What Do You Wear To Work?

For work, I've been advised to wear formal clothes like good-looking shirts with collars and sleeves, black slacks or pants and shoes that aren't sandals, sports shoes or slippers. Jeans and t-shirts are absolute no-nos. But some people at my workplace wore jeans and khaki pants!

Anyway, I guess it's the work that one does and not the kind of clothes one wears to work. What's the use of dressing up like Michelle Obama and end up delivering less than 100% at work? That bothers me a lot actually. I feel kind of guilty when I'm not doing anything or if I finished my work early. But not to worry nowadays because my boss realized that I like to do work so he gives me some to do. My overall performance will be graded at the end of my training so I feel that it's important that I do something every other minute of my working hours not including lunch time.

As for accessories, what do you wear? Yeah, there's the watch, bags, water tumbler, etc. Anyone wears jewelry to work??? A co-worker was really casual once when she wore slippers but maybe the boss didn't notice or just didn't bother.

Well no matter what, looking presentable is still important besides giving your best at work. :)

What I'm Up To Right Now...

Currently doing this...



...but wants to do this...



and this...



and this...



but in a month's time will be doing this!



Kind of liking my internship now but wish had more time to do other things like read and do nothing! Now I understand what it's like to work from 9 to 5 for five days a week. Going to work also makes me appreciate home more.

I can't really go off at 5pm sharp. My boss gives me extra work at 4pm and it usually takes me 2 hours to finish them up. I have five more weeks to go before finally going back to sweet, sweet uni!

Unread

This week's Booking Through Thursday question:

In the perfect follow-up to last week’s question, as suggested by C in DC:

Is there a book that you wish you could “unread”? One that you disliked so thoroughly you wish you could just forget that you ever read it?

My answer would be Doing It by Melvin Burgess and perhaps New Moon by Stephenie Meyer??? Really, I found New Moon terribly dull unlike the other books in the series. Other books would be A Wrinkle in Time but it wasn't that bad actually.

Emma and Pride & Prejudice

I'm currently on a Jane Austen movie marathon. Lately I've been watching Emma and Pride and Prejudice over and over again. I wonder when I'll get sick of them!

I have the Gwyneth Paltrow 'Emma' DVD but I watched the Kate Beckinsale version on the Internet. Initially, I found a lot of faults with the latter because I was so used to Gwyneth as Emma and Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley. And it was weird seeing Beckinsale as Emma.

As for Pride and Prejudice, the 1995 version is really long! I'm only starting to watch Episode 3 now. I already have the 2005 movie on DVD, the one with Keira Knightley.

There is a lot of difference between the two versions. The girls in the 1995 version looked kind of weird at first because they were plumper and not so good-looking like the ones in the 2005 version. But their performance is unexceptional and I enjoy watching them.

How many movies are there that are based on Jane Austen's books? I know that there are movies on Sense and Sensibility and Mansfield Park. I'll watch them later.

BTT: Second First Time

This week's question:

What book would you love to be able to read again for the first time?

This is a tough one. There are a lot of books that I would really love to read for the first time all over again! For instance, the Harry Potter books, The True Story of Lilli Stubeck by James Aldridge, A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray, the Shopaholic books and lots more.

I didn't include any classics. For me, I will like classics better if I re-read them.

Gossipping-ly Addictive

I don't like the books but I love the show! Actually, I've only read one of them and was put off right away. When the show was aired on TV, I felt skeptical about it and thought it might be plain boring. I was wrong and really glad about it. Also, yes, I'm proud to say that I've watched all the episodes in Season One! Can't wait to get started with Season Two.

Even though the show is based on the books, there are some major changes. One of them being Chuck Bass as one of the main characters. He's only a minor character in the books and is supposedly gay. In the show, he's a dandy and promiscuous guy. And surprise, surprise! He's in love with Blair Waldorf who was very attached to Nathan Archibald, who was smitten with the bubbly Serena van der Woodsen. All very complicated right?

Check out the picture above. So they paired Blair with Nate and Serena with Dan as they dated with each other. Hmm, but why is Chuck looking at Jenny, Dan's younger, desperately-wanna-fit-in-with-rich-people sister? I think he should be placed together with Nate and Blair - in a position where Nate and Chuck are looking at Blair or Nate and Chuck looking fiercely at each other!

Cast of Gossip Girl

The girl between Nate and Blair...can she be Dan's best friend, Vanessa?? If she is, then she looks really different from how she looks like in the show.

Why is the show so addictive? It's only every plain Jane's dream of living in a rich, high-class kind of lifestyle where they don't have to worry much about money or having to sell off personal possessions in order to afford clothes from Saks or Bendel's. Poor Jenny Humphrey. She had to sell off her sewing machine so she could keep up with her new, rich 'friends'.

It reminds me of Fergie's song, Glamorous:

Are you ready?
If you ain't got no money take your broke self home
If you ain't got no money take your broke self home

Well, there's no harm watching the show even if I can't live like them. Awesome clothes and beautiful cast. We can relate to Dan and Jenny Humphrey, having to go to school with kids born with silver spoons in their mouths and endless cash in their pockets. Or wait, are you one of them with silver spoons???

Great Giveaways!

