Books and Family

This blogging thing has been just very low on my priority. At first, I thought that I could squeeze it in on my already hectic hectic schedule. I promise that I won't give up. I want to do it. Gramps always said : "Never start what you can't finish." good old Gramps...I do miss him. But I don't think he'd take a liking to me dating other boys.

Now as all of you know very well I am not a writer. I AM A READER. I read everything and everything--from tabloids to classics. As of now, I am currently reading Jane Austen's Persuasion. It's probably my favorite out of all of her novels. Last Christmas, my bff from high school, the ever-brilliant Tom P. sent me a fairly large package of books. Among them was Jane Austen's Complete Works, Michael Chabon's Wonderboys, Jeff Lindsay's Darkly Dreaming Dexter, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez's (No he's not related to Joey or Melanie) Love in the Time of Cholera. Out of all of them, I decided to start reading Jane Austen. It's the thickest. It's the oldest.

As for a tagalog book, I would recommend Orosa-Nakpil, Malate by Louis Gangcuanco. He's gay I think. Anyway the story centers on Malate and gay youth in the Philippines. Very light and entertaining. I was surprised by it.

Now when I first got to the US the very very first book I read was Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary. I was hooked. I read all of the Ramona series. I related so well. I was in the third grade and so was Ramona. I was out of place and so was she. I went on to read the Boxcar Children, the Hardy Boys and even Nancy Drew. OMG Nacy Freaking Drew...she was awesome.

Then it happened.

I found something that I got hooked on. Grandma's copies of Vogue magazine. I was introduced to a whole new world at the age of 13. Versace, Gucci, Dolce, Gabbana and Chanel. I began to look at the photos of models and beautiful beautiful things. I remember I asked grammy what's a "versayyycee" She replied: "It's 'Ver-sa-chi' dear". She was so chica, old grammy. She had Chanel sunglasses even when she was in the hospital at the end of her life... I miss her. She was the one who taught me des bonnes manieres, encouraged me to take French, and most of all, had me read Amy Vanderbilt's The Book of Etiquette. I have sooooo many fond memories of my Grandma Ellie. I wish she was still alive today with her Chanel sunglasses and with the scent of Chanel no. 5 surrounding her.