Aicha Amano

Ever get that blurred vision during a hazy, warm summer's day, when the air is thick with humidity then all you can see is the clear sky with no trace of clouds, and the road is a strip of hot air forming a translucent mirage, and for some strange reason, the sun keeps on getting in your eye and you just can't think straight? That's what I felt when I read The Stranger by Albert Camus . Even during at night when fluorescent lights are lit up for everything they're worth, my eyes still squint from overexposure from a scorching sun and mirage from the asphalt roads; the same way when the bright noonday sun slashes from between the rustling leaves of tall trees. I've heard of Albert Camus before, as he is big in the Philosopher's circles and his works have so far branched out into the Literary pools that one can't help but at least hear of his name. The one thing that I am always curious about is Philosophy, but I can never keep up with this or that schoo...

I LOVE TEA . It is calming, steadfast and comforting. This is a post about all my adventures in drinking. I have been drinking cups and cups of tea in different types and tea sets and situations. You can drink commercialized, pre-packaged or coffeeshop-prepared tea all you want but nothing really beats boiling water and steeping the tea bags yourself. Sure, there are benefits of drinking tea, we all know that somehow these little packets do a lot of good to the body, but few know that it is excellent for the SKIN. You wouldn't mind a good boost in elasticity and firmness to your skin, would you? But more than that, there is a longer list of benefits when you drink tea everyday! Tea with Le Kareshi Aside from the benefits of tea, one of my favorite things is completing the tea prep. Above is my matching tea set. I use this on weekends or when I have people to have tea with. It is a 6-piece pot and cup flowery, spring-love thing and I adore it very much.The porcelain is perfect to k...

Whenever I chance upon reading historical fiction, and the story is centered on a woman's plight, it gives me a sense of honor to read a special kind of bravery and steadfastness in the midst of oppression or chaos. This is because most of the historical fiction I read has a basis in the lives led by women during the most uncertain times, and that somehow, at some point, it is a reflection of the life led by all women of that era. It's not always a picture of gentle days and idyllic time, because even in the years past when women were revered, as there were also women in history who were abused, undermined, traded as a commodity, beaten, and treated in a most unjust and unfair manner just for being who they are. The Story: In this book, All The Flowers In Shanghai by Duncan Jepson , it is a moving display of bravery and will to keep one's head above tumultuous waters by a 17-year-old girl. She was swept off the quiet world she knew and unable to fight against the o...

Daughter to the famous British writer and woman’s activist Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley managed to produce one of the most famous and well-discussed novel, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.”As bearing witness to the great scientific upheaval that help give rise to the Industrial Revolution, Shelley managed to use the influence of science to explore the dangerous nature of the study. When it released in 1818, the book soared and became an instant success. Her husband, the equally gifted poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, famous for his poem “Ozymandias” helped her edit the original manuscript and get it published. While the husband and wife tandem became a source of tragedy outside of literature, they both managed to experience a great deal of success as writers. Written during the Victorian era, this book continues to be released for contemporary audiences, even found online as an eBook, as it continues to shine as it once did in 1818.   Plot Overview Victor Frankens...

I have a silly nighttime routine. Every night after taking a quick bath---Because who goes to bed all gross from the dirty things that stuck to the body throughout the day? Well, you shouldn't!--- I tend to put something on, like a bit of cream to tone down a streak of bumps in the cheeks, lotions to sooth a drying patch of skin, etc, and all these products I use to take care and nourish my skin... And the products below are NOT one of those! Well I used to use them before I realized they did pretty much nothing and sometimes they feel like they are not even helping at all and they don't even feel good! Or smell good! Not even that?! What the gunk. Here are the products I tried before but I hate now. Ugh. Good thing they weren't the most expensive things in the world. Quick FX Eyelift Cream - A little packet I bought at Watsons for about P40.00, and this is why people who know things about products would tell you not depend always on cheap things. This product is testament ...

On queue for this month, I have: The Stranger - Albert Camus (borrowed from the Reader's Circle - Finished!) Gossip - Beth Gutcheson (sent by HarperCollins to me for review - Finished) Lumayo Ka Man Sa Akin - Bob Ong  (bought at a local bookstore) The Crazed - Ha Jin (from a garage sale I got) IQ84 - Haruki Murakami (from Mike's holiday gifts, this is such a big book but I'm not complaining. I read slower now that's what.) Sula - Tom Morrison (got from the Easter BookHunt!) If I can just find some time to squeeze these in, I would! California Girl Chronicles - Gamble-Risley (sent by 3L Publishing) Mr. Muo's Traveling Couch - Dai Sije (last year's garage sale find) April is going to be intensive reading month. I swear. I am going back to my reading groove.

Hello! I've just dropped in this little blog to continue my recent "responsible blogger streak" which I post (--what a miracle!) in a relatively more frequent manner (yes subjectivity disclaimer but let me have my way!) Today I'm going to share to you a product that has been on my drawer for the past couple of months now. Specifically, it's been two months since I used this item and I am getting really good results! I would like to share to you this skincare that I think will become a staple in my night time routine (though it only has some limited use in my current skin care steps.) What I have here is the ESKINOL Ageless Night Cream . What it promises: " Firms skin. Reduces lines and wrinkles. Repairs while you sleep ." Like we haven't heard of that before. But as all things go, let's not overly depend on the product description too much. Because as a user, I can tell you that this is the bomb . :D Eskinol is a local product and therefore bear ...

Some of the highlights of the final string of fun days before April bucks the trend... I finished All The Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson that Thursday, and I could say it was a pretty fast read, since starting it and blogging about it last Monday and worrying if I could juggle my books . Turns out this novel was easy to read, it was like eating mooncakes or something. I opened the novel any chance I got. Reading on my way to work, when I went home, during lull moments and whenever I could get a seat at some place, or at bed in between my writings. I liked this well enough though there are a lot of things that grated on my nerves while reading. I'll expound more when I get to review this book. In other news, I managed some really wonderful time out from work and pressure. Met with some friends and took some time to re-discover other good things in life. Korean Ice Cream , for example! Me with guy friends and Le Kareshi If you're keen on trying out any kind...