happy things

 Weeks earlier, I finally got to open my box of copies of the second edition of Little Things: An Anthology of Poetry, edited by Loh Chin Ee, Angelia Poon, and Esther Vincent. My poem “Poetry as a Lesson in Zoology” is republished here.

This poem first appeared in volume 39 of ANI: The Philippine Literary Yearbook of the Cultural Center of the Philippines back in 2016.

The first edition of Little Things was launched in 2013, and was organized into six sections, namely, Little Things, Growing Up, People Around Us, Going Places, Love and Loss, and On Words. 

The second edition is an expanded version that includes all the original sections and now adds a seventh section—Our Earth. This new section includes poems focused on environmental subjects. My poem found a new home in this particular section, and it’s the second from the last poem in the book. 

I still find it fascinating that my poem is in the same book that contains works by e.e. cummings, Billy Collins, Derek Walcott, Raymond Carver, Philip Larkin, W.H. Auden, Alvin Pang, and Joshua Ip. 

Both editions were printed by Ethos Books, an independent book publisher based in Singapore. 

Little Things is primarily designed as an educational text for lower secondary school Literature students, and it is curated to allow readers and students to draw connections between local and international poems dealing with related universal themes.

Little Things is available in print and e-book format. You can get your copy through this link.

[ more photos here ]

how to make an accident

A passerby stopped by the table, paused, and asked me, how are we supposed to create an accident? Is it even still an accident? I said, it is for you to find out within its pages.

How to Make an Accident is my second collection of poems. Just leave a message if you want to get a copy.

last copies here

Out of 75 copies, I am down to my last seven copies of my poetry chapbook Weights & Cushions.

In June of this year, I made an initial print of 25 copies for Silliman University and DumAlt.Press’ LGBTQ Zine and Book Fest. Not much was sold during the festival, but friends and relatives here and from someplace else thought it was a good idea to buy and support my work. I am so grateful for these beautiful supportive souls. Apparently news reached New Zealand, Australia, Costa Rica, New York, California, etc etc. And I was running out of copies, so I made another print of 50 copies a week later. And today this is what’s left of it.

Five of these are actually going to Roxas City in the province of Capiz for VIVA ExCon 2018 this week—along with an art zine I’m still working on (something I call Philippine Roast and Other Drawings)— that means, technically, I’d only have two copies in my hand.

It’s mostly a solo effort, doing everything on your own, one that many would like to call a “vanity project,” but it is this very criticism why I am doing all of this in the first place. Keep ‘em coming. .

look what i got!

Lots of people have been asking me how much “damage” was made on my budget during the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale in Cebu last July 12 and 13. But instead of telling you that, I’d show you the “what were bought.” That’s more interesting, right? (Let’s just say the amount I paid could only buy five or six hardbound books if I were in a regular bookstore.)

Weeks earlier, before I went to the sale, I already made a list of authors and titles (based on NYTimes and LA Times book reviews) that I’d want to see in my cart. Most of these are from and by People of Color (PoC), and I was glad I made that list. It made my hunt easier. At the venue, I was also searching for books my favorite writers: Jhumpa Lahiri, Ocean Vuong, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Wislawa Szymborska, Ada Limon, etc. Sadly, their works were either unavailable in the book sale or I already got of copy of what was on sale.

But all in all I am happy. I haven’t ripped open the packaging yet, because I have made a decision to finish first the three books I am currently reading: Joan Didion’s memoir The Year of Magical Thinking (which I have finished just yesterday!), Shalom Auslander’s short fiction collection Beware of God, and Amy Hempel’s short fiction collection At The Gates of the Animal Kingdom. I am just a few pages away from finishing the last two books. When I am done with these, I’d open three new books. Just like they’re fresh from the bookstore. I am romantic that way.

Not all books I’ve purchased are shown here, in this picture, because I’d be giving them away as gifts to my family this December 2018. Para surprise. Advanced ako magisip.

Here are the books I got:
1. A Field Guide to Reality, novel by Joanna Kavenna
2. Love + Hate, stories and essay by Hanif Kureishi
3. Station Eleven, novel by Emily St. John Mandel
4. Lola Quartet, novel by Emily St. John Mandel
5. The Singer’s Gun, novel by Emily St. John Mandel
6. Ode to Childhood, poetry collection to celebrate the child
7. Life: Great Short Stories by Women, edited by Victoria Hislop
8. Loss: Great Short Stories by Women, edited by Victoria Hislop
9. Love: Great Short Stories by Women, edited by Victoria Hislop
10. Sing, Unburied, Sing, novel by Jesmyn Ward
11. I Am An Executioner: Love Stories, short fiction collection by Rajesh Parameswaran
12. Karma and Other Stories, short fiction collection by Rishi Reddi
13. The Sellout, novel by Paul Beatty
14. To The Moon: An Anthology of Lunar Poems, edited by Carol Ann Duffy
15. The Evolution of Everything, nonfiction by Matt Ridley
16. Love Your Enemies, short fiction collection by Nicola Barker
17. Heading Inland, short fiction collection by Nicola Barker
18. Eveningland, short fiction collection by Michael Knight
19. Mr. Bones: 20 Stories, short fiction collection by Paul Theroux
20. Arcadia, novel by Lauren Groff
21. The Japanese Lover, novel by Isabel Allende
22. We Need New Names, novel by NoViolet Bulawayo
23. Jesus’ Son, short fiction collection by Denis Johnson
24. 600 Decorating Tips & Finishing Touches
25. An Anthology of Flowers
26. Spice: Layers of Flavour by Dhruv Baker
27. Living Art: Style Your Home With Flowers by Olivier Guigni
28. How to Look After Your Kitten by Helen Piers (a must have!)

