Komikon Newbie in da Haus

Note: This took long because I couldn’t download the pics from my cellphone. Still can’t. Pics from the festival courtesy of Jonas Diego, Gerry Alanguilan and Johnny Danganan. Pics connected to my purchases, I took…Right now, I’ve only posted my experience. Pics and links to sites ongoing (some still undone). Mostly, they’re from the Net. Those in bold are mostly hyperlinks leading to artists’ blogs/websites/information. It’s actually a blessing in disguise that I’m having probs with my phone. I’m learning more by researching…Bear with me. I just don’t want this sitting for a longer time. More pics to be uploaded next week, from my phone. Meanwhile visit the three guys’ sites to see more pics.

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“KIKOMACHINE? All caps or all small letters? One whole word or two, as in Kiko Machine?” My mind raced two Saturdays ago as I was (already regretting) tearing off the plastic covering of my own copy of the comic book series’  fifth installment. I had never attended a komikon before and I didn’t even know when the next time would be, but that Saturday was my first time to go, taking advantage of the fact that the 3^rd San Pablo City Comics Festival was happening in, well, San Pablo. “No day like today,” as a Broadway song goes.

The 3rd SPC Comics Festival

A night shot inside Ultimart Shopping Plaza from sanpablocity.com.ph

One trike ride and a short walk away, I was at the open-air venue at the Ultimart Shopping Plaza, looking for Master Raven a.k.a. his actual name Jonas Diego (long story). The Pinoy comics conventions (komikons) have been his and fellow  artists Gerry Alanguilan and Johnny  Danganan‘s brainchild and thanks to them, venues for comic book writers and artists have given professionals and amateurs alike the opportunity to show, share, and even earn a bit from their chosen craft. Mainly, these participants do it simply out of  love for their art. This event wasn’t exactly a convention, I think, rather a festival as the event title implied, but since they’re there convening, it’s all the same banana to me. I wanted to be there.

First (My) copies of the original "Book of John"

Raven did promise to sign my copies of the original The Book of John (BOJ), printed back when he still used non-glossy cheaper paper for the inside leaves and art paper for the covers.  Pretty much like the many new indie cartoonists’ first outputs. The Master used the pointillism technique (see, Raven? I was paying attention).  I still remember him asking us for comments that indeed landed in the pages of the next issues, but he never did finish the last installment which I have been making kulit to him about for years. I also remember accompanying him to one (maybe even the only, I’m not sure) comic book store in San Pablo City, near Central School…So awesome to have such memories! I guess all artists go through these kinds of stages.

Back to the present.

Comics enthusiasts rummage through hundreds of un-bought issues/editions of comic books. Note to self: Find out where Comic Odyssey is...

I first saw a booth selling un-bought editions of various comic books. Comic Odyssey.  I didn’t try rummaging through them because my main goal was  to  get   Raven  (sorry for calling him this – force  of habit), and Kiko  Machine Komix (KM) creator Manix Abrera’s autographs, view the exhibit they put up,  and check out the different comic books being offered by other artists and collect their autographs  – in that order.  Besides, I was on a tight budget. However, Raven and Manix were both nowhere to be found at the time, so the exhibit at the second floor suddenly came first in my itinerary.

Oh, but not without first buying a copy of Raven’s new output: a glossy, full-colored, 32-paged issue of Pocket Comics. I was so engrossed in various thoughts, though, that the guy taking my payment wondered what the extra P200 was for, ha ha haaa!!!  He was real friendly and I got to share my copy of BOJ. The guy said he owned copies as well, and, borrowing my own, he and some others amused themselves with Raven’s younger mug printed on the pages.

Komiks Festival Exhibit featuring some of the best Pinoy comic artists then and now

As expected, the exhibit shared previous works of Filipino comic writers/artists, with some from as early as the ‘30s, if I’m not mistaken. Really cool stuff! Some were just “samples” from artists, some were actual drafts, some were original unprinted copies, some were original printed ones, and limited editions, too!  There were even some cool stamp collections featuring works of various cartoonists. I took pics with my non-high-tech phone, so they’re not so good, but anyhoo.

There were works from the likes of Larry Alcala, Nonoy Marcelo and Tony Velasquez,  for it wouldn’t be complete without featuring these pioneers of Pinoy comics artistry. So I saw familiar strips like Kalabog en Bosyo, Mga Kabalbalan ni Kenkoy, Tisoy (I wanted to see Ikabod instead but, well, I knew they had to make do with what were available). All of these were born long before I was, but in my lifetime, I saw either old copies from here and there or re-prints in whatever were current publications those times.

Tony Velasquez, Larry Alcala and Nonoy Marcelo: Pioneers of Philippine Comics

The Masters' Pieces -- (I couldn't find a good "Tisoy" copy so here's...) Nonoy Marcelo's more popular "Ikabod"; Larry Alcala's "Kalabog en Bosyo" (but his "A Slice of Life," I think, was what MADE Larry Alcala) ; Tony Velasquez's "Kenkoy" (that has become a popular monicker for people somewhat on the funny side)

See Larry here...

Now see Larry HERE!!! (Goodluck with that!!!)...The best-known cartoon Larry Alcala had drawn was a likeness of himself that people, in ages, had fun looking for in numerous "A Slice of Life" slices like this one

A taste of the "Ikabod" kind of humor Baby mouse abuse aside, this cracked me up!

FUNNY characters tickled the funny bones for two to three decades, depending on when you were born. Is it still around??? So far, my research hasn't led me to that discovery. But apparently, many are missing it and even clamoring for copies because ta-da! There's a Facebook fan page! Have no idea who created it but anyhoo. Image from tikbaloycube.deviantart.com

I did kind of search for any item from FUNNY Komiks, but *sigh* nada, zilch, zero.  That was a bit of a bummer. What regular kid growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s didn’t know about FUNNY Komiks???

Now, while I love comics, I had not really bought a lot of them, because as a fictionist, I had been more interested in collecting written novels rather than graphic ones. Prior to last Saturday and BOJ issues aside, I only owned a few, most currently, Andoyman Komikero’s first try, FOODCOURT. I had been contenting myself with clippings from the dailies and making cut-and-paste style comic books out of them. If I found any strip funny, interesting and/or witty, then snip-snip-snip.

Andoyman Komikero's (1) first offering, and (2) well, a teaser of his work in progress

Back to the exhibit.

