There’s always something about the start of another month that makes me enthusiastic. So I woke up early, did some stretching and meditation (Feb resolution to keep), checked email and left some notes for R, had a breakfast of yogurt and tofu and apples and headed to school for 2 goals: return the books and read Allan Popa’s MFA thesis.

Allan’s thesis is not yet available.

So I hailed a taxi. Destination: Palanca Office in Makati. Goal: Read the award-winning works for style and technique. Okay, for inspiration - for that itch to write. Yes indeed.

Kasi naman huwag muna mag-edit. Just write and write and write. Don’t worry muna about the tone, the texture and fluidity of the sentences, etc. Kung evocative ba o vivid o plausible, etc.

In Multiply, Joni asked how many pages of a novel (in Word) for a book form. Well, guess we have to work for a 250-300 page manuscript.

I remembered my cheques in Manila Bulletin at Intramuros are now available. Got 2 poems published in Panorama last year.

Took a taxi and got there past 10. It’s 800+ less 10% tax. Ugh, guess not bad though in a country like ours. But of course, it could be better - a poem must/should cost higher than 400!

But my horoscope for today - that there is something I will not get - proved true. The schedule for petty cash encashment is Tuesday-Wednesday! Meaning I have to wait till next week before I can taste the glory of my 700+ worth of being a poet!

Okay, and since I have now a semi-hermit in the city status, I have to accomplish what’s left in my list of "things to do" all at once, if possible.

To Quiapo I went for you-know-what’s-there to buy. Got 12 for 35 each. First in the list this afternoon is "Last Tango in Paris" starring Marlon Brando. That is, after dashing 500 words for Chapter 3.

In the meantime, I have to prepare lunch and dinner in one.

And you are welcome to visit me here.

This is a feat - Jan.28-31 - listed according to what I enjoyed most: 

1)All The Pope’s Men: The Inside Story Of How The Vatican Really Thinks by John L. Allen, Jr.

2)C.S. Lewis: A Biography by A.N. Wilson

3) The Essential Dalai Lama: His Important Teachings edited by Rajiv Methrotra

4)Wisdom of the East: Stories of Compassion, Inspiration and Love compiled by Susan Suntree

5)The Tao of Eating: Feeding Your Soul Through Everyday Experiences with Food by Linda Harper (umm, napaka-misleading ng title)

Starbucks-Torre Lorenzo used to be my reading, thinking, and writing place. Because unlike the university’s library, it did not ask for an I.D. in order for me to read the daily paper/s.Because a mug of my fave coffee gave me the right to 1) occupy a table and all its chairs for my bag and books (of course, I was always happy to give away the extra chairs), 2) plug my laptop and stay there for as long as I want to (because I always ended up sleeping in my room and I can only think but work in the office), 3) watch gorgeous girls and boys (ohh), and 4) wonder, fantazise, and wait for that "swift moment of illumination" to arrive. They often did in the name of bills to be paid and things-to-do. 

But I have no need for Starbucks now; except for my monthly supply of whole bean coffee, and perhaps, a cup of latte or frap with a good friend on a fine day.

After I earned my 21 stickers for the 2007 planner, which oftentimes, prove bulky for my "kikay" bag.

After I bought a coffee presser, hoping I could be more prolific while sipping House Blend in the comfort of my own place.

Last December, for the first time in years of "inhabiting" Starbucks, I felt unsafe. For the first time I noticed the absences of the security guard in his post at the entrance door and yes, there’s only one door! No exit! I imagined a group of yuppy-looking men entering the place to declare "Hold Up." I imagined fire! I imagined explosion!

Maybe it was only the usual "sense of alarm," if not paranoia, during holidays. Or GMA’s "war against terrorism" that had successfully crawled into my unconscious to whisper evil scenarios. It did not help that juvenile "solicitors" from god-knows-what-org out there pestered me in several occasions.