12 tips on surviving the big bad wolf book sale in cebu

To my family and close friends, it is no secret that I am huge fan of books. For practicing writers, a book is a fuel that keeps the engines going. That is why I was devastated when I wasn’t able to get to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale when it first came to the Philippines earlier this year, on February 16, at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Big Bad Wolf is a book fair that is touted to be the biggest in the world. It is handled by the Malaysian company, BookXcess, which is owned by the husband and wife tandem, Andrew Yap and Jacqueline Ng.

I was busy, I was preoccupied. Excuses. But luck seemed to be on my side this time. When news broke out that another Big Bad Wolf event would take place in Cebu this July, and a Facebook page of the event started organizing online contests to give away advance or preview passes to winners, I made sure I wouldn’t miss this chance.

And on June 30, I won an exclusive pass for two to the book fair’s Preview Day on July 12, ahead of the official opening on July 13. This meant I’d be one of the selected people who’d get first dibs on the books displayed. #blessedt

I soon traveled to Cebu City and finally found myself in the IEC Convention Center. Before me was a sprawling floor of books upon books upon books. There were gorgeous coffeetable books on design and architecture, beautiful tomes of award-winning literatures, collections of poetry and short stories, biographies and memoirs, book sets for children’s, books for gardening, books for cooking and baking, books for a whole lot of things. Anything you can imagine it is most probably in here. For 60% to 80% less of their original price.

My friend and I entered the book fair at 10AM. We left the venue at 4PM. What an experience. Below are tips and a couple of things we have learned and might prove useful to future visitors to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale.

Are you ready? Read on...

1. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
This may sound negligible, but I tell you, this matters a lot. You’d be moving around the venue for hours just to find the perfect book for you (and probably also for your family and your friends), so wearing something that’s uncomfortable should be the least of your concerns. Besides, this is not a fashion show.

2. Create a list.
Before you go to the book fair, make a list of books (of a particular genre) that you’d like to buy. Save it on your phone. This would serve as your reference and would allow you more time to check out the rest of the items in the book fair. Since genres are each designated to and organized in separate tables, it would be easier for you to locate the area that you need to be in.

3. Do not go in hungry and thirsty.
You won’t be aware of it but you’d spend hours going through all the tables in the book fair, and since the security personnel at the entrance would ask you to leave all your water bottles and snacks outside, it is best that you enter the venue already well-fed and well-hydrated.

4. Bring some friends.
Aside from helping you find the books you want (or simply having someone to approve on the books you want to buy like a motivating coach) and vice versa, a friend could assist you on the books you’ve bought. Compare lists (refer to tip #2) and help each other track down these titles. When you notice the queue to the cashier becomes too long (just like on Preview Day), you can ask your friend to start joining in the line in advance while you continue checking out the tables for more possible purchases.

5. Have loads of patience.
The line or queue to the cashier is always long and winding. The book you’ve always wanted might not be available. The basket of books you leave for a second in one corner suddenly vanishes. People might bump or unintentionally hit you (or worse, hit you with a shopping cart of hardbound books) since the place could get easily crowded. No matter the situation, do not go hysterical. It is easy to be irritated when you are hungry or thirsty (refer to tip #3), but be aware of other people and their spaces. If you have lost a personal item (e.g. wallet, cellphone), immediately approach one of the book fair staff. They are usually wearing those aprons with the Big Bad Wolf print. Breathe in, breathe out. Additionally, expect that the book fair personnel are under intense stress the entire time that some of them couldn’t properly respond to your queries. In fact, most of them are only knowledgeable or aware of the genres and where they are located in the venue, not the specific title or author of a book. So it is pointless getting furious when you do not get the answer you want to hear.

6. Check out everything.
You might only like romance novels or you only read self-help books, but being in a book fair is not the time to be a snob. Widen your horizon, open up your interests, and check out every genre in the book fair (when you are done with tip #2). Believe me, the best books are usually those you do not expect to find and read. You don’t want to miss on that life-changing read, do you?

7. Be a responsible shopper.
Don’t be rude and make other book-lover’s experience a living hell by leaving an item anywhere other than its designated table. This is also helpful to the hardworking staff of the book fair. If you decide not to buy the book you previously put into your basket or cart, please return this book to its proper table. Above all, never ever cut a line or insert yourself in a queue to the cashier. Be mindful and respect other shoppers’ time and effort.

8. Be helpful.
If you find books on the floor, pick them up and return them to the table. And if you chance upon a person who is looking for a particular book that you’ve just recently seen, give that person a tap, a smile, and tell him or her where it is located. There is no harm in helping out a fellow book-lover.

