Sunday, March 30, 2014

I feel with The Fray

I am all about listening to meaningful songs. Come on, most of the lyrics of the songs now compose of Yeahs, Ohs, and Ahs. If there are real words in it, they don't mean anything at all. What does the fox say? Ning Ning Ning... Huh? Anyway, I am not bashing this song or any song of that theme, I am just saying that only few artists now compose songs depicting real emotions and real feelings of the heart.  I'm being "emo" at the start of the week, but it's all because of that five year old ipod of mine that had randomly selected The Fray 's How to Save A life as my song of the day. So here I am, sharing a rock group with songs that will make you feel more. Because I do, and will always do.

The Fray is an American rock band from Denver, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King, they achieved success with the release of their debut album, How to Save a Life in 2005, which was certified double platinum by the RIAA and platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. The Fray achieved national success with their first single, "Over My Head (Cable Car)", which became a top ten hit in the United States. The release of their second single, "How to Save a Life", brought the band worldwide fame. The song charted in the top three of the Billboard Hot 100 and was a top 5 single in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom

Here are some of my personal favorites from this band (well, mostly are those that hit the chart) 



How To Save A Life



You Found Me
(I can still remember Brooke Davis and Julian on their scene in One Tree Hill)

Over My Head


She Is
(No Official Video but the song is so good)


Friday, March 28, 2014

What my 19 year old self have reminded me today

Before the end of this month, let me share with you something that my younger version of myself have reminded me today. And how is it? It’s through the time capsule that I have kept for 5 years and the letters inside it. 



The time capsule is part of the activity we have done during our retreat. Inside, we have placed 2 letters; a prayer to the Lord and a list of goals that we want to achieve in five years’ time. Before opening it, I was like telling people that I may not achieved a lot of what I have written.  Hello! Back then,  my classmates and I were too optimistic about the future. We were big dreamers then, and didn’t really have the full experience of the real world. Being pampered by our family and by the University, of course, we never had that practical experience of dealing with larger than a java program project that we needed to finish on time.  But as soon as we stepped into the real world, everything has changed and with that change comes being practical on what we want in life, and does, making it hard to achieve all of the things I have written. In my case, I have achieved a few of them which made me smile.



 I have written there that I would be working overseas and that I would be having some insurance. Well, here I am in Singapura working my a** off in a field I know that I can do good, if not best. And cheers to having Prudential in my monthly expense – a few hundred dollars for peace of mind, definitely worth it! Then there are the things I could not measure (probably not SMART goals) work-life balance (which I can say I am in the pursuit of achieving it every single day), a partner in life (something that I trust God to give me in a perfect time) and giving my parents a better life (which I hope I did in some way).  So, in some way, I feel that I have matched what my optimistic self had decided to achieve. However, the other letter made me shed a few tears. The content of it made me remember my mother and what I have always wanted to give to her and my father. I have also mentioned there that I do not have dreams for myself, just asking God to allow me to do what I planned to give to my parents – with the unforeseen situations, I didn't achieve that on time; I just hoped that I have given Mom something that made her feel better, even in those little and precious moments I had with her. I aim to give it to Dad though. 

 As a PS, I wrote about finding my own dream.  That’s the best reminder I need in this moment of not knowing where to go from here. I need to find that certain dream for myself and not for others. I need that certain goal for myself that will drive me to achieve it. I need that kind of inspiration to fuel my life in the next coming years. Probably a new set of goals will help me too. Who’s with me in making another time capsule? It’s never late to start dreaming and living your life. I just realized it a few months ago and I aim to achieve it. 


Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Throwback: Retreat with IM

I believe it was a day after our Preliminary exams on our first semester in Senior Year that we had our retreat. A chance for the class of IM batch 2009 to be together in a place where I personally had the chance to reflect and have a date with the Lord in one of the most solemn places I have ever been. Well, if given the opportunity (more of the leaves ), I would like to go back to Caleruega and have that needed retreat to get things into perspective again. 

For that weekend, I believe I have cried a bucket of tears from all the sharing of everyone I was with for 4 years in the University. Personally, I was overwhelmed by the fact that each of us had things to resolve, situations to overcome, and challenges to deal with and these were all hidden by how happy go lucky we were then (and we were too young then, probably 19 year-olds). It was in that event  that I could say I have solidified friendships worth keeping until forever. I have my "Bok", my Bes, the three bears,  the Mean Girls, the Happy Three Friends, the fitness buddies to name a few of them who until now I consider my close friends. 


