Please read: DOG FOOD DONATIONS

Guys, this is something I really find important. It's time to take care of them, too.

-----
Bravepaws:

We are once again knocking on generous hearts for donations of dog food for our animal shelter. Masterfoods - the makers of WHISKAS & PEDIGREE - which regularly donates pet food to PARC is undergoing some organizational changes and this may delay delivery of the much-needed pet food donation by a few weeks.(Hopefully, only by a few weeks.)


In the meantime, we only have one large sack of dog food to go at PARC (PAWS Animal Rehabilitation Center) and we really need help in terms of donations.

Donated dog food may be dropped off directly at PARC near Barangka, Marikina (tel 475-1688 Francis), or at the home of PAWS President, Nita Lichauco at 87 Small Horseshoe Drive, New Manila, QC. (tel. 724-1986 Nita)

If you have donations which you cannot drop off at either address, please call 475-1688 for possible pick-up. Due to the fact that less than 10% of our volunteers have their own private vehicles, we would appreciate donations dropped off directly at PARC.

Cash donations, on the other hand, may be deposited at any PNB Branch, viz:
ACCOUNT NAME: The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 072-830174-0
* Kindly fax a copy of the validated deposit slip to 475-1688 and indicate donor's full name and complete mailing address if you wish us to mail your official receipt to you.

PAWS is a NON-FUNDED associate of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in the U.K. and a NON-FUNDED shelter partner of the Humane Society International (HSI/HSUS). We do not receive funding from any foreign organization in terms of operational expenses for our shelter. To keep PARC running, PAWS depends entirely on adoption fees, donations from individuals and proceeds from the fundraisers that our volunteers organize for us.

Each day is a continuing struggle to provide the best care for over a hundred abandoned and rescued animals in PARC. We need your help.


Kindly forward this message to friends or relatives whom you think may be able to help us out. No effort or donation is too small. Even a bag or two of donated dog food would mean a lot to us. (We also have puppies in the shelter who will appreciate donations of puppy food.)


Thank you.

- P A W S

When every moment is a day, and everyday is a lifetime

Mistulang halo ang nararamdaman ko para sa iyo ngayon.

Tinanong kita kagabi kung ano ang problema, kasi napapansin ko na nag-impake ang iyong mga mata't ngayo'y lumilibot na sa kung saang dako o singit ng telebisyon kagabi.

Alam kong may bumabagabag sa iyo. Ito ba ang napag-usapan natin dati? Noong bigla mo na lang akong tinawag at sinabi sakin ang dahilan kung bakit ka mas nagiging tahimik ka nitong nakalipas na buwan?

Tinanong kita kagabi, hindi ka naman sumagot.

Nagmukha akong tanga.

Siguro ganun naman talaga.

Ganun lang talaga.

Sabi nga ni Angel sa akin, "Masyado kang martir." But I digress.

Vibes mo marahil ay huwag na nga kitang papakialamanan.

Kung anuman yan, kahit huwag mo na akong kausapin, sana maayos na. Mabait ka namang tao (hindi ako sarcastic).

Kaya mo na yan.

Somewhere Eeyore is even more glum than usual

I'll miss you, Tigger. I'll see you beyond the Hundred-Acre Woods.

On seeing the Earth blown to bits

Yes, Arthur, I know exactly how you feel.

Amici migliori

Love ko 'to. :)

Multi-coated glasses

'Tis the season of break-ups.

I have noticed this recently, for the last couple of months. Couples I have always admired for staying together so long are now breaking up, or have already broken up, or are very well on their way of getting there.

These are the couples who have people saying, "Ah, sila na yan," or "Inaantay na nga lang namin yan [na magpakasal]."

If these things literally fall apart and crumble into teeny bits of residual guilt, anger, and good old-fashioned sadness, then what else is there to believe in?

I always had in mind that people knew true love in the 1920s: the time my grandparents met. My mother would always tell me how they would converse, my lolo singing humble hymns to my lola in the moonlight, and their walks in the park (when it was still safe).

The war broke loose, yet they remained loyal to each other, forging this great connection that surpassed even that truly depressing time.

My grandparents loved my mother and I so much I could still feel it now. I'm sure they're having a party in heaven, for all the Yñiguez boys (the four brothers who went Upstairs already whom my lolo Tomas is part of), being swing kids all over again. It was a sort of recompense for them, to enjoy the time the war took away.

I'll believe in that. I'll believe anything worth getting into is worth fighting for til the very end.

