True Blood Mania...Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris

My husband is VERY MUCH used to switching channels annoying me too often. But if not for that maybe we won't be able to come across TRUE BLOOD. I'm not quite sure if it was on HBO or CineMAX where we first saw it. It was in the late evening of April 9, 2009, Thursday, and I was doing an office work at home and I was not bothered by him switching channels. I just realized I stopped working and I joined him watch the TV series. We taught it was too late tuning in but then, luckily we were able to watch the first four episodes non-stop. We've got hooked eversince.

I knew something in the story is familiar. Not because of Twilight, but the name Sookie... I know I came across it sometime. And true, I've had a glimpse of that name and the book associated with the TV series on the web.

I tried to grab a copy of the first book but I cannot find one so I started searching for free ebook copy and having found not only one but all the series, I'd like to share them with you.

SOOKIE STACKHOUSE BOOK SERIES (SOUTHERN VAMPIRE MYSTERIES) BY CHARLAINE HARRIS:

Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1) SYNOPSIS: Sookie Stackhouse is a cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana, but she keeps to herself and doesn't date much because of her "disability" to read minds. When she meets Bill, Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's the type of guy she's waited for all of her life, but he has a disability, too--he's a vampire with a bad reputation. When one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next.

http://www.esnips.com/doc/d6da4719-d5fa-47e9-8c4d-fdd6cb9904cb/2001_Dead-Until-Dark

Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse, #2) SYNOPSIS: When a vampire asks Sookie Stackhouse to use her telepathic skills to find another missing vampire, she agrees under one condition: the bloodsuckers must promise to let the humans go unharmed.
Easier said than done.

http://www.esnips.com/doc/a2757f6d-a14a-4ac2-bb7f-7be2bfe1b73d/2002_Living-Dead-In-Dallas

Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, #3) SYNOPSIS: Sookie's boyfriend has been very distant-in another state, distant. Now she's off to Mississippi to mingle with the underworld at Club Dead-a little haunt where the vampire elite go to chill out. But when she finally finds Bill-caught in an act of betrayal-she's not sure whether to save him...or sharpen some stakes.

http://www.esnips.com/doc/db6e71e6-db5a-44b3-a7f7-1c6da05ba982/2003_Club-Dead

Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse, #4) SYNOPSIS: When cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse sees a naked man on the side of the road, turns out he doesn't remember who he is. But it's Eric the vampire, who's now a kindler, gentler vampire. He's also scared because whoever took his memory now wants his life.

http://www.esnips.com/doc/d3445bae-569e-4095-a711-27a50404bc38/2004_Dead-to-the-World

Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, #5) SYNOPSIS: When Sookie's brother Jason's eyes start to change, she knows he's about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population-and Jason's new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who's behind the attacks, unless the killer decides to find her first.
http://www.esnips.com/doc/891a9ec8-f2ce-43c8-bc29-661fb9febe41/2005_Dead-as-Doornail

Definitely Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, #6) SYNOPSIS: Since Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has so few living relatives, she hate to lose one—even her cousin Hadley, undead consort of the vampire Queen of New Orleans, Hadley's left everything she has to Sookie, but claiming that inheritance has a high risk factor. Some people don't want her looking too deeply into Hadley's past, or Hadley's possessions. And they're prepared to do anything in their power to stop her. Whoever it is, they're definitely dangerous—and Sookie's life is definitely on the line...
http://www.esnips.com/doc/fbf84441-0689-4107-8d3b-25a8436cdfcb/2006_Definitely-Dead

All Together Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, #7) SYNOPSIS: after being betrayed by her longtime vampire love, Sookie must not only deal with a new man in her life-the shapeshifter Quinn-but also contend with the long-planned vampire summit.
The summit is a tense situation. The vampire queen of Louisiana is in a precarious position, her power base weakened by hurricane damage to New Orleans. And there are some vamps who would like to finish what nature started. Soon, Sookie must decide what side she'll stand with. And her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe.
http://www.esnips.com/doc/20eadd52-5a83-452c-82ce-99efb5145178/2007_All-Together-Dead

From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse, #8) SYNOPSIS: After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina, and the manmade horror of the explosion at the vampire summit, Sookie Stackhouse is safe but dazed, yearning for things to get back to normal. But her boyfriend Quinn is among the missing. And things are changing, whether the weres and vamps in her corner of Louisiana like it or not. In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death...and once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood ceases flowing, her world will be forever altered...
http://www.esnips.com/doc/e2a3142b-f975-4a60-9b54-b02cd67c680f/2008_From-Dead-to-Worse

Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, #9) SYNOPSIS: Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, know little about vamps—and nothing about weres. Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works—and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it. But there’s a far greater danger threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings—older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves—is preparing for war. And Sookie finds herself an all-too human pawn in their battle.

http://www.esnips.com/doc/6ff1fed4-7d9a-4978-8d86-bf83e90990a2/2009_Dead-and-Gone

Unto my Reading Nook

For this month alone, I have read four (4) books already and soon to be finished with another one. Compared to other book worms out there, I'm still a novice even at my age. Well, considering that my work schedule won't let me read all day long and having weekends as dutiful as my weekdays, for me this is already an achievement (big word...). I read Little Women (Penguin Popular Classics) concurrently with The Little Prince and Twilight (Twilight, #1) starting May 1-13. Then I also read The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. Little Women and The Notebook made me shed some tears as I read them. Since I was touched by these books, I am looking foward to read their sequels: Little Women (Book 2) and The Wedding. Though, I'm quite disappointed with my copy of Little Women (Book 2) because it abridge (my fault, didn't pay much attention when I bought it, got excited, hehe). Anyway, I'll just read it along with my ebook copy. Right now, I'm on the last chapters of New Moon (Twilight, #2). Hope next month would be as fruitful as now and maybe even better...

digi arts kreations

My brother is doing various invitations, tarpaulin, logos, company and school IDs as a side job. Photo editing and design (usually for wedding & 18th birthdays) is his specialty being a graphic designer. Since we have same interests, we decided to come up with a name that we would use in making our creations. Though he is primarily into this thing, I occassionally feed him ideas and concepts that would enhance some of his works. DIGI ARTS kreations is one big example for this. I put up three words to describe his works (and mine). DIGI -- from Digital Scrapping, ARTS – him being a graphic artist, and kreations obviously from the word creations, using “K” intead of “C” to emphasize the twist and turns of every project.

