Friday Random

There are a lot of things and thoughts to write about. Unfortunately, timing isn't something that is always on my side. Whenever I feel compelled to write, I'm either at work or on the road travelling. I usually try to prep the words hoping to be ready once I am in front of the PC. Too bad that isn't always the case. Whenever I am ready or rather available to write, nothing sensible comes to mind. But mostly, there's just a lot that I didn't know where or how to start. I usually end up writing random things. Like this.

The month of July is about to end. Thankfully. It was not so friendly to me. I had a lot of downs and bumps. I got sick a number of times, which mostly resulted to me staying at home. As much as I love staying at home, doing so because of sickness is not something I desire. Those days make me think about a lot of things, among others. The month also set the beginning of days when I wouldn't be able to see something I used to look forward to. But what can I do. Truth be told, I kind of like it and not like it.

For my form of entertainment, in the first half of year it was mostly watching Japanese and/or Korean dramas. This month, I went back to my first favourite past time - reading. I've actually read five (5) books, five times more than I have read from January to June. Apparently, all books were from the same author. I've re-read three of Joel C. Rosenberg's novels and started on two others from another series.

Now Playing: Katharine McPhee - Over It

Too much Rosenberg?

I realized I didn't make it on time to repost a lot of blog entries before my apparently favourite blogsite - blog.com - went down. I particularly feel bad that I wasn't able to repost entries about The Copper Scroll and Dead Heat, the last two books in the The Last Jihad series by Joel C. Rosenberg. Or maybe I haven't really written anything about these two books. Then I'd have to wait until I read them again, because I already finished reading The Ezekiel Option a second time last July 19, Wednesday.

I've grown fond of Rosenberg's novels as well as a lot of characters in his works. Obviously, I already finished the Jihad series. I've also read The Twelfth Imam and yet to read the next two sequels. 

Then there's the J.B. Collins novels - The Third Target and The First Hostage - which I've just recently started. I'll just take a short break but I will soon buy a copy of Without Warning.

The last scenes from The Third Target were so compelling that I kind of vowed to look for and get a hold of The First Hostage. I literally went to a lot of BookSale branches, mostly in Makati, looking for it but I found one in SM Megamall. Very thankful, because my search had finally come to an end and because I couldn't remember other BookSale branch anymore.

Much to my surprise, I was able to finish reading The First Hostage - all 430 pages - within 24 hours, complete with sleep and all forms of break from reading. It's the first since forever.

Novels are not the only books Mr. Rosenberg write. He's also written non-fictions, two of which I have - Epicenter and Inside the Revolution, which I am yet to finish reading.

Argo (2012)

I've always wanted to watch Argo but I haven't done so until last week. I do like history yet I only had one reason for watching this film. Two words. Ben Affleck. 'Nuff said.

When I watched this film, I was also reading Joel C. Rosenberg's Inside the Revolution. I actually haven't finished it yet. The first chapters included the events and people responsible for the Iranian Revolution. It's interesting. Oh well, back to Argo. It's more interesting that Mendez (Affleck) came up with the idea of using a fake film to pull out slash rescue 6 diplomats out of the heart of Tehran, then the breeding capital for extremism in Iran. More impressive was the help of Canada, surpassing the diplomats' own government. Canadian Caper. #NeverForget

Looking back, I think the film didn't fully capture the intensity of the revolution. But then, he could? And how could the West truly do so? I think it was only quite easy for me to appreciate it because I had a little background.

Now Playing: Mika Nakashima - Find the Way

Inside the Revolution effect

I haven't finished reading Inside the Revolution by Joel C. Rosenberg but it gives me a picture of what had happened, so vivid that I couldn't help being moved. Like today. There I was on MRT Araneta-Cubao Station wiping the tears welling in my eyes as I read about the Tragedy at Desert One.

It breaks my heart knowing that hundreds of thousands of Muslims were  and are brainwashed by the radicals. They're not on a suicide bombing mission on the way to paradise. It's genocide bombing on the way to hell. This is a new form of pagan practice done way back before Christ was born, causing God to condemn how people sacrificed their children on fire.

May this come to an end.

Now Playing: Hagit Yaso - Standing at the Gate