blissery loves company, really

I got this lovely news in the mail today:

Dear Eliza Victoria:

We are delighted to accept your story "December" for a forthcoming issue of the print edition of Story Quarterly and, if possible, for Story Quarterly Online, the electronic edition of our print magazine, where work is reproduced as protected PDF files and in the form of audio (MP3) files.

[redacted]

Sincerely,
J.T. Barbarese
Editor, Story Quarterly at Rutgers-Camden
Rutgers University
Department of English
Camden NJ 08102
http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/storyquarterly/

If this works out, "December" will be my first pro sale. Story Quarterly has published the likes of "Margaret Atwood, Anne Beattie, Frederick Busch, Joyce Carol Oates, T.C. Boyle and Jhumpa Lahiri."

Great crowd! I love it! :D

* * *

To all those who attended the event yesterday, thank you, and thank you also if you were among those who stopped in their tracks to talk to us lowly researchers. Heh. The article's over here, m'lovelies. ♥

MANILA, Philippines—Some 80 questions were asked in the first-ever Philippine Daily Inquirer Presidential Debate held Monday at the University of the Philippines (UP) Theater in Diliman, Quezon City, but those who came wanted to ask more.

Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III should have been asked about Hacienda Luisita, “and why he has not done much as a senator,” said C, 54, a businesswoman.

Another, who decided to be anonymous, said: “Noynoy should have been asked about Hacienda Luisita. Up to now, no forum had personally asked him about this issue.”

But Elizabeth San Diego of Quezon City disagreed. “I have already read and heard a lot about the case of Hacienda Luisita so I did not want to hear more about it anymore,” she said.

Amer Amor, a professor at UP Baguio, said, “I expected that someone would ask former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro about his links to President Arroyo.”

A 20-year-old student leader said he would have wanted to ask Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar: “How much money does a candidate have to spend on political ads?”

Here's an article about the forum itself, in case you failed to attend. Orayt. :)

 

There was Wi Fi in the University Theater but I didn't know the password, so no liveblogging, and zero Tweets. ARGH.

But I wrote down some notes during the event (which I attended with the boyfriend because that is how we roll) like those journalists of yore. Old school yo.

Here we go.

- Debate is telecast live over at DZBB. GMA Network is now apparently the media partner of the paper. (I thought ANC was going to live-telecast the thing?)

- Full house.

- ERAP ISN'T HERE? Awww. And here's why!

- Ayyy loud cheers for Villar o.

- "pose for history" LOLZ

- Forum (debate?) begins. Noynoy, JC, empty chair, Gordon, Jamby, Nick Perlas, Gibo, Bro. Eddie, Manny Villar

- Rules and stuff:

- question for Villar: Power or wealth ampota. =))

- on advertisements: "use of children" - Jamby. BURRRN VILLAR!

- This is a Villar hatefest!

- JC thinks "most modern contraceptives are abortifacients". Stupidest statement I've heard in a while. (An old man behind me whispered, "Baka naman noon pang 1986 'yung iniisip niya." LOLLLLL go Lolo!)

- Jamby: If not for the "inconsiderate minority" we could have passed the milk bill. BURRRN AGAAIN VILLAR

- Perlas: principled-dwellers daw sila, not bottom-dwellers.

- Okay, the questions are too fucking long.

- Jamby: "Yes I can say something good about him [Villar]. Maganda pag-tina ng buhok niya." POWTEK. =))

- Jaykie writes: "I will reverse that thrust." - Jamby. I can't recall the context but oooh. Haha.

- And now Jamby talks about insertions.

- Jamby thinks 60 pesos ang isang kilo ng galunggong. Crowd basically goes "Are you crazy???"

- Then she says she's a vegetarian so she doesn't know. Lusot. LOLZ.

- Gibo, Gordon, and Jamby give pretty substantive answers. Noynoy sort of flouders; disappointing.

- If this were a debate/public speaking class, Gibo will get a 1.0.

I am so not ready to start this work-week. *yawn*

But I had a fun weekend. On Friday, the high school gang (or at least a quarter of it - where the hell is everybody?) was finally able to meet Jaykie. June thought he looked familiar (Jaykie thought so too), so it was possible that they were classmates in a G.E. subject back in college. (They couldn't remember which.) One of Jaykie's org mates, Tope, is actually June's office mate now. Jaykie also attended the same high school as a friend of ours, Ace, who left Bulacan for Quezon City during our sophomore year in high school.