The glass window and the aircondition did not comfort me from the feeling of danger out there in the street. I lost my reliable cellphone in December 2005 along that area. My student told me her cup of frappucino was taken away from her - as simple and shocking as that - while walking from Starbucks to Lasalle. Along the potholes one has to walk on along UCPB-7-11-Wendy’s-UM-McDo.

Dapat may Starbucks sa loob ng Lasalle, e.

I happened to express my fear to K and she said that Starbucks Torre-Lorenzo is in the intersection of Taft-Vito Cruz. With the traffic lights and volume of vehicles, a robbery will most likely fail.

Thank God, I survived 2006 with only the two incidents of a big rat visiting Starbucks as a dreadful memory. T, a colleague who happened to be there too with friends, commented that they should have requested all patrons to temporarily evacuate the place so they can disinfect it.

For sure, I’ll still visit Starbucks. Location, location - that’s what they say in Business Planning 101. But I have no desire to linger there anymore. I used to marvel on how I was intellectualy and creatively fertile there - how I was able to shape ideas and visions into sentences that built into a complete paper or story that satisfied me - amidst the traffic noise from outside, the multitude of tongues in the nearby tables, and the clattering in the work station of the baristas - occasionaly soothed by the music in play.

For now, I find it becoming more crowded and noisy to serve my purpose. But I hope I can find a mug I’ll fall in love with to buy as a gift for a dear friend when I’ll drop by there soon, and expect whoever barista in-duty to call me by my name, as one did the last time I was there for my pack of House Blend, that made me stay awake to write this.

Public release date: 10-Jan-2007
[ Print Article | E-mail Article | Close Window ]

Contact: Gregory Harris
gharris@ucalgary.ca
403-220-3506
University of Calgary

We’re sorry this is late; we really meant to post it sooner

Research into procrastination shows surprising findings

A University of Calgary professor in the Haskayne School of Business has recently published his magnum opus on the subject of procrastination – and it’s only taken him 10 years.

Joking aside, Dr. Piers Steel is probably the world’s foremost expert on the subject of putting off until tomorrow what should be done today. His comprehensive analysis of procrastination research, published in the recent edition of the American Psychological Association’s Psychological Bulletin, presents some surprising conclusions on the subject, such as:

• Most people’s New Year’s resolutions are doomed to failure

• Most self-help books have it completely wrong when they say perfectionism is at the root of procrastination, and

• Procrastination can be explained by a single mathematical equation

"Essentially, procrastinators have less confidence in themselves, less expectancy that they can actually complete a task," Steel says. "Perfectionism is not the culprit. In fact, perfectionists actually procrastinate less, but they worry about it more."

Other predictors of procrastination include: task aversiveness, impulsiveness, distractibility, and how much a person is motivated to achieve. Not all delays can be considered procrastination; the key is that a person must believe it would be better to start working on given tasks immediately, but still not start.

It’s estimated that about 15-20 per cent of the general population are procrastinators. And the costs of procrastinating can add up well beyond poor work performance, especially for those who delay filing their taxes or planning their retirement.

Steel says motivational failures such as difficulty in sticking to diets and exercise regimes – frequently the focus of New Year’s resolutions – are related to procrastination because impulsiveness is often at the root of the failure. "Temptations that are close at hand are difficult to resist. Addicts often relapse after returning from treatment facilities because drugs and alcohol become easily available and daily habits reassert themselves. Or we load up on bread in the restaurant before the meal is served. Or we check our email 10 times an hour instead of completing a project."

The good news is that willpower has an unusual capacity. "The old saying is true: ‘Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re probably right’," Steel says. "And as you get better at self control, your expectancy about whether you can resist goes up and thus improves your ability to resist."

Steel has also come up with the E=MC² of procrastination, a formula he’s dubbed Temporal Motivational Theory, which takes into account factors such as the expectancy a person has of succeeding with a given task (E), the value of completing the task (V), the desirability of the task (Utility), its immediacy or availability (Ã) and the person’s sensitivity to delay (D).

