TABOAN: Philippine International Writers Festival 2009

galing kay Kael :)

11 to 13 FEBRUARY 2009

University of the Philippines Diliman (Feb 11)

Ateneo de Manila University (Feb 12)

Cubao Expo (Feb 13)

DAY 1, FEBRUARY 11, WEDNESDAY

University of the Philippines

Diliman, Quezon City

9:00AM | OPENING PROGRAM

Venue: Pulungang Claro M. Recto, Bulwagang Rizal

Welcome Remarks

• UP Diliman Chancellor Sergio S. Cao

• NCCA Chair Vilma L. Labrador

• Festival Director Ricardo M. de Ungria

• Festival Coordinator Jose Y. Dalisay, Jr.

PHILIPPINE LITERATURE TODAY. The keynote address, a synoptic overview of where we’ve been and where we are, taking into account our literature in Filipino, English, and the regional languages; Philippine literature in the 21st century; and Philippine literature in the Asian and global context. To be delivered by National Artist Francisco Sionil Jose.

Venue: Pulungang Claro M. Recto, Bulwagang Rizal, UPD

9:45AM | A TRIBUTE TO EDITH TIEMPO. The tribute to National Artist Edith L. Tiempo is a short poetry reading by Merlie Alunan, Dinah Roma, and Ronald Baytan, who all attended the Dumaguete National Workshop and have been influenced by Tiempo’s poetics. To date, Edith Tiempo is the sole woman National Artist for Literature.

Moderator: Marjorie Evasco

Venue: Pulungang Claro M. Recto, Bulwagang Rizal, UPD

10:30AM | GANITO KAMI NOON: WRITING THROUGH THE DECADES. A plenary panel discussion to set the tone for all other panel discussions. A representative each from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s can talk about the conditions for writing and publishing in their eras and how things have changed, or maybe not. And where do we go from here?

Panelists: Elmer Ordonez (1950s), National Artist Virgilio S. Almario (1960s), José Pete Lacaba (1970s), Marjorie Evasco (1980s), Angelo Lacuesta (1990s)

Moderator: José Y. Dalisay, Jr.

Pulungang Claro M. Recto, Bulwagang Rizal, UPD

1:30PM | ICONS OF THE NEW CENTURY: WRITERS WHOM WRITERS READ. Who are you reading and why? Who's your literary daddy (or mommy)? A discussion of literary influences and how they are shaping contemporary Philippine literature.

Panelists: Rebecca Añonuevo, Franklin Cimatu, Carlos Cortes, Francis Macansantos, Katrina Tuvera

Moderator: Gémino H. Abad

Venue: CAL New Building (CNB), Room 508

WRITING FOR A LIVING. What's writing like as a profession in the Philippines? What writing jobs pay, and how can writers get them? How should writers deal with writing commissions? What about copyrights and contracts? How do we break into the global market and find and deal with agents?

Panelists: Vietnamese writer Nguyen Bao Chan, Tony Enriquez, Kragi Garcia, Luis Katigbak, Charlson Ong, Alfred Yuson

Moderator: José Y. Dalisay, Jr.

Venue: CAL-AVR, 2/F Bulwagang Rizal, UPD

THE CREATIVE WRITING CLASSROOM. The teaching of creative writing, for the teachers among us: challenges, strategies, approaches, tips and tricks in the creative writing classroom.

Penelists: Merlie Alunan, Conchitina Cruz, Jun Cruz Reyes, Macario Tiu, Ricardo de Ungria

Moderator: Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo

Venue: CNB Inquirer Room 201

WORKSHOPPING THE WORKSHOP, ORGANIZING WRITERS. A review of the Dumaguete, Baguio, and Iligan workshops, plus maybe the biggest school-based ones, and how they grew. A sharing of best practices, as well as a discussion of common problems and situations. This panel can also deal with writers’ organizations, centers, institutes, and programs.

Panelists: Vicente Groyon III, Christine Godinez-Ortega, V.E. Carmelo D. Nadera Jr., Benilda Santos, Anthony Tan

Moderator: Lito Zulueta

Venue: CNB Rm 309

3:30 PM | WRITING OFF-CENTER: THE REGIONAL EXPERIENCE. How goes creative writing and literary publishing outside of Metro Manila? Have new centers of literary activity emerged, and what are the keys to their success? What does it take to promote writing from the regions to broader audiences?

