food...

Have you tried the McRice Burgers of McDonald's? They're yummy, made of real pressed rice buns and with either beef or chicken inside. The only setback is that they are quite costly and not that filling. It is a welcome change from the usual burger if only for a while.



Holy Kettle Corn is distinguished from the flavored moviehouse popcorn simply by its lightly coated, sweet-and-salty corn. It is said to be freshly popped daily, have no butter, no preservatives, no artificial flavors and high in fiber. It comes in 2 sizes worth P60 and P25. It tastes just right, not too sweet nor salty. I dont find it addicting like some people do but I recommend tasting/trying it.


I have had a very busy September so far, taking in brain food...

Kathy Reichs has a PhD in Forensic Anthropology and worked in North Carolina and Quebec. This was her first novel and features Dr. Temperance Brennan (a forensic anthropologist as well) as the heroine. The story revolves around the discovery of several decayed body parts (at different sites) that Brennan studies, leading her to deduce that a serial killer is on the loose. It tells how Brennan and the police handle the case, with a spatter of prose imagery and factual scientific discourse. The start is a bit dragging, but when you reach the middle of the book it is hard to put down. So far Reichs has written 9 books with Brennan as the protagonist, with Deja Dead winning the 1997 Ellis Award for Best First Novel.
Although I have read Patricia Cornwell's books first (she started in 1990) and I'm admittedly a fan of Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta (Cornwell's alter-ego in 14 books and winner of the 1999 Sherlock Award for best detective created by an American author), Reich's Brennan stands well enough on her own as a forensic detective, albeit using bones or decaying victims as a starting point.



The Immortals is a quartet (of books) that includes "Wild Magic", "Wolf-Speaker", "Emperor Mage" and "The Realms of the Gods". It is young adult fiction set in the realm of Tortall, popularized by Pierce in her previous (to this one) quartet "Song of the Lioness". The Immortals tells the story of Daine, at the start only a 12 year old orphan, who has the unique "wild magic" power of being able to communicate with animals, and how she develops her talents in the defense of her friends and Tortall.
I have'nt read Prince's other books, but I was happy to note that this series can stand alone and does not require you to have read the "prequels". The mixture of adventure, magic, animals and humor in the books makes for good reading. I enjoy reading young adult novels because they are easy and fast to read and the stories are usually very good and imaginative like this one.

Maria!

Congratulations to Maria Sharapova for winning the 2006 US Open title. This is her 2nd Grand Slam title after winning Wimbledon in 2004 when she was just 17. This victory just proves that with all the glam and beauty, she also has the ability and skill to win titles, and her best years are still ahead of her. :)