Also, like what I have said, I had a date with the Lord. True enough, I have cried too for Him. Those 3 days were like being in the mental hospital because one time we were laughing hard and then all of a sudden, you’d see tears in our eyes. The palanca letters, I know they are still somewhere in Magnolia. Someday, I will read them again and smile to whatever it is you have written. Yes!! Overall,  the experience was something I would treasure forever. If I get the chance to write something for tomorrow’s entry, that would be the result of the time capsule we have planned 5 years ago. 


Caleruaga, Nasugbu Batangas, PH
Someday, I will go back to this place

Information Management class of 2009 in our vulnerable moment
I MISS YOU ALL !!



Facebook Page (Caleruega): https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caleruega-Philippines/297176393659680

Another Throwback: http://anapink18.blogspot.sg/2014/03/throwback-take-me-back-to-macau.html

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

When in Singapore: Party? Clarke Quay!

Well, I am not as party girl as how other people think I am. I just go once in a while if I have some friends to accompany me shimmy and dance the night away. And what better place to experience this awesome partying than of course the very famous Clarke Quay. Clarke Quay is the place to be for chilling out and dancing. You'll see your fellow tourists lurking around the area but, we, residents too are fond of hanging out there once in a while - when we are tired of our flats and being homebody.

"Clarke Quay is buzzing with life and activity. The waterfront godowns now play host to a colourful kaleidoscope of restaurants, wine bars, entertainment spots and retail shops. The bustling market atmosphere of bygone days comes alive amidst the rows of charming shophouses, pushcarts, and five-foot-way merchants.
Today, Clarke Quay is a delightful mix of modern and traditional. A reminder of its rich heritage is reflected in the vibrantly orchestrated concept. Their vision - an innovative approach which boldly reflects the heritage and charm of Clarke Quay."

Come to Clarke Quay and never miss a night of fun with fellow owls.



Website: http://www.clarkequay.com.sg/malls/website/index.aspx
Related Post: http://anapink18.blogspot.sg/2014/03/when-in-singapore-orchard-road.html


When in Singapore is a series of entries featuring the beautiful Singapore - it’s people, it’s culture, it’s food and it’s places). Join me in my journey to get to know this country deeper.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Let's be Young

It's Monday again and everyone should start this day with a GRIN (flashing those pearly white teeth to everyone you encounter). I know, it's easier said than done. Monday, like what I told before, it's the shortest horror story. But, well, let's be positive and try smiling. Maybe someone will be charmed by your smile that will make his Monday, his fairy tale. Well honestly right now, I need a person who will SMILE that Big Smile to me. I need to maintain my cool, and I need someone to help me on that.

Well, this early morning, I was singing So Young by the Corrs - very classic song but still good to listen once in a while. And that made me do this entry. Let's be young and be merry. Let's be carefree. Let's sing our hearts out. Let's savour this dandy day. Here are the songs that will really make our Monday a Young and Fun one. 


So Young
The Corrs 



Great Escape
Boys Like Girls





We Are Young
FUN


Thursday, March 20, 2014

Repost: 9 Ways to Be Happy Within Yourself

I told myself that my goal for this year is to live life. A dear friend told me that it’s vague. Well, I agree with him that it’s unclear – everyday, I wake up and live another day of my life. In my defense, my goal is to live my life for myself. Doing something that would make me happy, contented and satisfied. And I did exactly that – for the past months, I started living my life as if I was just born yesterday. I was occupied and happy and have never regretted a thing or two. However, along the way, I forgot (and I am thanking my close friends for reminding me about this) to continue loving myself. And loving my self is kind of a hard task.How can you say that you love yourself? When I was asked about it, I can’t even answer straight away because I don’t even know how to prove it or even believe in it.

So instead of living life as a goal for this year, I will shift to the first thing that I need to do: Being happy within myself.

Someday, I will find my inner bliss and peace. It will be baby steps in a long journey, but hey, they’re still progress.

I would like to share with you this article. Can you really say that you are happy with yourself?  

