Arlene Manocot's Blog, page 6

Sayo Got Denied on Amazon KDP

 

Sayo is on Amazon now! 

Oops! It's a prank. 

Sad news!

But to be honest, yes, I did upload Sayo on Amazon. I tried. Sadly, my latest book was written in my native language, and the online bookstore didn't accept content published in Filipino. 

To be fair, I was aware that my native language was not supported by Kindle. I just took a chance that maybe it would go live and it did, but only for 17 days. 
Here're a brief book description: 
Sayo by Arlene Manocot contains poems in Filipino language, all published on my Facebook page and personal account, and Wattpad last year 2023. Sayo is literally translated in English as 'for you', 'I'm yours', or 'I belong to you'. This poem collection might be for you.

Good news!

You can still download a free e-book copy, just click the link:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EzLNUD2FMMPMfte_v5a1VPF8kUZp5Mxo

Other related post:Cover Reveal: Sayo by Arlene ManocotBook Giveaway: Sayo by Arlene Manocot

Life Rewind: There's No Such Thing

Rewind is a Filipino movie that I heard that was so last year during the Christmas season and I did not pay any attention, not a bit. I must admit I am not much of a fan of the mainstream Philippine movies right now. I would prefer the old movies and the ones that would be considered as classics. 
At the beginning of summer vacation, I was kind of curious and had free time and a little desire to watch a movie. A Netflix app has been sitting on my tablet, so I decided to browse the huge selection of movies and series, and the Rewind movie got my attention. I remember the good reviews and raving reception of Filipinos here in Manor. It got me curious about the impression they had about the movie. 
What's the movie about?
Netflix says, "After his wife passes away during a tumultuous period in their marriage, a man strikes a peculiar bargain that transports him to the past with the opportunity to mend their relationship, albeit at the cost of his own life."

Alright, so I was ready and prepared for whatever the movie would throw at me. If it was dramatic, I was ready not to cry because I was tired of crying last week. I needed to rest my eyes and tear glands, please.
But that did not happen. I was crying, practically bawling my eyes out. I was not prepared, was not born ready for this movie. Oh my. My eyes got swollen throughout the scenes in the movie. 
What did I learn?Life is not about work or the job we have. We have to set our priorities right. Give time to what is more important and something that money cannot buy or material things cannot replace.Forgive. We should not stay angry for too long. Learn to forgive to free ourselves from all the hurt and pain.Say sorry if you must, if you have to. Be humble to accept that there are times that we can be wrong. Do not let our negative emotions ruin good relationships.Communicate our true feelings especially to the ones we love, to the ones most important to us. There is no such thing as rewind in real life. Make the most out of it. Be good, and give grace to others and to yourself. Show our love and care to the people most important to us through any form of love languages we know and can.Surrender to the One who is in control of everything, it is going to be hard, but we have to have faith and entrust all the things we cannot control. He knows what is best and good for us and the people we love.
Do I recommend this movie?
Definitely! It is the kind of movie worthy of your time. Watch it with your family, with your partner, or the ones you love. Plan a movie date with them, right now!

The Day is Ready for You and Me

the day is ready for you is a collection of poems written by Alison Malee and published in 2018 by Andrews McMeel Publishing. The book is a short read you would not want to miss and the cover is aesthetically pleasing. 
The book cover had me. I fell in love with the look of vintage flowers on the cover. So, yeah, I am weak with flowers. With a little idea of what the book could be about, I took the risk and pulled it out of the shelf and tried to buy it along with the other books for myself, but no, someone grabbed the rest of the books from me when we were at the cashier and made the payment for my books, yes, my books. That was a first. 
I liked a few pieces from the collection and they appealed to me the most. The collection conveyed a message of getting back on one's feet, that was how I received the meaning of the book. 
The book is meant to encourage women or people in general not to be discouraged if a day is a bad day or they feel like they are experiencing the worst day of their lives. There is always a new day and always ready for you and me to take on and live to the fullest. A bad day is not the end. There is always another day to face on and make the most out of it. 
I had many bad days and they all passed. I mourn, lament, feel sad, process, accept, move on, learn, and try to do better from that bad day, and look forward to the good things my God will make out of it.  I trust Him forever because my LORD God is my everlasting rock. The storm in life may shake us, but it will never defeat us once we are rooted on the everlasting rock. 
I know that bad days are there to come, because that is what they do, they come and go, but the good news they never stay and my God always stays. He is there all the time, with you and me. He desires to be with us in good and bad times of our lives. 