I had to mention that I wasn’t much of a comic-book collector to explain that aside from the great Whilce Portacio of X-Men fame, I wasn’t aware of many comic book writers and  artists’ names. So, many of the names in the exhibit  and the festival itself sounded new to me (no offense to any artist reading this).  I just knew Raven by default. Whilce – I gotta find out how to exactly say his name next time – lent his stuff. Nice treat for any Marvel and especially X-men fan *insert smiley here*

Some works were very familiar, like The Voodoo Stick by Sonny Trinidad and The Swamp Thing by Nestor Redondo. I remember those particular covers. I know I read some parts of their stories before except I can’t exactly recall perhaps because I was still young (my good memory doesn’t always work). And if you ever rented issues from your friendly neighborhood “renter”,  you’d know that it was nearly impossible to follow stories fully and in random order. Lucky you to even actually get your hands on brand-new copies.

Komiks of yesteryears. Images from the Net, copyrighted by their individual publishers

An old pic of international comic artist Sonny Trinidad and his "The Voodoo Stick" that was exhibited and that I remember seeing myself. There is a more popular cover for this, though, with a skull and all. Can't seem to find a background on how the story went

The famous "The Swamp Thing" by international comic artist Nestor Redondo

Meanwhile, I appreciated the others’ works as well, particularly some that I liked for various reasons.

Francisco V. Coching’s El Indio graphic art interested me. I would have liked to read his story whose protagonist was a “mere” human fighting the evil society back then, which setting was obviously during Spanish times. Maybe Rizal and Bonifacio did some “guesting,” I don’t know, but my guess may not be that far-fetched.

Creator of "El Indio," one of the Top 100 Pinoy graphic arts of all time

The restoration of Francisco V. Coching's work of art, "El Indio." After painstaking work by a small team led by Gerry Alanguilan, we now have the chance again to enjoy this wonderful graphic novel. See his big smile below? ;p

I'd be smiling, too, if I were him. Photo from his blog gerry.alanguilan.com. I claim no rights, and obviously I have none over it)

Zara Macandili’s art made me smile. I think it’s safe to say she is a Psych show fan – I recognized the characters in her sketch immediately as Shawn and Gus imitating WHAM and Michael Jackson. It was new artwork, too, done last November.  Meanwhile, something about Efren Jay Anacleto’s Aria work of art attracted me to it, don’t ask me what ‘cause I am not sure.

Superheroes were abundant, as any comic-book lover would expect, and Wolverine was a clear favorite, just ask Leinil Yu (the draft for the artwork in this link was what was exhibited) and Gilbert Monsanto.  Great ink work! Me loves your Wolvey! Pinoy artistry at work, definitely.

And speaking of Pinoy, I realized that what would a comic book exhibit featuring local artists be without our very own superheroes –   our own superheroine, at that…DARNA!!! Ryan Orosco’s work was a sight for sore eyes. I’d choose Darna over Wonder Woman anytime. There were artworks, too,  featuring more modern Pinoy heroes, a group of bagong bayani’s, kind of like our version of the Super Friends a.k a. Justice League and the Avengers. Neat

This was the version of Ryan Orosco's artwork included in the exhibit. Much more powerful, IMO, the original Pinay superheroine "Darna" can put "Wonder Woman" to shame. She made it to many movies already and, even in recent years, she has been "flying" on TV air. An actual oldie now if you count the years, Darna stays young as a true classic...Image from comicvine.com

With all those artists featured, young ones tried to test their own talents and joined the art contest. I am not sure if they were all supposed to be there, but where better to be inspired to work on a piece than where the greats were? So they gathered around the exhibit, breathing inspiration. I wish I had the same gifts when I was a child.

My copy of Jonas Diego's "Pocket Comics"

After spending my time soaking in art at the exhibit, I went back down to the festival venue and finally found Raven to twist his arm so he would sign my copy of Pocket Comics and the first-ever original issue of the  BOJ (you do know I was kidding about the arm-twisting, right?).

I got introduced to the great Sir Gerry and I am not just saying “great” for the heck of it. I had wanted to know what it was exactly that people and critics found and raved about in his comic book about intelligent chickens crossing over from fowl to human category.  It felt awkward, I thought, to be introduced and then for me to just buy his book and ask him to sign right there and then. So I didn’t. Then here came Johnny who’d been my Facebook bud and yet I don’t think we ever said a single word online before that. Chances were we had seen each other before, based on Raven’s intro, and we just didn’t know it. I thought it was really nice to meet him.

Spot the difference (he he)...Inside Raven's "Book of John," Then versus Now

The stars of the event -- the comic books!!! Most were of reasonable prices, so reasonable you would have wanted to buy in bulks if you could!

All you had to do was to approach tables and check out their wares a.k.a. comic books then choose what appealed to you

Here's Pol Medina of "Pugad Baboy" fame. Coolness

Pol Medina, here with Arhitect and Komiks Illustrator Marivi Hilos-Nepomuceno

Not wanting to take too much of Raven’s time, I went around to find myself some comics and get to know some of the artists. Very popular was the section where artists took portrait-sketching orders right there and then. ‘Course, I wanted to know who they were but who to ask without looking like the newbie that I actually was, really? Checked out some of the products on display, but no, I went there for comics and darn if I didn’t buy any.

So I walked around, checking out the scene, pretending to be cool and probably failing at it. Oh, Pol Medina’s there!!! To be honest, I had seen the event posters but didn’t really look at the names of the featured artists so this was a surprise to me. Hmnn…How to get his autograph….I didn’t. I couldn’t. Because I couldn’t decide which Pugad Baboy book to buy, plus, it would have affected the budget dramatically. So I just contented myself with looking, stealing a pic and moved on to the next tables. Next time, for sure, Pol.

There were the tables for the independent creators. I was so overwhelmed, I wanted to buy everything! But again, tight budget, gotta think of that. I also didn’t want to buy any that were series, ‘cause then I would not be able to follow the stories since I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to attend such an event again  and since I was sure I wouldn’t find those works in any National Bookstore yet, unless I scoured comic book stores, and I didn’t. So I got one that had a simple cover, no colors, printed on something that may be a bit better than bond paper, and most importantly, the stories were short and finished.

I purchased the following (from top left, clockwise): Mel Casipit's "Balitok", Gerry Alanguilan's "Elmer", Freely Abrigo's "Wapak!", Manix Abrera's Kiko Machine Book 1

I got Mel Casipit’s Balitok Comics Anthology. Really amateur work, at least when it came to story conception, and I’m not being mean, because he himself said in his intro that the three stories there were his first ones that he’d like to share to the public. It showed. But like “balitok,” that in his native Pangasinense tongue meant “gold,” I believe this work was gold. Artists always go back to where they started. Often, they keep souvenirs. I know I do. I did like Payt 4 Lab with its very Naruto-inspired characters. I thought it was tickly-funny. Just the right stuff.  Looking at the covers of more stuff he’s done, the artistry had improved and I hope even the storytelling. I will definitely buy more from him the next time.