Speculative Fiction: Call for entries

from:
http://deanalfar.blogspot.com/2005/06/speculative-fiction-antho.html

speculative fiction antho
Monday, June 20, 2005
Open Call for Filipino Speculative Fiction Anthology

I am in the process of putting together an anthology of original
Filipino Speculative Fiction and am now open for the submission of
short speculative fiction pieces for consideration. The anthology is
slated for publication on this coming December/January, and will be
published by Kestrel Studios, the publishing arm of my company.

My definition of “speculative fiction” is very broad, embracing
everything from fantasy to science fiction, magic realism and
interstitial/slipstream.

All the stories must be written by Filipinos (or those of Philippine
ancestry), veer away from tried and true formula stories (no retelling
of bruised Filipino legends unless you tell it really well), be written
for an adult sensibility, be written in English, and celebrate the
“sense of wonder”. What this means is no social realist texts,
certainly none about an impoverished boy on the back of a carabao
thinking about harsh social injustice – unless you write in that
scenario in a way that works given our parameters.

Preference will be given to original unpublished stories, but
previously published stories (no earlier than January 2004) will also
be considered. In the case of previously published material, kindly
include the title of the publishing entity and the publication date.

First time authors are most welcome to submit, as I’m looking for a
final mix of published and unpublished authors.

Each author may submit only one story for consideration. Make sure that
it’s really yours.

The word length of each story must be from 3,500 to 5,000 words.

All submissions must be in Plain Text format (.txt – save the document
as .txt on your word processor) and attached to an email to this
address: dean@kestrelimc.com. Submissions received in any other format
will be deleted, unread.

The subject of your email must read: spec fic submission: (title) (word
count), where (title) is replaced by the title of your short story,
without the parentheses, and (word count) is the word count of your
story, without the parentheses. For example, spec fic submission: the
final fandango 3500

All submissions must be accompanied by a cover letter that includes
your name, contact information, previous work (if any).

Deadline for submissions is August 15, 2005. After that date, final
choices will be made and letters of acceptance or regret sent out via
email.

Compensation for selected stories will be 2 contributor’s copies of the
published anthology.

/Dean Francis Alfar, editor

Ahas in the middle of the street

Lubos lang akong naaasiwa sa isang usapan na aking pinatulan kagabi ilang segundo bago ako matulog.

Humihingi ka ng payo sa akin, Kaibigan A. Ako naman, dahil mahal ko ang mga kaibigan ko at itinuturing ko ang sarili ko bilang kanilang first and last line of defense, inalalayan kita sa problema mo sa pakikinig at pagbibigay-payo.

Sa lahat ng pabalik-balik na mga text na namagitan sa mga ating mga daliri kagabi, hindi ka rin pala nakinig.

Ang masakit pa, wala ka palang planong makinig.

Sa isip-isip ko na lang, sana pala hindi na lang tayo nag-usap. Sana hindi mo na lang ako kinausap, kasi parang binastos mo ako sa ginawa mong iyon.

Mali ang ginagawa mo, pero ginagawa mo pa rin.

Naiinis na ako.

Pero dahil mahal kita, makikinig lang ako. A shoulder to cry on, ika mo nga.

Andito lang ako, pre.

Romania. Nun. Crucified.

We know that there is indeed something wrong in this world when we read about these things:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4107524.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4112568.stm

God, this is not fair.

Dahil ako ay isang galawgaw

Matapos ng halos anim na buwan ng hindi pagkikita, nakita kong muli ang aking mga kaibigan na sina Bel at Mapi kahapon sa UP.

Kahit sa ilang sandali, nagkasama na naman ang Tatlong Maria sa may hagdanan ng Malcolm Hall, nag-ingay dahil sa salaysay at talakay sa buhay ng isa't isa, at matapos ay pinaringgan pa ako ng guard na ang ingay daw namin.

Boss, inggit ka lang.

Isang linggo na ang itinagal ni Mapi sa UP, at lubos na sumakit ang ulo ko sa pagpipigil na maiyak nang sinabi niya ito sa amin ni Bel:

"Sa mga ganitong panahon [na pumapasok ako dito], namimiss ko kayo lalo, kasi matapos ng klase, wala akong nakakasamang tao na parang tayo, yung solido na alam mong palaging andun."

Wala na lang akong nagawa kundi titigan siya, at yakapin. Sinabi rin namin sa kanya na makakatagpo din siya ng mga kaibigan dun (sana nga hindi lang mas basag ang pula sa aming tatlo).

Sa palagay ko naman ay magiging masaya si Mapi sa kanyang kinalalagyan, at sa huling-huli'y sa pasya niya na pumasok sa abogasya.

At isa pa, sira ulo pa rin siya pero mellowed na raw sa paningin ni Bel. Naknaman... :)

Matapos ng dalawang taon, natulungan ni Bel ang kanyang production outfit kung saan siya namamasukan na lumago hanggang sa may Makati. May kapatid na si Glue: si Ignite naman ang kanyang kasalukuyang inaalagaan. Lubusan siyang pumayat (inggit ako), at palaging nag-aalala sa kanyang balat na okay naman sa aking pag-eestima. Pahinga lang yan, dude.

