I love this question. I think most conversations with strangers should start in this way instead of the template how are you? Especially so that people don’t actually mean it whenever they ask that. What’s on your mind is straightforward and honest.
Now let me ask myself, what’s on my mind? Not much really. I have just arrived from Indooroopilly shopping mall after our IAP. This day is quite uneventful. Not that I expected so much for today. It’s just that not much happened as of this writing.
The three Filipino ADS said they are dropping by to check my place. They probably want to move in. Well, it’s a good thing if they do. It can be very lonely here in my place. The Malaysian guy just left and now I am sharing the house with a Chinese guy and gal. Both of them are very nice but we seldom talk. There are times when we do but they are not just the conversation buddy type. We just say our hi and hello, and little chit chats, and we are off to do what we have to.
There are plus and minus sides to it. There are times when I just want to talk to share whatever I have on my mind but our circumstances would not permit. We see each other just at night time. After cooking, we are all back to our respective rooms. Man, we are social animals. Or, it’s just I? I don’t know. There’s got to be much more sense here.
The good thing of course is we are pretty much left to whatever stuff we want to do on our own. No questions whatsoever. There is no need to qualify ourselves.
Am I such a socially dependent person? I thought I was a hermit. I thought I could very well manage on my own. Well I can, but not to the point of talking to myself, although I do that sometimes.
This can be difficult. I think this is the price of being in a first world country. In an effort to make things easy for everybody, we have relied so much on wiring ourselves. While it means efficiency and convenience, nothing replaces face-to-face communication. I will never trade my wonderful moments with my friends chatting in the living room in our staff dormitory. I remember I even traveled all the way from Nueva Ecija to Manila just to have some good conversation with friends. It was exhausting but I was very happy afterwards.
Handshakes, loud laughs cannot be replaced by emoticons! Another month here and it won’t be a surprise if I would end up asking the first person I run into, are you happy? I think we have created a world which is quite alien to all of us.
I think t it’s time we rethink how we’re living our lives. Being too organized can be boring sometimes. Having just a bit of clutter on the side won’t be so bad.
Afloat
Saturday, January 23, 2010
I am reminded today of a boat sailing at the middle of an open sea. From above the boat is nothing. The huge sea can just gobble it, and it would be difficult to find any trace the boat was ever there. The boat might just vanish into oblivion.
The boat can be blown away in many directions. To its left, right, anywhere. One thing is clear thou, the boat isn’t quite sure where to go. It doesn’t have any definite direction. It can get lost. Or, it may not.
The unpredictability of the circumstances makes the whole scenario a lot more beautiful. The boat, thou lifeless, can experience many thrilling moments. It is at the mercy of the wind. The wind can either be kind or cruel. Whatever happens, the boat is off to an adventure. At some point, it’s a win-win for the boat. There's nothing to be afraid of: sharks, getting drowned. To begin with, the boat doesn’t feel anything. It cannot feel anything. It’s lifeless.
Which makes it quite disadvantageous now. While the boat is off to a marvellous adventure, it will not in any way be able to rejoice on whatever triumphs it may experience along the way. It cannot yell, it cannot cry. It’s nothing. It will remain a wooden boat. Stiff to be exact. The adventure will be over and it will just be nothing for the boat. Another routine.
If in any way you find this piece a crap, it really is. My mind wanders. I have just been to quite a few places today. Classes won’t start until the first week of March. I’m pretty much like the boat: sailing. The only difference is that I’m feeling everything, every single moment, and I’m enjoying it.
The boat can be blown away in many directions. To its left, right, anywhere. One thing is clear thou, the boat isn’t quite sure where to go. It doesn’t have any definite direction. It can get lost. Or, it may not.
The unpredictability of the circumstances makes the whole scenario a lot more beautiful. The boat, thou lifeless, can experience many thrilling moments. It is at the mercy of the wind. The wind can either be kind or cruel. Whatever happens, the boat is off to an adventure. At some point, it’s a win-win for the boat. There's nothing to be afraid of: sharks, getting drowned. To begin with, the boat doesn’t feel anything. It cannot feel anything. It’s lifeless.