---
Happiness is something we must do on purpose. In the midst of struggles or difficulties, we must choose to be happy. Happiness does not come from the acquisition of money or things; happiness begins from within each of us. Being happy within ourselves simply means showing mercy to ourselves, forgiving ourselves, befriending ourselves, accepting ourselves, and loving ourselves. It’s a lifelong journey that requires regular self-examination and an ongoing process of making peace with ourselves. It means discovering what makes us unhappy and choosing to live in peace. It means treating ourselves with compassion and kindness. It makes us to begin to enjoy life more and more and celebrate it as adventure in peace. It helps us to live life to the fullest, and help make the world a better place for us and others.
However, being happy within ourselves may be one of the most difficult challenges we will ever face. For some, this challenge may prove too difficult to handle, and as a result, they allow it to rule them. Many prefer to endure the challenges, while others love to overcome them but do not how to get out of them.
If you belong to any of these categories, the following tips could help you experience happiness within yourself.

1. Forgive yourself
Forgive yourself for thinking negatively. Forgive yourself for talking, without thinking twice. Forgive yourself for being rude to your superior, your friend, your parents, or your siblings. Don’t think negative thoughts about yourself for taking wrong steps or making wrong decisions. This kind of thinking puts your focus on the problem and not the solution. It’s better to say good things about yourself than to say negative things. Always saying positive things about yourself is a sign that you have forgiven yourself.

2. Forgive others
If we want to make peace with others, we first need to be at peace with ourselves. Learn to forgive and forget and let go of things quickly. It is not good to resent and hold grudges. People who hold grudges and resent their past incidents often suffer from cardiac and psychological problems. The easiest way to forgive others is to assume that they didn’t offend us in the first place. If you weren’t offended, you wouldn’t have the course to be offended or to forgive others.

3. Stop thinking and talking about your problems
Instead, focus on the good in every situation you face and every person you are in a relationship with – including yourself.

4. Focus on being a blessing to others
Get your mind off yourself and focus on blessing others instead. When you bless others, the blessings will come back to you; it’s a wonderful phenomenon many don’t understand. After all, life is not all about receiving; it’s more of giving.

5. Be busy
The busier you are, the less time you have to think, especially, about something or someone who left you with negative feelings. Being busy is the best way to keep negative thoughts from provoking you repeatedly.

6. Recount the things you have achieved
Take some personal time to be with myself and recount the things you have achieved and the things you have. Counting one’s blessings and achievements makes one feel fulfilled and happy. We often hate ourselves when we feel we have not achieved anything. The best way to count your blessings is to write down whatever you have achieved. No matter what happens in our lives, we have life, air to breathe, food to eat, some friends, family and associates, a measure of wealth and a measure of health.

7. Develop a pastime
Spend your free time on reading, listening to music, watching movies or other activities. This enables you to put your mind off the problems you are facing and the thoughts you have about yourself.

8. Be content with WHO you are
Don’t focus on things about yourself that you have no control over. Don’t strive to be like someone else. Don’t care about what other people think or say about you, when you’re not even sure whether they are right or wrong. When you do this, you relieve yourself of a lot of stress and anxiety. Be content with yourself, while you hope for a better you.

9. Never lose hope
There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. Hope is something you can never afford to lose. With hope you always have a path towards happiness. Hope reminds you that everything will be ok. With hope, you know that whatever looks terrible is only temporary and that soon enough, things will be just fine.

Randy Stiver once noted that ‘happiness must be pursued by personally choosing the right thoughts, right words and right actions at the right time.’ In short, our happiness depends on us.

---
  

Throwback: Take me back to Macau

I fell in love with place the first time I set foot on their pier. I don’t know, it’s probably because for one it was freakin’ 7 degrees and the excitement that I couldn’t contain in experiencing the Las Vegas of Asia (though I don’t gamble).  Macau didn’t disappoint my high expectations. It was amazing  - a place of nothing but great hotels that offer  visitors not only a place of playing your luck, instinct and gut but they offer as well good entertainment such as light shows, dances and fountain shows. Even if I don’t gamble, it was a hell lot of good experience to me. And all these shows are for free – even better isn’t it?


Do the wacky post , the Venetian Style






Anyway, Macau is like stepping into a big themed park having the Las Vegas strip on one end and Portuguese streets on the other. Being it the last European Colony in Asia (a Portugal Colony til year 1999), you would really expect to see a glimpse of what Europe will be like. Heck, I even planned my outfit to be more European-like (in spring), instead of the usual Japanese/Korean look in spring. Did I pass with the look (probably lookbook worthy?)