Katatapos lamang ng kaarawan niya nitong Mayo kaya binigyan ko siya ng CD ng MP3s ng lahat ng maaari niyang magustuhan kasama ang foot lotion. Lakad kasi ng lakad tulad ko kaya alagaan naman niya sarili niya sa paliligo ng peppermint sa paa. Hardworking girl kasi yun e.

Habang hinahantay namin si Mapi na lumabas (pero matapos nito din na rin kami nagkita pa kasi umuwi siya bigla), kami ay naglakad-lakad lang sa UP, tulad ng ginagawa namin ni Angel tuwing mapapadpad kami dun. Pumunta kami sa shopping center, tumingin ng abubot sa mga tindahan ng school supplies, kumain ng green tea and raspberry ice cream (nyummmmmmmm - ganun siya kasarap at P15 per scoop), bumili ako ng sticker ng UP para sa aking nanay nang maidikit naman niya sa kotse habang si Bel ay masaya na sa kanyang address book na pula.

Natapos ang aking araw sa paghatid kay Bel sa sakayan tungo ng Q Ave na MRT, habang ako diretso SM North naman.

Gusto ko na rin umuwi.

Pagdating sa Malolos, ibinili ko sila Mama at Nanay Rosi ng Chow Mein sa Chowking. Namiss ko rin sila matapos ng linggong ito.

Napakahirap ng linggong ito.

Ngayon, kasalukuyang iginagarahe ang kotse. Ibinili nila ako ng goto at toge, na lubusang swak na swak para sa umagang ito.


***

Bata pa ako.

Ito ang tingin ko sa sarili ko. Bata pa naman ako. 22 taong gulang.

Pero sa mga nangyayari ngayon, unti-unting umaalis ang Bata. Hindi kasi siya nararapat sa opisina, kaya pinauuwi siya. Hindi siya nararapat sa mga usapang matanda, kaya tinatakpan niya ang kanyang mga tainga. Hindi siya dapat sumabat, kaya itinitikom niya ang kanyang mga labi. Siya yung nanunood ng Drawn Together at Crank Yankers sa Jack TV, at "nilalabhan" ang pinagbalatan ng mangga matapos na i-masaker ang laman nito.

Ang kanyang mga kamay ay nakahimlay sa ibabaw ng kanyang kandungan, nakataas ang mga palad habang naghihintay ng aakay sa kanya sa mga lugar at pagkakataong ito.

Ako kasi, ang 22 taong gulang na babaing may grado ng 300 sa bawat matang nearsighted, ang OC at pala-butingting sa kung ano na ang dapat gawin at maalam sa mga tungkulin, ang humaharap sa mga tao sa kalsada, sa mga kliyente't kaopisina.

Ako rin ang sumasalo sa problema ng aking mga pamilya at kaibigan, ang sumusubukang magsalita, gumabay o ipagtanggol sila sa kahit anong maaaring makasakit sa kanila.

Ako rin kasi ang nagsasabi sa mga tao na huwag mawalan ng pag-asa kahit Ayan Na. Ewan ko, pero sa lahat ng pinagdaanan ko, at sa mga nakakaalam nito, hindi ito isang malaking biro. Naniniwala ako na malalagpasan din naman kasi ang lahat ng ito.

Ako at ang bata ay iisa, ngunit kailangan ko lang munang idiit ang aking daliri sa kanyang palad upang habulin ang mga linyang sala-salabit sa palaruan niya.

Nagtagpo na ang aming mga palad at isasama siya kahit saan ako magpunta.

Where's my ray gun?

Bagay.


Warning: I am not feeling so peachy keen today. The following may cause undue stress to its readers.


My pet peeves:

• Blogs that have entries saying "Oh, I'm not in the mood to write today." -> So don't. Spare the world from your ranting, your petty fondness for Hello Kitty (I could hear you croon, "Ooh, I sooo look like that!"), and your going on and on about how miserable and meaningless your life is because your shoes hurt. The literate public MAY think you are SOMEWHAT stupid;
• People who try to change your grammar when you know damn well that your writing and speaking style follows the 15th edition of the Chicago Style Manual (most of the time, pero effort yun ha!);
• People correcting your Spanish when you know you used to speak it when you were a kid and they just learned it in college for a measly semester of Foreign Lang[uage];
• People who snap back at you when you try to offer them anything, e.g. Kat: "XXX, you can have some of my [food]." XXX: "No thanks, baka mas kailanganin mo pa ng mas malaking piraso ng [food]." And the funny thing after, the person stuffs her face with the food I offered earlier. Talk about eating your own words. Blech.