Which makes it quite disadvantageous now. While the boat is off to a marvellous adventure, it will not in any way be able to rejoice on whatever triumphs it may experience along the way. It cannot yell, it cannot cry. It’s nothing. It will remain a wooden boat. Stiff to be exact. The adventure will be over and it will just be nothing for the boat. Another routine.
If in any way you find this piece a crap, it really is. My mind wanders. I have just been to quite a few places today. Classes won’t start until the first week of March. I’m pretty much like the boat: sailing. The only difference is that I’m feeling everything, every single moment, and I’m enjoying it.
Sa bago kong bahay atbp
Friday, January 22, 2010
Welcome sa bago kong bahay. I am sharing a house with 1 Chinese guy my age, 1 Chinese girl who is younger by a year I guess, and 1 Malaysian 3 years my junior. The home is very Asian, very homey. I love this place. It can be very quiet here, kahit magsisigaw ako dito keber lang siguro mga kapitbahay ko. May nalaman lang ako, bawal na magingay pag lagpas na 11pm. Pag nag ingay ka, magrereklamo ang mga neighbours. The very powerful neighbours. Hehehe.
By the way, guys, after 1 week, nakaikot na din ako sa ilang mga puntahan dito sa Brisbane: supermarket, mall na sarado na alas singko pa lang, tour around the city, and other areas. My, I should have done that a few days ago kaya lang natakot ako magwander baka makarating ako sa place na may mga cannibals. Hahaha! Paranoid lang talaga ako.
Iniisip ko lang, pag-uwi ko jan sa Pilipinas, negritong payat ako. Grabe, the sun is really hot. Kaya nga unti-unti kong pinapauso ang payong dito. Na miss ko tuloy ang elbi na fashion statement ng mga tao ang payong. Kaya bumili ako ng PAYONG, as in like the one I have there yung brown. Kaya pag dumadaan ako mejo may napapangiti, may napapalingon, bahala sila. Di ko kaya init. Buti na lang at dinamayan ako ng ilang mga Asians.
Tapos, nakapunta na ako sa market dito. Natuwa ako ng nakakita ako ng Palmolive Naturals. Astig! Cheap lang siya sa Pilipinas, international pala siya. Survive na buhok ko nito although gusto ko talaga Clear para iwas dandruff. Ang hinahanap ko na lang ay safeguard at master with glutathione. Malapit na maubos supply ko.
Kanina, nakapunta ako sa isang Asian grocery store. Panay Chinese at Vietnamese ang labels as in tinitingnan ko na lang, ito mukhang toyo, tapos, iikutin ko lalagyan “alam ko may English dito kahit kapiranggot, Ayan, soy sauce nga!” Hahaha! And guess what, ng nakakita ako ng “Mama Sita’s”, muntik pa akong mapasigaw. Sabi ko sa kasama ko na Malaysian, “This is from the Philippines!” Binalik-balikan ko talaga yung barcode to check if it starts in 480, our intl barcode. Nung nabili ko na Mama Sita’s, bigla akong napatanong, ano namang paggagamitan ko nito, di naman ako maalam magluto? Hahaha! Lupet. Ang sarap mag-adik dito.
By the way, yung pera nila dito parang mga play money lang. Ang gaganda kasi saka parang bago parati. Sa atin, gula-gulanit na banat pa din. Yung iba ngang mga bills, ayoko gastusin, una inakala kong play money siya. Hahaha! But then when i realized na magugutom ako, OK na. Ginastos ko na yung play money. Tapos, yung mga coins nila, mas malaki, mas maliit ang value. Yung mga malilit kong coins, di ko pinapansin kasi walang jo, andaming bente singko ah. Pero nung chineck ko yung amount, my, the value is higher! Unti-unti ko na siyang vinalue. Hehehe.