‭Isaiah 26:4 ESV‬[4] Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

So, yeah, this day is ready for you. Live it! Make it worthwhile! Be rooted on the One, Jesus, who can put meaning in your life!

Attitude of Gratitude with Tuesdays with Morrie

Tuesdays With Morrie is a book that I got to know through a friend. I saw one of his online posts, and didn’t waste my time having a second look. It was just one of the many passing updates on my news feed from my online friends which I rarely put too much attention to. 

It started with curiosity and a book that was on sale at Goodwill. It was cheap and I could afford it hehe 

The book left me with the impression that nothing is forever. Nothing lasts for eternity. Well, except for the One who is Eternity. 

People come and go. They stay for a season and a reason. Some choose to stay, some choose to leave, and some just have no choice but to submit to the natural way of life, which one of them is death. 

Humans die. Human death is a dead end, everyone must face it. To leave the physical world is something that no one could ever run away from. 

But the memories we create with our loved ones, with the people who stay for a season and a reason worth all the struggle and pain we face in life. The experience of being alive and living and loving the moment is a gift from the One who lasts for eternity. 

The present is a gift I am in the process of consistently trying to be grateful for. I can be an overthinker sometimes and that ruins the gift of the present. I am always praying to have a grateful heart, a heart that is overflowing with gratitude. In good times and bad times, I desire to be grateful to the LORD. 

The attitude of gratitude is a good way of living a good life, of no regrets, of contentment, and of joy.  

I hope and pray we also find peace as we journey to a life that is filled with gratitude to the One who stays and lasts forever. 

‭1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV‬

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Book Giveaway: Sayo by Arlene Manocot

Birth Month is free book month! 🥳

Download an e-book copy of my latest book hehe 

What is Sayo about?

Sayo by Arlene Manocot contains poems in Filipino language, all published on my Facebook page and personal account, and Wattpad last year 2023. Sayo is literally traslated in English as 'for you', 'I'm yours', or 'I belong to you'. This poem collection might be for you.

Cover reveal blog post:

https://www.arlenemanocot.com/2024/04... 

Kung ‘di man ikaw ang para sa kanya, sa’yo na lang ‘to. Charr, charmander, Pokémon! Gotta catch ‘em all! Charr again! 😅😂🤣

Free e-book copy download link is here: 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folder...

Yay! 😉

Cover Reveal: Sayo by Arlene Manocot

April is my birth month and I just feel like sharing a part of me through the pieces that I have written. My works are not that impressive and I don't intend to impress anyone hehe I put out my works for everyone to see in hope that it could help one or two souls who may have the same struggles as me and to remind them that they're not alone, and that what they're going through is something that will pass too and can be overcome. 
And tada! 🎉 
Cover reveal day of a new poetry collection on birthday month! 


Sayo by Arlene Manocot contains poems in Filipino language, all published on my Facebook page and personal account, and Wattpad last year 2023. Sayo is literally traslated in English as 'for you', so this collection is for you.
Another year older. Another year arte. Another year wiser? Hopefully, yes! TYL! 🌸🩷
I will post a link soon, so you can download a free digital copy! Yay!

Constant Constantine

Constantine was a movie I always had been curious to watch. It's about angels, demons, and humans. John Constantine was born with a gift or a curse of seeing beyond the physical world. He has accessed the world of the spirits.
I have always been curious about this movie. I had watched some clips online and at one point encountered it on a free National TV back home, but I never had finished the whole film, not until I saw one of Keannu Reeves, The Devil's Advocate. 
Curiosity got me watching this movie, well aside from Keanu Reeves as the main act here, I do enjoy stories about angels and demons, they tickle my fickle human mind.
If your faith is not founded in a solid rock, then this movie might question your belief. Be ready to defend your faith from self-doubting. 
Constant doubt might just be hovering around you, and waiting for the right moment to attack the vulnerability in your faith. Make sure you stand your ground and be firmed to fight against or flee from the work of the enemy. Be steadfast. 

God Will Make A Way Better Than Ours

God Will Make A Way is a book written by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. As far as I remember, this had been my current for almost two years. Yes, you read it right, I read this book for almost or more than two years. Hehe. 
I so wanted to finish, but it didn't happen as soon as I wanted to. There just had been times that I could only read a page or five or pages. I never finished a chapter in one sitting. 
But I found beauty in the long process of finishing this book. Most of the time some of the messages of the pages I read fit perfectly or somewhat relevant to the season I was going through or to the situation I was dealing with. 