9. Bring extra cash.
Electronic payment is trendy. Credit cards and debit cards provide quick transactions. But sometimes there is Murphy’s Law. Something could go wrong anytime, anywhere. Payment system is broken, perhaps, or you realize you left your cards in the car or at home. So it is best that you bring with you some cash on top of your credit card or debit card. Besides, this cash might come in handy when you go beyond your budget.

10. Bring your own bags.
It is heartwarming to see book-lovers on Preview Day telling cashiers/packers to skip the plastic bags since they are bringing their own eco bags or canvas tote bags for their purchases. Some big-time shoppers even brought with them travel luggage bags to easily wheel their books out of the venue. Although, for some people, it looks “cool” to be seen bringing books in plastic bags with the Big Bad Wolf print plastered on them, it must be noted that all cities across the country have a problem with extreme plastic waste pollution. Land-fills continue to expand as garbage continues to threaten all forms of life on this planet. Let’s not contribute to the problem.

11. Visit more than once.
The venue is huge. Even if you have spent several hours browsing through all the sections in the book fair, there is still that huge probability that you have missed a book over the other. Since the sale runs from July 13 to July 23, and is available to the public for 24 hours each day, it is highly recommended that you return to the book fair and check out the items one more time. Besides, a big bad wolf has told me that more books will be unboxed in the coming days. New titles are definitely on the horizon.

12. Bask in the glow of your purchase.
Be happy with what you have bought. You deserve this. Avoid buyer’s remorse. Ignore people who make snide remarks and tell you that there’s no way you can read all the books you’ve bought. Anything for the joy of reading and knowledge is never a bad thing. Or simply put, anything for what makes you happy is always a good thing. That’s what matters. I bought 27 books, and there are no regrets here. Enjoy your books.

my baby

Finally. After weeks of preparation and unloading buckets of anxiety, let me introduce you to my first baby: Weights & Cushions, a chapbook of poetry by yours truly.

Most of the poems are first written sometime between 2007 and 2012, and most of them are previously featured in zines, journals, magazines and literary reviews like Dark Blue Southern Seas, Montage, Philippines Free Press, Philippines Graphic, and Quarterly Literary Review Singapore.

Fresh off the printers this morning are 30 copies—20 of which are going to Dumaguete for Silliman University's LGBTQ Zine and Book Fest on June 25, 2018 (Monday) at the SU Main Library, starting at 10AM. The remaining 10 copies would be for people within my perimeters who would think of getting one. If I’d run out of copies, I’d publish another set for you.

I am selling these for P200 each. A bit pricey, I know, because working things on your own turned out to be laborious and costly. (Shipping costs will also be shouldered by the buyer; which is P100 for shipments around the Philippines).

If you want to support and help out a local writer trying to sell his goods that he has worked with sweat and blood, feel free to drop me a message personally. Feed an artist and get him to pay the bills on time. Trust me, you are doing something good with your purchase. Hehe.

playing with pop culture

Anything that deals with the past can sometimes be a turnoff to some people, that the antiquated must only be revered in museums, journals, and sweet old memories. But Steven Spielberg’s latest film, Ready Player One, which is adapted from a 2011 novel of the same title by Ernest Cline, tries to flip the table on that mentality. In here, Spielberg proves that the old can actually be just as interesting as the new. Because when it comes to pop culture—which is basically the fabric of this movie—the old is what becomes of all that is treasured.

Aside from being a critique on modern day distractions and anxieties (corporate greed, privacy issues, social media catfishing!), Ready Player One is a wild, visual feast of nostalgia. It’s as if it serves as a geek’s guide to 80’s and 90’s music, movies, pulp fiction, video games, comic books, and other sundry items that are usually deemed too inconsequential for lofty-minded individuals.

The story is set in the year 2045 and introduces us to Wade Watts (played by an effective but easily forgettable Tye Sheridan), a young man who spends most of his time in the Oasis as Parzival, a virtual world created by James Halliday. This is where anything goes, depending on the limits of your imagination (and the digital coins you collect in this computerized reality). Upon the death of Halliday, his avatar (or his digital persona) reveals to all players that there are three challenges to three powerful keys that grant ownership and control of the entire game. Everything changes when Watts meets Art3mis (yes, that’s spelled correctly) who reveals to him that this is no longer a game, when the order of the world is at stake and the gap between classes of society gets even more pronounced—especially that the power-hungry technological company Innovative Online Industries is doing everything it can to take hold of these keys.

Ready Player One has little of the subtlety and poeticism that shaped Spielberg’s other ambitious, fantastical works like A.I. Artificial Intelligence and Minority Report, but it certainly has the frenetic energy of The Adventures of Tintin and War of the Worlds. It just keeps going and going, with little pauses to process all the pop culture references bombarded at you before the next batch arrives.