Now I went to the other tables and saw this one that had colored, even glossy, stuff on it. I guess it was the level-up kind of thing. Once you’re past the amateur stage, well, where else do you go?

Very familiar stuff, and some more cute ones thrown in. I gotta admit, I was intimidated by all the artists, envious of their talent. Maybe  Manila Bulletin’s Freely Abrigo saw right through my façade and chatted me up a bit, at first, offering his comics. I promised I’d go back after I’ve checked out all the tables. I did go back and buy one, for P30. I thought I got a P20 with a P10 but gave him a P50 instead. After the first error, that was my double whammy. It was funny though. And we got to talk a bit and I got a new-found FB friend.

Manix Abrera signs his autograph in such cutesy manner such as this one dedicated to me. To borrow a quote from his KM characters, "ASTEEEG!!!"

Minutes after, I was standing in front of Manix, buying his first book and having him sign my copy with this cute li’l artsy autograph. He was showing me his latest book, I think, but I decided to take Book 1 of my favorite local comic strip. Why was simple. I was collecting his stuff and I only had Books 2, 3 and 5. What’s a series collection without the first offering, right? Besides, I was for sure buying more in the future. Now, the reason why I peeled off the safety cover of Book 5 (I mentioned that at the start) was because it was the best cover yet and there were nice spaces to sign on. When I bought Book 1, though, it seemed natural to have THAT one autographed.  I did regret peeling off the protective cover then.

Manix Abrera: definitely one of the most popular comics artists today

I paid him for the book, handing him P150 rather than P120, so he gave back the extra. I just realized there was a difference in prices between the first and second rows that were on display. Oops. Triple whammy. Sheesh…. I wanted to tell Manix, “Hey, we’re FB buds” but then that would have merited a “HUH?” expression, given just how many fans he had. Besides, I wasn’t after special treatment, if there was even supposed to be any. Meanwhile, I took pictures of him signing other peeps’ copies. Yep, that’s what I do, I steal pics. Coward.

That done, I checked out again that intelligent chicken, Elmer. Oh, it’s really a book! With many pages and all, like, many. No way was that gonna cost just over a hundred. So I checked out my wallet and figured I could still buy one – gotta know what’s inside, gotta not let the opportunity slide (and I am so happy I didn’t!!!). I was too shy to ask for Sir Gerry’s autograph, besides, he was talking to people in the first place, so the miss from whom I bought my copy, having heard me say I was a bit reluctant to ask him to sign it, called him to the desk declaring, “Pa-sign daw; nahihiya daw siya” (“She wants you to sign it; she’s too shy to ask”). Anla! Si Ate naman! Ibuking ba??? I really was just trying to get the proper timing and approach him coolly. Well, that plan was ruined, ha ha ha!!! But I’m thankful to her, really.

Okay, it was soon going to get dark, and I thought I better stop. I searched for Raven but he was somewhere out there getting busy and I didn’t want to bother him. So taking a last look at the place, I left, but definitely NOT never to return again.

I could get used to this.

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Feedback from Mr. Gerry Alanguilan:

This landed in my emails and the dashboard, so since this was meant as a comment, I've added this screenshot. Thanks, Sir Gerry!!!!

Real Que Horrors!!! (and some more growing up to do)

An apt image I found, by Suzi Crafter, from http://suzicrafter.blogspot.com/

November just ended. We left the scary month that seems to always give life to the dead because it got designated as the Halloween month. But how many times have we heard it, that’s it’s not the dead we should be scared of but the living? Other than that, I think we should also be warned about HOW we live. Too many horrors in this world…

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Finally finished reading two weeks ago a 220-paged ’50s book now-considered a classic. Normally, I find books I decide to read either “just okay” or “very good”. Rarely do I find books I don’t like or I hate. Seems like I’m deciding between these last two with this book. I’m disappointed. It’s such a hype. I waited for it to surprise me in the end, that was the main reason I stuck to it. But I felt the same way I felt when I was at the start.

We were talking about this book a few weeks back. I agreed with one that’s it’s full of angsts and I said that’s exactly why I can’t seem to like it — too angsty even for my own taste. Another said that that’s what makes it beautiful. I don’t think too angsty is beautiful. It’s a book about someone who always finds something to complain about. He hardly sees good in anything. The book ends like he hasn’t even learned his lesson. I found nothing of the said beautiful part in the angsts I read.

The thing is we already have our own angsts to take care of. We do not need to read more of it. At least I don’t. It’s really a waste of energy — physical, mental, emotional. I know ’cause I get periods of it. So do most people.

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When depression hits, I still complain about:

A who made me look bad to the boss before

B who made me get the flak for her incompetence as a leader (better me than her, right?)

C who said my idea wasn’t working but look what they are doing now with MY idea (that was actually the BEST thing that was happening online in 2010)

D and E who made total lies to cover their sorry butts from F who had always hated my guts and took the opportunity to accuse me based on aforementioned lies and CC’ing the Bigger Boss in an attempt to make me cower (and he thought I would back down…No. Effin’. Way.)

Etcetera, etcetera. Blah.

But that’s just it. They’re “etcetera’s”.  They’re things/people we really shouldn’t even need to give the time of day to mention or even think about, because they DON’T MATTER. Once upon a time, they did, and we had our reasons to gripe. But we have to move on. Time to leave the etcetera’s behind.

Yes, like I said, I still gripe once in a while about them. Our memories are wired to our hearts after all. At least I am learning to let go and have gotten tired of the angsts, actually, that I don’t talk much about them anymore. Can you get tired of yourself? Yes.

Depression, complaints, ANGSTS. Who needs them? It’s not the end of the world.

Yet.

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If you wanna know how big the world was when you were born, check this page out: The Guardian. I did.

Mine said 3,988,880,570. United Arab Emirates was Fastest Growth Country with 18.37% (grew to 453,530 that year) and Equatorial Guinea was Slowest Growth Country with -4.88% (shrank to 249,569 that year). Wow. And now we just welcomed the 7-billionth babies.

Interesting, yeah. Did this make me happy? Not really. Just goes to show how much we screwed up the planet. Imagine, 7 billion, and counting, and what do we have to show the kids? It’s like handing down an old, beaten-up, malfunctioning car. It could just die on you anytime. You’ll never really know.