Panelists: John Bengan, Jose Jason Chancoco, Rey Duque, David Genotiva, Alice Tan-Gonzales

Moderator: Ricardo de Ungria

Venue: CNB Inquirer Room 201

ATBP: WRITING OFF THE MAINSTREAM. Gay/lesbian literature, chick lit, "spec fic", Chinoy lit , and all that jazz. What alternatives exist to straight, realist, mainstream lit? Is this kind of "pigeonholing" good or bad—or, when is it good, and when is it bad?

Panelists: Dean Francis Alfar, Jhoanna Cruz, J. Neil C. Garcia, Jaime An Lim, Tara FT. Sering

Moderator: Danton Remoto

Venue: CNB Room 309

FILIPINO-NESS IN THE GLOBAL AGE. A perennial hot topic in the blogosphere. How can "Filipino-ness" be defined? Is it an absolute necessity in this age of globalization? Is "nation" even a relevant concept? How can this be manifested in a literary work? Why don’t we seem to see enough of such central elements of Filipino life as crime, sex, and humor in our literature, or is that only in English?

Panelists: Efren Abueg, Leoncio Deriada, Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, Resil Mojares, Timothy Montes

Moderator: Isagani R. Cruz

Venue: CAL-AVR

DAY 2, FEBRUARY 12, THURSDAY

Ateneo de Manila University

Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City

9:00AM | PLENARY

Venue: Leong Hall Auditorium

Program

• Opening Remarks, Prof. Ricardo de Ungria, Commissioner for the Arts, NCCA

• Welcome Address, Dr. Ma. Luz Vilches, Dean of the School of Humanities

• Message, Dr. Antonette Palma-Angeles, Academic Vice-President, AdMU

• A Concise History of 150 Years of Ateneo Writing

• Open Forum

• Tribute Proper

• Screen Presentation on Emmanuel S. Torres and Reading of Citation

• Screen Presentation on Gregorio C. Brillantes and Reading of Citation

• Response of the Honorees

• Closing Remarks, Dr. Ma. Luisa Torres Reyes, Chair, Dept. of English

1:00PM | ATENEO GALLERY AND LIBRARY TOUR

2:00PM | PARALLEL SESSIONS

THE POET-CRITIC. The issue of how art and criticism interface has been a central topic even in the creative writing curricula of top universities worldwide. Whether our writers have found the interface uneasy or comfortable, consciously or unconsciously, it has shaped the craft and aesthetics of generations of authors in the Philippines.

Panelists: Gemino H. Abad, Exie Abola, J. Neil Garcia, Allan Popa, Jun Cruz Reyes, and Thai fictionist/screenwriter Prabda Yoon

Moderator: D(anilo) Francisco (M) Reyes

Venue: Social Science Conference Rooms 1 & 2

TEXT AND CONTEXT. The encounter between art and politics, writing and ideology, or aesthetics and social engagement, has been a significant consideration in countries like the Philippines as it has been said to make for bad writing and good politics/bad politics and good writing. Thus, these binary categories have been considered mutually exclusive practices by some writers, but deemed mutually constitutive commitments by writers.

Panelists: Isagani R. Cruz, National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, Danton Remoto, Roland Tolentino

Moderator: Oscar Campomanes

Venue: Social Science Conference Rooms 3 & 4

PUBLISHING FOR THE FUTURE. No literature can prosper without publishing, but publishing itself is taking on new forms and challenges in this new century, such as online publishing and print on demand. What directions will Philippine literary publishing and Philippine literature itself take in the foreseeable future? What can the Philippine academic and commercial publishers do to promote literature here and abroad? Are there alternatives to mainstream publishing that can be explored, and can they be commercially viable?

Panelists: Karina Bolasco, Adam David, Antonio Hidalgo, Esther Pacheco

Moderator: Maricor Baytion

Venue: NGF Conference Rm, G/F De La Costa Hall

4:00PM | PARALLEL SESSIONS

FEMINISM IN OUR MIDST. The question of how women writers write under conditions quite distinct from men writers has been a source of dynamism and controversy in both their works and the criticism on their work. This has been a point of contention in recent literary history as some women writers organize themselves as women writers, weaving literature and sharing life.

