Being in the Middle...: 2012

Monday, December 31, 2012

Making and Taking Space and Relieving My Childhood

The New Year has finally come and here I am, changed (I hope for the better) and more experienced than last year. Last year was a tricky year for me. It was filled with ups and downs and unwanted rollercoaster rides which I am hinting now were needed at that time. Embracing the pain that spawned from foolishness was an arduous deal but it was never meant for the weak-hearted and the unfocused. And it was true, what my friends have been telling me all year round, it will get better and it did. Everything pointed home. I discovered that all I needed was a time out, to be with my family, to feel the warm of a family and everything fell into place. My plans are back on track again, in motion again.

"Home is a where the heart finds peace. It is a place where anyone can find blissful solace and heartfelt content. A safe place for the mind and soul – for the being."

I have been hanging on to those words for weeks now and I was thinking of using it as an intro to a blog or something but the next words never came through so I thought I should just quote it.

I wanted to start this year right. So after writing one song, watching one really good movie (Martha, Marcy May, Marlene) and having the weirdest breakfast (it was good weird though), I decided to move some things in the house. I needed space for my books since I have already given up my apartment back at the University since I am (technically) a graduate and don't need anymore lodging there. I need to do this to mark the time, to say that I am finally stepping into the future, to making my dreams come true. Cheesy right? I know. But I need to start somewhere and I started with the most precious things to me - my books.

I noticed as I was making space that we still had the Brains Blitz and a book of puzzles lying around the house. I remember I used to read them to boost my scope in General Knowledge and solving puzzles. I think that was where I got my enthusiasm for reading books in the first place. Ah, childhood. Even if my father forced me into reading those books, I was happy to have read them and have this affinity to them and to all the books that I have read and might read in the future until the day I die. And right, I am going to start...

Happy New Year Everybody!!!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Terminal Boredom

I finally arrived at NAIA 3 after three gruelling hours of wandering in the streets. After passing through the metal detectors and luggage scanners, I found myself a quaint spot by the Globe booth to wait for my siblings. We were supposed to meet for lunch and when I checked my watch, it was already 12:30 pm and there was no sibling insight. Yeah, lunch indeed. So I did what any young Filipino had to do to kill time, I checked my Facebook account. There was nothing much to see there so I started reading manga.

After an hour or so, I finally got a call from my sister telling me of their location in the vicinity. I went to their spot which was a mess – they were sitting on the floor next to the check-in counters. Basically, they were squatting because the counters would not accept them yet. Nice. Nonetheless, I sat with them and we played Jenga. We only played 5 rounds of Jenga because someone (my older sister) got carried away and screamed her brains out that everyone in the terminal turned and stared. It was pretty embarrassing.

It was already 2:00 pm when my siblings checked-in. We were flying in different airlines so when I checked my flight details, I was kind of pissed that my check –in time was still 3:00 pm. Well, it only made sense knowing that my flight was around 5:30 pm and theirs was around 4:00 pm. Still, it pissed me off. I waited again, Facebook again.

When I finally checked –in, we had a very brief lunch and then went to the boarding area where we played more Jenga. Since their boarding time was earlier, they had to leave me there and I had to find a different means to entertain myself. Hence, the camera. TA-DA! And took pictures I did.

The counter finally said that our plane had arrived and we were finally boarding. I was reluctant to leave at first. I wanted to take more pictures – you know, when the sky turns purple and orange that sort of thing. But we had to go. I had to go.

It was not a long trip maybe because I fell asleep halfway or maybe because I was enjoying myself too much. I don’t know. I think I’m just really happy that I was able to go home. It’s the only thing that matters as of now.

The BLTXXX

Last weekend, I went to the BLTXXX that was held at Ilyong's in Kalantiaw Cubao. It was a low profile event where people gathered to buy indie works of up-and-coming Filipino writers and artists. This was the third BLTX (Better Living Through Xeroxography) that was held on that same restaurant. But I should say, the crowd got bigger and things got REALLY better. This was my second time attending the BLTX and in just a year, things were already becoming more interesting. There were more people and more exhibitors. It was more crowded than last year (given that this year, they opened the space in the middle of the floor where everyone would usually find tables for the exhibitors). And it was louder too.

After traveling for three hours from Laguna, we came tired and somewhat hungry and there was this mob of people which made it very hard to move around the restaurant. There was also the case of our elusive table. We could not find it at first but Josel (the head coordinator) was very generous to give us the spot just right by the entrance. It was a really great spot. People came to us immediately. Thank you very much Sir Josel!

As the night loomed, we ate and we drank and we became unafraid to be silly. My friends started joking around, making fun of themselves, while I went around and bought myself several zines.

It was such an incredible and fun night filled with literature, fun, food and booze. Ah... boo- I mean food. We did not eat much at the restaurant. We ate outside at JJ's. The food was cheaper there (haha) and I was craving for silog. We also had cupcake for dessert (we shared one cupcake) which was provided and designed by none other than Sir Josel. And it was YUMMY! I've seen and tasted nothing like it. At first, we did not want to eat it because we did not want to destroy the design. But minutes passed, hunger took over. And we all went with our gut and we did not regret anything.

The mass of people finally dispersed around 2 am. We finished the event by singing in the karaoke. It was brief but it was not short of fun. Then goodbyes were in place and we finally went home. I honestly did not want it to end but we had to go home sometime. I only wished that we could have prolonged it, even just for a few minutes. In any way, as early as now, I'm already looking forward to next year.

Sporadic Attempts to Capture: Volume 9

Here I go again... These were the images I got last weekend. Those three days were crazy fun and I'm very happy I was able to capture these great stills. I am still hoping a little though that I was able to get more from those three days. Nonetheless, here they are...