Ergo, just be nice to one another. I am trying hard as hell to be.

"Kat, is it raining outside?"

Umiiyak ako ngayon sa isang desisyon na hindi ko naman maaaring labanan.

Kung madaan ka man dito, nalulungkot lang ako.

Wala ito. Magkita na lang tayo sa Biyernes, o sa Sabado, o kung kailan mo man gusto.

Late-night Jitterbug

Thank you, Marvin. :)

I was thinking of a handful of different things to write tonight: the limits of kakulitan being adorable yet plainly annoying, "visiting stubs" with the SO, wondering where lost ballpens ended up camping in college (thanks to the ramblings of Veet Voojagig in H2G2), and where to plant the great grandchildren of my first ever cactus, a seven-year old spiky bulb which is still alive today, since I have run out of pots around the house.

However, I am currently chatting with my dearest friend Mapi, whom I haven't seen in six months. She is now in UP Law. Astig un e. I hope our pagliliwaliw on Saturday with Bel pushes through. I terribly miss the UP Shopping Center and its venerable toge lumpias.

Now, I am planning my Grand Adventure back to the academe. Ideas resurface, and priorities change. Hopefully, my five-year plan will still push through.

But first, I have to get my eyes lasered.

A ham in Visayas is waiting to be eaten

Thank you, Lizzie, for the wonderful image.:)

Two of my friends are currently digesting their readings for their first battles with law demigods tonight (goodluck, Mapi and Philip), and another one, the chinese doll, is relishing the last days of her stay at her homeland (hi, Jan) before going back to Lawland.

This makes me wonder when it would be my time to go back and toil at the grand fields of the academe.

Unang una, ang busy busy busy. Work. Even my own mother makes an appointment with me for lunch, and we seldom meet.

Pangalawa, gusto ko sana ng scholarship sa NYU at this particular field. And I haven't gone past the vocabulary aptitude test of the three-inch thick reviewer I bought last year (see above). I think it's obvious na medyo pinaghahandaan ko talaga ito.

Ikatlo, priorities. Enough said.

I hope am not left behind, with everyone else pursuing "higher learning". I still keep reading dissertations on media and pop culture, gender studies, and even Superman. The only thing I could pride myself in doing now is being able to read several books at the same time.

But when will that "time" be available?

I feel like stale ham, too old to be given away, and too tacky to be fed to dogs.

Why Neruda still kicks me in the gut after all these years

In a season of wet pants and skid-free shoes become an absolute necessity, one cannot help but look up and see why Zeus' tummy is grumbling. Know this for certain: I am neck-deep in rain, mud and muck, and I still love it.

In one of my bloghopping adventures, I happen to come across this particular individual's blog. I have always admired him for his words and his attitude, his lifestyle and his books, but not for his choice of women. I would always be there for him whenever the girlfriend would do something nasty, and I hang my head in utter shame everytime he would berate this person. (Kindly insert music befitting for unrequited love here)

Duwag kasi ako.

Now, he lives in that corner of the world, and I live here. Our lives could never be any more different.

It was then that I knew he broke up with the girlfriend, after their many squabbles and bickerings and pangangaliwa just to get back at each other.

Before I hear oohs and aahs from you guys, you know I am quite happily attached, so shut up.=)

I remember him telling me about Neruda in college, about this particular poem "Tonight I Can Write". I think he cried when he finished reading it.

Shred my heart to miniscule bopis strips, please.

The pain of breakups. Why do these things happen?



currently playing: The Cascades - Rhythm of the Rain

Para kay Sigh, sa kanyang kaarawan

Gumising ako kanina at nakita kong wala na ang iyong nakakulumpot na hugis tuwing nakikita kita sa umaga na tulog pa rin, sa ilang mga kakaunting beses na nauuna akong nagigising sa iyo.

Maligayang kaarawan sa iyo, isang tunay na kaibigan at katukayo, kaiyakan at katawanan. Hindi ko makakalimutan ang iyong pagiging wonderwall sa akin sa lahat ng mga taon na iyon.

Maraming salamat sa iyong pagtitiwala, kahit kadalasa'y nalilihis ako sa daan ng alam nating Tama. Nakikinig ka pa rin, ngumingiti, at nagbibigay-saya sa aming lahat.

Malapit ka nang mag-aral. Malapit nang magbukas ang karagdagang isang milyong pinto para sa iyo. Malapit na.

Hindi ko alam kung nasaan ka sa panahon ng aking pagsusulat, pero mahal na mahal kita, kaibigan. Salamat sa iyong pagdaan.