Panelists: Rica Bolipata-Santos, Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, Priscilla Macansantos, Aida F. Santos, Dinah Roma-Sianturi, Hope Yu

Moderator: Benilda Santos

Venue: Social Science Conference Rooms 1 & 2

LITERATURE IN ACTION. Non-canonical texts abound in contexts like the Philippines in which literature’s energies come from places quite apart from "Literature." Foremost among this type of literary production is the whole range of performative practices which create cultural "events" as opposed to literary "art." Most prominent examples of this range from avant-garde forms to so-called "agit-prop" art in which visual and/or performance artists and educational and community theater groups like PETA have been making a splash in the international art and academic scene since the 80s and 90s.

Panelists: Michael Coroza, Steven Patrick Fernandez, Servando Halili, Bonifacio Ilagan, Glenn Mas

Moderator: Gary Devilles

Venue: Social Science Conference Rooms 3 & 4

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE. In the Philippines, it has been said that the reading fare of Filipino children continues to be dominated by children’s literature from the West, as evidenced by the children's books usually on display in major book shops. Nevertheless, it can be argued that for decades now, significant headway has been made in providing alternative reading materials for Filipino children by publishing houses like Aklat Adarna and noted Filipino authors and published locally in English, Filipino and other Philippine languages. What genres have been developed in children’s literature by Filipinos? Are these genres a mere imitation of the western models? Has the production been enough to begin to draw up a canon of children’s literature in the Philippines? What has been the impact of children's literature on the readers? What role must children's literature play in the Philippines?

Panelists: Cyan Abad-Jugo, Christine Bellen, Jean Lee Patindol, Ramon V. Sunico

Moderator: Jerry Respeto

Venue: NGF Conference Room, G/F De La Costa Hall

5:00PM | DINNER

Venue: Leong Hall Roof Deck

• Closing Remarks, Dr. Assunta Cuyegkeng, Vice President, Ateneo de Manila Univeristy-Loyola Schools

DAY 3, FEBRUARY 13, FRIDAY

Cubao X, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City

9:30AM | PLENARY

Venue: Cubao X

Hosts: Angelo R. Lacuesta, Festival Coordinator; Joel Toledo, Festival Assistant Coordinator

10:00PM | PARALLEL SESSIONS

HOME, ROAM, AND AWAY. Publishing locally versus publishing abroad. How does place of publication—or place of writing—affect or define your audience, or your career or your work? This should also function as a guide for those who seek international publication: what are the challenges and what are the chances?

Panelists: Vicente G. Groyon III, Mookie Katigbak

Moderator: Lourd Ernest De Veyra

Venue: Mogwai 2

THE END OF PRINT. Web-based publishing, traditional print publishing, and print-on-demand: the meaning of publication has multiplied so much these days. Has the meaning of quality, or rigor, or intent changed as well? How has this affected today’s writer? Has he (or must he) achieve convergence, or should there be dividing lines?

Panelists: Roberto Añonuevo, Adam David, Jean Claire Dy, Luis Katigbak, Edgar Samar

Moderator: Dean Francis Alfar

Venue: Pablo

WRITE TO LIFE. Writing to live, or living to write? Many literary writers have commercial writing careers—but what about other lines of work? And what of the lines that divide work and writing? This discussion covers all sorts of jobs writers must take—and the amount of confrontation and compromise writers must endure. It will also cover tips and tricks to avoid burnout and “multitasking hell.”

Panelists: Josua Cabrera, Dominique Cimafranca, Mikael de Lara Co, Ramil Gulle, Victor Dennis T. Nierva

Moderator: Frank Cimatu

Venue: Kolektib 1

LINGO NG WIKA. Language and authenticity in Philippine literary practice—it’s an old argument. So should we be done with it, then? Or shouldn’t we? (This conversation covers all Filipino languages.)