And that’s what we’ve been doing, beating up the planet, doing all the worst things imaginable to it. You’ve got brains enough to know what I mean.

Our procreation could be the death of us all.

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Speaking of procreation, it is something some people should be disallowed to do. They have no business making babies at all!

I can still remember those videos I saw recently.

– the toddler in China that got hit and ran over by a vehicle, twice, then again by the next vehicle, and people didn’t do anything to help her

– the little girl (in Japan, if I’m not mistaken) who was sitting alone and unprotected on the window sill and then  falling many floors from the building

– another video in China that I found showing a vehicle running over another toddler that, at least from what I could gather from the video, miraculously survived well enough to stand (if s/he was crying, I could not see)

– the baby her mom killed in the US and she’s getting off lightly

…and so many etceteras that DO deserve our attention.

What kind of parents and adult relatives do these kids have??? I want to know.

Why, just the other night, I was on my way home and there was this little boy playing dangerously on the street. Good thing the drivers could see him and were honking their horns. On a busy street, not one adult cared enough to do something. Maybe they didn’t know because they were so busy. But it was not an excuse for those who knew.

I approached him to tell him to stay away from the street. He wriggled from my light hold and to my shock, quickly — and thank goodness,  safely — crossed the street. I noticed a man sitting and just watching, grinning like an amused effin’  hyena. Then the woman-vendor near me yelled at him to say, “Hey! Are you stupid? Why wouldn’t you even take care of your nephew?”

I think they were both stupid.

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Time Flies by tiddlyinks, from http://cherylxue.blogspot.com/

December just started. Time does fly. Unfortunately, maturity is left in the dust. It’s easy to get old. No matter where you are, you get old. It’s the growing-old part that has a lot of catching up to do.

SuperGi’s Words of UnWis(e)dom 2: I DISLIKE

 

I DISLIKE!!!! ('Course, I claim no copyright over this)

“Life also comes

with a DISLIKE button.

Push when necessary.”

 

(J.Gi Federizo)

“JAMIE PART 2: CHANCE MEETING”

(*Important Note Before You Read: This is the second installment of the Jamie Gabrielle Vinci story. The character Teng, including her attire and actions, except for the small talk with Jamie, belongs to ‘mystical_grasseater’ or “Michael” whose last name the author doesn’t know. J.Gi Federizo — moi – used the character with his permission. As I have no way to inform him and the first guy, Kevin Craig, everytime I post this and the first installment, I’d rather mention them. I have no plans of earning from this so they can rest easy…Anyhoo, hope you like this one )

IF YOU HAVEN’T YET, READ JAMIE PART 1: JAMIE GABRIELLE VINCI HERE BEFORE YOU PROCEED…

Photo from Gazet Van Antwerpen

Grande Macchiato. What a lovely name. So Jamie decided to have some more of it and went back into the café.

She had earlier entered Starbucks somewhat absent-mindedly and simply ordered the first words that caught her eye in the displayed list. She drank it outside just as absent-mindedly as her mind wandered off, dreaming of J. Gabrielle Vinci’s future glory days, and eventually letting out sighs of disappointment as her thoughts wandered more to her problem at hand.

Could have stayed that way if not for Mr. Pinkoe who stuck an itsy-bitsy pink note on the transparent window and woke her up. He could have stuck it on her face, in fact, but thankfully, he did not. One laughing-session-with-some-stranger after, she finished her drink and decided she liked it after all.

“Grande Macchiato, please,” Jamie ordered just as someone stood beside her.

The Starbucks employee acknowledged the other person. “Your order, Miss?”

“Double Espresso Cubano, please, on ice,” came the reply.

Jamie took note of the accent. Asian, no mistake about it. Perhaps Chinese, or maybe Japanese. No matter. She loved Asians, especially since she was part-Asian herself, only Filipino, not Chinese or Japanese.

Jamie stole a glance at the other woman who was fortunately looking somewhere else. Oh, it was she. Asian, alright. It was only Jamie’s third time in that certain Starbucks branch and every time, the woman was there as well. Maybe she was a regular customer.

‘ Teng.’  That was probably her name. Jamie had overheard someone call the woman that the other day. She thought it was cute, like the sound typewriters made at the end - Teng! The previous days, Teng proceeded to the rear part of the café, sat, and shuffled her tarot cards on the table. Maybe she would sit there today, too.

Today, Teng had her red silk cape again. Blue jeans. Brown cowboy boots. Amber-tinted sunglasses. Fashionable? Maybe. Jamie admired people who took fashion into their own skin, however different, as long as it suited the wearer, and Teng’s attire suited her without question. Add flawless, glowing skin to the ensemble.

But it was not the attire or her behavior that made people aware of Teng. Somehow, she exuded an aura that was…not all together there, not entirely, but…there. There was just no word to fit, Jamie realized. And Jamie blushed profusely when she also realized she had stared too much for far too long, Teng was now looking at her. The eyes were hidden under glasses, but she knew they were eye-to-eye.

“Grande Macchiato, Espresso Cubano,” the employee had announced and Jamie took the opportunity to look away.

Didn’t your mother say it’s rude to stare at people?, she reprimanded herself as they each took their orders. Their eyes met again (Jamie could just tell), but this time, the woman smiled at her a bit, prompting her to smile back to make up for the staring. Teng turned around to leave. In an instant, she was back looking at Jamie who half-expected a scolding or something.

It was a something, at least. A weird something. “Do not let it trouble you. All things will fall into place. Perhaps not as fast as you think, but they will,” Teng said in such a mysterious way, Jamie’s heart skipped.

“E-excuse me?”

“Everything will be alright. Simply take it one step at a time.”

Oh, boy, this is weird. “What do you mean?”

To this, Teng’s brows furrowed as she cast her eyes down, as if she was wondering herself. “I don’t know. I just…know.” Having said this, Teng shrugged her shoulders, turned around again, and went to her usual table to shuffle cards that came wrapped in black silk.

Photo from the Net

Jamie stood dumbfounded. Ye gads! Did Teng really know what she was talking about? She did say she had no idea, though. Jamie would’ve asked more but decided against it when a man in corporate attire beat her to talking with Teng.

Jamie collected herself, sighed, and resigned. Nevermind, she’s probably just a fake fortune-teller or whatever, she thought, going out to find the seat she abandoned still empty. She sighed again as she sat. Fake or not, Jamie wished Teng had sat near the window in front of her. It was weird that Teng somewhat guessed something about her and Teng didn’t seem anything like crazy at all. Jamie sighed again, realizing that sighing was becoming a bad habit.

