The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois

The Twenty-One Balloons won the Newberry Award in 1948. In books, we also meet people who we never thought existed and know situations that could make us feel more fortunate and blessed. Books bring us to places whose nature sometimes goes beyond our imagination. Oh well, maybe that’s part of the reason why I try to do something that other people say is impossible: reading books included in the 1001 list. Leave everything behind and do the things that we really enjoy. At some point in our lives, burnout comes in and we just want to break free. He left everything in San Francisco and embarked on the journey of going around the world via his giant air balloon via the Pacific Ocean. I would not want my savings to go to waste, only for 30 mins! Professor Sherman had no family so he was able to afford two giant air (not hot air) balloons constructed to his taste after he retired at the age of 66. During the Summer Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark Pampanga, last time I heard, they offer a 30-min ride for P20,000 (~ US$450).

Not necessarily riding an air balloon because it is pricey here in the Philippines. Maybe just to break the monotony of my corporate work life.

I know it is still far from the 40 years of being a math teacher in some high school for Professor William Waterman Sherman but once in a while, I also feel that I need to do something outrageous. I am now in my 4th company and except for my paid vacation leaves and rare sick days, I have never been, even a single day, out of the corporate rate race.Ģ7 years of working and trying to earn a living. One month after graduating from college, I started working.

The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois