Tambunan Beach, Tabina, Zambo Sur

photo by Jojie Alcantara

Nothing can convince me enough to understand why a country such as Myanmar or Burma decides to remain cloistered after being ravaged by a monstrous cyclone that killed almost 100,000 people. The junta as the latest reports say have continuously refused to receive aid from foreign countries particularly the US for the past days. Until just recently, perhaps because of international pressure and more importantly because of the realities of dead bodies, the junta has decided to receive aid but still with limitations. Up til now, aid has trickled in the country, without the proper measures to ensure specific and appropriate process of giving aid to disaster-ridden areas. Mizzima press for instance reports that “hungry survivors” of the typhoon have “scared off aid workers.” The reality is that until now, it is not clear if the junta has already granted visas to aid workers. With the death toll rising everyday, it is incomprehensible for me to believe that there are leaders who would allow their citizens to die of starvation and disease caused by natural disasters, or even by war. Yet it is still even more unclear if foreign press reports are exact to this day considering that the junta has limited if not, has disallowed journalists to go into their country and report on facts gathered. What is clear to me though is that I am pretty sure that the situation is graver than what is reported outside.

I wonder how things will play out in the succeeding days. Although “play” is not the politically correct word considering that we are dealing with lives here. But clearly, Burma’s junta is not solely at fault here. I even take the position of the US and other countries long involved in the political struggle of Burma, with a grain of salt. Of course, they all have their interest at bay even in the guise of aid. But still, we can’t toy with lives here. These are lives we are dealing with people! Hundreds and thousands of them!

Please allow help.

“make up your mind. decide to walk with me, around the lake tonight. around the lake tonight, by my side.”– toadies

i went to the lake this afternoon, rode a boat around the lake, and felt like jumping into it the entire time. there was a mist hovering over the mouths of the mountains surrounding the lake. a sight that made my eyes misty i couldn’t see clearly i had to squint all the time.

waffle, waffle toil and trouble, flour and couldron babble

Whenever I find mysel roaming around SM City Davao, I always make my way to the nearest waffle stall somewhere near Brat Pack. Oftentimes, I end up buying cheese waffle or tuna waffle to keep me full while window shopping. But what I really usually do when I’m by that stall is stare at how the waffles are made using the waffle maker.

I’m fascinated at how a small appliance such as a waffle maker can form interesting snack food out of flour and eggs. I’m even amazed at the entire process– you just pour the mixture into the waffle maker, then press it close , and afer a few seconds, you already have a waffle.   Continue reading ‘Notes on the Side: Waffle Babbles’

For those who are interested in carving a path in the realm of events organizing, invitations are important peripherals to really carefully conceptualize aside from the actual party/event itself. An invitation offers your possible or future guest the first impression. In fact, sometimes the invitation can be the “make or break” factor. Here’s what an events organizer friend shared to me about making invitations for events, particularly corporate parties: Continue reading ‘Notes on the Side: On Invitations’

Well, I’m honest-to-goodness happy that 3 of my students got in the workshop. Of course, special mention of my thesis advisee Xer Jason Ocampo. Congrats also to my favorite “kulit” smoking buddy/student Marius Monsanto, and to the ever diligent Krisza Kintanar.  To other students whom I encouraged to apply but didn’t get in, there’s always a next time. Don’t lose hope.

The National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA), the Mindanao Creative Writers Group, Inc. in cooperation with the MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension (MSU-IIT-OVCRE) announce the 15 writing fellows to the 15th Iligan National Writers Workshop on May 26-31, 2008 in Iligan City .

Luzon :
Fiction (English): Samantha G. Echavez, UP Diliman/Marikina City; (Filipino): Sarah Jane D. Sebastian, UP Diliman/San Mateo, Isabela; Poetry (Filipino): Erick Dasig Aguilar, UP Diliman/Quezon City; Poetry (English): Evangeline B. Gubat, Ateneo de Manila University/Makati City; and, John Lorenz S. Poquiz, University of Santo Tomas / Manila .

Visayas:
Poetry (English): Fred Jordan Mikhail T. Carnice, Silliman University/Tagbilar an City; Nino Manaog, Ateneo de Naga University/Iloilo City; (Waray): Leonilo D. Lopido, Leyte Institute of Technology/Tacloban City; Luciano L. Abia IV, UP College Tacloban/Basey, Samar; and, Fiction (Cebuano): Efmer E. Agustin, UP Visayas/Abuyog, Leyte.

Mindanao :
Fiction(English) : Krisza Joy P. Kintanar, UP Mindanao/Davao City; Marius Angelo G. Monsanto, UP Mindanao/Davao City; Poetry (English): Ma. Elena L. Paulma, UP Diliman/Cagayan de Oro City; John Philip A. Baltazar, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan/Cagayan de Oro City; and, Xer Jason D. Ocampo, UP Mindanao/Davao City.

Panelists this year are Ma. Rosario Cruz Lucero, Leoncio P. Deriada, German V. Gervacio, Victor N. Sugbo, Merlie M. Alunan, Jaime An Lim, Steven Patrick C. Fernandez, keynote speaker, Antonio Reyes Enriquez and Christine Godinez-Ortega, the 15th INWW Director.

Highlights of this year’s workshop include the launching of the 14th INWW Proceedings titled, Fire and Faith in Writing edited by Godinez-Ortega and published by the MSU-IIT OVCRE; a lecture by INWW alumnus, Ralph Semino Galan; the Jimmy Y. Balacuit Literary Awards; and, the launching of the Manuel Buenafe Writing Fellowship and the Ricardo Jorge S. Caluen Writing Bursary.

Whenever our hands touch, something beautiful happens,
What the Soul remembers, the body portrays through movement.
Dance is therefore the healing force for all to access,
You are my eyes and I am your feet…
Use your Passion for Dance to heal each other,
Unify your dance community,
Most importantly be the Best that you can be in your Own Right,
We are able to stand unified through the Power and Spirit of Dance.

- Gladys Faith Agulhas, Mosadi Wa Konokono
(Woman of Substance) Awardee South Africa

my official blog that contains some of my published works and interdisciplinary pieces has a new domain: www.jeanclairedy.net

for the information of everyone, i’m considering it as my professional site for my official, professional self as interdisciplinary artist and writer.

link me up if you are interested.

After deciding to eventually live alone (yes, I’m looking for a cheap pad for rent) and change lifestyle again (for the nth time), no backsliding hopefully this time around, it is expected that I would go back to taking exercise seriously like I did before 2007 happened. Due to health problems, I have realized that I should take steps towards really cushioning my spine and managing my pain and other muscular spasms there are that I experience everyday. I have been practicing yoga asanas for quite a few years now but last year I just suddenly backslid leading to more intermittent less dedicated yoga practice (read: went back to smoking, ate meat, slept late, making me a bit sedentary). It doesn’t help really that I can’t seem to take myself away from the computer and the wonderful/wanderful world of the worldwide web.

Yesterday, I succumbed to gym culture. I literally sold out. And yes, I know, my boheme artist friends who swore not to be yuppies can’t wait to tease me about this sudden change. But hey, I did wake up early to travel half way to Torres from Mintal to join a modified Pilates class at MetroLifestyle gym at the ungodly hour of 9 in the morning. Tyranny of the morning people!

The good thing about being a member of a gym class is that you belong to a temporary fitness community for an hour or so. Having exercised alone for so long, I have recently realized that sometimes what keeps you going is the idea that there are other people who take exercising as seriously as you do. Sometimes, it is difficult to perennially keep convincing yourself to follow your exercise regimen on your own. Continue reading ‘Enjoying a Fun, Fit and Healthy Summer’