Arleigh from historical-fiction.com is giving away three books by Philippa Gregory. Enter by May 16, 2009. The books are:

1. The Constant Princess (about the early years of Katherine of Aragon’s arrival in England, marriage to Arthur and then bethrothal to Henry), hardcover - American edition
2. The Queen’s Fool (Mary Tudor’s struggle for the throne at the time of King Edward VI’s death and her few years as queen), paperback - American edition
3. The Virgin’s Lover (the first years of Elizabeth’s reign and her issues with Robert Dudley), paperback - American Edition

Royal Reviews is giving away two copies of The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran. Enter by 31 May, 2009.

About the book (from Amazon):

From Publishers Weekly

The intricacies of the ancient Egyptian court are brought to life in Moran's fascinating tale of a princess's rise to power. Nefertari, niece of the famed heretic queen Nefertiti, becomes part of the court of Pharaoh Seti I after her family is deposed, and she befriends Ramesses II, the young crown prince. When Ramesses is made co-monarch, he weds Iset, the granddaughter of a harem girl backed by Seti's conniving sister, Henuttawy, the priestess of Isis. As Nefertari's position in the court becomes tenuous, she realizes that she, too, wants to marry Ramesses and enlists the help of Seti's other sister, Woserit. But when Nefertari succeeds in wedding Ramesses, power struggles and court intrigues threaten her security, and it is questionable whether the Egyptian people will accept a heretic descendant as their ruler or if civil war will erupt. Moran (Nefertiti) brings her characters to life, especially Nefertari, who helped Ramesses II become one of the most famous of Egyptian pharaohs. Nefertari's struggles to be accepted as a ruler loved as a leader and to secure her family's position throughout eternity are sure to appeal to fans of historical fiction. (Sept.)

thekoolaidmom is giving away a copy of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. Enter by May 16, 2009.

About the book:

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a heartwarming story about fathers and sons, first loves, fate, and the resilient human heart. Set in the ethnic neighborhoods of Seattle during World War II and Japanese American internment camps of the era, the times and places are brought to life. In the following video, Jamie Ford gives you the “behind-the-scenes” story of his debut novel.

Booking Through Thursday (May 07) - Graphic

This week's question:

Last Saturday (May 2nd) is Free Comic Book Day! In celebration of comics and graphic novels, some suggestions:

- Do you read graphic novels/comics? Why do/don’t you enjoy them?
- How would you describe the difference between “graphic novel” and “comic”? Is there a difference at all?
- Say you have a friend who’s never encountered graphic novels. Recommend some titles you consider landmark/”canonical”.

Well, Calvin & Hobbes was among the first comics I read when I was little. They were easy to understand and extremely funny. I think I kind of know all Calvin's adventures by heart as I've read most of them many times.

Besides Calvin, I also like to read the comics in the newspapers, particularly the ones that appear in The Star. Comics like Hagar the Horrible, Kee's World (a Malaysian comic), Zits, Pickles and the forever young Brenda Starr.

Recently I also picked up my first graphic novel, The Plain Janes and loved it! I'm so looking forward to reading more graphic novels. I've checked the prices of some graphic novels in Borders and were they pricey! That is one reason to put me off them. I wonder if the nearby library stocks g. novels.

As for the differences between a graphic novel and a comic, hmm, I don't think there's much difference though. If one can read comics, then there shouldn't be a problem reading graphic novels. They are about the same except that graphic novels tend to touch on more serious issues wheareas comics just make everything seem funny.

For a friend, I'd recommend The Plain Janes. It's the only graphic novel that I can recommend for now! :)

Other Giveaways!

Book 1

Dar at Peeking Between the Pages is giving away a copy of Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland. Enter before May 8, 2009. Open internationally!

About the book:

A novel of Louise de la Vallière, mistress of the Sun King. As a girl, she won the trust of the wildest of horses; as a woman, she would win the love of the most charismatic of kings.

Book 2

Dar also has two copies of Scattered Leaves by Richard E. Roach to give away. Enter before May 8, 2009. Open internationally.

About the book:

When Ben McCord comes home from a business trip to find his young wife raped and murdered, he starts out on a journey of death and destruction. Clues lead him to a dark world of drugs and violence in action that spans Texas, Colorado, and the Mexican border. McCord hooks up with a beautiful doctor, who was also victimized by members of the same drug cartel, and together they track down the killers, surviving bloody confrontations, and ending with a suspenseful climax in the Big Thicket of Texas.

Book 3

Amy from Passages to the Past is giving away a copy of The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner. Enter before May 4, 2009. Open internationally.

Excerpt from her blog:

The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner is the new novel up for grabs for one lucky reader - thanks to C.W. Gortner! The paperback issue of The Last Queen will be released on May 5, 2009! C.W. will also be stopping by PTTP on May 6th for an interview!

Book 4

Morbid Romantic is giving away 3 copies of Memoirs of A Fortune Teller by Gary Turcotte. Enter before May 2, 2009.

About the book:

Mary Ann was a carnival fortune Teller. She kept a journal of some of the most frightening and personal readings that she witnessed. She was often times entertained by some reading as well as disgusted or frightened. Mary Ann’s entire life became consumed with reading fortunes and this book is a colorful look at her last years as the life of the fortune teller. Mary Ann shares the pain that being a fortune teller can bear on a caring person.

Winner!

I'm pleased to announced that the winner of the Georgette Heyer book giveaway is:

Faisal

It's quite funny (or sad, depends on the way you look at it) actually because if I'm not mistaken, he's the only who officially entered! I guess not many of you are interested in historical romance books.

Anyway, it's Labour Day today and that means no work, extra sleep! I'm thinking of watching the new movie starring Kevin James, Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Hopefully the cinemas ain't packed!