I am in awe and amazed by the coincidence. I'm trying not to over spiritualize my journey of reading this book. Maybe, it is not even a coincidence. It is a form of redirection. God knows what I am going through or the situation I am in. He knows exactly what I need at the right moment, at the right time. 
It's a long journey reaching the last page of this book, but every turn of the page was worth it. 
If you're lost or a little bit clueless of what to do, this book might be the book you need to read right now. This one might come in handy. 
God will make a way better than our way. Because He can.Because He will.Because He loves you. Because He is God. 

The Dandelion on a Bumpy Ride

This book was my companion during my stay at an airport in FL. I stayed the night at the airport since my flight back to TX was scheduled the next day. I tried to sleep, so hard, but it wasn't even a  sleep. Nap in between waking up was a better term for it. 

I had a long chair all by myself so I could stretch out my legs and sleep in comfort even just a little, thank God, but the bright lights and the tall Christmas tree screamed at me as if telling me I should be wide and awake. I kept an eye on my things just in case, because no one else would. 
The book, Dandelion by Gabbie Hanna, reminded me of the books I also wrote. Yes, you heard that right, I write books, I tried to write. God knows I tried. 
Her writings brought me back to the times when I was so scared to tell the dark little secrets I kept in me out of shame, out of guilt. I bottled up all my feelings, the good and the bad, until I ended being depressed. 
I needed a savior, a healer, someone who would accept me for who I was, someone who would lift me up from the dirty pit. 
Someone. I needed someone.
But nobody came the way I expected it. I waited and waited. God knows I waited. I started to question Him. I thought He didn't listen. He ignored my prayers, my mourning, my lamentation.
I cried for help, for someone who could save me from all the misery, pain, and shame I willingly took under my care. I nourished them with all the negative and bitter thoughts I once had and gave birth to a perfectly healthy depression. 
Then, someone returned to my life. I was lost but found. Again, always. He pulled me out of that dirty-muddy dark pit. He saved. Jesus saved me. The answer I didn't want to accept but what I badly needed. He is the answer to everything! Jesus is the answer to every problem!
You might also be a dandelion on a bumpy ride in your life right now, well I hope you also find Him, because He will definitely find you in a way you never imagine. 
The book Dandelion by Gabbie Hanna was a good read. I bought this copy from Goodwill for a good price. It kept me company for two days. A short read I badly needed. Haha.

A New Year in New Places

FL was great! I was blessed even when my friend's aunt and uncle drove us all the way to South Carolina. We were beyond grateful to them for spending Christmas with us. They have been in the US for decades.
Spending holidays away from home truly makes someone emotional. I thought it just happened in the movies or tv shows, but it was real. So real, I missed home. 
Walterboro Downtown


My friend's housemate toured us around the Walterboro Downtown. It felt so vintage and classy. It felt like a mini theme park, but it is actually an old business center. Some stores were thriving and some weren't anymore. 
Anywhere and everywhere you look appears to be aesthetic and historic. 
Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary



A tour in a wildlife park ended our first day in Walterboro, South Carolina. It impressed a creepy atmosphere at first since we went there in the afternoon already. I thought the place was scary and a wild animal might suddenly appear on the path walk or a serial killer hid in the forest. I had those extreme thoughts but as we entered the sanctuary seemed more relevant and inviting. It was a literal and figurative sanctuary. The park with all its forestry demonstrated security and peace for the animals and human beings. It is a fortress.

Charleston Downtown



The downtown in Charleston was something I didn't expect and something that shouldn't surprise me. It felt like I entered a time machine. The place screams royalty, class, kings, queens, princes, and princesses. The structures are all well preserved. The place turned into a shopping district of high end brands I couldn't afford. (Haha)
Charleston Downtown felt surreal and magical. 
Angel Oak Tree



Angel Oak Tree is a historical landmark in Charleston, South Carolina. It is a 400 year old oak tree. I thought it was just an ordinary tree on our way to its location. I was in awe when I encountered the humongous tree face to face. It wouldn't be called a historical landmark for no reason, a tourist destination you shouldn't miss. 
Waffle House 


The Classic waffle of Waffle House is one of the tastiest foods I have tried in SC. It was simple yet tasteful, just the way I wanted it. The place imbibed the concept of old American restaurants like the ones I saw in the movies. My friend's housemate boasted of its goodness and savory taste. Waffle House is a food chain all over the US. Their steak sandwich didn't disappoint me, the meat is juicy and tender. Chocolate milk brought me to nostalgia as I remembered my favorite chocolate milk drink back home. 
SC is a green place especially in Walterboro. There are tall trees all over the place. It is a peaceful little town to fall in love with once you visit the place. It is a peaceful place and may the true peace be always with us!