A MAIFESTO ON HOW TO BE INTERESTING: A BOOK REVIEW

A MANIFESTO ON HOW TO BE INTERESTING: A BOOK REVIEW

How I Learned About It

I came across this book when I was researching books to read when depressed in google and I happen to glimpse this catchy title.

It was written by Holly Bourne and published year 2014.  It is set in Britain and belongs to young adult fiction.

About the Book

 It is a story of an unpopular girl in school named Bree who has a boy bestfriend named Holdo who’s also like her, a geek and their idea of fun is drinking wine, engaging in mental discourse. The plot began when Bree just received another rejection letter from a publishing company. Her first novel was rejected and the second had the same fate. Upon arriving in class, she told her teacher, Mr . Fellows about this and he advised about how the audience doesn’t want a novel that narrates a suicidal attempt in a pier and that companies are looking for something that is saleable and can make the audience relate more and escape from the world, at least for a while. This hurt her feelings but sparked an interest to change herself and experiment so that she can have a material for her writing.

She changed herself to write her next novel, the Manifesto. She changed her appearance with the help of her mum. She got the attention of the whole Queen’s Hall and also, the super popular Perfect Posse. They included her in their inner circle and later on, Hugo, the hottest guy in the school and the boyfriend of the leader of the girl group stole her virginity during his 18^th birthday. She also had an affair with her English teacher, Mr . Fellows (married) who later on, left her when her sex scandal with Hugo was released.  Of course, Bree was not aware of this and when she lost everything, she cut herself and got admitted in a psychiatric hospital. Eventhough the rules listed in the Manifesto cost her so many things, it did mend her relationship with her parents. Eventually, her blog became a hit (thanks to Holdo for informing her) and she fixed herself by going through therapies.

Reaction

Writing Style

This was a fast read – no foreplays and extra bullshit which is just perfect for the short-attention spanned audience. I like the flavor of classic literature and árts sprinkled on the pages.

Plot

The plot twists are expected but I really commend the writer for  igniting me to write again. Writing really takes a lot of time and mental energy but it’s something that is beautiful and worth struggling with. 

The characters are all static except for Bree. As a teenager, I totally get her but she was really a loser. You cannot lose your morals for the sake of saleable but shitty writing. There’s even far worse cases experienced by her age and beyond hers.

Lessons

I  was also unpopular in high school, part of nobodys because I was not beautiful , smart and wealthy enough like my classmates. I was also that weird writer like Bree and I did some experimentation but not to the point of compromising so much of my ethics. If you want to write, do not hurt other people. If you want to write, do not give yourself away.  If you want to write, think first of what you are doing with your life.  Writing was not invented to harm the writer not the reader. It is an ocean of pen and paper where we dive with new lessons to make us appreciate life more.  

Writing is sacred. Though many are using it for personal satisfaction, take precaution because once it gets published, it might cause other person’s life.

We are the Ants, a Book Review

BOOK REVIEW

Title: WE ARE THE ANTS

This book was published year 2016, written by Shaun David Hutchinson.

I learned about this book when I was watching Best Books for 2018 video. It was highly recommended by the vlogger and has positive feedbacks from the readers.  

Summary

It is about a depressed, low self-esteem, bullying victim high schooler who from time to time gets abducted by aliens and whose boyfriend hanged himself that he couldn’t recover from it and is self-blaming about what happened. If this was not enough, he has a dysfunctional family wherein his father abandoned them, his brother bullies him in school and at home, a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and a mother addicted to booze. And then there is Marcus, the most popular boy in the whole town called Calypso who humiliates Henry in public but f***s him in private. Then enters Diego, a transferee who loves to read and paint and wears different styles everyday because he said he is searching for his real identity. It was revealed at the latter part of the novel that Diego had spent two years in juvenile detention center for breaking his father’s arm and fracturing his skull. But this was only to protect his battered mother who had somehow, still, defended his father. Henry and Diego became friends and later on, lovers.

Henry found reasons to save Earth and most importantly, to live.

Reaction: 

Bullying

                This was the first book I read with the member of the third sex as the narrator and protagonist. It was easy empathizing with the character because he is transparent and he is just like an ordinary person like us struggling with problems, except of course the aliens part. Henry does not only represent LGBT but the youth today who seem so hopeless about the future - so much for youth as the hope of the nation. Nowadays, mental disorder has become prevalent and even the youth are not exempted from this. But  Henry needed help from the hospital also with Diego and Marcus. Even the other bullies in school. It can also be noted here that bully victims don’t talk about themselves being bullied rather they’d keep it and repress their anger which can push them to commit suicide. School authorities are not keen in combating Bullying , they only took action when Henry was severely attacked in the showers and was almost raped by Marcus during the school fair. This also manifests how ignorant the school is and worse, keeps a blind eye of the safety and well-being of their students. When Jesse (boyfriend of Henry) took his life, it must have been a signal that there’s something wrong but they did not do anything.