Yes, it does wholeheartedly embrace the wonders of the past, which give the movie a tendency to tread on clichés and camp and the requisite shots at admiration of the familiar, but all this does not rob it of the fact that it is so satisfying to walk down memory lane. Each scene is like this homage to something exuberant, something vital to our understanding of reality, no matter what time it is derived from. Whether we as viewers are in it for the nostalgia trip or not, this movie sure knows how to play its game

[ photo borrowed from this site ].

new poem published in ecopoetry anthology

A few days ago, I finally received my (paid) copies of Sustaining the Archipelago: An Anthology of Philippine Ecopoetry, which is edited by Rina Garcia Chua, who includes my work "Poetry as a Lesson in Botany" in the collection.

I believe this is the first of its kind in the country; an anthology that attempts to meditate on our nation's concerns and priorities under the lens of ecological understanding. The result is nothing short of fantastic. I just wished the book's contributors though won't have to buy their own copies. Not all writers are, you know, blessed with disposable income. Writing the poem is already hard enough for us. Heh heh.

favorite things

This morning at Onehunga I got two of my favorite things in this world: books and cats. Big, chunky, delicious books from local writers for less than $20 and a pair of kitty bookends to prop up those books for $15. Bargain level: Expert. If I’ve known way, way earlier, I’d probably be spending the past few weeks in those hard-to-find bookshops. But all in all, it still feels like my Christmas has arrived way too early. What a day.

find them!

In theory, David Yate’s “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them” is a difficult material to grapple with. It is not based on an actual novel but on a fictional textbook used in a fictional school. It features weary-looking adults that we are not familiar with. And for all its heavy-lifting to connect to the Harry Potter universe, it does not feature the three main characters that have made that universe endearing in the first place. I think this is why J.K. Rowling herself, the mastermind behind said universe, is hitched to write the movie’s script. The first story that showcased Rowling’s Wizarding World was released on 1997 and the latest was in July 2016 in the form of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a stage play performed in London and soon in New York. Now, decades have passed, and two factions have grown between the sporadic updates that Rowling expertly drops here and there: those who relished the revelations and those who grow tired of over-selling the story. As a millennial who first introduced the Harry Potter books to my elementary classmates when I was eight years old, obviously, I belong to the former. After thousands of pages of histories and back stories that all started in 1997, it is nothing short of fantastic that everything seems to connect so flawlessly into one elegant narrative, one that links the brand-new story of Newt Scamander in 1920’s New York in the “Fantastic Beasts” movie to The Boy Who Lived. Its plot is simple: a wizard goes to foreign land, accidentally unleashes mayhem, solves the problem, and stumbles upon new threats along the way. Eddie Redmayne was an odd choice to play Newt, but he proved himself capable of fitting into the world of nifflers, alohomoras, and wizard politics without standing out too much. Speaking of standing out, Alison Sudol’s mind-reading Queenie and Samantha Morton’s ultra-orthodox Mary Lou Barebones were clearly the salt and pepper that spiced up this movie. They stood out in many good ways. As for that surprise in the end? Not so much. I won’t spoil it here. There seems to be missing arcs in all the characters which drags the story from becoming truly exceptional. What is Newt’s real motivation for coming to the Big Apple? Why is the magical community in this city so backward? Why does Tina look eternally teary eyed? Despite the presence of the beasts that give the movie its bright humorous spots, there’s a veneer of sadness on each scene, or an undertone of something sinister and terrible is about to happen soon. Rowling is often accused of expanding (and milking) too much the Wizarding World, but with a tale teeming with cultural paranoia, political discontent and bigotry, this feels solid and relevant. Even with the obvious plot holes and the need for more instalments, I’d be happy to dive right into the chaos. I’m a fan.

[ photo borrowed from this site ].

buwan ng mga akdang pinoy: feast and famine, stories of negros by rosario cruz lucero

To continue our celebration of Buwan ng mga Akdang Pinoy, here’s another literary work that deserves all the praises it gets and, I believe, deserves the need for this masterpiece to be required reading for both casual readers and lovers of literature. This is Rosario Cruz Lucero’s short story collection Feast and Famine: Stories of Negros. This is so far the best collection of stories by a Filipino writer that I’ve ever read, and I am not kidding. It features an array of genres: domestic realism, historical fiction, mystery, even magical realism. But the real and impressive triumph here is how all of these variations feel connected, seamless, and unassuming. It never felt jarring. It is not because of the language or the sprinkling of local Bisayan here and there, and definitely not just the setting of Negros Island where most of the stories' actions take place. I believe it is Lucero's expert handling of the characters’ psyches, the situations or how point A leads to point C and reverts back to point B, and the timeless expressions of misery and joy amidst a backdrop of culture and traditions that are so vivid and well-realized. I can’t stop gushing about this collection since the very first time I stumbled upon it in 2006. From time to time, I return to this work whenever I needed reminding how wonderfully singular and original the Filipino sensibility. For a slim book, it packs a lot of punch. And I am telling you, you better prepare for it.

buwan ng mga akdang pinoy: hukbong sandatahan ng kahagardan! by manix abrera

I am not sure if every Filipino knows this, but August is Buwan ng Kasaysayan, and while history in this country is now muddled with lies and denial, with many people easily falling for online memes and fabrications, there are remedies to keep the truth from slipping away into obscurity. One of them is the literary arts. Through the imagination of Filipino writers, we cull the insights and the universal truth this nation desperately needs. But for a country with a writer as its national hero, it is ironic that only a few of the populace know about Filipino works of literature. Sad, but it is not the end. There's hope. That's why we have Buwan ng mga Akdang Pinoy, a celebration to bring the spotlight back to our talented, hard working artists. And I'll begin it with this...

