Sadyah

Friday night, watched Tanghalang Pilipino’s "Mulan" @ CCP with Joni and Mitch and my students.

Adaptation by Rody Vera and direction by Dennis Marasigan.

From 1-10; 10 being the highest, I’m giving it 7.

It was fun to be with kids in the audience.

Coffee at Mocha Blends and swapped some juicy real-life dramas till Joni’s guy came and commented that my British Indian long skirt exuded that ‘artist’ character in me.

It rained and Mitch dropped me home.

Pour Your Heart Into It (1997) by Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO of Starbucks, and written with Dori Jones Yang, narrates how Starbucks built a company one cup at a time.

I enjoyed reading it; made me desire to be a barista. It anchored on Schultz humble beginning and because Starbucks’ original founders were actually a lit major, a history professor, and an artist whose primary aim was to provide access to good coffee, educating customers about coffee, and providing excellent customer service.

Much had happened after this book saw print. Just this morning, at Starbucks with my French Roast in tumbler, I read that in China, a state-run coffee shop replaced Starbucks - so it can preserve what is fast becoming dead in Chinese culture and tradition.

As for me, I’ve come to relish my experience with Coffee Bean in Gateway’s groundfloor since this year’s UAAP saw match between Lasalle and Ateneo.

Newly opened coffee shop, however, in front of Lasalle, alongside Metrobank, did not caught my fancy the first time. I ordered seafood pasta in cream and what they had for seafood was mainly ’shrimp.’

Wonderful books I encountered in the library and enjoyed reading over Starbuck’s Cafe Verona and September rain in my terrace:

Heart in Two Places (Anvil, 2007) by Gemma Nemenzo

A La Carte: Food & Fiction (Anvil, 2007), collected & edited by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard & Marily Ysip Orosa

Pagluwas (UP, 2006) by Zosimo Quibilan, Jr.

Sorry, got no time to post a decent review as I have to rush home for more reading and writing. But you are always welcome to invite me for coffee or tea and blue berry cheesecake for a conversation:)

One fine September evening, over YM, I, Joni and Kate brewed a plan for a writing trip to Vigan. Goal: toward the completion of our respective works. No tsika except during meal time.

So that Friday of Sept.14, after the ANi 33 launch at CCP’s ramp (good choice, wonderful program, good food and lovely people), we rode the bus from Dapitan to Vigan.

We stayed at Casa Ursula Villanueva, referred to me by Candy Versoza of Villa Angela early this year when I was hatching a writing sojourn on my own to the north.

Yes, the whole trip proved to be productive and simply awesome and inspiring. No need to elaborate, check the photo section!

We discovered Cafe Leona (loved the tsokolate), Cafe Uno (better - but need to pay 50 bucks for the electricity for the laptop. duh), Villa Angela, Singson’s Baluarte, the Quirino-Syquia Mansion (all the grandeur of the things past, the Calle Crisologo (that i always see in glossy mag when Vigan is featured), the cathderal, the plaza, the calezas, and carinderia foods, some of which reminded me of Iloilo’s batchoy though  paled in comparison. Ay, Panayanon gihapon taste bud ko.

Once home, I said a prayer of many thanks.

September opened with the Palanca awards night at the Peninsula Manila in Makati. Came alone since K got stuck in San Pablo. It was perfectly okay.

Met an old flame and was, still am, sincerely happy for him. He finally made it.

That’s with Ms. Ada Loredo of Ateneo, co-judge in the Hiligaynon category. Photos with Peter and Felino and Mel are with them. Went out with them in a bar in Nakpil that night. I’ll remember this as the night that I first thought of owning a sex toy, one of the 10 things I should bought perhaps by, or even before reaching 30. Hehe. 

Sunday reunited me to Sonny at Robinson’s Place. He brought me a beautiful green Thai shawl and bottles of essential oil. I gave him my book. We regaled ourselves with our respective Thailand experience and ended up in agreement that ours remain to be more beautiful and superior. That’s nationalism, if not "pride and prejudice." 

Then there was the lunch with Raj at Ilustrado. I still have to receive a complimentary scoop of sampaguita ice cream from them, after almost 3 years of treating friends and students there (Hmm, tingnan natin kung may effect ang entry na ‘to. Hehe).

We had our coffee in the garden. That’s me reading Vim Nadera’s novel, Historyador (a) as it won this year’s book award by the Manila Critics Circle.