One thing I realized, pag di mo masyado alam yung value ng currency, you don’t seem to give much value to it. Like in my case, bili lang ako ng bili kanina sa supermarket. Tapos nagugulat ako na andaming nabili ng $100 ko. Aba yung PhP 100 ko kain lang ako sa cafeteria namin e nangangalahati na agad yun.
By the way, guys, after 1 week, nakaikot na din ako sa ilang mga puntahan dito sa Brisbane: supermarket, mall na sarado na alas singko pa lang, tour around the city, and other areas. My, I should have done that a few days ago kaya lang natakot ako magwander baka makarating ako sa place na may mga cannibals. Hahaha! Paranoid lang talaga ako.
Iniisip ko lang, pag-uwi ko jan sa Pilipinas, negritong payat ako. Grabe, the sun is really hot. Kaya nga unti-unti kong pinapauso ang payong dito. Na miss ko tuloy ang elbi na fashion statement ng mga tao ang payong. Kaya bumili ako ng PAYONG, as in like the one I have there yung brown. Kaya pag dumadaan ako mejo may napapangiti, may napapalingon, bahala sila. Di ko kaya init. Buti na lang at dinamayan ako ng ilang mga Asians.
Tapos, nakapunta na ako sa market dito. Natuwa ako ng nakakita ako ng Palmolive Naturals. Astig! Cheap lang siya sa Pilipinas, international pala siya. Survive na buhok ko nito although gusto ko talaga Clear para iwas dandruff. Ang hinahanap ko na lang ay safeguard at master with glutathione. Malapit na maubos supply ko.
Kanina, nakapunta ako sa isang Asian grocery store. Panay Chinese at Vietnamese ang labels as in tinitingnan ko na lang, ito mukhang toyo, tapos, iikutin ko lalagyan “alam ko may English dito kahit kapiranggot, Ayan, soy sauce nga!” Hahaha! And guess what, ng nakakita ako ng “Mama Sita’s”, muntik pa akong mapasigaw. Sabi ko sa kasama ko na Malaysian, “This is from the Philippines!” Binalik-balikan ko talaga yung barcode to check if it starts in 480, our intl barcode. Nung nabili ko na Mama Sita’s, bigla akong napatanong, ano namang paggagamitan ko nito, di naman ako maalam magluto? Hahaha! Lupet. Ang sarap mag-adik dito.
By the way, yung pera nila dito parang mga play money lang. Ang gaganda kasi saka parang bago parati. Sa atin, gula-gulanit na banat pa din. Yung iba ngang mga bills, ayoko gastusin, una inakala kong play money siya. Hahaha! But then when i realized na magugutom ako, OK na. Ginastos ko na yung play money. Tapos, yung mga coins nila, mas malaki, mas maliit ang value. Yung mga malilit kong coins, di ko pinapansin kasi walang jo, andaming bente singko ah. Pero nung chineck ko yung amount, my, the value is higher! Unti-unti ko na siyang vinalue. Hehehe.
One thing I realized, pag di mo masyado alam yung value ng currency, you don’t seem to give much value to it. Like in my case, bili lang ako ng bili kanina sa supermarket. Tapos nagugulat ako na andaming nabili ng $100 ko. Aba yung PhP 100 ko kain lang ako sa cafeteria namin e nangangalahati na agad yun.
Citizen of the world
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
When I was looking for my permanent accommodation, a Thai woman said, "You look like Thai. Go talk to Ivan (the other Filipino Ausaid scholar) so you see who's handsome who?" hahaha!!!
Tapos nung una pa, the Chinese landlady said, "I knew you were a Filipino, but you've got American accent. Pretty weird." (Ano ako hybrid???!!!).
And then during the getting started session, the lecturer pointed at me, nasa pinakalikod kasi ako kasi wala na akong kasamang Pinoy dun, "Are you from Vietnam?" "No, I am from the Philippines." Then she said, "Kamusta?" "Mabuti." tapos ngiti na lang siya dahil wala na siya maireply na Filipino. hahahaha!
