Baler: Surfing and So Much More for a Quick Weekend Trip

I caught some last minute heat as the dry season (there’s no summer in the Philippines, we only have two seasons 😉 ) finally said goodbye this year. I filled last weekend with a fair share of nature’s quiet beauty and the surprising waves of the open ocean in the stunning little wonder down south – Baler.

I have always been curious about this particular town as I usually hear about it whenever people search for nearby surfing destinations in Luzon. Being a non-confident swimmer (I still can’t do water treading), doing such activity isn’t really at the top of my list. But, surprisingly, I enjoyed surfing the most during my quick trip to Baler. Before I share that experience, here are some additional events that happened and the special moments that I also truly appreciated.

Dreamers’ Dream

A star twinkles
A planet dies
Then I stay standing
At the corner of the last road
Open for dreamers, workers of faith

I see the sign
Of the blood moon rising
People cheering
For those leaving
Searching for better lives
Not knowing they already have a life

Here, at the same spot
When reality hits fantasy
A star twinkles
A dreamer flies
Off to a new course
But still holding on their own rope

A dreamer leaves
A dead man calls
Sharing false hopes
A shining delight
For a prosperous good night

In a land of strangers
In a valley of sweat and salty cries
As the star twinkles
Shut the eyes of each dreamer
Smiling

I still am
At the corner of the last road
Seeing the rising smoke
A fumigation on going
To clear the brains
Stop the hearts from beating

Learning to Reach Out and Lead

Jpeg For more than a month, I haven’t had a decent internet connection at home because I have been using my mobile data throughout May. Even though I have been in constant email (and some phone) correspondence with *ehem* Sky Cable Broadband, I still didn’t get my internet connection back. Anyhow, aside from that concern and looking into more positive experiences in the past month, I found time to work on a couple of writing which I hope to accomplish this weekend or roughly within this coming week. Also, I survived two weeks of commuting from my home in Pasig and to Circuit Makati as well as New Manila.

Those two weeks, so far, had me appreciate my work experiences in Ortigas. I didn’t need to take the MRT and two jeepney rides for almost four years. During the first week of my training, almost every moment was new to me. It was difficult because I had to go to work earlier than usual and face hundreds of faces, squished myself in the remaining spaces in the MRT, and inhaled the polluted air from Magallanes to PRC. But, all of those were compensated by the interesting lessons, fun stories, and even the surprising realizations during the orientation. Then, when I almost got the hang of it, the first week was over. Next stop, New Manila.

Honestly, even if I got the hang of riding the MRT and the long commute, I felt excited that I need not go on the same route again (so far). Still, I had to work on my commuting time management skills because I needed to learn how to go on a new route again. This time, it meant surviving the heavy traffic from home to Rosario, Libis, and Cubao. Now, I am happy to say that I worked my way through this challenge well for the past week. This is going to be my routine for maybe the rest of June. With this, I welcome the opportunity for new travel, I mean commute, stories throughout the month. All of these are compensated by opportunities in the classroom as a learning facilitator and somehow a student again. So far, completing two core senior high school domains was a wonderful chance of understanding the basic skills better. Surprisingly, I also enjoyed Math more than English. 😂

There sure are a lot to discover and appreciate. Then, here’s to another week ahead, starting with an interesting scientific experiment.

Another Day

As the brightest star sets

I want to talk and share

Will you listen

Or simply shrug me off

When you hear about my day

The worries I have kept
I want to talk and share

Will you come?

Damit, Damhin

Bitbitin ang naiwang tagni-tagning damit ng kabataan
Ibalot ang buong katawan, pakiramdaman
Ang init ng iilang mabubuting piraso
Ng mga alaalang pilit ikinubli, ipinangako
Na babalikan, noon, kahapon, siguro nang nakaraan

Pansinin ang dampi ng malamig na hangin
Lalong higpitan ang yakap sa nakuhang damit
Uminit man ang pisngi, bumuhos man ang pighati
Tanging sa iyo nakasalalay ang pagpapatuloy
Ng kahapon, ngayon, at kung ano pang mangyayari

Kaya dalhin, kahit kupas na ang kulay
Mga alaala, paalala, at ilang nakukubling pag-asa
Dahan-dahan man ang paglalakad, pagtitig, pagpupumiglas
Lalaya, makalalaya rin at maghahatid ng bagong bukas

Just a single chapter

Only nine days left before this challenge ends, so why not read my entry for this one: Tap, Tap, Malady

It’s not much of the typical writing style that I post, but I hope anyone who reads it can still enjoy the story. This is only one of the chapters that I plan to work on for this particular story. I am not sure if I will be able to post the entire story or I’ll just complete the manuscript in another online platform. Anyway, here’s to more writing. 🙂

A Weekend of Love

I haven’t been able to write much on this blog because I have been busy finishing my final paper for my literary criticism/theory class. 😦 But, luckily, I was able to have a wonderful weekend. What started as a sort of simple yayaan with my MA classmates, became an eye-opening experience on my part.

Last May 20 and 21, I attended the first writing workshop of Reb Fiction (Rebel Fiction) under the Precious Pages Corporation. They are one of the imprints of this famous publishing house. So, I am not really familiar with their titles, but it caught my attention because they are a brand that focuses on Young Adult fiction. This is interesting because there are a lot of different stories and printed books out on the market that are catering to the “young” readers, but the genres of stories aren’t really that wide with Filipino prints. Reb Fic, on the other hand, is trying to offer more varieties of novels or novelettes for the young readers to enjoy. This is a plus point on my part because I hope to see “riskier” or even a bit of “experimental” texts that are still going to be relatable to the YA field.

There are a lot of popular novels under the YA genre, but those are mostly foreign prints like Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and others (I grew up with less known ones like those written by Margaret Haddix, the Nick and Norah book, and even that of The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night Time). This is a good chance for Filipino writers to work on YA stories and further add that certain touch of “Filipino” sentiments and values.During the workshop, I also learned more about the YA genre (and market) as well as the process of building a “hero/heroine.” I was even able to present one story already. Now, I hope to work on that manuscript as soon as possible, so that the ideas are still fresh in my head. But… I think I need to go back to my final paper first and (face my fears 😂) finish the semester well before this. Still, (crossing my fingers) I hope to submit it to Reb Fic before the end of this month. 😀 ❤

Yakapin

to embrace life and its alterations