And so it ends.
Friday evening the bookshelves and display windows of bookstores were overflowing with the seventh installment of Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which came out yesterday.
I was meeting Adri after my class to rush and buy a copy, when to my delight, he already had a copy waiting for me all wrapped up. (And the book cover and dust jacket was yellow!) Yahoo!
I spent the entire night reading, and before the sun rose this morning, it was done.
I didn't expect any less from the story.
A million and one thanks
To Ed, who in 1999, gave me my first three books.
To Vir, Peng, Joy, Kenneth, Charles, Jackie, Gay, Glen, Barri, Frances and Paolo who gave me the fourth.
To Michael, who even gave me Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.To Peng again, who made sure I had the fifth and sixth books on the day they came out (the sixth book greeted me at the Daly City Post Office). And Mike who also gave me the fifth book. And Edna, who gave me the illustrated version of the sixth book.
And finally to Adri, who gave me the seventh and final Harry Potter.
I love all of my books, none of which I had to buy.
Good things must end. I will miss Harry.
Birdfestival na!
We launched the 3rd Philippine Bird Festival: Sugbu - Just Watch, Don't Catch at the WBCP 4th Anniversary Party last Saturday evening. Here's the press release printed in the Inquirer from the same day. Logo made by the talented Arnel Telesforo (http://ternelus.multiply.com/). Download more Sugbu Birdfest wallpapers here.
3rd Philippine Bird Festival goes to Cebu
The Wild Bird Club of the Philippines is holding the 3rd Philippine Bird Festival - Sugbu, Just Watch, Don't Catch ! a 2-day event to raise conservation awareness through the promotion of bird watching and the responsible appreciation of nature.
The logo of this year's bird festival is the Cebu Flowerpecker, a species found nowhere in the world but Cebu. This species was thought to be extinct until chanced upon by a visiting amateur birdwatcher in 1992.
Now on its third year, the Philippine Bird Festival will be held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino on September 21, 2007 and at the Olango Island Nature Sanctuary on September 22, 2007.
The festival at the Waterfront Hotel will feature lectures, photo exhibits, film shows, art activities and face-painting for kids. The Bird Festival will culminate with the 2nd Philippine Duck Forum where conservationists and the academe will discuss the status and local efforts to save the endemic Philippine Duck.
On the second day, delegates will head for Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary. There they will witness the arrival of the first migrant shorebirds from northern Asia and hold joint activities with the island community.
WBCP Vice President and Festival Chairperson Alice Villa-Real said organizers hope to raise awareness of the diversity of Cebu bird life and promote conservation of threatened species and habitats on the island. Schools are encouraged to participate and admission is free.
The idea to hold the festival in Cebu was conceived early this year and has received support and encouragement from conservation organizations and business sector. Among the organizations that are participating in the festival are the Philippine Eagle Foundation, Cebu Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, WWF-Philippines, Center for Environmental Awareness and Education, Isla Buiodiversity Conservation and Kaakbay CDI. The Wild Bird Society of Taipei (Taiwan), the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network (Malaysia) and the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand have already confirmed their attendance. More organizations are expected to sign up soon.
"The 3rd Philippine Bird Festival is a watershed event for bird watching and environmental conservation in Cebu," said WBCP president Michael Lu. "We are officially launching the bird festival during the Club's 4th Anniversary on July 14. On behalf of the Festival Committee, I encourage and invite members and friends of the Club to register their support for the project."
The 3rd Philippine Bird Festival is sponsored by the Mirant Foundation, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Cebu City Mayor's Office, Sulpicio Lines and WWF-Philippines. For sponsorship enquiries, please contact Festival Chair Alice Villa-Real (Manila) at pathway93@yahoo.com or 0917-5397861 and Nilo Arribas, Jr (Cebu) at ph_photo_97@yahoo.com or 0906-5851881.
For school participation inquiries, please contact Ms Evelyn Nacario of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation at ENacario@rafi.org.ph.