Akalain mo 'yun. :-p

7 pm @ North Park Trinoma

Saturday was basically spent eating too much Ruffles and rootbeer and oh, did you know that Vanilla Macaroon is an excellent flavor for ice cream? I think it's a Selecta product. And no, my dear, they didn't pay me to say this.

And ugh, no, no writing done. I'll fix that this week. ;)

* * *

The Inquirer's first presidential forum tomorrow at 10 a.m. Sounds exciting.

The presidential forum follows a three-on-three format—three panels of three interviewers each, with three rounds of questioning per panel.

All told, the nine presidential candidates will face nine questions or sets of questions each, from the nine panelists, supplemented by nine predetermined interlocutors from the audience (who will ask one question each).

Unlike many other presidential debates, there will be no general question addressed to all candidates. Instead, each candidate will answer a total of nine specifically tailored questions or sets of questions.

Do you have your ticket? I'll be there for sure.

When I first saw the trailer - no, when I first heard of this Diablo Cody writing project, I thought it was going to suck. Although yes, I have to admit I thought it was interesting (and brave?) for Cody to go dark and B-movie-ish after going adorable and Oscar winner-ry in Juno.

But no, I did not watch Jennifer's Body when it came out in the theaters. And no, I wasn't surprised when the film was declared a genuine flop. Even Megan Fox wasn't able to save this horror flick, so yeah, it must really suck then, I thought.

So I watched it today. So I was wrong.

I enjoyed it. A fun watch. ;) To quote Ebert: "It's not art, it's not 'Juno,' it's not 'Girlfight,' for that matter, but as a movie about a flesh-eating cheerleader, it's better than it has to be."

Ooh, I forgot to post this!

It was Ate Valerie's (she's Jaykie's sister) birthday last January 29th. Dinner at Barcino. Great food. I'm a fan of the cake and the sweet wine. :) Happy boitday!
I'm posting this because of the framed painting behind us. I mean look at it.




It is exquisite. :D

Haha.

Over here! :D

Ooh, what endless inventions!

Neil Gaiman teleports Marvel's best-known and well-loved characters to the dark London of the 16th Century. The court of Elizabeth I is amicable to magic, but the queen is old and sickly and has no heir. James of Scotland, who supports The Inquisitor in his torture of "witchbreeds", may take the throne - and what will become of Carlos Javier's students, then?

Meanwhile, the weather brings red skies and curious lightnings, and the good doctor Stephen Strange is sensing that England - and the world - is about to end.

I liked this one. Gaiman in his afterword said there were people who didn't like it - and when these people didn't like it, "they really didn't like it" - but I had such a kick out of guessing which character corresponds to the, well let's say modern-day, Marvel superhero. It wasn't that hard, but it was such fun. For example, Scotius Somerisle? Any guesses? 

;)

I was able to borrow some comic books (special thanks to Jaykie!) so The Likeness and Landscapes would have to be placed once again on my TBR pile.

So: Warren Ellis's NewUniversal: Everything Went White and Neil Gaiman's Eternals. High concepts! LOVE IT!

Photos from kingscomics

and voidspace

Because lovely things should be shared! ♥♥♥

I do this over at my Multiply (tag: "poetry") but I want to post this one here. This poem's simply exquisite. 

The poet loves with a most violent heart.

Source.

Why You Should Never Marry a Poet

by Heather Bell

Think about it - the way that credit cards, bougainvillea,
vacations, dictionaries, the road on the way to work will

all never be enough. The poet wishes
with her deepest bones
and writes that she wishes
she would have killed you

in the supermarket. She wonders why
she ever loved you in song.

She publishes book after book. Each line detailing
how your hair is ugly and monstrous in the morning. And how,
like moss, you cling to her
so piteously.

But you marry her anyway.
and she looks like a roar of snow
in white. You figure she will read a poem about you
that day in front of everyone: her throat

is, after all, a stamen
or matchstick.