It wasn’t long when…“Excuse me, Miss. May I please have this seat?” Jamie looked up to find a guy standing in front of her, hot coffee in one hand, an order of California Maki in the other, magazine tucked in between his arm and waist.

Jamie gave him one of her standard replies. “I’m sorry, but I’m busy,” she said, giving him a smile that was not to be construed as an invitation, rather, something one gave for polite purposes.

“Yeah, I know, but I won’t really bother you, Miss.”

Yeah, right. “Sorry, but I’m waiting for somebody.”

“There are more than two seats here. Maybe you could lend me one? Or I could stay and then leave when your friend arrives,” he insisted.

Oh, no, one of those who just would not go away that easily. Jamie decided to be blunt. “Mister, you really gotta stop this.” He gave her a questioning look. Hmp. Playing innocent. “Okay. At the risk of being called rude, I have to tell you, I really have no time for you whatsoever. No conversations. I have a lot on my mind and I really wanna concentrate on them…So please, leave?”

The guy first looked at her, confused, and then, as if suddenly gifted with the power to comprehend, he gave a little mocking smile. “Oh, I see, I see…You’re right…” he said, nodding his head a little, “You are rude.”

This time, Jamie was the one confused. “Excuse me?”

“Excuse you? Right after you insulted me? God! What an ego! Get off your high horse, will you? I mean, didn’t it even occur to you that maybe, I really was  just looking for a seat? Maybe I wasn’t trying to hit on you? Maybe you’re not even my type?” He shook his head again. “You know what? Forget it.” Having given her his own piece of mind, he turned and left the table.

Stunned, Jamie watched him leave and stand a distance away, surveying his surroundings. It was true that he needed a seat, she realized. The place was full again today and there was no available chair for him outside anymore. He was telling the truth after all. Jamie felt a pang of guilt. What was she thinking? He was right. What an ego she had. A big, fat ego. She watched as he turned to enter the café to look for a seat.

Suddenly, Jamie stood up. “Hey, Mister!” she called out to him. The guy turned to look at her. “You can have this seat.”

He was confused again yet annoyed. Probably thinking that she flipped her lid. “What?”

“You can have this seat.” To this, he gave a more confused look and asked why as he went nearer. An apology was in order. “Look, you’re right. I’m sorry I was rude to you. Guess, it’s just that my days have not been going great lately….Have a seat?”

He did take the seat opposite hers, put his coffee and food down, flipped through the magazine, started reading, and completely ignored her. Jamie bit her lip. Well, she did have it coming. So she just concentrated on her drink, spooning up all of the criss-crossed splash of caramel meticulously with her straw before drinking the rest. Once, she glanced at the guy and found him watching her, an amused expression on his face. But then he looked away and back to the magazine, pretending to be engrossed in it. Jamie could not help but smile to herself .

Just then, Jamie’s face contorted a little and before she knew it,… “Achoo.” Oops…She would have apologized if he didn’t start snickering, his shoulders shaking as he tried not to, still pretending that he was reading. “Heeeeyyyy…” she said, good-naturedly. So he abandoned all efforts to stop snickering altogether and laughed away. Jamie let him. She owed him that.

When he finally mellowed down, it was to say, “Bless you.”

“Thank you.”

“Was that a real…I mean…Did you really sneeze?”

“Yeah, I know, I get that all the time. They say I sneeze like a kitty cat.”

“A kitty cat! Yes, that’s right! I was wondering how I would describe it…” he was smiling broadly now. Nice smile. Jamie was a sucker for nice smiles. He had the kindest eyes, too, now that he wasn’t mad anymore. In fact, when he was mad, he still looked kind. Straight dark hair that reached the nape, complementing the brown eyes. “By the way,…I’m sorry, too, for what I said to you. My day has not been going great as well.”

“I understand. Troubles make people cranky at times…You better take your coffee now or it’ll turn cold.”

“Oh.” He did and took a sip. “But I see you have a nice way of drinking yours as well. I feel like ordering a cold one myself. But anyway,…Oh, hey, sorry, I’m bothering you now.”

“No, no, that’s alright. I’m really in need of a little chat right now. I was just cranky because these guys kept coming up to me and hitting on me and, well, you know, it could get so annoying.”

“Now, I understand what happened. Don’t worry, I wasn’t hitting on you. I was just a guy trying to find the nicest way to enjoy his coffee.”

“And you like to read, too, I see. What magazine is that?” He showed her the cover. “In A Nutshell. That’s a magazine title? Never heard of it.”

“That’s ‘cause they’re relatively new. Their office is a floor above the office where I work, which is also owned by the owners of the publication. In fact, the whole building is theirs.”

A publication? This got Jamie’s interest. “Really. Do you happen to know if they’re in need of more writers? Maybe they’ll have room for me.”

“Oh, so you’re a writer? Great! Well, I’m not sure if they need more people, but I can find out when I get back to New York.”

“New York?”

“Yup. That’s where I work. I’m just here for some research. I work as art director for their ad agency.”

“I love New York! Maybe I’ll go check the magazine myself and see if they can accommodate me.”

“Oh, well, then, here,” he searched through his pockets, produced a piece of paper and handed it to her. “Here’s my card. So you’ll know where to find the Nutshell.”

Jamie finally learned his name. “Isaac Matlin.”

“Call me Zach.”

“Hello, Zach,” Jamie said as they shook hands. “Gabrielle Vinci.”

“Gabrielle,” he repeated.

“Call me Jamie.”

He gave her another one of his confused looks again before smiling and said, “Okay, hello, Jamie.”

Jamie nodded. Yup. Today, she felt like Jamie. Not Gabrielle, the worldly, sophisticated chick she often pretended to be. Just Jamie, the young, fun-loving dreamer. Sheesh, maybe I’m turning schizo!

Zach looked at her, studying her. “Hey, for someone who was so feisty earlier, you actually seem nice. Kinda funny, too.”

Jamie smiled for the nth time, contorted her face a little, and gave him the most unexpected reply. “Achoo.”

Hmnn. Maybe Teng was right after all. All things will fall into place.

 

Copyright © J.Gi Federizo

 

“SOS: A better future for children”

Starweek Magazine (The Philippine Star)

October 25, 2009

A LOVING HOME FOR EVERY CHILD: At SOS Children's Villages, each child is provided food, shelter, clothing, education and a loving family -- complete with brothers, sisters and an SOS Mother who will raise him as her own

“MANILA, Philippines - The youth is the hope of the nation, a cliché but true. But had Jose Rizal the gift of foresight, he would have given us fair warning: ‘Parents, take better care of your children lest we destroy the future!’