We moved to Silahis Arts Craft. I bought a Malayan long skirt, a bracelet and 2 rings. I used to go there but it was only then that I got to know they have the 2nd floor! Hmm, future expenses: 1) a long mahogany bench where I can station off the wall in the sala for books and a tall vase for fresh flowers, and perhaps, a lamp for more drama; 2) a painting or that wall-cloth of ethnic weaving; 3) their 2008 calendar as gifts this coming holiday, and 4) more long skirts of equal quality yet cheaper than British India and 5)accessorries, accessories both for me and my place. Wuahaha — stop me! This is the tragedy of owning a credit card.

Lasalle-Ateneo game for the 2nd time? I was also there that Sunday when we lost for another one shot. As always, it was a beautiful game. A classic. Met E. for ticket at Coffee Bean before that. Would have wanted to catch up "Hairspray" after but then no luck. By the way, sort of disappointed with "Nancy Drew."

(Me as a crowd)

My planned dinner with Bobby, Arnold and Norma at Robinson Galleria was aborted. There was the rain and vehicle trouble on their way from Laguna. Bobby was high in fever. I had my jolly hotdog and french fries instead - after quite sometime of snobbing fastfood. Wondered what price, what mishap did it pay for.

John Teodoro came from Iloilo for a conference on academic publishing. We had breakfast of egg and corn beef at Jollibee Vito Cruz, his fave spot at the 2nd floor. He brought me the 2005 PEN book and small packs of sweet delicacies.

He treated me to his photo-taking of writers, his current project. I was in my another Bristish India blouse and felt gorgeous, of course, only that I still have to wait for those pictures.

More invites are coming in and I am resolved to go home right away after class. Have cold shower, eat, then sleep and really rise together with the alarm clock to write and write and write until each new day means pages toward the 1st draft of a novel.

Had lunch with MFA classmates (Jenny, Cherrie, Candy, Althea, Louie, Allan, Razel) at Doc Bau’s place last Aug.25. Saturday before that, was also there with Shirley’s group. As always, felt so blessed to have Dr. Bau as my mentor. Inspired to get back to my dissertation.

Time is a thief.

Found myself as one of the panelists in the forum "Consumer Connect: Who is Afraid of the Internet" on Aug.29 at Bayview Park Hotel in the conference organized by Book Development Association of the Philippines. Participants came all over Southeast Asia. Most were publishers, editors, and librarians. Swapped and collected calling card.Seated next to Nick Pichay so took the opportunity for a photo shot with him.

He’s this year’s Palanca Hall of Fame Awardee.

Was able to sell my last copy of Pula ang Kulay ng Text Message and promdi@manila to the Lopez Museum. Yes, go for aggressive marketing and nurture niche market.

Attended the opening ceremony of the book fair and did some shopping at MOA.

Met Gus Vibal of Vibal Publishing, the guy behind the birth of Filipiniana.net and WikiPilipinas. Check it out, guys.

August 30, my 3rd book, Komposo ni Dandansoy (UST Press) was launched at the International Book Fair in World Trade Center. Came with Mel and Kate. We had lunch at Harbour Square before that. There was KC, too. I was also included in Latay sa Isipan, a poetry anthology of new writing edited by Dr. Cirilo Bautista and Allan Popa. Good read. Also bought Nonon’s book of fiction and Dr.Fanny Garcia’s collection of interviews.

At the book fair, I bought some vintage Philippine postcards (was told that commands good prize at ebay)at Bookmark and finally processed my one-year subscription of Times Magazine. Got free Mirriam dictionary and Reader’s Digest. Thought of home.

Had postcelebration with H. Never felt so gorgeous in my British India blouse and skirt.

Late that morning, Raj came from Davao.

August 31, I woke up with a text message from H. Can’t wait to confirm so I checked my email via my phone and there it was - his promise of The Smith’s mp3: "Asleep," "There’s the Light That Never Goes Out," and "The Boy that Has a Thorn on His Side."

Before daydreaming caught me, I prepared for the awarding of Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino at Bayview (so cheap a hotel - got scared at the elevator. Ok, my point of reference is PanPacific). This is the first time I joined this contest. Not bad. My poetry collection, "Ang Kamingaw sang Dila," won 2nd prize while my short story  "Ang Pagpatay sang Uhaw kag Gutom, Big Time!" won 3rd.

But the cheque has still to be processed. OK, wait ang beauty.

Slept with Sir Hermie’s info that this year’s Ani is set to be launched on Sept.14, 6 p.m. at CCP. I already saw myself wearing my white Lolita-like dress:)