Panelists: Genevieve Asenjo, John Barrios, Jaime Jesus Borlagdan, Jose Jason Changcoco, Jason Laxamana, Glen Mas, Voltaire Oyzon, John Iremil Teodoro

Moderator: Rica Bolipata-Santos

Venue: Kolektib 2

GLOBAL WARMING. A plenary discussion over lunch featuring Asian and Filipino writers who have gone “global.” Our international panelists will discuss the challenges and rewards of writing in their local language and still achieving international recognition and popularity. The panel will also discuss practical tips on international grants, fellowships and exchange programs.

Panelists: Nguyan Bao Chan, Conchitina Cruz, Dinah Roma-Sianturi, Prabda Yoon

Moderator: Angelo R. Lacuesta

2:00PM | PARALLEL SESSIONS

PURO FORMA. The formal versus the experimental in poetry—is there a conflict? Young poets discuss the issues (and, inevitably, the non-issues) that abound.

Panelists: Michael Coroza, Conchitina Cruz, J. Neil C. Garcia, Mookie Katigbak, Angelo Suarez

Moderator: Allan Popa

Venue: Mogwai 2
(waaaah! gusto kong pumunta dito!)

MOVING UP IN THE WORD. Building the literary career—does it still have the same requirements as ten years ago, or are there new ways to get that break? Is the PalancaTM Award still the quickest path to writerhood? Or is that old-school thinking? What’s a literary career anyway?

Panelists: Efmer Agustin, Janice Bagawi, Arifah Jamil, Junley Lazaga, Leonila Lopido, Monica Macansantos, Harold Mercurio

Moderator: Mikael Co

Venue: Pablo

FICTIONAL SHOWDOWN. This is a friendly showdown between the realms speculative fiction and “non-speculative” fiction—its advocates, practitioners and its subject matter. Also up for discussion: attempted definitions, blurred boundaries and common goals.

Panelists: Dean Francis Alfar, Adam David, Jonathan J. Siason, Alvin B. Yapan, Prabda Yoon

Moderator: Ian Casocot

Venue: Kolektib 1

4:00PM | PARALLEL SESSIONS

ALL ABOUT MY OTHER. The I versus “otherness” in poetry: how do they figure in your work? Insights, questions, problems and answers on this mind-boggling topic.

Panelists: Ronald Baytan, Kristian S. Cordero, Conchitina Cruz, Larry Ypil

Moderators: Carlomar Daoana, Dinah Roma-Sianturi

Venue: Mogwai 2

UNSCRIPTED. Playwrights, screenwriters and writers in general discuss the difficulties of writing for the stage and screen—from the issue (or non-issue) of language and the challenges of the craft, to the long road to production and the burden of having to win the audience.

Panelists: Jhoanna Cruz, Glen Mas, John Iremil Teodoro

Moderator: Jun Lana

Venue: Pablo

THE YOUNG AND THE LITLESS. Is the Filipino youth worth writing for? In the age of the Internet and digital home entertainment, Filipino children and young adults have so much to see, hear and read—without having to open a book. How does this affect the youngest generation of the Filipino literary audience? How does this affect the Filipino writer?

Panelists: Christine Bellen, Jean Lee Patindol

Moderator: Tara FT Sering

Venue: Kolektib 1

THE STORY OF OUR LIVES. Short story writers and novelists discuss the concerns of today’s fictionist—from language and style to themes and subject matter. Also to be discussed: getting published internationally, and the problem and the burden of writing long-form work.

Panelists: Vincente Groyon III, Arifah Jamil, Luis Katigbak, Januar Yap, Alvin B. Yapan

Moderators: Genevieve Asenjo, John Bengan

Venue: Kolektib 2

6:30PM | PLENARY: DEAR NCCA. What can the NCCA do for the younger or emerging writer? This discussion hopes to come up with a wishlist for the NCCA, covering specific measures of support for the Filipino writer.