Post-Rizal and post-World War II, Hermann Gmeiner, in Austria, saw for himself how a harsh world could kill hopes and sabotage lives, especially of children. The war left many children orphaned, abandoned, isolated and suffering. Orphaned by his mother as well, Gmeiner realized that help cannot be effective when a child has to grow up without a mother, and even more so, without a home. He can only develop to his full potential in a supportive and protective family environment. 

This conviction would later give birth to a new and noble cause…”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

SOS Children are being reared to grow up as responsible, productive and independent adults

*ERRATUM: There are really EIGHT (8) Children’s Villages (CV) in the Philippines today, but the first-ever CV in Lipa, Batangas was not mentioned in the enumeration. These CV’s are in Bataan, Calbayog, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Lipa, Manila (Alabang), and Tacloban. And, oh, forgive my layout. WordPress could be such a pain.

Sisters, Friends

"We are friends,..."

VISIT www.sosphilippines.org and find out the many ways you can help. Be a child advocate. Be an SOS FRIEND.

"...we are FAMILY."

All Photos  Copyright © 2009, 2011 J.Gi Federizo

Photos shared to SOS Philippines

 

Rattling Cages

Rattle cages, we did

“You know, we think that we all grow out of it? That’s a lie.  Some of us will always be rattling cages.” - from Never Been Kissed

The first time I heard it, this particular quote stuck like gum to my hair. Truth is I’ve  never really bothered to pull the gum out. Perhaps, simply because it “stings” of reality. Not that it hurts. It just reminds me of much simpler, less tumultuous times called “high school.”

People say that adolescence is the period of much confusion. I say adolescence is the start of much confusion and you can be sure of more to come. You become wiser through the years, assuming that you are capable of such a thing, but the demands of the modern world and dictates of old beliefs are always there to test you. Sometimes, you just want to shout, “STOP THIS WORLD! I WANNA GET OFF!” But sorry, it just isn’t going to happen. Not in this lifetime.

So once in a while, perhaps during your quiet, meditative moments, you wonder just how your old friends, enemies and whatever’s are faring. Your thoughts come rushing  down memory lane, faster than you can say “Whoah!” You wonder what they are now, where  they are, if they are already blissfully married or still happy in Spinsterville. Have they remained or become successful? Or is that person you so-despised in high school less successful than you are? (Evil thought but c’mon, admit it)

It all boils down to one question: How much have they changed, if there were  significant changes at all? Change, after all, is constant. Cliché but true, ask our age-old textbooks. From the first day of our first-year high lives to that special last day of our whole high school experience. There’s no escaping change.

Such as people leaving. They leave us or eventually, we leave them.

And then they surprise us by becoming that hot model in the states, or that top executive in some top company, or far from the success we always thought s/he’d be. Sometimes, they surprise us by going ahead to make it first in heaven.

So you take a pause to wonder how Fate deals its cards and where you figure in all of it. Is this it already? Are you still on your way to wherever you’re supposed to be heading? Have you progressed as much as you should have?…Eventually, we find that despite all these changes brought on by distance and experience, we haven’t really grown up after all. We still don’t know the answer to many of life’s questions. We still feel lost most times in this universe. We are, in other words, still God’s little children.

And so, inevitably, once in a while, we still rattle cages, making noises and trying to see what happens. When you think about it, it’s not so bad after all. It’s what we’re supposed to do. It’s called living. We grow old, grow up, and continue living.

Hopefully, we’ll forever rattle cages, make noises,  and bring the house down. That’s what life’s about

Copyright © December 2005 by J.Gi Federizo

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On a High…

So last Thursday, I was just buying a hotdog sandwich at the burger place very near the dorm when someone stood beside me and said in a low tone, “Don’t go up the dorm yet” like some sneaky “holdaper”, I half-expected to be robbed. Of course, I was surprised and had to scrutinize and realized it’s my theater-person friend “W”.

Copyright © Atlantis Productions. Got image from nyoyvolanteonline.com

Apparently, she had two free tickets to Atlantis Productions‘ presentation of Tony awardee In the Heights and was hoping (but not really expecting ’cause she knew I often came home late these days, er, nights) to invite me to come with her. Apparently again, the one supposed to go with her backed out. Hurray for me!!! As they say, one person’s trash maybe…Okay, not trash, really, but you get the analogy, right? RIGHT?

So, not to waste more time as it was way past 7pm and the show was to start at 8pm, we brought everything that was with me back to Ayala and into the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium at RCBC.

While it was good because it was free (he he, the best things in life), it was actually a really good experience! I think anyone who shelled out and will shell out money for it was/will not be disappointed. Non-fans of rap may actually like this rap-filled show. You can’t understand everything – heck,  even rappers might not understand every word – but you can surely understand what’s happening. There’s lots of hip-hop with also lots of salsa, merengue, soul thrown in – modern meets classic Latin, I say.

What struck me about the interwoven stories are their similarities to the Filipino scene, from the everyday hardships to the sense of family. Even to the idea that people get into their heads that America is the answer to everything. Just ask the main character’s father.

The main character, by the way, is Usnavi (hee-hee about the name, wait for the punchline), played by Nyoy Volante. Nyoy surprised me in Hairspray before, he surprised me even more in In The Heights. I never expected he could rap, and so well at that, he could give any rapper a run for his money. Rapping with a very passable accent. Not perfect, but hey, who’s complaining? There was a smooth way about him that I loved listening to him every time. Either that was actually because of his style or because of the way the piece was composed, I don’t know, and I really don’t care because I loved it!

The two leads, Nyoy Volante and K-La Rivera. Image from BroadwayWorld.com, photo by Jaime Unson

It was my first time to watch most of the performers. I was surprised to see Jackie Lou Blanco and I had to think hard before I realized I was looking at Calvin Millado. Jackie Lou was good in one of the songs, basically her solo, which title I have yet to find out (sorry, as of now, I have not gotten hold of a programme ’cause it was all so sudden, besides, I don’t think there were programmes that night already). Calvin’s portrayal as the father of the Rosario Family, for me, was very touching.

I was not surprised to see reality singing competition show (or whatever you call it) finalist K-La Rivera because my friend mentioned her while I tried to gobble down my sandwich fast inside a taxi on the way there. Acting-wise, she’s okay. Nothing “Ooh”-worthy, but okay. She has a very nice singing voice, I must say. Many more training to go, perhaps, but very promising. She should do this more often. Less TV, more theater, ’cause in theater, she doesn’t have to scream to be appreciated.

