David Levithan’s Every You, Every Me

Every You, Every Me\David Levithan\Contemporary, Young Adult\Knopf Books\September 13th 2011\245 pages

“I had gotten so used to being alone, but never entirely used to it. Never used to it enough to stop wanting the alternative.” 

If you are looking for a fast-paced, sci-fi, adventure, fantasy, or romance novel don’t read this book.

The story is about finding out who is the mysterious photographer who’s avenging Ariel. The past keeps haunting Evan, thinking he made the wrong decision, whether he truly helped Ariel or not. It’s a youth drama about suicide, friendship, and love.

“That whole week, we started to divide things into those two categories: anything or something. A piece of jewelry bought at a department store: anything. A piece of jewelry made by hand: something. A dollar: anything. A sand dollar: something. A gift certificate: anything. An IOU for two hours of star watching: something. A drunk kiss at a party: anything. A sober kiss alone in a park: something.” 

What I look for in a novel is something engaging that will make me holding on to the story chapter by chapter. This one definitely satisfies that wanting. It’s the collection of words, David has compiled that made me hold on to it. It’s readable and easily understandable. Though, the message is something deeper than the sugar coat meaning of the words and story as a whole. It will make you think if it ever hit that pumping thing inside you.

There's a lot of anticipations from me, while reading it. Like is Evan's the one haunting himself at all? Or Ariel's the one? In the end, it's not really a surprise but the climax is really interesting. Though the revelation become quite explosive, it didn't need much thinking.

“If you zoom close-if you get really close to someone, if you really get close to yourself-then you lose the other person, you lose yourself entirely. You get so close you can't see anything anymore.” 

It’s quite sad and boring really, when you’re expecting actions. It received an average rating in book reviews. Yet I still appreciate it. For emotional persons like me, words matter and story is second honor to my priorities.

“You don't know me. You know one me, just like I know one you. And you can't know every me, and I can't know every you.”

The NatGeo Earth Day Run 2014 (27.Apr.2014)

It's been long since I do 21km distance even during training and my legs quite forgotten how it is like to run this long.

The event is created mainly for Earth Day celebration. Though I am not sure if the proceeds were donated to some activities or organizations that focuses on preserving the Mother Earth's resources (I hope it did). It is organized by Event King. I say, I am quite impressed.

And this year they offer the full marathon distance! Which I regret, I am under-trained to join.

PLUS

The experience is awesome. I enjoyed it. The route is reasonably challenging; a combination of slight up-hells and down-hells through McKinley road inside Bonifacio Global City. This is also the first time for me to reach and run side-by-side the American Cemetery.

This race is well hydrated and is sponsored by Maynilad (also provided shower at the finish line) and Pocari Sweat. Though, at some hydration tents Pocari runs dry. It is expected given the numerous runners who joined this event (as in, masikip in the first 5km).

I salute the runners for they more disciplined in throwing their cups after use. And I admire more the volunteers or event people for keeping the road clean. Though lapses still happens, but this is a somersault improvement since the first time I ever join fun run.

Freebies are one of the things a runner is looking for in a fun run (to somehow get even with the very pricey registration fee) and this event has sponsors. Aside from the loot bags for the finishers (all categories), there are shampoos, detergents, toothpaste, face cleanser, foot powder and calcium milk are some of the tents giving away product samples to runners.

And this created a very long line inside the runners' camp/village. But the big macho men scattered in the finisher's loot bags and kit claim, organized the seemingly endless line of runners who claim their rewards.

Lastly for the gentlemen, seeing the Miss Earth Philippines candidates run their way in the 3km category is definitely a plus. They may want to run again though it's already 7am and the sun is shining bright to see these beautiful ladies.

MINUS

Of course, there's no such thing as perfect. There are minor lapses like lack of bananas, no sponge and ice bath, congestion at the finish line, dehydration at some tents along the route, and I did not see any portalet along the route (sorry ladies).

And the greatest of all, is the hassle of registration and distribution of race kits. Good thing they were able to impress runners during the event.