Depression

                Almost all of the characters of the novel are depressed. After reading the book, I also felt the pang of depression. It was contagious and maybe, that makes it an effective book. But if your friend is suffering from depression, would you recommend him to read this book? Can this not aggravate his condition? According to Google, these kinds of books could help them. This will bring to light that there are others who are going through the same and some even have worse cases. These books could understand and comfort them. But take note, the lessons must be processed by the readers.

Writing Style    

                Two thumbs- up for the integration of science into literature.The language is fitting with the characters and the current society, vulgar to its core. The story is actually the extra-credit project of Henry to his science class. The first part is actually very catchy and you know what they say, go on reading if you found one.

                Some dialogues were cyclical especially with Henry’s self-blaming. It would be better and more realistic if the aliens were not part of the story. Anyways, it was not revealed if the aliens were real or not. It is up to the reader to decide. For me, Henry is schizophrenic that’s why he has a parallel universe.  

Favorite Quotes and Lines

Quote: Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are terrifying. – Arthur C. Clarke

About life

Life is bullshit. Life is absurd. We all live in an infinite world and everything in it will eventually repeat. There are infinite copies of you and despite everyone or every motivational video or self-help book is saying that you can make a difference, the truth is, you are not a special snowflake. (I agree but in order to survive, we must think that we are special in our own ways, no matter how small these may be.)

We remember the past, live in the present and write the future. ( Right! No one forgets the past because these teach us what to do in the present and future. The future is our project. We need to write it with beautiful memories. )

About Love and Science

Other times, I think that Gravity is love, which is why love’s only demand is that we fall. (The most striking line, right?)

When Diego kissed me, I forgot about every kiss that came before. His kisses were impatient but cautious. They tested on the edge of losing control and I imagined him panting with the same kind of frenzy – stripped to the waist and covered in smears of more colors than the human eye was capable of detecting. ( I love the love scenes because they’re so vivid. When you kiss someone you love, do you really forget all the ones that came before?)

Loving Your Neighbor

The 10 Commandments can be summed up in two: Love God and Love your neighbor.


Neighbor connotes every single individual - known or unknown to you.

These days, it is very easy to say "I love you." Falling in love happens in a blink of an eye and falling out also happens the same way. The real essence of love seems to be washed out and self-empowerment and digital self-validation are becoming the essence of our daily lives.

But again, what are the commandments? God does not say love yourself. It says others. But we are too obsessed with how we look, how we dress, where we go, what to eat, number of likes , views, followers etc. We fall in love with ourselves and when we dont get the validation we want, we get angry and hurt ourselves. We destroy our character so as to belong. If you cant be on the positive extreme, you push youself until  negative extreme. The thing is, it is better to be crushed and suicidal than to be mediocre.

What if we focus less on ourselves and listen to our neighbors' cry?

12:57 am thoughts

I just read 'Still me'by Jojo Moyes, the third installment of Me Before You Series.

It was one of the two greatest books I've read this year, the other is of course Dan Brown's the Origin. Since I am still recovering from the hurt of saying goodbye to the story of Louisa Clark, Will Traynor and Sam, I thought I might also say goodbye to all my hurts within the past few weeks and the regrets that are probably surfacing so late.

1. I have become another person again. I refused to talk to them. I became distant. Eversince I came here, I really tried to fit in, in the community and in my new work. However, after a few months, I still feel I don't belong and that I really don't have what you call real friends. Before I was amiable and sociable and always on the go but now, I am slowly turning to an introvet, snob and boring persona. Sometimes I look myself at the mirror and all I can see is a shadow.

2. Whenever I browse social media, I feel insecured about all the good things happening in others' lives. I compared myself to them. And I cant stop imagining how everything would turn out if I stayed a bit more and finished what I started. I regret not passing my master's degree and everytime I chat with them, I remember how close was I to it yet I still flew up here and suffered.

3. I think about all my past relationships. They were all short-lived, fun but unhealthy. Maybe I was looking for the wrong person after all. Why do I choose the guys that I knowingly would not stay with me? Why do I let myself be played and taken advantage of? Why can I take risks in these things but too scared to compete in my profession? I have potential but I am too engrossed with other people.