It looks like this and uses the Greek letter Ã: Utility = E x V/ÃD

It’s still unclear why some people may be more prone to developing procrastination behaviour, but some evidence suggests it may be genetic. Steel concludes: "Continued research into procrastination should not be delayed, especially because its prevalence seems to be growing."

The title of the paper is "The Nature of Procrastination: A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review of Quintessential Self-Regulatory Failure." The American Psychological Association’s Psychological Bulletin is arguably the top academic journal for the social sciences. Steel’s research on the subject is referred to as a meta-analysis, in which he distills and synthesizes the evidence on procrastination from 691 other research sources.

To arrange an interview with Dr. Piers Steel, contact his office at (403) 220-8428 or email piers.steel@haskayne.ucalgary.ca. For more information, or a copy of the paper, contact Greg Harris, U of C Media Relations, at (403) 220-3506, cell 540-7306 or email gharris@ucalgary.ca

Joni was gushing when she invited me that this is a better site. So I checked it out and though I’m still in the process of exploring it, add me: http://sadyah.multiply.com/ 

Thanks and see you there, too.

Joni was gushing when she invited me that this is a better site. So I checked it out and though I’m still in the process of exploring it, add me: http://sadyah.multiply.com/ 

Thanks and see you there, too.

Nagmamadali akong sumulat, makasulat. Nakaligtaan kong napakaimportante ng pag-iisip. Pag-iisip muna. Pagpapalaya ng imahinasyon. Pagdama. Pagsalat. Pag-alala. Visyon bago magkahugis, magka-amoy, magkatunog, magkalasa ang salita.

Nag-iisip ako ngayon.

Nag-iisip.

Hindi ko alam ang ibig sabihin ng procrastination, procrastinating.

Life imitating art in the Spanish film Elsa y Fred. Simplicity and coherence of the plot matter. Characterization, characterization.

Life becomes boring now that I’m living in a condo. Okay, I have to settle with this. In the meantime. Was it Lorca who said something about the necessity for isolation in order to be able weep in the four corners of the wall? Write till you bleed, Genevieve. Write, don’t wait for inspiration. There’s no secret in writing but to write - and finish it. Okay, T.S. Elliot on "emotions recollected in tranquility."

Weird, I don’t miss the university at all. Must be the 5 years of non-stop working. Must be the proximity. Whatever. This, after all, seems to be the only LEAVE I will ever have.

Have a routine. Exert discipline: Wake up early, stretch, take a bath, coffee, play classical, check emails and read horoscope and news, prepare meals, rest, watch movie, write, write, write.

Drink more water. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Remember to buy nuts. Drink coffee now that there’s a coffee presser. Heavenly Blends is only good till Feb.1.

Scout for a writing table. It helps to have one.

In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer (1999) by Irene Gut Opdyke with Jennifer Armstrong. A well-written (lyrical and evocative), compelling, and moving book. Naalala ko ang History elective ko sa UPV, ang Modern Russia, at ang pelikulang "The Red Cherry." Nadagdagan ang kaalaman ko kung bakit magkaaway ang Russia (Stalin) at Germany (Hitler) at bakit "wandering people" ang mga Jews. Napatibay nito ang paniniwala ko sa kabutihan ng tao - at dapat "mabuhay" ang mga buhay.

Idaho Falls: The Untold Story of America’s First Nuclear Accident (2003) by William McKeown. Nagkainteres ako dahil nabasa ko ang naratibo ng 9 na mga siyentistang naging responsable sa paggawa ng nuclear bomb - at ang naging epekto ng pagbomba ng US sa Nagasaki.Magaling ang pagkasulat at nakakaengganyo dahil mayaman sa "human interest." Sinasabi nito na sa nangyaring "aksidente," malaking faktor ang "human emotions" at hindi lamang ang limitasyon ng teknolohiya.