Whew! I'm so generic. ;)
Tapos nung una pa, the Chinese landlady said, "I knew you were a Filipino, but you've got American accent. Pretty weird." (Ano ako hybrid???!!!).
And then during the getting started session, the lecturer pointed at me, nasa pinakalikod kasi ako kasi wala na akong kasamang Pinoy dun, "Are you from Vietnam?" "No, I am from the Philippines." Then she said, "Kamusta?" "Mabuti." tapos ngiti na lang siya dahil wala na siya maireply na Filipino. hahahaha!
Whew! I'm so generic. ;)
Jaime in da city (Australia version)
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Sa airport
Two minutes lang pwede magbaba kaya sa sasakyan pa lang mega plan na ang ate ko sa mga mangyayari sa 2 minutes. Kinuha niya na digicam niya, tapos nakaplano na din ang mga sunud-sunod na yayakapin ko. Hahaha!
Baba sa kotse
Mama: Dali baba ka na anak at ang dami tao.
Jaime: Opo ma.
Ate 1: OK ayan nakababa na. Picture picture. Bilis. O jan ka Pa sa tabi, kuya jan ka sa tabi ni papa...
Yakapan na, si Kuya muna, ate 2, ate 1, papa, and then si mama.
Ate 1: O siya dali na at baka paalisin na tayo dito.
Yakapan ulit part 2, with the same sequence. Hahaha! And siyempre, naiyak mama ko. Tapos habang hila ko yung bag ko, babay kami ng bonggang-bongga. Ng papasok na ako, paglingon ko, nakatingin pa din sila kaya babayan ulit. Pagpasok ko sa airport, may text agad mama ko, miss niya na daw ako.
Sa eroplano Manila to Bangkok
Pagpasok ko pa lang e mejo nawawala ako sa sarili, nagulat na lang ako ng biglang may nagbabow, sudaka ba yun? Paulit-ulit. Ayan, naki bow na din ako. Hahaha! Dis wey plis... hahaha!
Nung nagseserve na ng meal.
Jaime: Excuse me, this one, it has egg?
Attendant: Egg? (Ngingiti muna)
Jaime: yes, i’ve got food restrictions, cant eat eggs.
Attendant: (ba bow then ngingiti). I’ll ask, but yeah i think it has egg yolk. (ngingiti ulit) How about coffee?
Jaime: decaffeinated?
Attendant: (Ngingiti muna) Yes (at magbibigay ng kape)
Jaime: (Checking if decaf nga) decaf?
Attendant: ha? No it’s not. Im sorry we’ll change it. Please wait.
(Ang charming niya ang liit pa, ang cute-cute ng instance na yun)
Sa Bangkok
Mabilis ang paglakad namin ni ate mae dahil lilipad din kami agad. Pero napag-usapn pa namin ang mga buhay-buhay, edad niya, reason for studying abroad, and alot more in less than 10 minutes. Tapos nung marami na kaming napag-usapan, sabay tanong si ate, ano nga ulit pangalan mo? Hahhaha!
Sa loob ng eroplano, ayan at pagpasok may mga nagbabow na naman. Na notice ko lang pare-pareho sila ng head dress, yung mga bata. Yung mejo senior staff nila, ginto o nakaplaster ang ngiti. Haahaha! Miminahin mo ngiti nung senior attendants. Katuwa. Parang ngingiti saglit tapos bigla poker face ulit. Hahahaha!
Katabi ko dalwang aussie girls. Tapos gulat ako sa ibang aussies, kasi ayaw nila maistorbo yung katabi nila na natutulog na, kapag gustio nila umihi, dumudukwang na lang sila, as in! Tawang-tawa na talaga ako nun. Astig di ba?