You may visit him at http://digiartskreation.multiply.com.

Love, love, love

Free Glitter Graphics, Romantic Quotes Glitter Graphics

Talkin’ ‘Bout My Guy and our Story

Jerry Saniano Alcantara…

It became easy for me to find comfort in his friendship way back 2001. He is a humorous person with a big heart. Unlike his picture, he was very skinny then (not an attractive sight if I may say so…) .

He filled a new position in our department and by that, we have to see each other everyday, do our jobs together, eat at the same time and place at meal breaks, share jokes and begin constant conversations. At some point in time, I’ve had my heart broken and there he is, at his most memorable first liners with me… “Smile… maybe love is just one seat apart…” .

He is a natural comical person and I was still attached (at least emotionally) with another, I didn’t bother about it not until he asked me to go out with him. We ate in the late afternoons and early evenings after office. Watched movies, accompanied me home, and chat our way while watching the television. Typical as it may sound but our relationship came to where we are now and the rest is history.

I may say I am lucky finding him along the way when I was really down. The love, as he said, one seat a part from me really made me wear a smile. He is not perfect. His flaws pained me, much worst, endangered our relationship to an early end. Despite of this, I never lost my feelings towards him and his efforts and admissions made me realize further how much I appreciate him. He not a wordy and “show-off” guy, but he has his unique way of pleasing me and drawing me near him.

We are still understanding each other’s behavior, taming each other’s temper, sharing hopes and dreams, celebrating triumphs and achievements, and most of all, enduring life’s trials and challenges.

Our relationship grew stronger mainly because of him. He is able to understand me at my worst and cheer me up even after a long heated argument. He is the best I have and even the best he could be in my eyes and in my heart.

From scratch to scrap to digiscrap...

These I used for the powerpoint presentation.

Taken on Hazel and Allan’s wedding, February 19, 2005.

Photos from our company outing in Subic, March19, 2005.

Then, I started to collate my favorite wedding photos using Microsoft powerpoint, saving the file as Jpeg. How primitive (hahaha).

This is one of our wedding souvenirs… red bromeliads for our guests, yellow bromeliads for our principal sponsors and CDs for our secondary sponsors and close friends.

San Isidro Labrador Chapel in Makiling, Calamba City as crowded by our family, friends, acquaintances and office mates.

With BFF Oslee as my maid of honor…

Our wedding memorabilias…

When I Started Out Digital Scrapbooking

I’m trying to remember when I started digital scrapbooking. All comes to mind are the pre-nuptial photos and our wedding album. I prepared a simple powerpoint presentation of our courtship and engagement period to be played during our wedding reception last 2005. All I did was copy, paste, and crop photos that suit my mood and taste at that time. I know I could have made it a little bit more interesting and eye catching but due to limited time, I was not able to browse and consult the net. After the wedding, of course, tons of memories have been captured. It wasn’t done digitally (we can’t afford such services those times). I talked and arranged matters out with our wedding photographer and it turned out that what I really wanted is a digitally enhanced wedding album and not the stereo-type one. Since everything has been done the traditional way, still we ought to find ways to give it a digital touch. It cannot be lined to those digitally crafted ones today but during those times, it was already an achievement and was quite satisfied of it.

But as time progressed, I was hooked on the net. I searched for hobbies and interests that caught my attention… Scrapbooking came to my number one list. Yah, scrapbooking… I saw the designs and layouts and every intricate detail I can to incorporate onto our wedding scrapbook. What else could I make of? A wedding, ours and anybody else’s (if I may assume), is of great importance and impact to anyone’s memory to cherish. And so I gathered all my favorite wedding photos and scrapbook materials to craft them out. Maybe I have had more or less ten pages of it and I stopped. I discovered there’s more to scrapbooking…

DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING. It offers versatility and affordability among others. Actually, no cost is involved in digiscrapping. You just got to have patience doing your own kits or at least browse for free stuff over the net. The ideas and possibilities are endless. Once you’ve started, you’ll get hooked and yearn for more to make your layouts even better. You can do as many designs as you wish without the mess. Personalize each and every page anytime and anywhere, as long as you have your PC or laptop with you. Plus, your creativity soars high as much as it can.

Right now, I do it mostly to please my eyes and express myself. If only I have the leisure to spend, I’d spend it doing my designs, aside from reading, of course. Soon, I will post some of my pages and if time will permit, I’d like to have my own kits as well, which I would gladly share with you. Be sure to come back to view and/or get them!

So as for the photo aficionados there, try and familiarize yourself with those softwares that will help you through digital scrapbooking. As for me, Photoshop does the trick. I’m no pro in using it but basic knowledge gets me through it… There are lots of websites offering tutorials and freebies, you’ll never get lost. Just check out the links on my blog and explore the possibilities. Life’s milestones and treasured moments are worth keeping and digiscrappin’…