I have been following Manix Abrera's comics in the early 2000's through the pages of Philippine Daily Inquirer. So imagine the joy I had when finally, in college, I got his very first compilation titled Mga Tagpong Mukhang Ewan At Kung Anu-ano Pang Kababalaghan. Abrera's humor is not for the faint of heart. It is direct, unapologetic, and although it sometimes border on the metaphysical, it remains sharp that it slices through you, making you ask yourself instead if it is indeed funny or painful because it hits you right on the spot. I've once worked for the student publication for three years back in college, and we juggled our tasks like mad to meet the required weekly (yes, weekly) output, so this particular edition, Hukbong Sandatahan ng Kahagardan!, is a gem because it accurately details the comedy and pains of working as a journalist. It is dark at times, yes, it is brimming with piping hot sarcasm, but it is signature Abrera to put you off for a moment but bring you back in to its uncomfortable embrace. There's a lot more to say about Manix Abrera and his works, but I suggest you guys go see them for yourselves. You'll get a good laugh. That's what we need these days, right?

#BuwanNgMgaAkdangPinoy

buwan ng mga akdang pinoy

Yesterday I received a little surprise from the mail man. I got this book. And published in this book is my short fiction piece “The Forgiving.” I have genuinely forgotten I have written this piece. How timely it is to receive this on August, which is considered to be our country’s Buwan ng mga Akdang Pinoy. Ubod, which literally means “bamboo shoots,” is a product of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) goal to showcase emerging voices in Philippine literature from across the archipelago. I am surprised and humbled to be part of this collection, to be one of the few featured writers from Central Visayas, considering what I have contributed to this anthology is a product of a genre writing challenge sometime in 2011 to 2012, during the productive years of LitCritters Dumaguete. I have not written much like in those days, especially fiction, with my routines and habits these days almost bursting to the seams already. But I guess this is a sign to get back into it. I am still mastering this craft, and I hope I can contribute more and better works through the years, to do my part as a practicing writer.

With that in mind, I am thankful for the writers Shane Carreon for giving me the heads up just a few days ago that I am actually published in this book, Haidee Palapar for calling my attention about the deadline for submissions almost four years ago, Hope Sabanpan-Yu and Lolita Go for relaying me to the editor on how to get my complimentary copy, and ultimately, NCCA, Juliet Mallari, Alex Dacanay, and Victor Sugbo for including me in this anthology. And also, Edgar Samar for pushing the celebration Buwan ng mga Akdang Pinoy forward into national discourse. We need more of this.

the magic lives on

It was in late 1997, I was eight years old, and I was searching for the comics section in the Sunday papers, when I chanced upon a picture of a boy riding a broomstick and trying to catch this small winged golden ball. It looked absurd but it got me interested; I had never seen anything like it. I didn’t even know it was a review of a children’s book, and yet I immediately asked my sister if she could get me one as a Christmas gift. She agreed. And thus, several weeks later, I received Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the first book in a long long series.

I brought it to school, read it during breaks (and sometimes during classes). It was a time when everyone was free from the clutches of smartphones and the internet, so my classmates were suddenly curious about what was pulling my attention in when I was not talking to them. I told them about the book, told them about the story of an orphaned boy who turned out to be a wizard, and they were captivated. After I had finished the first book, I let my classmates borrow my newfound obsession. And then also the second book. And then the third. And then…

Thus, this was the beginning of a long-lasting relationship with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. With wands, spells, and the many forms of good and evil. And ultimately, with life, necessities, and love for literature in general. To read is to bring yourself to something new, to something magical. And to paraphrase a few words from the third book, “Anywhere is better than here.” And now, 19 years later, we are about to unfold a new chapter in the wizarding world.

This morning, after several days of following-up my pre-order at the nearest bookstore, the new story was released simultaneously worldwide, and I finally got Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in my hands. It was more special because it was released on Harry Potter’s birthday, July 31. There was a strange feeling brewing inside me. It had been a while. I was not sure if I am prepared to meet again someone, something I valued so dearly. So here I was, ecstatic to sniff the scent of a freshly unpacked book, to flip one page after another almost without end like I was eight all over again. I read the first chapter and, even at my age, it still felt right. Things do change, but the ones you love and treasure remain.

I believe this is how magic works.

just read

Last Friday, an 18-year-old asked me how to be good at mentally processing a question and delivering the answer to the public with ease. I was caught off-guard all I said was, I guess it all starts with a habit of reading. Read as much as you can. Anything. Especially those that are out of your comfort zone. All these challenge you to think. The kid asked if Wattpad counts. “I guess, but I prefer books in actual paper,” I said smiling. The screen is a perfect distraction for more distractions.