I would like to visit Macau again. I have been only to several hotels, especially the Venetian Hotel;, Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul's. I would like to see the other part of Macau, the amazing Chinese part of the place and probably will be brave enough to try bungee and lose myself in the air (hoping that losing myself is not literally being unconscious because I was sh*t scared). Any takers to be with me in visiting the place?  Please take me back to Macau. 


Ruins of St. Paul's Group Pic




Senado Square


Other Throwback:http://anapink18.blogspot.sg/2014/03/throwback-chumbayan.html 

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

When in Singapore: Orchard Road



Spending time in malls is actually considered a fun activity for Filipinos. We love malls, and their air-conditioning units – it saves us electricity cost and  we are having tons of fun out of window-shopping, shopping for real, timezone and karaoke sessions, and indulging into good restaurant food, or if in tight budget,   mouth-watering, high in sodium and preservative, but insanely satisfying fast food  goodies. Anyway, so you know that I was stoked when I first visited Orchard Road. HAHAHAHA! Imagine a stretch of not stores (like Rodeo Drive) but a stretch of malls of more than 3 floors of shops and restaurants. From high-end shops like Louis Vuitton and Prada to highly budget friendly stores like H&M and Forever 21, if you like to shop, just think of a store and for sure you’ll see it in one of the 22 malls of Orchard Road. Yes, 22 freakin’ malls and 6 Departmental stores with over 5,000 brands, surely you’ll get what you need. 



Here is the list of the Malls that you can choose to hang and shop around in:

313@somerset
Cathay Cineleisure Orchard
Delfi Orchard
DFS Galleria Scottswalk
Far East Plaza
Forum The Shopping Mall
Hilton Shopping Gallery
ION Orchard
Knightsbridge
Liat Towers
Lucky Plaza
Mandarin Gallery
Ngee Ann City
Orchard Central
Palais Renaissance
Paragon
Plaza Singapura
Scotts Square
Shaw House
Tanglin Mall
Tanglin Shopping Centre
The Centrepoint
The Heeren
TripleOne Somerset
Wheelock Place
Wisma Atria

More Information about Orchard : http://www.orchardroad.org/


 When in Singapore is a series of entries featuring the beautiful Singapore - it’s people, it’s culture, it’s food and it’s places). Join me in my journey to get to know this country deeper.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Boyce Avenue

Youtube is no longer just a site of cutesy videos, spoofs, trailers, uploaded movies, and gags. This site has become a way to stardom and recognition. And one band benefited the most from Youtube and that is  Boyce Avenue. This is a band that does covers of famous songs and turn them into an acoustic art you've never imagined to be so good. A strip down version of fast songs like We Found Love by Rihanna and Wake Me Up by Avicii are some of the awesome ideas of Boyce Avenue.Alejandro has a good voice too. Well, I am such a fan ever since I heard them or rather watched them first on Youtube.




Last year, I had a chance to watch them live here in Singapura. Not only did I confirm that they are great on doing live performance (meaning no auto-tunes and all voice enhancers), I had the chance to sing along to some of their current covers and original songs. Overall, the concert's great and the experience was worth every penny I spent. 

Here are some of the clips I took from the concert. These are only clips, not the whole song. I kind of enjoyed raising my arms, bumping to the tune and sing along to the songs. Not my fault you didn't experience it first hand.

Fix You


Fast Car

We Found Love


Friday, March 14, 2014

Repost: Invest in Life Experiences

I do not want to be defined by the bag I own and the smart phone I am currently using. I want to be defined by the achievements I made in my career ; the adventures I braved myself to take, the trips I took in this lifetime, my relationship with other people and all the experiences this journey called life will throw my way.
Here's a good article that will inspire you to ditch materialism and enjoy Life. 
---
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover." - Mark Twain
It's everywhere in the media
The Lamborghinis on Wall Street, the Louis Vuitton bags that celebrities wear, the mansions that "successful" people live in. The list goes on. 
We've fooled ourselves into believing that the sole recognition  --  no, definition  --  of success & happiness comes from the type of cars we own or the number of zeros in our bank account. We've put the notion of material success on a pedestal and convinced those around us to adopt the same beliefs.
In a society that idolizes the pursuit of happiness, carrying out a life where one's destination is to find joy through material goods is not only ineffective, but it's a never-ending journey. 
The key to happiness is not spending our time & money acquiring goods.
The key to happiness is spending our time & money experiencing life.
MasterCard had it right. 
It's the priceless experiences in life that makes us happy at the end of day.