But she is silent, says only the I DO's
and a few Bible verses.

The poet loves with a most violent
heart. What you have not known-
she has wanted to tell you the truth
all of these years,

but grew silent as an old lover does
at eighty. There is no way to say

how one loves the ache of your cracked lips,
the heavy belly of your tongue, the years she spent
feeling not loved,
but still loving. Think about it-

the poet is fearful of others knowing and finding your mouth.

She is frightened of you -
realizing you could have been
loved better or harder
or with real words.

* * *

As for me, I've finally looked over all of the poems to be included in my collection after "Reportage". Looking good, so far.

Photo from DC Comics

The Elongated Man is on a stakeout with a younger companion. While waiting for a crime to occur, they begin talking about his wife, Sue. "She's my lady," he says. Hours later, Sue is found dead.

You've heard of this before: a comic hero loses a loved one, is devastated, thinks of revenge. But this one really got to me. Heartbreaking and touching.

It's quite a decent whodunit too, with an excellent fight sequence involving Deathstroke and the members of the JLA.

Joss Whedon, in his introduction, says Brad Meltzer shines a light on these well-known DC characters, and shows us what has always been there: "Humanity."

Yes.



Photo from Brad Meltzer.com

I was able to spend time with the family this week. So that meant marathons of Project Runway and America's Best Dance Crew episodes, old action flicks (Face/Off for example - masaya pala 'yun ano?), and a sampling of my mother's newest invention dish, ampalaya with oyster sauce.

I also found this cute gasul alkansya. (Alcohol bottle's for height comparison.)

And my brother (a non-smoker) got this picture taken as a joke for my father (who should quit. Like, now. LOL.)

I also flipped through our photo albums and took a gajillion photos!

Miss Friendship (kindergarten parade) looking not too friendly:

Littol me in a teacup...

...that was apparently part of a ride that's currently not functioning (see CLOSED sign right there) but kebs! Kelangan ang photo-op. :D

I'm wearing tights here. And an orange skirt. And I'm in pigtails. I don't know why I look so dissatisfied.

Eeee my brother looks adorable! And I envy the Batibot cake. ♥

Brother is not pleased with this other baby:

Early family photos. Littlest brother forthcoming heh.

All four of us. My brothers are holding hands here. :)

With my sister.

Smiling like there's no tomorrow:

* * *

On Saturday, Jaykie's nephew's 5th birthday. Happy birthday, George!

We gave this kiddie a book featuring a dragon, and an Archie comic. Because READING IS FUN Y'ALL.

(Segue: Thanks to Jaykie for buying me a copy of that Tatler issue with my picture. Yehey yehey.)

* * *

I was able to write six pages of fiction on Thursday-Friday. First story for 2010, here I come. ;)

So I won in this contest, right, and my picture found its way into the January issue of the Philippine Tatler. (Thanks to aphazia  and scarredpretty  for the tip!)

I belong to a crazy department, so of course this has got to be done:

Gibo and the Na'Vi adore me, Ayuh.

The first six are over here.

#7

#8

Fell in love with the details of the room in this picture, so I just decided not to tear it up.

So pretty. ♥

These should be up on my wall in no time.

* * *

Here be a pile of books I've read or cannot read anymore (hello, Eden Express, hello Sleepers).

Here be my TBR pile.

Done with Ender's Game, now reading The Likeness and Landscapes.

Check out my cool bookmark (a gift from Almi, yay!):

* * *

And on the writing front -

Copy-pasted all of my poems in a single file; will now open said file when I no longer feel like throwing up at the sight of it.

Bizaare. Last night I actually dreamt a workable opening scene for this short story that's been bugging me for months. I'll go back to fiction writing soon, soon.

…but never did we dream that thought could arise from the lonely animals who cannot dream each other’s dreams. How were we to know?

 Ender’s Game

 

I have read Ender’s Shadow before this book. Shadow basically tells the same story, only from Bean’s perspective. And so I dove into this novel already knowing the great, tragic twist; I have working knowledge of the Battle School even before I cracked open this book. Remember, the enemy gate is down, says Ender Wiggin, and true, true. I know that. Really, there shouldn’t be a surprise.