4. If I rate my happiness, it would be 3. I was happy when...  I forgot.

5. What is my accomplishment so far? I dont know anymore. I am at a loss for words.

Walong Walang hanggan

Walong Walang hanggan

Walong beses

Naaalala pa rin kita

Sa mga oras na mag-isa

Ikaw ang aking ginugunita

Sabik akong makasama ka

Pero wala akong magawa

Dahil ang oo niya’y

Napasakamay mo na.

Refrain:

At akoý patuloy pa ring

Nag-aabang

Kahit na iniwan na lang

Bakit nga ba ganito

Kung sinong nagmahal

Siya pa rin ang

Mawawasak

At di makalaya sa ala-ala.

Chorus :

Akoý pansamantala.

Panandaliang pagsasama

Sa-ndaling oras ng saya

Man-ghihingi ng isa pang araw

Tayo ay

La-langoy tungo sa dagat ng

Habangbuhay.

Oh, walong beses

Akala ko walang hanggan na

Walong beses

Akala ko tayo na

Iyon pala paikot-ikot lang

Tapos na paglalaro

Wala palang tayo.

Repeat Chorus Twice

Blog Entry No. 96

Blog Entry No. 96

June 23, 2018

Dear Diary,

                For the past week, I deactivated my facebook and instagram. It was dreadful to sleep and wake up clueless of what was happening in my social circle. I was used to browsing and reading what was happening to the lives of people I know and people I barely know. But one day, I just realized that I was too attached and too obsessed of how their lives were turning out that I left myself directionless and insecured.

My friends were all graduating from their master’s, getting married and engaged, changing careers, getting promotions, traveling, attending parties, drinking beer, sunbathing, beach frolicking and other fun activities I used to do .I compared myself to them , how I am becoming boring and lifeless, like  a rag doll. I am just starting in a new teaching environment and so far, I am not having the best time of my life. I travel rarely and these travels were costly. I do not attend loud parties nor formal ones. I only drink beer if my friend invites me to. The only things I have are going to a beach that’s more like of a hot tub and sunbathing with my clothes on.

Also, I don’t have many friends here. I have acquaintances in the church and school. My life seems to revolve around those two places only. But going back,  they are just acquaintances. I listen to them but when I try to open myself to them, they only hear. There are just a few who listen but after that, they changed how they treat me. I cannot find my place here. I can’t fit in. Even in school, I am inexistent. They have their own inner circles. Surely, they invite me and everything but when I’m there, I don’t wanna be there at all. I was there but I was not. Maybe, it is me or maybe it is them. I am confused. Did I change or I just have a trouble interacting? Did I become an introvert?

I was really an introvert but that changed when I became a teacher. But when I came here, I’m turning back to my old self. Last night I was researching about it and I learned that there are four types of introvert: social, thinking, anxious and reserved. I’m the latter. It says that I only choose to be with my closest friends. That’s true.

Why the sudden shift of personality? I guess I was , I mean, I am intimidated by all the people I met especially when I didn’t have a job before. They are working in international companies while I was just lying flat on my bed. But even now that I have work, I still feel the same. I tried to fit in SCF. I really did. I went to prayer meetings, fellowships, practices and others but I did not find anyone or anything to make me stay. You might say that God is enough and I need no company to worship. But I really feel alone when I am there. They were all talking to one another and I was there, observing. They don’t like me. They don’t understand me. That’s why I stopped for 2 weeks in a row and ignored all communications coming from them. I know that God is disappointed in me for doing this but it is more  futile to go there with all doubts and fears. I want to go there full. I want to go there when I am ready to face them, to conquer my intimidation. I am so sorry but for now, I want to worship God alone.

So, what is my plan now?

In exchange of my facebook and instagram, I read books. I devour on books and watch videos. Topics are mostly on self-help like how to change habits, how to improve personality, and even sexuality. I finished fiction novel in one day and I’m half-way the second one. I’ve done photography. I ate a lot, went to the beach, and breathed. Now that I think about it, I haven’t done much. Hayst. Crap.

What I plan to do for this week:

1. Try the 30-day habit builder. What habit am I going to build, tho? (physical)

                I have the exercise chart but I stopped working out because we had too many paperworks. I think I have to do it all over again eventhough I have red alert. If I could do it in a week in a consistent manner, that is really something.

2. Talk to 3 strangers.

                This is based on the book of 30 challenges. Might as well try. (social)

3. Go to church. (spiritual)

4. Start reviewing IELTS. (mental)

5. Make a blessing organizer. (emotional)

6. Find summer job. (financial)

7. Read 3 books. (language)

                I’ve read one already this morning on my way to school . How to change a Habit by Scott Young (2007).

Take away: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.- Aristotle

8. Finish your requirements in school. (professional)

9. Master Fur Elise and take a video to be uploaded on youtube. (personal)

10. Write a song (moving on)

That’s all for today.