Moderators: Angelo R. Lacuesta, Joel Toledo

Venue: Mogwai

8:00PM | CLOSING CEREMONIES

• Address, National Artist Virgilio S. Almario

• NCCA Resolutions

• Response and Closing Address, Ricardo de Ungria

focus

this is not something literary

(an 18 year old girl needs to speak her mind. and oh yes, her heart too. yes, she has a heart. can't believe it? well, i was also surprised when she clutched her chest with pain. she felt pain. there. she said it throbbed like hell. then she realized that love isn't totally abstract, that it has a manifestation: pain. she wonders what anatomy has to do with feelings. now she has to deal with it, since "everything is suffering" already. she has to take part of the world's suffering. it was nobody's fault. but she can't help blaming herself - you know, the usual. funny, isn't it? it's gonna happen again. and she's certain that it's gonna end up the same anyway. hopelessness. what a shame. now, let's hear what she has to say.)














_

Ambroxol

Nanikit sa lababo
ang plemang may bahid ng dugo.

Gaano nga ba kalayo
ang baga sa puso?








_

Maligayang Pagdating

sa mundo ng marami.












_

paalam

sa(lamat)











_

Believe Me, It Was Already Two Years Ago

It's always hard to begin
conversations with you.
We both stand on the seashore,
side by side. Silent
waves devour the sand
underneath our feet.
I look down, somehow hoping
that the water will reveal
long-lost things in the sand:
a birthday card, a withered
white rose, our friendship
bracelets, a couple of
years worth of words.
But it didn't. And we'd rather
have ourselves cherish this stillness
than to dwell on the ruins
of our yesterdays.
So we stand on the seashore,
side by side, neither beginning
nor ending.




_

Tara, date tayo.

.
Sa wakas! Sa January 27, Tuesday, sa SocSci conference rooms 1 at 2 ng Ateneo, ang book launch ng nobela ni Sir Egay na Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog.

Save the date! ;D

Baka gusto mo pang magbasa (alam ko gusto mo): School of Humanities congratulates Edgar Calabia Samar

ganito kasi yun

Kapag hindi ako makapagsulat, nagsusulat ako.

May due ako bukas na short story para sa FA 106 (Fiction), kay Sir Yuson. Alam ko dapat nagawa ko na ito noon pang bakasyon, pero mahirap talaga kapag stagnant ang utak. Tsaka yung bumabaha ng mga ideya at plot pero wa na epek pag nilapat na sa papel. Depressing yun, 'kala mo ba.

At yun nga. May due ako bukas na short story para sa FA 106 (Fiction), kay Sir Yuson. Kailangan kong magsulat ng maikling kuwento na tungkol sa mahiwagang salita na pagmamahal, o L-O-V-E Rukawa. At di lang yun ha. Kailangan naka-set sa panahon ng giyera (kahit anong klase ng giyera). Haha, eto secret lang natin ha: wala akong experience sa pareho (sa L-O-V-E at sa tonight we dine in hell).

May due ako bukas na short story para sa FA 106 (Fiction), kay Sir Yuson, kaya nga "ginagawa" ko ngayon. At (OMG bakit bakit bakit ngayon) nakapagsulat ako ng tula ("rawr, it's been ages!"). Unang draft pa lang ito. Mwahugz.


Repose, I cannot
by Rachel Valencerina Marra

The wind blew softly
and it brought me
the fragrance of mountains
and freshly-cut grass.
When it stopped, all that's left
was the scent of Lysol
stuck in my fencing mask,
inviting my brain to surrender my soul
to the boy who intended to hurt me
with his bent blade.
A lefty he is, and I was pleased
with the way he twirled
his foil with mine
and with the pain I felt as he thrust
it just above my chest.
Careless, I was.
But all I could think of was his gaze -
pointed directly at me -
and the too many fragile points
on my body
that the breast plate,
the mask, and the fencing jacket
could not hide.

edited January 8, 2009



.

ganito kasi yun...

ang hirap kasi na halos lahat na lang ng mga pangyayari ay cliche.
lahat naman ng bago ay di makatotohanan.

destined

pro

mi

se s

First Time with Murakami (Pinball, 1973)

Hindi sapat ang isang basa.

bakasyon

Katatapos lang naming manood ng Code Geass season 2. Hindi pa rin ako maka-get over, kaya kahit na sobrang dami kong gustong sabihin tungkol dito e hindi ko masabi. Galing, sobra. Ang tindi. Kapag lahat ng astig pinagsama-sama mo (Death Note, Gundam Seed, V for Vendetta, Claymore, The Happening, etc.), eto na yun.