I am no expert in public extemporaneous speaking but I think I have given the best advice. Reading, even though it has the reputation as the stuff of boredom in the digital age, is still the easiest means of sharpening and broadening the mind. In fact the skill one would acquire with reading greatly helps in any endeavor one takes. Why? It improves communication, the very basic ingredient of communal understanding.

Ironically, for a country that is liberated or “freed” from the tyranny of its colonizers with Jose Rizal’s works of literature, we are a nation that is populated by people who do not seem to value the art of reading. So logout of Facebook, close that Grindr app, let go of that selfie camera, and stop thinking of the next pub crawl for a couple of minutes. Take time to read. Make your national hero proud. Show his efforts were worth it.

And this brings me to the book haul I’ve had last Monday. Originally priced at hundreds of bucks each, I got books on fiction, poetry, and history that were less than a quarter of their cost. Achievement unlocked: Book Hunter Level no. 76!

good news, good times

1.

It has been two years or so since I’ve last written or even completed a poem. Aside from the technicality the craft requires, the prospect of surrendering yourself again to your well of “feelings” can be tricky. And, perhaps, mentally and emotionally difficult.

Writing poetry is like being skinned alive, the rib cage opened, your heart exposed, as all the weight of things that surround you are resting upon your shoulders. Writing the first verse alone would subject you to that macabre transformation. That is why writing, as many have said, can be a painful, lonely job. But I tried to get up from the rut.

Recently I completed one here and another one there. And the struggle gave back a reward. Just a few weeks ago, I received this:

(click photo to enlarge)

According to the University of the Philippines-Diliman website, New Voices will be “a two-volume anthology of poetry and fiction by new Filipino authors writing in English. To be published by the UP Press and possibly in cooperation with the Commission on Higher Education, these volumes will provide a platform for new writers to gain literary renown, as well as contemporize teaching materials for Philippine literature in English.

The New Voices anthologies seek to draw attention to a new generation of Philippine writers by filling a gap between the authors’ publication of individual poems or stories in periodicals, and the publication of their first book. New Voices will feature approximately 15 poets and 10 fiction writers.”

15 poets out of how many from all over? Possibly circulated in schools? The joy was electric. And then more news of acceptance letters from other people came flooding in. It became even more unbelievable. So far, from what I’ve gathered, I’d be in the company of Glenn Diaz, Tin Lao, Jason Chancoco, Mia Tijam, and Lystra Aranal. These names are giving me the chills. Aside from the flattery of being one of the country’s new voices in literature, I am just glad I have a voice.

2.

Last Tuesday, June 23, at around 7PM, saw the release of the results of the Nursing Licensure Exams for the May 2015 takers. The suspense was killing me, with every alphabetical update online an exercise in patience. Until it was revealed: My sister passed the board examinations.

I know very well the feeling of rejection and hardship, the seemingly endless missteps. That is why this is the singular news in many years that I have felt an overwhelming happiness not for myself but for another. All my sister’s hard work and sacrifices finally paid off. The purest form of fighting spirit is in her.

3.

The legendary Duran Duran is back after so many years. And they’ve brought along disco god Nile Rodgers and the impeccably talented, genre-defying Janelle Monáe. This music came at the most opportune time. It’s perfect, the stars have aligned. Everybody, everywhere! Step out into the future! It’s time to take the pressure off!

read when you can

Just a few days ago, a terrible realization dawned on me while rearranging my bookshelf: Most people, if not all, will never know the likes of Carver, Marquez, Rushdie or Munro. What they only constitute as reading is giggling to cheap thrills of Wattpad. Or worse, the cocktail menu of a bar near you. Wattpad though is a trend, a mobile app wherein one can create stories and share them within a community. If only notable and esteemed writers from across and beyond the nation could contribute works of substance to this app, then we can really safely say that technology has never been a bane but a boon when it comes to reading.

What also pains me to hear from many these days are these common arguments: 1) books are boring, 2) there is no time to read, and 3) there is nothing interesting to read.

The first argument is the most common, and it usually comes from those who refuse to learn despite the awareness of the benefit. We can always tell them to read, yes, but if push comes to shove, we might just have to accept their reality and heed J.K. Rowling’s words, author of the Harry Potter series: “Books are like mirrors: if a fool looks in, you cannot expect a genius to look out.” Harsh, yes, but it speaks volumes of truth.

 The second argument, on the other hand, only emphasizes the elephant in the room that we all have the luxury of time in the world. What we just usually claim to have are excuses. This is where the problem lies. If only we could just take a fraction of our lives to read a newspaper, magazine, or a book of fiction or poetry, in the same manner we ogle at boxers, beauty pageants, fashion shows, and hours of DOTA, I have a feeling our nation would be a much better place to live in.

Lastly, the third argument is empty and lazy, almost like a cousin of the first. The Philippines has a wealth of written works, especially literature. As an archipelagic country, this wealth presents a diversity only a few can boast of. One can easily say ours is an embarrassment of riches.