I had been crushing on Felix Rivera before so it was a treat to see him again onstage. Ever the heartthrob, he got to ***spoiler alert*** kiss the girl again. I truly love his vocals. Very nice, very apt for musicals. I really appreciated him in Avenue Q that I watched sometime ago. Very commendable, too, were veteran thespian Ms. Jay Glorioso who was Usnavi’s adoptive lola and Bibo Reyes whose Sonny was quite the comic relief. Ima Castro was there, too. A very reliable performer she was, of course, though I felt her character did not showcase her talent that much. I wish I had seen Aida; I bet I would have enjoyed her.

Tex Ordonez wows in the song "Carnaval Del Barrio." Image from BroadwayWorld.com, photo by Jaime Unson

But oh, my fave of them all that night was Ms. Tex Ordonez! I was so impressed, I actually made sure I asked my friend about her name. Her Daniela was wicked good! I never for a moment doubted she was a Latina living in Washington Heights. The look, the actions, the delivery of words,..excellent portrayal! She rivaled Bibo in the funny department… Hmnn… Actually, she was the funnest and funniest (sorry, Bibo, but you do get the second place award). Kudos to her!

On to the other actors and swings. It was apparent that one requirement for them to be part of the show was for them to be good dancers. They were expected to dance various numbers. Personally, I felt that much was lacking. Not really in the routines but in the dancing itself. Awkward moments, unsure steps, shaky lifting executions…But okay, it was just the start, it was not even really the real first night. I supposed they would get better every night.  One curious question though: Who was that Ralion Alonso look-alike? If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was him, only he didn’t grow older.

Now the music! Some beats were catchy enough, if only one was fast enough to catch all the words. I didn’t think anything was memorable. Still, I am not closing my doors. I think these are the kind of songs that you let grow on you. I wonder where I can get a soundtrack…

That said, this show is very much recommended. If you have the time, try and catch it. It’s got a limited run so don’t miss it now. Better yet, do as I did. Buy a hotdog sandwich and you just might get a ticket, for free. 

That’s the whole cast for you. Image from BroadwayWorld.com, photo by Jaime Unson

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“JAMIE PART 1: JAMIE GABRIELLE VINCI”

(*Important Note Before You Read: The story of Jamie Gabrielle Vinci is the sole property of J.Gi Federizo, myself. However, the characters of the man who keeps posting pink notes and the man who keeps following him, including their actions and the note, belong to Kevin Craig. J.Gi used the characters with Mr. Craig’s permission. The piece was part of a writing group exercise wherein one’s character(s) got to meet/inter-act with the others’. I got the idea to “breathe air” into the scowling girl Kevin’s characters encountered. The group attempt failed but I decided to continue just for fun and to keep me writing….So if this first installment seems kind of — okay, really — weird, it’s because it is. It becomes more “normal” and coherent in the next parts, though. It’s just light writing, so please bear with it, like when you watch a movie for the entertainment value and nothing else…LOL!!! )

Copyright © shop.cafepress.com

‘Jamie Gabrielle Vinci…Too long…Jamie G. Vinci? Eek. Too nursery rhymey. Once, there was Jamie G. Vinci/who got stuck up the big oak tree/she tried her best to get down, you see/fell down so hard, she broke a knee. Eek. No, thank you…J.G. Vinci? Yeah, right. Just as tacky…Hmnn…How about J. Gabrielle Vinci?…J. Gabrielle Vinci…Hey, that’s it! J. Gabrielle Vinci!…Watch out, world, here I come!’

So went Jamie’s train of thought as she sipped a cup of coffee at Starbucks along Yonge Street, facing the transparent window of the cafe. Not that there was anything that interesting to look at at that particular moment. And if there was any, she was lost in her thoughts to even care. ‘J. Gabrielle Vinci,’ she thought, ‘Yup. That name is definitely going places.’ She was lost in the euphoria of day-dreaming about conquering the literary world.

“Uh-hurm,” someone cleared his throat from her left, pushing Jamie out of her reverie. She turned to look up at a handsome guy – perfect teeth, perfect built, perfect skin – who smiled down at her. “Hello. The name’s Cole,” the guy said, offering a handshake.

Jamie gave a courteous smile, ignoring Cole’s hand. She didn’t feel like flirting today. “Hello.”

“Mind if I share your table?” he said, pulling the seat beside hers. “I mean, what’s a pretty girl like you -”

“Oh, hey, sorry, but I’m not alone. That’s kinda occupied already.” She lied. She knew where the conversation was heading.

Cole gave a surprised expression and then looked around. “Really? I’ve been watching you from inside the cafe for, like, ten minutes, and I haven’t seen any – ”

“My boyfriend. He’s just fashionably late. He always is, especially since today’s Karate Day.” Jamie put a matter-of-factly cover.

“K-Karate Day?”

“Yeah. He has a black belt. They over-practice at times, but he should be arriving ree-al soon.”

That got him. “Uh,…I guess I better…”

Yeah, you better. “Okay, bye, nice meeting you, Cole,” she said, waving at his retreating back as he walked away fast and turned around the corner.

He was not that long gone when another guy, a gorgeous Latino this time, pulled the same chair and sat down in front of her. “Good morning. ”

Jamie, peeved already by the intrusion in her private world, stopped him from going any further. “Look. To be honest, I’m not interested in your name or your address or your number. I don’t wanna give you my name or my address or my number. I don’t need a relationship right now, and I’m not interested in having one with you. No need for idle conversations, either. I just wanna be left alone. So, will you please, please, just leave me be?” Taken aback by her little tirade, the Latino stared at her, astonished. “Or should I say all of that in Latin?” He gave an embarrassed smile, raised his hands in surrender, and left. Thank you.

Jamie sighed to herself in disgust and took another sip of her coffee. Men, she thought. Put a pretty girl near them and they flock like bees. ‘Pretty’? She laughed mockingly at herself. Who would have thought? Who would have known what a few years could do?

Jamie Gabrielle Vinci. Born: 1986. Only daughter to a French-American mother and an Asian-Italian father, R.I.P. She was born in America, raised in America, and would most probably die in America. Dark straight hair, brown doe eyes, mocha-colored skin. She was fluent in all the four languages of her lineage, sprinkle in a dash of Spanish and Chinese. She was smart, witty, talented in the arts (even funny, if she hadn’t been in a bad mood lately). A real prize of a girl.