Rice Bowl (1984) by Suchen Christine Lim. Napakinggan ko siya nang mag-craft lecture reading sa DLSU. Nag-enjoy ako kaya nga nang makita ko ‘to sa library, hiniram ko kaagad. Magaling naman siyang sumulat, walang duda. Pero hindi ko ire-require sa klase ang nobelang ito. Wala lang, na-bored ako. Bagama’t okey naman ang visyon ng awtor. Agree ako. Hmm, dine-debunk niya ang kapitalismo. At what about Singapore ang na-discover ko? Na tutuo ang sinasabi nila na wala pa itong kaluluwa dahil bagong bansa pa lang at ang yumaman ang pinagkakaabalahan ng mga mamamayan nito. Sabi ng isang karakter, bilang isang maliit na bansa na piniling maging independent at maging economic tiger sa Asia, they cannot afford to rest. Kaya ang obsesyon nila sa kalinisan at kaayusan at ang mag-excell sa pag-aaral. Naisip ko na The Kite Runner pa rin ni Khaled Hosseini o This Earth of Mankind ni Pramoedya Ananta Toer para sa LITERA 2.

Alternative and Activist Media (2005) by Miltzi Waltz. Binabasa ko pa lang. Baka may biglang sumulpot na magandang ideya para sa proyekto ko.

Okay, I gave up my studio apartment in Singalong last December hoping to be "far from the maddening crowd" somewhere in Iloilo while writing my dissertation. It felt good to let go of things I’ve accumulated in 5 years of being a yuppy. The lightness of being. Thanks Kate for buying off the ref, the sofa, the table, etc.

I lodged my books in my cubicle in the office. Some personal things that are basic and too precious to be given away are stocked in a balikbayan box.

Now, sometime in December, something really good came up. Australia came in view. Queensland, in Cairns specifically. Something to be hopeful of. Something beautiful to look forward to in the coming months. I was excited. Imagine, for 3 months and I’ll just spend a few bucks from my own pocket. Whew, I might return with an Australian accent. Duh.

I went home for Christmas with the plan of reclaiming my studio. The Jalandonis - Ate Lita and Kuya Victor - after all, are the most wonderful landlady and landlord I ever had. Check this out: # 2352 in Singalong.

Bye, bye Antique. Bye, bye Iloilo. After all, I was not able to find my ideal place when we scouted in Villa last November. With Malou, John, and Pearl.

So I went back to Manila last January 1. Lucky me, got a seat in PAL on a last minute reservation. I had no choice actually but take the Business Class. First time. Except for the price and the fact that I was the one who came in first, and yes, a glass of fruit juice and a better meal, I would not trade an economy price next time:)

Upon my return, I decided though not to pursue the application for a tourist visa. I realized that some things, some plans that are equally good and noble and beautiful have to be prioritized. Oz can wait. Yes, yes, yes.

Instead, I rooted for Vigan. In a Spanish house for 600/day. Thought of living there for 2 weeks, then another 2 weeks in Baguio. In the meantime though, I have to find a new place in Manila.

I decided to go condo. Years back, condo living did not appeal to me; can’t imagine living in a cram space for 8 to 10 thou excluding association dues and other bills.

Whew, prices range from 15 to 20 thou within the area. EGI Tower’s studio (39 square meters), furnished for 18 thou, is actually lovely.  But it’s too near the university. Don’t really want that fact:) though it will surely prove more convenient. I need to be smart - I don’t really need a fancy place. So I visited Providence Tower. Umm, nothing much there to desire of:) Even the new building in front of the unviersity - is that Ivy Hill? I think the price and the quality (per my standard) do not go hand in hand

So it must be Cityland! Yes, there’s one bedroom -which is actually what I need - left for grabbing. I decided right away so here I am living like a goddess, like a monk, like a hermit: I have to write.

Write, write, write I must be. I’ll just go out for grocery, etc. So unless you have good news for me, sorry, I’m busy:) I’m online though everyday.

Wish me all the best, mga miga.