Experience defines us
Back in December, I went on a ten-day silent meditation trip in Hawaii. 
It was the most intense, yet enlightening experiences that I've been through, and I've never felt a stronger reciprocation between my mind & body. More importantly, it led to a life-changing decision to leave the company I helped found in the past year, in order to fulfill my dreams of moving to New York City. 
Every experience brings with it a mistake or triumph, and often a realization about who we are as individuals. Experience helps us clarify how we think, who we want to surround ourselves with and ultimately an understanding of what makes us happy in life. 
"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."  - Abraham Lincoln
We live in a society where tangible things appear more valuable because we can feel, hold and touch the materials we purchase. Above all, it's because tangible things are tied with currency that places a price of its value in the marketplace.
There's no way to physically feel the experience of diving off a cliff on a Sunday afternoon with our closest friends. Nor can we "sell" the experience of our first fight with our partners. It's the same reason why we can't put a price value on a human being. 
"If we could sell our experiences for what they cost us, we'd all be millionaires." -Abigail Van Buren
We are the accumulation of everything we've ever seen, heard, smelled, tasted and felt. It's experience that teaches us not to take that 9-5 cubicle job again, and it's experience that will lead to that next big breakthrough idea for our businesses. 
In other words, experiences come with life lessons
Materials come with nothing but a bill.
Experience stays with us
When we think back to our fondest memories, what are they?
For me, it's not the gifts I received for Christmas or my birthday. It's the context surrounding the gifts  --  the people at my birthday party, the smell of the hot chocolate on Christmas morning. It's the first time I learned how to ride a bike with my brother, and the time I went on my first (awful) date. This is what puts a smile to my face to this day. 
Here's the main caveat to investing in materials  -- they have expiration dates
The moment you purchase a material, not only does its monetary value drop in the marketplace, our perception of its value quickly fades over time
Experience can be relived. Experience has emotional longevity. It can be improved in our minds as we continue to grow and progress in life. It stays with us and they are lessons we can use everyday for as long as we live.
A Cornell survey found that 83 percent of participants reported mentally revisiting their experiential purchases more often than their material purchases. 
This means that experiences bring us happiness not just when we're having the experience, but also when we simply think about them.
Here are three tips to start living a life of experiences. 
Living a life of experiences
1. Change your budget priorities.
If we want to start living a life of experiences, we need to prioritize our financial budgets to accommodate the adventures we'll undertake. 
It's as simple as saving up for a flat-screen TV vs. a trip to South America.
Figure out what you actually need in your life, and what will truly serve you in the long-term. The truth is, we need very few materials to enjoy and live our lives. 
Learn to be prudent when purchasing materials, because salvaging those few extra nickels could lead to the experience that could change your life. 
2. Say "yes" more.
Growing up, we were taught to make decisions with calculated risk assessments by carefully thinking things through. If we want to start fulfilling more experiences in life --  we need to unlearn these principles.
The best adventures arise from moments when we least expect them. 
Filling our mind with "what ifs" is only going to keep us on our couches watching other people live their lives. Before we know it, our "what if" will turn into "should have." 
Start saying "yes."
Learn to be present in the moment. When the next opportunity for experience appears, ask yourself this simple question.
Will I regret not taking this opportunity?  Tomorrow, next week, or even next year? 
If the answer is yes  --  or even maybe -- your immediate response should also be yes.
The future will always be uncertain. That's never going to change. But you can control how you shape it by thinking less and taking action. 
3. Start with the small (and cheap) adventures.
Are you the type of person that watches the same movies over and over again, takes the same walking route to the office, and eats at the same restaurants? 
You need to break out of your regular routine.
Opening our mind up to new experiences needs to start with the small decisions and interactions we have in our daily lives. Instead of going to that same Italian restaurant near your office because you know it's a safe decision, go somewhere new. 
The most fulfilling experiences don't have to cost a lot of money. Often times, it's right next door. We just need to know where to knock. 
We've heard the negative stigma that comes with using daily deal sites as a small business owner. But as a consumer who is seeking cheap, exciting and novel experiences -- this is where you want to live. 
I've personally experimented everything from salsa dance lessons ($15 -- 10 lessons), to three-course Medieval Times dinners ($39), to flight lessons ($88) through daily deal sites. It's the cheapest way to experience the most incredible adventures with friends or even yourself. 
Start taking the small risks in life. You'll be surprised how far it takes you.
If there's anything to take away from this article  --  take away this. 
We are all going to die one day, whether you choose to accept it or not. At the end of our lives, we're going to ask the same questions.  
Did I live? 
Do I have regrets? 
Did I experience everything I wanted to in life?
Ask yourself if you want your existence to be defined by the type of car you owned or the adventures and freedom you led in life. 
Invest in something that will bring you lessons rather than a bill. Become minimal in assets and rich in experience. 
Because experience will win  --  every single time
---