Tapos bigla nagsalita ang captain, hay, niyak! Katakot ang boses. Ano ba yung salita ng mga Thai, basta yung wika nila muna, then english. Nung di ko maintindihan, sabi ko na lang sa sarili ko, Brisbane na daw maya umaga. Hahaha!
Sa buong 8 hours na flight na yun, wala ako makausap ng matagal. Mabuti na lang at nadala ko si Sophie sa Sophie’s World, muntik ko pang matapos yung book ko kung di lang ako inantok. Ang weird lang kasi natatawa ako mag-isa kay Sophie. Sa PhilRice or nung college pag may mga ganun, mga adik kong friends agad. Siyempre ala naman mga ka barkada ko sa eroplano di ba? Hehehe. Napaka intelektuwal tuloy ng trip ko from Bangkok to Brisbane. Si Sophie, hilung-hilo na sa mga philosophers na inintroduce sa kanya ni Albert Knox. Kawawang bata, pero magaling siya ha, malamang laki sa am yun.
Brisbane airport
THIS ISREALLYISIT! OMG! AM HERE! Hahaha! OK, I composed myself. Took a deep breath, dapat maayos ako pag kaharap ko na immigartion officer para di ako maintimidate. Hehehe.
Pagpasok namin sa Airport, ang sungit nung immigration officer. Sabi niya dun sa babae before me:
Officer: Do you understand this? (papakita sa matanda na babae na parang Chinese)
Babae: (Tatango)
Officer: Can you read this? Read! Read!
Di makabasa yung ale. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, loko to ah. Kawawa yung babae, promise. Tapos nung ako na:
Officer: You speak english?
Jaime: Yes (gusto kong dagdagan ng fluently at You want to see my IELTS speaking score? Yabang niya kasi). Anyway, nalampasan ko yung quarantine etc.
Sundo
Ayan nakita ko agad yung sundo ko hawak ng isang matandang babae. THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND!
Jaime to self: Siya ang driver ko???!!! (I approached her.)
Old woman: Hi! You are Jay-me?
Jaime: No, I’m Jaime.
Old woman: (Suspicious) You’re not Jay-me?
Jaime: I pronounce it as Jaime. I’m Jaime Manalo IV
Oldwoman: A, Manalo? Yes. Im not your driver. Your driver is on his way. He will be here in a few minutes. Please wait over there.
Jaime: (Salamat sa surname ko. Yun naghintay ako. Tapos nakakita ako ng internet, yan need to chat my sister, she’s online now for sure, sabi ko sa sarili ko. O di ba English na din ako mag-isip kasi Australia na, katulad ng relo, na synchronise ko na din brain ko. Hahahah! Kaya lang, may bayad yung net. Kaya di ako tumuloy. For sure may libreng internet sa UQ. )
Sinundo ako ng driver ko. Yun. BTW, yung old woman ay driver din. Sinundo niya yung mga pinoy na sa barko naman nagwowork. Nung naovertakean niya yung driver ko na kaibigan niya din, nilabas niya pa dila niya. Hahaha! Ang cool niya talaga. Mga mag 60 na ata yun.
Accommodation
Una agad na pumasok sa isip ko ay hanapin si Claudia Morales. Tanong agad ako dun sa babae. Excited.
Jaime: Hi! Are you Claudia Morales? I’m Jaime Manalo IV.
Receptionist: No, Im not Claudia.
Jaime: (Ganun? Dito ba talaga nagtatrabaho si Claudia sa UQ? In the first place, meron ba talagang Claudia Morales? Naloko ba ako? At kung anu-ano pang kaparanoidan ang naisip ko. Then, I collected myself) OK she must be working somehwere here.
Receptionist: Yes, this is just for your temprary accommodation. (ayan Jaime, temporary accommodation lang naman kasi, mamaya pa si Claudia Koronel este Morales)
Jaime: Thank you. (At dito na nangyari yung mga nauna kong kunuwento, yung binigyan ako ng dinikdik na carrots, hiniwa-hiwang pipino, at may turkey pa. I hope you like turkey sabi nung babae). Sigaw ko sa sarili ko: Rice! Rice!!!!)
