I had wanted to get away from, which I did, thank God.I had been unhappy in my own prison walls that I had done everything imaginable to claw my way out of it; had done something really drastic it took me years to forgive myself. My fear of the unknown, my lack of self-confidence and my low self-esteem were the culprit.

I've shared my past with my family and friends, my close friends, and they knew what I had gone through, they knew how difficult it was for me to get lose, the buckets of tears I've shed trying to think of something to escape ... and I had.I want to thank my family and my friends, the old friends and the new ones I've met, for they have shown me that all was not lost and as a way of showing my gratitude, I am posting this so that whoever might stumble on this story might just benefit from it and will feel secure in the knowledge that there are people who have escaped their own emotional prisons and are now leading normal and happy lives. We should live life to the fullest because we only live once. What a waste it would be to look back one day with regret in your heart. If you want to travel, then save money so you can go. If you want to change jobs, then do it. If you want to ask somebody to marry you, then ask them. There's always a risk to everything ... but at least you can say to yourself you had tried your best, then you won't be dwelling on "what ifs."

Furthermore, I would like to say that in every endeavor you do, always accompany it with prayers. Prayers can really help and they can be very relaxing to the soul. This, coming from somebody who seldom go to church.I remembered a text message my father sent to me once, it said: "God will either give you what you ask for or something far better. Keep praying and be thankful that His answers are always wiser than your prayers." And that's exactly what I did to get out of my own emotional prison ... I tried my best and kept praying. I still do.

ALyXaNdRiA |

@>----
Pictures!!!



I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that the picture is too dark and doesn't show my face!!





With Filipinos in Paris at the flat where I'm staying at...!!!



With Naoko, Dmitry and Shiem at Laduree in Champs Elysees



With my Iranian classmate, Sepi, at the Louvre



At the Louvre... showing Napoleon III's quarters behind me.




At Musee d'Orsay



With Naoko and Helene at a Tibetan restaurant near the school



Walking around Paris at dawn

ALyXaNdRiA |

@>----
A man asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday.

"I'd love to be eight again" she replied.

On the morning of her birthday he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Coco Pops and then took her off to thelocal theme park. What a Day!

He put her on every ride in the park:The Death SlideThe Wall of FearThe Screaming Monster Roller Coaster.

Five hours later she staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down. Right away theyjourneyed to a McDonalds where her loving husband ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate milk shake.

Then it was off to the movies: the latest Star Wars epic, a hot dog, popcorn, all the Coke she could drink, her favourite lollies and M&Ms. What a fabulous adventure.

Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed onto the bed exhausted.

He leaned over his precious wife with a big smile and lovingly asked "Well Dear, what was it like being eight again?"

Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed."I meant my dress size, you f*ckin tw*t."

The moral of this story:
Even when a man is listening, he's still going to get it wrong!!

ALyXaNdRiA |

@>----
You cannot keep a determined man from success. Place stumbling blocks on his way and he takes them for stepping stones.



Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.



When we seek to bring out the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.
-William Arthur Ward



Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be because you only have one life to live and one chance to do all the things you want to do.

ALyXaNdRiA |

@>----
Tomorrow is my last day at the Inquirer. I am going to miss it, and the people I've come to care about, like crazy. But, like Sir Joey and Sir Bill said, I am moving forward and that's a good thing. Those two are among the top people I'm gonna miss. I'm gonna miss Ma'am Emmie very much and the girls and guys at the editorial pool, Kuya Toto's teasing me about my clothes and my weight, my crush's stoic face and towering height (well, he's one of the tallest people at the Inquirer), the people at the arts and opinion sections... they've all been really nice to me, and despite my unusual (kinda weird) personality, they've actually been able to tolerate me. Hehehehe :)

ALyXaNdRiA |

@>----
September has come, it is hers

whose vitality leaps in the autumn,

whose nature prefers trees without leaves

and a fire in the fireplace.

So I give her this month and the next

Though the whole of my year should be hers

who has rendered already

so many of its days intolerable or perplexed

But so many more so happy.

Who has left a scent on my life,

and left my walls

Dancing over and over with her shadow

Whose hair is twined in all my waterfalls

And all of London littered with remembered kisses


--Louis MacNeice

ALyXaNdRiA |

@>----
The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and for deeds left undone...

I never knew I’d say it one day that I can personally attest to that quote being true. My paternal grandmother died recently and it really broke my heart.

I never even got to tell her how much I loved her and how grateful I was to her for loving me that much. She showed me her love in every way possible. She spoiled me terribly and tanned my hide when I needed it. (Can I say that? Tan my hide? Is that even a girly expression?)

She was in every piano and ballet recital I’ve had when I was younger... like a true doting grandparent. She had been a really big part of my life and I can’t believe that she’s really gone now.

My grandmother had the best fashion sense for a woman her age that I know of… and she was a great seamstress, too. She used to make some of my clothes some years past. I can safely say she loved dressing me up. And they were amazing, frilly dresses… fit for princesses.

She used to teach and when I was a child, she used to take me to the school where she taught and made me sit in her class.

She was the first one who taught me how to read at age four. Because of her, I had learned to love reading, and it had taken me to wonderful, beautiful places, and I am so grateful for that. She was the one who taught me to write, too. My grandmother had a very nice penmanship.

My grandmother was fiercely loyal to family and friends alike. She raised her children with an iron fist along with overflowing love. Mama Tina never beat around the bush. When she didn't like a person, she either told them what was on her mind or simply avoid talking to them altogether. She gave a new meaning to the word tactless, but it was in an adorable way. Well, we never stayed mad at her for long... she was just too funny. I loved listening to her laugh because it was an honest kind of laugh.

One of the things I can’t forget about my grandmother was the way she talked to me. Like I was her equal… She’d share things with me; reminisce about her childhood and tell me things about her life. Not even my parents did that… talk to me, I mean. Like really talk to me. And she listened. When I had things to share, secrets to divulge, glories and victories to relate, she was there. She always listened.

There were times when she’d tell me stories about the hardship of life when she was younger (that was during World War II and there were Japanese soldiers swarming in Leyte)… and she had told me how she had to stay strong to survive along with her family. She was such a great woman, my grandmother. She had faced adversity and survived. She raised seven children and sent them all to college. She pinched, and she saved, and she worked hard, and she survived through it all. Her children are all professionals: engineers, a doctor, another one who works at the hospital and a businessman.

And she had always believed in me. Always. She was really proud of me; and she showed me and told me in a hundred different ways. I can’t even remember if I told her how much I appreciated her. I hope she knew that… or that wherever she might be now, she’d know that. I loved her and really appreciated her. When I started working and was able to buy her better presents than the ones I gave her when I was younger, it made me feel very happy. Making her happy made me happy. She always liked my gifts. I loved her so much. So much.

She was such a strong, larger-than-life woman that I never expected her to die at age 87. I miss her so much. She died weeks ago (June 8), and yet I still cry when I think about her. I pray that she rest in peace.






I love you Mama Tina

ALyXaNdRiA |