Enjoyed the following books:
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai. Man Booker Prize for 2006. I love her language.
Bangkok Tattoo by John Burdett. Affirmed my plan for the 2nd novel.
The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster. Reminded me of careful attention to details and the fact that people read novels for emotions.
I have these words for Saigon: She is like a sophisticated farm girl. Her charm will surely captivate you, her wit will both surprise and challenge you; you can’t help but to yearn for more. You will return. Because you know there’s more to discover. And you’ll love it, even if it will unsettle you: like the many possibilities it can offer. I was in Rosy Cafe when it occured to me to do a sort of ‘cast away’: forget everything in Manila (declare temporary amnesia) and ride a bus to Cambodia and Laos and Thailand and Singapore then back to ohPhilippines, my beloved country.
I have no special reason to be there, except that I felt it must be Saigon this time. I knew no one and I was in for surprsies. Good thing, a Singaporean friend (it’s you,Merson), told me to find a place in Ben Thanh area, where their famous market is.
Arrived early in the morning - yes, after surviving air turbulence courtesy of Cebu Pacific - by counting 100 down to zero and pysching myself the plane will not crash coz I still have to write my 2nd novel (bwahahaha) and the taxi driver brought me to Thien Ha Hotel. Paid 20 USD/day. The room is big, clean, with cable TV and hot shower, and there’s free internet.
Walked down the streets for my first cup of Vietnamese coffee. Did people watching and waited for that infamous street scene: hordes of motorcycles in their masks coming from all directions. 
And I discovered their shops and got crazy over embroidered clothes. Oh those fabrics, those cuts, those designs - they were all for me. No wonder I have to be there. 
First, it was MaBelle at Ly Tu Trong. 
Michelle Ngo, the top designer who studied in Houston, Texas, personally attended me. Yes, I had those clothes altered to my fit for free. The shop is so chic and the staff all courteous: really, my idea of what a shop is, should be. They further assisted me by giving me the name/address of the bookstore and restaurants for authentic Vietnamese cuisine. 
And there was Li of Thuy Khue. She was amazed of my enthusiasm for her designs that she took me off on her motorcycle for free. Off I went to the bookstore (forgot the name, sorry, my notebook is not with me now) and was amazed: from classics to bestsellers to books on Taliban - they are all translated into Vietnamese. Books in English are only about Vietnam! Or perhaps I should have stayed long. But then, I was stunned. So envious. No wonder, only few Koreans there. Hehe. And I was mistaken as one. Grrr. 
Their sidewalks are really for walking and I went gaga - again - for this shop: Puri Chori. More expensive so I just posed, to which the attendant happily obliged. 
Night came and I continued walking till I saw a concert hall and I went in, of course. Here’s what I got - in Vietnamese. Their music was haunting that I can’t help but remember "Miss Saigon." 
This is a resto where it took several waiters to understand I needed a fork. On the last day, I figured out that because it must be chopsticks for them, for everything. Coz they just gave me spoon. 
Not much billboards there like in Manila. But kept seeing this one. 
I will return coz I still have to see those tunnels, those palaces, and yes, the cruise of the Mekong River.
Again, as always (hehe) I felt so proud of myself I did the trip. There’s so much to learn, especially about out neighboring countries. I am now making this as a goal: to tour Southeast Asia by 2010.
The flight back home was calmer. There was no rain and traffic that welcomed me that I fell in love with Manila again. Now, back to reality: ohmy, those bills, those bills:)
Set in Cuyo, Palawan, in Cuyonon (?) - baby language of Kinaray-a (99% naintindihan ko). I’m not familiar with the writer-director pero magaling siya: compelling narrative with enough attention on details/images, subtlety, and philosophical waxing; interesting and round characters (interesting ang stranger/native discourse); effective POV (omniscient kaya na-backstage tuloy ni Mylene Dizon si Juday; which is not a bad thing din naman. Pareho silang magaling. Hmm, sana, mas cute o sexy si Digo:); convincing ending (politically correct: positive ang representation dito ng Taiwanese, which in effect, blurred the issue of race. As in sinasabi ng pelikula na lahat tayo TAO: marunong magmahal:) Saka natuhog lahat ng detalye), at syempre, mananalo ito ng BEST PICTURE at BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY.
Basta maganda, watch n’yo! Think a bold move for Juday to produce at dafat lang - as reinvention of herself - kasi, di vah, nagdadagsaan na ang mga batang artista.
Hmm, i-pitch ko kaya sa kanya ang nobela ko. Hahahaha.
From IYAS Writers Workshop at St. Lasalle-Bacolod (April 20-26), go ang beauty ko - via ferry - to UPV-Miag-ao, Iloilo, last April 22 to attend PJ’s graduation, our youngest sis. So here’s my beauty in my summer dress and reliable bag - with my two adorable sisters - 
amidst white monoblock chairs and Miag-ao hills. 
In Bacolod, we discovered their No.1 coffee shop named Kuppa. One afternoon, with Sir Danny Reyes, John Teodoro, and May Ann Pernia, we tasted their coffee and cake and vowed to return once we are back down there.Btw, I find it amusing these days that I’ve been mistaken for a Koreana: sa taxi ("Sobra, Manong, napaka-brown ko." Sagot n’ya: "Singkit ka kasi.") at pati mga friends ko. Ano ba ‘yan:) Sa tutuo lang, di ko alam if I’ll be flaterred or be sad. One thing for sure, talagang Asian Malay beauty ako and proud of it. Hehehe. 
Back in Antique, I found myself in the company of old friends, in a sort of lunch-meeting about what we can do for our beloved province(Kasi mga think tank kami. Hahaha. We missed Glenn Mas)at John’s farm in Maybato, San Jose: Nonong Egida, the Tourism Director; Acai Flores, Paranubliun-Antique’s head; Dani Misajon, ever the cultural worker, John (of course), and Dr. Alice Magos, retired 
UPV anthropologist. Secret na lang ang mga pinag-usapan namin:)
Here’s a handful of kamunsil,for 20 pesos. Going home means munching that. 
Of course, of course, April is not only about writers workshops and meetings, it’s also about beauty 
pageant. Here’s one, from our baranggay. S’yempre, mga pinsan ko ang nanalo d’yan:)
Defended my dissertation, a novel and a critical essay
, on April 14. My mentor, Dr. Cirilo F. Bautista and panel composed of Dr. Isagani R. Cruz, Dr. Ben Medina, Dr. Efren Abueg, 
Dr. Fanny Garcia, and Dr. Jerry Torres gave me the Outstanding Disse
rtation Award. I’ll be graduating this June with High Distinction, too.
Wala si Dr. Torres kasi malalim naging ubo niya at nawalan siya ng boses. When he texted me that morning that he can’t make it, medyo nag-senti ako. Pinigilan ko, of course, mahirap na masira ang beauty. I was so grateful kasi 
vongga mga panelist ko. Sayang, wala akong picture. Ako lang kasi:) Ang ganda ko pa naman that day. Bwahahaha. A week before, I rewarded myself na: bought a flat TV (LCD). Deprived kasi ako. Imagine, after 8 years of working here in Manila, ngayon lang ako nagka-TV. Hahaha. May cable, s’yempre. Thanks, ang bilis ng pagkabit ng mga Destiny guys:)
Kaya ‘visual fatigue’ ang sakit ko ngayon. Hmm, about my novel, bili kayo kapag na-pusblish, ha:) Mwaaaah.