The end
Two minutes lang pwede magbaba kaya sa sasakyan pa lang mega plan na ang ate ko sa mga mangyayari sa 2 minutes. Kinuha niya na digicam niya, tapos nakaplano na din ang mga sunud-sunod na yayakapin ko. Hahaha!
Baba sa kotse
Mama: Dali baba ka na anak at ang dami tao.
Jaime: Opo ma.
Ate 1: OK ayan nakababa na. Picture picture. Bilis. O jan ka Pa sa tabi, kuya jan ka sa tabi ni papa...
Yakapan na, si Kuya muna, ate 2, ate 1, papa, and then si mama.
Ate 1: O siya dali na at baka paalisin na tayo dito.
Yakapan ulit part 2, with the same sequence. Hahaha! And siyempre, naiyak mama ko. Tapos habang hila ko yung bag ko, babay kami ng bonggang-bongga. Ng papasok na ako, paglingon ko, nakatingin pa din sila kaya babayan ulit. Pagpasok ko sa airport, may text agad mama ko, miss niya na daw ako.
Sa eroplano Manila to Bangkok
Pagpasok ko pa lang e mejo nawawala ako sa sarili, nagulat na lang ako ng biglang may nagbabow, sudaka ba yun? Paulit-ulit. Ayan, naki bow na din ako. Hahaha! Dis wey plis... hahaha!
Nung nagseserve na ng meal.
Jaime: Excuse me, this one, it has egg?
Attendant: Egg? (Ngingiti muna)
Jaime: yes, i’ve got food restrictions, cant eat eggs.
Attendant: (ba bow then ngingiti). I’ll ask, but yeah i think it has egg yolk. (ngingiti ulit) How about coffee?
Jaime: decaffeinated?
Attendant: (Ngingiti muna) Yes (at magbibigay ng kape)
Jaime: (Checking if decaf nga) decaf?
Attendant: ha? No it’s not. Im sorry we’ll change it. Please wait.
(Ang charming niya ang liit pa, ang cute-cute ng instance na yun)
Sa Bangkok
Mabilis ang paglakad namin ni ate mae dahil lilipad din kami agad. Pero napag-usapn pa namin ang mga buhay-buhay, edad niya, reason for studying abroad, and alot more in less than 10 minutes. Tapos nung marami na kaming napag-usapan, sabay tanong si ate, ano nga ulit pangalan mo? Hahhaha!
Sa loob ng eroplano, ayan at pagpasok may mga nagbabow na naman. Na notice ko lang pare-pareho sila ng head dress, yung mga bata. Yung mejo senior staff nila, ginto o nakaplaster ang ngiti. Haahaha! Miminahin mo ngiti nung senior attendants. Katuwa. Parang ngingiti saglit tapos bigla poker face ulit. Hahahaha!
Katabi ko dalwang aussie girls. Tapos gulat ako sa ibang aussies, kasi ayaw nila maistorbo yung katabi nila na natutulog na, kapag gustio nila umihi, dumudukwang na lang sila, as in! Tawang-tawa na talaga ako nun. Astig di ba?
Tapos bigla nagsalita ang captain, hay, niyak! Katakot ang boses. Ano ba yung salita ng mga Thai, basta yung wika nila muna, then english. Nung di ko maintindihan, sabi ko na lang sa sarili ko, Brisbane na daw maya umaga. Hahaha!
Sa buong 8 hours na flight na yun, wala ako makausap ng matagal. Mabuti na lang at nadala ko si Sophie sa Sophie’s World, muntik ko pang matapos yung book ko kung di lang ako inantok. Ang weird lang kasi natatawa ako mag-isa kay Sophie. Sa PhilRice or nung college pag may mga ganun, mga adik kong friends agad. Siyempre ala naman mga ka barkada ko sa eroplano di ba? Hehehe. Napaka intelektuwal tuloy ng trip ko from Bangkok to Brisbane. Si Sophie, hilung-hilo na sa mga philosophers na inintroduce sa kanya ni Albert Knox. Kawawang bata, pero magaling siya ha, malamang laki sa am yun.