There is more to Philippine literature than our folktales, Noli Me Tangere, Precious Hearts Romance, and Mabuti Pa Ang Roma May Bagong Papa. We have tales of familiar realities by Alfred Yuson and Jose Dalisay, domestic heartbreak by Ian Rosales Casocot, contemporary fantasy and the otherworldly by Dean Alfar and Eliza Victoria, exquisite verses by Eric Gamalinda, Joel Toledo, and Marjorie Evasco, an acclaimed Boholana critic and poet. On the graphic literature side, there is the piercing wit and humor by Manix Abrera, the inventiveness of Budjete Tan and Kajo Baldisimo, and the timeless satires of Gerry Alanguilan.

Truly there is so much more the Filipinos can offer. There is always something for someone, no matter the genre.

I think many people avoid the library because of solitude. To be alone with only a book as a companion, to be left out by peers and distractions. As if missing the next music playing in the dance floor or an update from an erratic Facebook newsfeed would kill us. But solitude is no disadvantage. Rather it allows us to look deeper into ourselves, away from the unnecessary we usually deem as necessary.

This brings me to one major selling point of a library and the books it houses. What we get from reading is not only erudition and sophistication but also the nuances of the human condition: an understanding of honesty, respect, sacrifice, trust, empathy, and above many other things, love. Love for each other, love for one’s country, or a love for books.

I will end this here, else I would digress further into the stars. There is nothing more to say but this: Take time to visit a library. Give yourself the gift of (re)discovery, a chance to get lost in a maze of books, to be a child once again and give in to the delights of curiosity. As proven since time immemorial, it is through wonderment that we know the possibilities of a future.


[ 2nd of 2 parts ]

there's nothing more to say but this

These days, to think of a library is almost always like to think of a very distant, analog past. It is like considering the biblical stone tablets over an iPad. But still what a timeless and relevant past it is! Though it is ironic we celebrate books in the digital age, last month’s National Book Week celebration gives me hope for humanity.

Why? Even with the increasing proliferation of technology, it suggests books and what they symbolize for still matter. If we are to believe that books are dead, we must not be having the celebration at all, we would not be having this discussion, and certainly, we would not be in a place where we are right now. Technology is auxiliary, a support factor, and not a hindrance to books and how we enjoy them.

Everyone must have heard of the maxim “knowledge is power.” It is no joke. It is real and proven by history. Knowledge could challenge a dictator (see Benigno Aquino), it could threaten a colonizer (see Jose Rizal), and it could defy false conventions (see Copernicus). This knowledge can be lifted from books, and books can be pulled out of a shelf in a library. Therefore, if knowledge is power, then power is available in multitudes inside the library.

It is easy to shrug this off as another academic speak, like it is some kind of propaganda to wrench people out of their smartphones and plant their heads between the pages of One Hundred Years of Solitude. But this is not the case.

When was the last time you searched for a book in a library not out of obligation but of leisure, out of a deep-seated desire and choice? It is a fact that we go to the mall instead of libraries. We go to the movies instead of libraries. We go to the beach instead of libraries. “A bucket of beer later? Nah. I’d rather go to the library.” I am sure no one’s heard anything of that sort from anybody.

I myself am a victim of these choices. In most weekends I would hang out with friends or binge-watch on Pushing Daisies and The X-Files (old school, yeah?) instead of occupying myself with a paperback. There is nothing wrong with these routines that we cannot shake off from our system, but there is nothing wrong too in allowing ourselves to crack that mysterious book in the nearest library.

It has long been prophesized that the advent of technology—particularly electronic books and reading devices—would replace the physical book, paper and all, thus rendering a genocide of bookshops and libraries around the world. But that did not happen. Although a couple of Barnes & Noble stores are closing in the U.S. and our very own Goodwill Bookstore is now completely erased from memory, we can still sigh with relief that the prophecy was a dud like the Y2K bug of the late 90’s. Even if we have all the gadgets to grab our attention, libraries and books are here to stay. Nothing beats the experience of being surrounded by books when you are hungry for trivial pursuit.

The library, in fact, houses the collective memory of thinkers, from one generation to the next. Getting into one is like being ushered into a hall of blinding light, and only when we get into focus that we would be welcomed by the masters of knowledge themselves. So if we ignore this in a corner like an old, abandoned building, we neglect a vast compendium of ideas. It is our responsibility to uphold these ideas, to sustain the progress these thinkers have made. We can only do this through reading.

That is why with the unparalleled accessibility of information today, it breaks my heart to hear people say “I don’t like to read” with so much entitlement, if not pride. I have a feeling an angel in heaven would drop dead whenever that statement is said.


[ 1st of 2 parts ]

ethics #002

Upon Turning To The Last Page

Tuesdays With Morrie, a non-fiction work by Mitch Albom, brings to mind my classes in poetry with renowned writer Myrna-Peña Reyes. Unlike Mitch’s, we met twice a week for an hour each in her home, having one-on-one classes for my final lesson on the craft of building and deconstructing verses. Like Mitch’s, we discussed life, love, death and everything in between.