And still the last few pages of Ender’s Game knocked the wind right out of me. Unbelievable emotional power. Unbelievable.

Feminism brought us suffrage, career opportunities, awareness.

Imagine the modern woman: perfumed, confident, dressed to the nines, successful, smart. Imagine you're an institution that will find profit, huge profit, in her destruction. How will you destroy her?

Tell her she's ugly.

Tell her she's too fat.

Tell her her hair's too thick, or she's wearing the wrong lipstick, or her boobs are too small.

Now, if you're the woman, how do you fight back? By not believing. By not caring.

That's easy enough to do, right? We know better, right? We're empowered. Right?

This is quite a compelling read, and a bit of an eye-opener. Thanks to Cyril for lending me a copy. :)

* * *

I haven't read a nonfiction book in a while, so I was glad to have been able to read this one. Some of the other nonfic books that I enjoyed, off the top of my head: Watching the English, In Cold Blood, Bully, Freakonomics, Stupid White Men, The Culture of Narcissism, Fast Food Nation, and an excellent collection of true-to-life police stories presented interview transcript-style, with no comments from the author (I cannot remember the title, gah) .

I'd like to get my reading paws on this one:

* * *

Thanks to Kenneth Yu for this FYI. :)

Some shameless self-promotion: I have a short story, "Singing", in the January 18, 2010 issue of The Philippine Graphic. My thanks to the literary editor, Marra PL. Lanot, for taking it in.

Incidentally, in the same issue is the poem "Reportage" by online acquaintance Eliza Victoria.

Hooray. :D

photo from reelmovienews.com

Canon? What canon?

Watching this film is like watching Adrian Monk (character in a TV show also based on the Sherlock Holmes formula of brilliant detective - exasperated yet loyal assistant - unsolvable crime - "here's what happened") pick up a gun and shoot a criminal without experiencing a major OCD freakout.

In other words, if you're a Sherlock purist, you'll find Downey's (and Guy Ritchie's) take on this character infuriatingly unrecognizable. Slick, you say? Composed, you say? Fuck that shit, this Sherlock Holmes breaks bones, and explains what he does in slow-mo and Mastercard commercial-like VO. ("Priceless.")

I've read perhaps two short stories, several excerpts, but I won't say I know Sherlock and Dr. Watson all that well. So of course I enjoyed the show. To quote Roger Ebert: "The less I thought about Sherlock Holmes, the more I liked 'Sherlock Holmes'... It's likely to be enjoyed by today's action fans. But block bookings are not likely from the Baker Street Irregulars."

The film looks fantastic, and the score is A-plus. If you're a "Baker Street Irregular", calm down, leave what you know about the Sherlock Universe by the guard outside the cinema, and enjoy the dark and the grit of this Baker Street.

You'll like this Sherlock. He's a fun guy.

Also: gay subtext? What gay subtext? ;)

I have two stories in the list, ahoy! ♥

And they've got nothing but kind words for the Islands:

We published the most stories by authors from the Philippines (4 stories, 3 authors) and India (4 stories, 3 authors), followed by Israel and Mexico (2-2 stories, by one author). We’ve received a lot of links and mentions from the Philippines blogosphere – we’d like to thank everyone who linked to us, and we will always remain open to great Filipino/a stories!

Much love! Thank you for publishing these stories, Expanded Horizons!

Stories are listed in the order of appearance.

The Sun Diary by Lavie Tidhar (Israeli)

A Mother’s Dilemma by Jasmin Nanda (Indian)

Memories of my Sister by Aliette de Bodard (French-Vietnamese)

King of Sand and Stormy Seas by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican immigrant to the US)

Night Out by Eliza Victoria (Filipina)

Bhima by Ajay Vishwanathan (Indian)

Slip Road by Tade Thompson (Nigerian immigrant to the UK)

Alienation and Love in the Hebrew Alphabet by Lavie Tidhar (Israeli)

Sinking Palaces by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican immigrant to the US)

The Second Mrs. Sharma by Bindia Persaud (Guyanese immigrant to Canada)

A Texture Beyond Dreams by Swapna Kishore (Indian)

Haunted Persuasion by Lilian Wu (Singaporean)

I Am the City by Eliza Victoria (Filipina)