Brisbane airport
THIS ISREALLYISIT! OMG! AM HERE! Hahaha! OK, I composed myself. Took a deep breath, dapat maayos ako pag kaharap ko na immigartion officer para di ako maintimidate. Hehehe.
Pagpasok namin sa Airport, ang sungit nung immigration officer. Sabi niya dun sa babae before me:
Officer: Do you understand this? (papakita sa matanda na babae na parang Chinese)
Babae: (Tatango)
Officer: Can you read this? Read! Read!
Di makabasa yung ale. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, loko to ah. Kawawa yung babae, promise. Tapos nung ako na:
Officer: You speak english?
Jaime: Yes (gusto kong dagdagan ng fluently at You want to see my IELTS speaking score? Yabang niya kasi). Anyway, nalampasan ko yung quarantine etc.
Sundo
Ayan nakita ko agad yung sundo ko hawak ng isang matandang babae. THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND!
Jaime to self: Siya ang driver ko???!!! (I approached her.)
Old woman: Hi! You are Jay-me?
Jaime: No, I’m Jaime.
Old woman: (Suspicious) You’re not Jay-me?
Jaime: I pronounce it as Jaime. I’m Jaime Manalo IV
Oldwoman: A, Manalo? Yes. Im not your driver. Your driver is on his way. He will be here in a few minutes. Please wait over there.
Jaime: (Salamat sa surname ko. Yun naghintay ako. Tapos nakakita ako ng internet, yan need to chat my sister, she’s online now for sure, sabi ko sa sarili ko. O di ba English na din ako mag-isip kasi Australia na, katulad ng relo, na synchronise ko na din brain ko. Hahahah! Kaya lang, may bayad yung net. Kaya di ako tumuloy. For sure may libreng internet sa UQ. )
Sinundo ako ng driver ko. Yun. BTW, yung old woman ay driver din. Sinundo niya yung mga pinoy na sa barko naman nagwowork. Nung naovertakean niya yung driver ko na kaibigan niya din, nilabas niya pa dila niya. Hahaha! Ang cool niya talaga. Mga mag 60 na ata yun.
Accommodation
Una agad na pumasok sa isip ko ay hanapin si Claudia Morales. Tanong agad ako dun sa babae. Excited.
Jaime: Hi! Are you Claudia Morales? I’m Jaime Manalo IV.
Receptionist: No, Im not Claudia.
Jaime: (Ganun? Dito ba talaga nagtatrabaho si Claudia sa UQ? In the first place, meron ba talagang Claudia Morales? Naloko ba ako? At kung anu-ano pang kaparanoidan ang naisip ko. Then, I collected myself) OK she must be working somehwere here.
Receptionist: Yes, this is just for your temprary accommodation. (ayan Jaime, temporary accommodation lang naman kasi, mamaya pa si Claudia Koronel este Morales)
Jaime: Thank you. (At dito na nangyari yung mga nauna kong kunuwento, yung binigyan ako ng dinikdik na carrots, hiniwa-hiwang pipino, at may turkey pa. I hope you like turkey sabi nung babae). Sigaw ko sa sarili ko: Rice! Rice!!!!)
The end
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
When our book, Kamalig, was launched last Sat in Powerbooks, I was very happy. For me, it's a dream come true. I have long been aiming for our publications to be displayed in the bookshelves of Powerbooks or any bookstores. I can recall the day when I was just e-mailing all the bookstores that came into my mind. I was just thinking that they would respond. And Powerbooks did. That started it all. I appreciated the fact that everything was coordinated through emails. Even the book launch, I was very glad upon learning that we had guests who learned about our event from our website. They did not receive any formal invitation from us.