The book read like an unfinished biography albeit with an arresting conceit which my poetry teacher would surely approve: The author and the subject met every Tuesday, and each Tuesday they had one category for which to wrap around their conversations with. Like there was a Tuesday when it was all about feeling sorry for yourself and another when it was about the fear of aging. It all started when Mitch chanced upon Mr. Morrie Schwartz on national TV, as weak as a broken bird. He was stricken by a strange condition: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In Mitch’s words, it is a “brutal, unforgiving illness of the neurological system.” In my words, it is the disease that brought to the internet millions of amateur video clips of people challenging and dousing themselves with buckets of ice.

It turned out Morrie was Mitch’s favorite professor and he was Morrie’s favorite student back in college. Due to the natural (or unnatural, depending on how you view it) course of living, they both took their separate ways, never to communicate again after many decades until that eventful day in the living room where Mitch was absentmindedly channel surfing. Mitch made it a mission to reconnect to Morrie. From then on the rest, as they say, was history.

Morrie was the quintessential professor; eager to learn and more eager to partake what was learned. He made me wish for more teachers like him. I have only encountered a few, and I will cherish each of them until my very last breath. Morrie and the rest of the few I personally know are the kind of teachers that matter inside and outside the academe. They make every peso paid for education worth it.

Sometimes, though, Morrie seemed more like a fictional character than a real person. He was just too good to be true. How can he be so optimistic? How can he be so brave? My doubt would have grown into full disbelief if not for him being grounded on this faith that I am presently starting to agree with: Be fully present. Morrie insisted that you should be entirely with the person you are with and focus on what transpires between the two of you.

I believe I tend to forget being completely present with people I care about due to modern distractions and old temptations. It seems in this age of excessive multitasking—work on a task here, talk to a friend there, Facebook everywhere—we have come to a point of doing more but actually feeling less. Energy abounds but never the empathy. We never really remember the last time we helped a stranger, we never really notice how our mothers smile anymore. If not the people around us, we also have our environment that we always take for granted. Have you ever acknowledged the skies today have fewer birds than ever before? Have you ever stopped someone from throwing his cigarette butt on the sidewalk? It is shameful.

Through Morrie’s mantra, we can claim what needs to be prioritized. This way we put our attention to not only what matters but also to what makes things exquisite and bursting with meaning. That is why I agree with Morrie. Death is irrelevant, especially in our pursuit for life and love. Ironic, isn’t it, we crave to be ahead of the rest but when we come upon the tracks of death we slow down or scamper away from it? Truly, good or bad, rich or poor, young or old, everyone faces death in his and her due time.

In fact, there is a substitute for death that we can think about. It is honesty. In the 26 years that I have been through life, I think this is what I need the most above everything else, maybe even above love. Love always brings remembrances, setting down the anchor that is nostalgia, which consequently rekindles what have been and what could be. That is why love can be painful; it drags along the past. With honesty, it is all about the present and its repercussions. It is the raw emotion that absorbs truth and deflects bullshit. I am still coming into terms with my understanding of honesty in the context of my actions and from those of the people around me. It is a process I have been working on.

If one argues that death should be feared because nobody wants to be forgotten, I must say we must not forget that there are more to look forward to. It is our attitude towards the future that we can be immortalized. We must not also allow ourselves to be tricked by the deceptiveness of youth and perfection even if they are bombarded to us on television with rejuvenating soaps and lotion, on billboards with perfectly sculpted abs and pectorals, or on the internet with penis enlargers and breast enhancers. The ideal cannot always be the ideal. Most of the time you just have to embrace what you have, love those who love you, and dive into the unknown. No instruction manuals, no second chances. Isn’t this the point of living? If things go wrong, just be at the center of chaos and experience every little tremor around you. That is how instinct and learning works.

For a slim book Tuesdays With Morrie did pack a lot of punch. It brimmed with themes that could fill a library, and all this is not enough. It made me wonder more about existence and its peculiarities. I liked it, so to speak. There is a reason why I am drawn into this and philosophy in general: It gives shape to the abstract and the ghostliness of ideas like hands molding clay. It is like poetry itself, the poetry I have learned with Ma’am Myrna many years ago. Albom’s book was like those hands, too. It managed to run over emotions current and long forgotten, and brought forth emotions that may happen as if I had not experienced them yet.

As I was nearing the end of the book, I felt a kind of heaviness inside me. It was not because of the inevitable death that was about to happen but because of a question that slipped into my head and bloomed like a great, magnificent flower: What can I do now? “A lot. A lot can be done,” I said to myself. Upon turning the last page, I basked in the comfort of that discovery.

filipino readers’ choice awards finalists

Here’s some good news for the day (which is particularly a bit tacky considering the day’s endless rain and the book I am about to mention). Under the Storm: An Anthology of Contemporary Philippine Poetry (2011, Antithesis Collective), which is edited by Khavn de la Cruz and Joel M. Toledo, is nominated in the 2012 Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Poetry Anthology.

According to the award-giving body’s website, “finalists will be deliberated upon by select judges for each category composed of Filipino readers. They will read and discuss the books, and decide which is deserving to receive the Readers’ Choice Award in that specific category.”

Just giddy. My slightly revised piece “Stones” is one of the 150 poems featured in this collection, and being in this literary effort is already an achievement, with or without the award.

See the rest of the finalists here.