Friday Five: BOOKS

 Years ago, my friends and I did "Friday Five" diligently. Unfortunately, life and laziness took over, our weekly blogging slowly disappeared. 

Inspired by my friend Ty, Friday Five is back!!! 

1. Have you read more books, or fewer books, this past year than usual?

I have read fewer books this past year...maybe even years. I got hooked in watching Korean dramas, that I stopped reading books. I do read subtitles A LOT. That should count towards reading, right?

2. What book are you reading now (or what book did you read most recently)?

Thanks to the show Bridgerton on Netflix, I started reading the series. I read 3 out of the 8 books, and listened to 1 audiobook from the series.

I am currently listening to "The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World" by the Dalai Lama IXV, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Carlton Abrams.

I started with audiobooks since the books I wanted to read had a long waitlist in the public library. I have listened to Harry Potter audiobooks before, but since I have read the text, I used the audiobooks as background noise while I work.  "Viscount..." my first audiobook since HP. Let's just say, it was quite a different auditory experience for me. 

3) What is the best book you read in the past few years?

How many years is a few years? 3? 5? It's sad that I can't think of any books that I can categorize as best.  "The Book of Joy..." has potential though. Listening to the words of the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu about finding joy, warmed my heart.

4) Do you read more than one book at a time, or just one?

I used to, but lately I can't even finish one book!

5) How big is your to-be-read pile (or list)?

I have 71 books under my Goodreads "Want to Read" list, and 5 tagged titles in my public library account. My "2021 Reading Goals" is for 10 books. 4 down, 6 to go. Granted, 2 of the 6 were audiobooks, but it is better than not reading at all. 

AUDIOBOOK is my preferred way to "read" at the moment. I started learning how to crochet late last year, and I realized that it is hard to 1) watch anything with subtitles, and 2) read a book while crocheting.  A typical night for me now is crocheting while listening to an audiobook. 2 birds, 1 stone! 

It's just foreign to me...

1. If you could suddenly speak one language fluently (that you don't currently speak) what would it be?
- Italian or French maybe.
French would have been very helpful when we went to Paris. Neither me and Jay can remember how to say MILK in French. It was only after we had made a fool of ourselves that we remembered that it's lait! (doh!)
But Italian has always been my first love...it's a dream of mine to live in a villa in a little village somewhere in Italy.

2. If you were to suggest a foreign film, that you really enjoyed, what one would you suggest?
- I would have to say Amelie coz that's the only foreign film I can remember watching.

3. If you had to call another country home (other than the one you currently live in) what one would you choose?
- see #1

4. If you went out to buy an import music CD, what one would you buy?
- no clue.

5. If you were to chose an ethnic dinner, what would it be?
- HA! I would love some real Pinoy food right now especially Kare-Kare! I think last time I had real Pinoy food was afterChristmas. Thanks to my Tita Peachie who took me to the lunch buffet at Crystal's in Woodside, NY.
(Tita Peach if you are reading this...I miss our little outings...a lot!)

Its beginning to smell a lot like Christmas...

1. Will you be having a white Christmas?
Nope, more like a wet Christmas this year.

2. Best present you could get/have already received this season?
:shrugs:

3. Egg nog or snogging under the mistletoe?
Egg nog - blech! Snogging of course!

4. Is time on your side?
It never is.

5. Favorite holiday tradition:
- Attending the midnight mass then eating puto bumbong and bibingka for breakfast.

- My lola making her honey-glazed ham and hot cocoa on Christmas eve.
Then after the Noche Buena we gather around to exchange gifts.
Christmas of '89 was the last time we had the traditional Noche Buena.
My grandparents left for the U.S. on June 7, 1990.
Christmas Eve was never the same after they left.

- Belting out Christmas carols and no one cares that I'm singing off-key.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!!