Oh well, our books at Powerbooks is one great achievement. We can now reach our audiences in the city. Even our friends abroad can buy our books. They have long been waiting for it.
Let me borrow from my friend in closing this post: Good things!
Publications
Thursday, November 19, 2009
“Oh my gosh! When will they ever stop commenting?” This is my favorite line whenever I get exhausted managing publications whose end hasn’t come yet.
Since high school, I have been involved in publications work either as a writer, editor, layout artist, circulations manager, or managing editor. I’ve had a few memorable experiences I wish to share here. Mind you managing publications can be so mechanical, not until you start reflecting on the process.
I have managed technology bulletins, magazines, and a coffee table book. The process involves varied emotions from the mind boggling, excruciating, thought-provoking up to the rewarding moment once it is out.
Let’s start with the idea process. It is where the people involved brainstorm on what they want with the publication. In this process, I get amazed at how the human brain functions. Creative ideas emanating from everywhere pour in at an instant the documenter can have a hard time capturing them all.
The execution part is the bloodiest of all. It is when I work with the layout artist to come up with the first draft. Once the first draft is out, I present it to the team so they can feast on it. After the comments, hey, summarize it, it is OVERHAUL. Whew! We will surely need some exercise to do the next draft.
“Please transfer this to the next page. Oh this page looks nice, very nice, but I think the picture is a bit pixilated, so we should change this (the very nice page now fades). The book is great (with two-paragraph single-spaced comments). Oh, this is great! But we need more! More! More!”
Comments after comments, never-ending comments can be so tiring. Until we are near completion.
Just when everybody seems to be resting and preparing to close the pages, last minute comments will come in, which can alter the course of events or just suspend completion for a bit later. A Hollywood suspense thriller is no match on this part. Whenever this happens, I take a deep breath so I won’t lose my sanity. Sometimes I listen; sometimes I don’t. But then again, I am left with no choice but to listen to the powers that be.
There are times when a publication gets extended to their original schedule. The major publications can take months even years to be completed. When I get fed up, I can no longer see the mistakes even as I keep re-reading the material. When somebody looks at it, the most obvious and basic mistakes will surface. It can be so shameful.
There were also instances when I was able to do the table of contents without going back to the actual pages. When I checked it, voila! I only missed several pages. I have mastered the publication. When I get so immersed in it, I can hear the comments of the team in my dreams. I can hear them requesting if one more photo can be added, if the deadlines can be moved. Sometimes, I can spot what word was added if the layout artist added one without my consent effortlessly.
Publications, they can be so addictive. If they were a drug they should have been banned long ago.
Bringing the material to the printing press is second to the best part. That’s when I argue with the colors and the nitty-gritty of everything. You just can’t let the material go without much supervision. Mind you my eyes are so sensitive; I can distinguish the slightest difference between different shades of the same color. But then again, there are excruciating and persistent human errors no matter how high the standard is.
Once it is out, there seems to be an indescribable feeling of relief and fulfillment. We did it! When the coffee table book was out, I leafed through it for innumerable number of times—seeing the pictures, checking the pages and the binding, I felt every page with my hands. I even slept with it by my side. I tried looking at it at different lighting conditions, and at different positions. But of course, nothing beats looking it with a coffee and a table by my side (what a cliché!). There are imperfections, but I’m happy with it.
For 23 years, I have been through a lot of seemed unexplainable occurrences. I have been through a lot of heartaches, failures, nostalgia, what have you. I have been asking myself: what’s with all these? I have been searching for books for explanation. And oh yes, the answer is printed. I have found the answer in what I am doing—publications.
Young as we are, we need to welcome comments, undergo a process so we’ll end up triumphant—not completely thou, because we need to work for something more. Something that will lead us to being the best.
A colleague said this to me: “Allow your outputs to be critiqued so when they come out they can stand.”
Kamalig: A treasure trove of rice, a coffeetable book on Philippine rice production, will be launched in Powerbooks Megamall, November 28, 2-5 pm. See you there.
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