My other obsession

I can't get enough of paper. I need paper in a way that I need air and food. Come to think of it, I may have a paper fetish. Kinky!

So my other obsession, aside from books, also has something to do with paper. It's those gorgeous Moleskine notebooks.

As you can see, I'm partial to black. But this year, they came out with different colors for their planners. I did wish that they came out with an orange one. I would've loved that.

Now if only these notebooks weren't so pricey. If they were reasonably priced, I would use them for their actual purpose. As it is, I just write my name on the first page. That's about the only ink that will get on these pages.

Our national hero shows us his humorous and whimsical side

Christmas morning. You've unwrapped all your gifts, skipped breakfast as you're still full from all the feasting last night, and talked over your plans for the new year's celebration with your family.

But amidst all the mugs, scented candles, fruit cake, wine, and other stuff that you've received, there's one thing you've received that particularly stands out. One that you feel really giddy about, as if you can chuck away (or at least re-gift) all your presents and just keep this one. For me, that Christmas treasure would be this: Haec est Sibylla Cumana.

Who would've thought that our national hero, José Rizal, created a parlor game involving a wooden top and a booklet containing questions and answers. With the Haec est Sibylla Cumana, Rizal has crafted a unique fortune-telling game, using the sorceress named Sibylla Cumana as the seer.

Thank goodness Rizal handed over the materials for this game to his sister, Narcisa Rizal Lopez. It's quite fun reading Rizal's take on mundane and important matters. In the booklet, he wrote fortunes on one's business dealings and personal relationships.

I doubt if I would ever actually play this game with anyone or even by myself. It's too precious an item. I was told that the Haec est Sibylla Cumana is a limited edition, so I won't risk it. But it does make a lively conversation piece, I think.

The limited edition boxed set

What's inside:
The wooden top and the the 2 booklets

One of the booklets is an exact replica of the original,
showing Rizal's handwriting on an envelope
bearing an address in New York.

The multi-sided wooden top

Thanks so much, R!