Bishounen. :)

Back to reality...

Dahil masisipag kayong mga bata - di tulad ko, alam kong may maipapasa kayo rito. May call for contributions ang Heights para sa special issue. GUILTY PLEASURES ang tema para sa lahat ng pieces, mapa-artwork man o literary. I-send sa heights.english@gmail.com kung Ingles, sa heights.filipino@gmail.com kung Filipino. Para sa mga artworks, i-send sa art.heights@gmail.com o dalhin sa Publications Room, MVP 202. (Wag kalimutang isama ang iyong pangalan, taon at kurso.)

+++
Wanted: Musa. =p

+++
Sabi ng SMART...
25 Million made the right choice.
25 Million cannot be wrong.

Make that 24999999. GLOBE na ako!

drooping

+
May bulubundukin ba sa Denmark? Nanaginip ako. Nagbakasyon daw kami sa Denmark. Naka-sasakyan lang daw kami. Maraming puno, may ilog sa bundok. Nasa tuktok ng bundok ang bahay na tutuluyan namin. Mahangin, malamig.
Hindi ko pinapangarap na makapunta sa Denmark. Pero tatandaan kong maigi ang panaginip kong ito. Balang-araw, malay ko ba.

++
Sabik ako sa kasama. Ayokong mag-isa.
'Eto ang hirap pag di na nasisikatan ng araw.

+++
Naiiyak na ako kanina. Gusto kong humiga sa gitna ng Bel Field at magpalunod sa putik at ambon. Pero nakakahiya kasi maraming tao.
Mag-isa lang ako kahit na nariyan sila sa paligid ko. Ibang klaseng pag-iisa.

++++
Ngayon lang uli ako nagkaganito. Kalungkutang walang dahilan. Kalungkutang humihingi ng paliwanag.
Pasensya na, wala akong maibibigay na paliwanag.

Ang Iba't Ibang Mukha ng Musa

maberdeng musa

malanding musa

rapper na musa





pelikulang musa





sasakyang musa


(ayon sa google)

Hindi nasasagot ng google ang lahat. (e di lalo na ng yahoo!)

bauninam!*

Ikaw. Oo, ikaw.

Bumisita ka. Hindi ko muli inaasahan. Kailan ka nga ba huling bumisita? Oktubre noong isang taon. Kailan nga ba tayo huling nagkita? Noong birthday ng pinsan mo noong Hunyo. Magpipitong buwan na pala. Pagkatapos nun, wala na. Ni "ha" ni "ho," ni blankong text message wala.

Nakaupo tayo sa sopa habang isinasalaysay mo sa akin ang nangyari. Sabi mo, hindi ka na masaya. Na hindi mo siya mahiwalayan kasi bukod sa may nangyari na sa inyo, hindi mo kaya.

(Ikaw ang lalake, pero ikaw ang nag-aalala.)

Nasa magkabilang dulo tayo ng sopa, magkatabi ngunit may napakalaking puwang. Alam kong makatutulong sana ang isang yakap pero pasensiya na, hindi ko kaya. Gusto ko sanang kunin ang iyong kamay para itapat sa aking puso. Walang takot kong sasabihin ko sa iyo na narito ako.

Ngunit hindi ko ugali ang magsinungaling. Wala ako roon. Wala ka rin doon. Walang sopa. Puro puwang lamang.

Bibisita ka na nga lang, mambubulabog ka pa ng tulog.

Ikaw. Oo, ikaw.

new look

yep yep

at kasalukuyan pa akong nagti-tinker ng kung anik-anik sa blog na ito.

Ngayon ko lang na-discover at na-explore ang xhtml. Astig haha, hanggang html lang ako dati e. Kaya bago ang layout at kakaiba ang blog lists.

Nahihirapan pa rin akong mag-link ng blogs mula sa Multiply. Panakit ulo haha. Kung alam nyo, pa-share naman ng kaalaman.

bakasyon na!

at nga pala....