A Memory of Ice by Bint Arab (Iraqi immigrant to the US)

Twin Cities by Catherine Batac Walder (Filipina immigrant to the UK)

The Ascension of our Lady Boy by Mia Tijam (Filipina)

Dreams by Jasmin Nanda (Indian)

And your beloved site admin is from Hungary

I spent the last night of the old year and the first morning of the new year with the family in Bulacan, then back to work. After work, I spent the first night of the new year with Jaykie's family. Extended, as it was - when we arrived there were uncles and family friends, and cousins whose names Jaykie couldn't even remember. Haha. Well. Food, and then a game of - wait for it - Pinoy Henyo. More like Reverse Pinoy Henyo. A category is stuck on the person's forehead, other person gives details regarding the category, person tries to guess. That sort of thing.

We won, HEY!

(I was the one with the thing stuck on my forehead.)

Jake: Cereals.

Eliza: Breakfast? Fiber? Diet?

Jake: Crema de fruta.

Eliza: @_@ Er, dairy product?

Jake (to his sister): Bawal sabihin 'yung actual word 'no? (Sister says no.) Ayun. Cereal.

Eliza: @_@

Jake: Um, cereal? @_@

Eliza: Mga pagkaing nilalagyan ng gatas?

Everyone else: AHOOOOOOOOOOOOY. ^___^

* * *

His sister gave me brownies and cookies (Whee) and his mother handed me this bag before I left. (I still have work, see, so I can't get smashed. Boo.)

 

Thank you, all. That was really fun. :)

* * *

In the e-mail, from Gig Book: "The ten winning stories are now in different stages of book production."

So maybe, if everything goes well, I'll have a book published this year?

Sweet. ♥

 

But first, this year's (personal) highlights. :D  (Events that happened in the same month may be listed here in un-chronological order, because I'm lazy and I get confused. LOL.)

(Links will lead you to my Wordpress blog, btw.)

January

Cebu - Bohol - Cebu trip with high school friends

February

Laiya, Batangas with high school friends

Philippine Speculative Fiction IV launch

I meet the lovely existentializzy  via Rissa and I experience the joys of Cubao ukay (yay, dresses! ♥)

March

I move to Makati

April

Read Then We Came to the End, I mean OMG

I move to actual unit in Makati

May

First publication in an international market (notification)

Publication in Philippines Graphic (notification)

June

I almost win a free book

Microfiction

July

Publication in Elimae (notification)

A mention in Locus Magazine

I try to apply as Lit teacher; school sort of fucks me over. Meh.

Discovered Big Bang Theory yay! Special thanks to Princess, hehe.

Publication in The Farthest Shore (notification)

Publication in The Houston Literary Review (notification)

I buy me a netbook!

August

Cory Aquino, 76

A letter from the Palanca Foundation arrives and *brainsplode*

I am made to wear glasses; Philippines Free Press Awards

Publication in Cantaraville (notification)

September

The Palanca Awarding Ceremony

I win in a children's lit contest whyyy lol

Gig Book photoshoot, met with friend Ace

Manila International Book Fair

Gleeeeeeee

Ondoy

October

The Transmetropolitan mindfuck

Cyma dinner with high school friends

First Research Night, christening of friend Joan's son, Johan

Jaykie

November

I turn 23

First month, and cheesiness (CHOS)

Second publication in Expanded Horizons

Publication in PSF V (notification)

December

I win in the Pinoy Story Writing Contest (Horror/Crime & Suspense Category)

Bangzzz

I get to attend the Lantern Parade

Ruin and Resolve charity antho

* * *

Not included in this list are the other books and films I've devoured. And maybe other stuff - I'm not really sure.

But what a year, eh. What a year.

* * *

So pa'no? 2010 naman? Orayt.

So I went home to Bulacan last night, right. When I woke up this morning (before seven) I really just wanted to take a picture of the sky, but then I thought, Hey, is that the sun?

Oh yeah.

So of course I stood on a chair and waited.

First sunrise of the new year. Lovely, isn't it? :)

Here's to a kinder 2010.



The earth, that is sufficient,

I do not want the constellations any nearer,

I know they are very well where they are,

I know they suffice for those who belong to them.

Walt Whitman