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Throwback: Chumbayan

One thing I still miss 'til today is  one order (or two) of Chumbayan Siomai (Siew Mai / Dimsum). I still remember specifically walking from  Roque RuaƱo Building all the way to Dapitan to have my daily dose of this famous street food near UST. Back then, that was our choice of snack, or sometimes, lunch. That inexpensive yet totally delicious dimsum for just 20 pesos (one order of 4 pieces) was one of the best dishes of my University life. Haha, I am a foodie even before but with limited budget of course. Woah! until now I can still remember the taste of this mouth-watering siomai, and even until today, thinking about it makes me salivate. I better fix this hunger very soon before I go wild. HAHAHA

Oh well, the last time I had a taste of this was last 2010 when my classmates and I went for the annual Paskuhan. We were already working and earning money, we could've went to Yellowcab for dinner but still, we chose this. Nothing beats that favourite food of yours.




With Manong serving our orders


The siomai and the over-flowing condiment of soy sauce, chilli, and garlic.
Filipinos love condiments to enhance the taste of any dish. 



 Related Post: http://anapink18.blogspot.sg/2014/03/throwback-graduation-time.html

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

When in Singapore: Merlion Park



At the heart of the city lies the very mythical national personification of Singapura - a creature with a head of a Lion and a body of a Fish, the MERLION.  Its name combines "mer" meaning the sea and "lion". The fish body represents Singapore's origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which means "sea town" in Javanese. The lion head represents Singapore's original name — Singapura — meaning "lion city" or "kota singa". As this is the official mascot and symbol of Singapore, you can see it everywhere but of course, one must visit the original structure infront of the Fullerton Hotel in a park by his namesake, The Merlion Park. 

I always say that you've never been to Singapore without having your picture/ selfie taken with this Merlion spitting water to the river. I've been to this park several times and whenever I have friends from Manila who are visiting Singapura for the first time, I am encouraging them to include in their itinerary this park. Well, I'm not having a hard time convincing them because they probably will include Marina Bay Sands in their itinerary. So when you are in Singapore, don't ever forget to visit this park and have your silly pose taken with this mythical creature.

Related Post: http://anapink18.blogspot.sg/2014/01/when-in-singapore-universal-studios.html


When in Singapore is a series of entries featuring the beautiful Singapore - it’s people, it’s culture, it’s food and it’s places). Join me in my journey to get to know this country deeper.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Review: This Girl


I am not quite sure if Colleen Hoover will decide to have another book for this series so I am not going to tell that this is the last instalment of the Slammed Story (I'm still hoping that this is not the end of the beautiful story of Lake and Will). When I heard about this being Will's POV (Point of View) of Slammed, I was like, okay, this is the same storyline, same words but with Will's side comments and thoughts. However, this book is the smartest POV ever written. It was written in such a way that it is still in the present (after their Wedding ,which is so adorable) but they look back to what it was at the moment they saw each other until the time they started to stop fighting their feelings to one another. Very clever I must say. And even until this book, those poems still touch my heart in so different and wonderful ways. Colleen Hoover is indeed one of my favorite authors.

"Sometimes two people need to fall apart to realize how much they need to fall back together."


“Layken Cooper, I love you. I’ve loved you since the second I laid eyes on you and I haven’t stopped loving you for a second since.” 

“I held this girl in my arms
She wrapped her tiny fingers around mine.
It was then that I realized.
She was the fusion.
The glue.
The cement that bound all my pieces together.
The piece that seals my puzzle.
The piece that completes my life.
The element that makes me who I am.
Who I was.
Who I'll one day be.
You, baby girl.
You're my final piece.” 

“But every smile on your face

seems to replace
A memory I'd rather not hold
Each time you laugh, it fills a
void
Each kiss heals another wound 
in my soul” 

“I want to be your soulmate, even if I don't believe in them.”