But traits like those didn’t get anybody that far socially, not in grade school and definitely not in high school. Jamie was a short, thin girl in grade school who didn’t look that much of anything, thanks to her different roots. She was shy, a loner, a nobody who no one really noticed. Sometimes, she wished she was one of the more nerdy kids. At least, they got noticed.

That was a wish she later wished she had not made in the first place. As Jamie added on more height and pounds, Jamie started to be noticed in high school, alright — as that nerdy kid who always got the A’s, that social outcast whose looks never seemed to fit in, that weird girl who would rather hang out in the library, play chess, and write on her journal. To top it all, she had somehow gained the tag “Teen-age Mutant Ninja Turtle.” All because she did look like one with her back always humped when she walked, sat, or even ran. She resented being called a mutant, of course, but the turtle-thing, she thought, sure was appropriate. Good thing Jamie realized enough was enough and gradually corrected her Quasimodo posture. Later, she would learn that it was a sign of insecurity.

It was her intelligence that saved her in a way. Jamie got a Harvard scholarship in Creative Writing. It was in college when she got her confidence, sharing and competing with people who somehow had the same wavelength as hers. Sure, there were snobs and hypocrites, too, but what school didn’t have any? The same way as there were nice and friendly people. Jamie even learned to play tennis and enhanced her swimming skill, which changed her physique dramatically. She became a sexier version of her old self. Not that it was her fondest wish. She never really minded her looks. But she had to admit, it sure had its advantages. What’s more, she was becoming prettier – no, lovelier – her exotic beauty finally falling into place.

Suddenly, she was hot property. Boys, guys, men were quick to notice her (and it was around this time that she also took to using her second name, Gabrielle, which she thought fitted her new-found personality). Hardly a week went by when she did not get any invitation for a date. Sometimes, she dated; many times, she preferred to just plop on her bed and read Shakespeare.

But it was Luke Anthony Carlton III who caught her attention. Good-looking, ultra-rich Luke with an I.Q. to rival Einstein’s. Finally, a guy she actually was proud to have! Unfortunately, all those traits were never good indicators of anyone’s real persona. He was the domineering, jealous-type lout with an ego the size of the whole of America. He showed no interests in the things she did whatsoever, insulted her once in a while with his tactless words, and neglected her feelings. Until the time it turned out that Luke was much more interested in trying out the time-tested theories of Kama Sutra on her. So she gave him what he deserved. “Kama Sutra this, you jerk!” Jamie shouted right before hitting his groin so hard, he took off and never talked to her again. Luke, with his looks, brains, and financial qualities, was as big a jerk as most of the men Jamie met.

And she met many. They were guys who were intimidated by her brains while some didn’t seem to use theirs at all. Some guys simply liked her for her beauty, and some liked her beauty too much, they felt like they owned her. Mostly, they were guys who wanted what Luke wanted. So they never got any.

She was presently fresh out of college. You’d think she had it made being a Harvard graduate and all. But no. She got rejected a lot and had been unemployed for months. She was found somewhat “unfit”, she could tell. There were people who even went as far as to tell it to her face – “Too pretty” or “Overqualified” or “Inexperienced” or “Too young” or “Too liberal” or…Yeah, that was her, an OR.

“Damn the systems!” Jamie let out and scowled. She looked so miserable, no self-respecting artist would have tried to draw her expression. So much for confidence.

What the - Jamie got the surprise of her life when a pink post-it paper was suddenly stuck with a thud on the window directly in front of her. There was a man who seemed to have just gotten out of bed, unkempt and really rather untidy. Another guy was watching him from a distance. Mr. Pinkoe smiled at her and she didn’t know how to react until he walked away in his own goofy way, pen ready to scrawl on paper.

Copyright © FotoSearch.com

Jamie stared at the little piece of paper and realized there was something written on it. The other guy who was watching went nearer, glanced at her, then at the note. She strained her eyes as well to read the words written in loopy but rather nice penmanship: “Ping Pong goes the stones and bones roll in tones of moans…Jibber Jabber, ho!” Huh?

Jamie burst out laughing same time as the other guy did, disturbing other people. They stared at the two curiously, but really, ready to run screaming Amuck! should they see any more sign of mental disturbance.

The guy smiled at Jamie and she smiled back before he followed Mr. Pinkoe down the street. Hmnn…Was it her imagination or could he be stalking poor, Pinkoe guy? A stalker looking more harmless than the stalkie? Nah. Oh, but Mr. Stalker did have a cute smile. Would have been nice to have talked and laughed with him if he only stayed for coffee.

Jamie wasn’t scowling anymore. She was now smiling radiantly. Of course, she had no idea what that little “Jibber Jabber” piece meant, yet that made her day somehow. Mr. Pinkoe and Mr. Stalker. What a team.

Jamie finished her coffee now and stared at the newspaper that was on her table. She would like to apply for a writing position there after all. And if Roseville Today would not take her, she would try somewhere else again. And if all else failed, she wouldn’t mind looking for Mr. Pinkoe, himself, and ask for a few pointers about the art of writing (weird but he seemed to know what he was doing), or maybe ask for another one of his pinky notes.

That morning, Jamie Gabrielle Vinci was so happy, she could’ve whistled if she only knew how. So she made up a little song instead with a “Jibber” and a “Jabber” and a “ho!”

 

Copyright © J.Gi Federizo

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“03:52″

"The Persistence of Memory" ni Salvador Dali (1931, oil on canvas)

03:52

alas tres, cincuenta y dos 

natutulog pa ang mundo

 

ayoko sana’ng mag-isip,

nguni’t ang umaga’y

tila di ako pinatatahimik

 

pilit na dinadala

sa pinaka-sulok ng diwa,

sa aking sariling mundo

na di-maaarok ninuman,

sa aking hinuha, maliban

kung aking pahintulutan

 

siya na maaaring maligaw

mawala, magulumihan

sa mga agiw na naririto

 

…AYOKO

 

marahil sapagka’t

ito na rin ang aking nais:

 

ang maiwang mag-isa

sa pagtuklas, pagbuo

ng mga piraso, mga bahagi

ng aking sarili

 

bagama’t baliko,

may lamat, at marahil,

di-kailanman mabubuo

 

hayaan mo ako

dito sa aking mundo –

 

sa tanging paraan na alam at nais ko

 

ngayo’y alas tres, cincuenta y cinco

Karapatang-Ari © Agosto 30, 2011 ni J.Gi Federizo

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SuperGi’s Words of UnWis(e)dom 1: Wisdom Hurts

This tooth is going down!!!!

“I’d rather not have wisdom

if it should come with this tooth.”

(J.Gi Federizo)