Calling all artists! Heights and APART will be conducting an art exhibit, with the theme "Obsessions" on Feb. 16, 2009. Artworks of any medium (oil, digital, watercolor, mixed media), as well as sculptures and the likes may be submitted. Only 30 artworks will be featured so hurry and submit your works to the Heights room (MVP 202) on or before Jan. 17!

dahil nananalig tayo sa mga bagay na inaasahan nating magpapaalala sa atin kung ano tayo

ito
ito
at
ito.

Raindrops on roses and girls in white dresses

+
Oo, baka nabalitaan n'yo na. Lumabas na ang 2nd regular issue ng Heights. Maganda, pwamis. Tuwang-tuwa talaga ako sa cover (hindi dahil may pagka-Twilight siya). Ngayon ko lang din napansin na akma yung kulay ng cover sa tula ni Ali na Ebony and Ivory.

Sa Lunes, bukas, abangan n'yo na sa mga stands.

++
Salamat sa mga sumama sa Pizza Hut: sina Micha, Anna, Iggy, EJ, JC, Mike, Walt, at Brandz. Masarap talaga ang pizza pag libre. Pero mas masarap ang pizza kapag ikaw ang nanlibre haha. (Pasensya na tig-iisang baso lang ng Pepsi ang nakaya ko, tapos hindi pa ako marunong mag-host ng mga ganiyang eat-out.)

+++
Sa totoo lang, wala naman akong ibang gagawin dito kundi magpasalamat. Hayaan n'yo akong maging emosyonal. Salamat sa pagpunta ninyo. Salamat kay Walt para dun sa Turkish woven bookmark at sa Farker Fen, at sa pagiging kaibigan (ang drama talaga haha). Salamat kay EJ kasi kung hindi siya Globe, hindi malalaman ng iba (Smart kasi ako e). Salamat sa coding, dahil kung hindi coding si Iggy baka hindi siya pumunta. Salamat kay JC - in advance - para sa librong Para Kay B ni Ricky Lee. Salamat kay Mike, kasi nakahabol siya. Salamat kay Anna, dahil hindi niya ako pinatay haha. Salamat nga rin pala kina Anna at Micha, para sa surprise cake (aw, thanks so much!). Salamat kay Brandz, kasi nakapunta siya at hindi natuloy yung Theo thingy niya. Salamat nga rin pala kay Iggy, sa pagkain kahit na nahihirapan ka.

++++
Kasalukuyan ko palang na ina-upload ang mga pics. ;)

+++++
Ayun, hindi pa ako pagod magpasalamat! Pero sobrang dami nila kaya special mention na lang:

kina Mommy, Daddy, Kuya, Allison, at Lolo Fred. Sa Cake, sa Barbecue, sa Pininyahan, sa budget pang-Pizza Hut, sa suporta, sa pagtitiwala, sa napakaganda kong apelido, sa napakaganda kong middle name, sa heritage, sa 17 years kong buhay at sa mga darating pa.
sa mga bumati sa akin sa Friendster: Russel, Rachel B., at Joyce.
sa mga nag-text: Ybonne, Gel, Mike, Anna, Jong, Mich, Walt, Tita Gizelle at Tito Anthony, Lolo Pilo at Lola Estela, Tita Norma, Carlo, Nessie, Fressie, at Noh.
sa mga nag-iwan ng pabati sa guestbook ko rito: Mike, Miggy, Pin, at EJ.
sa mga bumati thru YM: Fourth and Marcy.
sa mga tumawag: Tito Joland at Kira (thanks talaga Kira, di ko yun inaasahan!)
sa mga pumunta kahapon: maraming maraming maraming salamat kina Noh at Nessie. Natanggap na nga nila yung unang kalahati ng Christmas gift ko.


++++++
Alam mo ba, ang panaginip ko nung madaling-araw ng birthday ko: naka-mini skirt daw ako. (WTH)

+++++++
Hindi ako depressed, di tulad nung birthday ko last year. Nung isang taon kasi, dalawa lang ang klase ko buong maghapon. Freecut pa yung isa. Aksidente kong nabambo sa ulo yung partner ko sa Wushu. Mabibilang lang sa daliri yung mga bumati at nakaalala. Sigh.

++++++++
"18 na ako," sabay tingin sa mga kalangitang binudburan ng mga bituing pinaghihinanakitan. Isang bugtong-hininga na walang makalulutas.