Tuesday, April 30, 2013

BUHAY MANUNULAT


I found this article on Juris Angela's wordpress blog. She's a co-writer and a good friend. She wrote this really nice article about writers. Nakakatuwa kasi totoo yung lahat ng sinabi nya rito. I love that she wrote it in a very Bob Ong way. Full of fun and humor pero nandon ang puso. :)

Ang galing mo Juris! You really captured the struggles, the pain and the joys of being a romance writer. Im sure lahat ng writers makakarelate dito.





Buhay Manunulat



Hindi biro ang sumulat ng isang nobela. Maraming gabi kang walang tulog. O kaya naman, kung sa umaga nagsusulat. Ilang beses mong mari-realize na kanina ka pa tulala habang nag-iisip. Ang masama pa, minsan, wala kang maisip. Ang hindi alam ng marami, ang mga writers. Halos araw-araw, inaatake ng Writer’s Block. Ang simpleng hindi ka makaisip ng susunod na eksena, masaklap na ‘yon. Ilang beses na rin ba nangyayari na ihing-ihi ka, pero hindi ka makatayo dahil hindi mo mabitawan ang nakakakilig na eksena. Kumakain ka habang nagsusulat, kaya before you know it, mas malamig pa sa ilong ng pusa ang pagkain mo. *Gaya ng kape sa tabi ko ngayon*.

Ilang beses ka na rin bang nakiluha, kasama ng mga heros at heroines mo. Nainis sa mga kontrabida sa buhay nila. Kinilig sa mga kissing scenes, sa mga sweet moments, sa simpleng pagkakalapit ng mukha ng mga bida. At naki-share sa love na nararamdaman ng mga heroines kapag aminan portion na at happy ending na.

At sa bawat konseptong naiisip, palagi kang excited na simulan ang bagong storyang tumatakbo sa isip. Masaya ang buhay writer kapag hindi ka nauubusan ng ideya para sa mga nobelang gustong simulan sa darating na araw. Pero minsan, hindi masaya kapag wala kang naisip kahit na kung paano hihilik ang hero mo habang tulog ito, nakanganga at tulo laway pa.

Masaya ang buhay ng mga writer kapag ang nobelang, ilang araw/linggo mong pinagpuyatan, pinag-isipan at pinagbuhusan ng panahon ay magugustuhan ng mga mambabasa. Worth it lahat ng bagay na pinagpalit mo para lang matapos ang nobela mo. Ang lakad ng mga barkada na dineadma mo dahil naghihintay na sila Miss Editor, ang tuwalyang kinuha mo sa hanger, na sinabi mo sa sarili mo kanina bago ka magsimula ay maliligo ka na. Pero matutulog ka na lang ulit, hindi ka pa rin nakakaligo kasi nahaplos mo na naman ang pinakamamahal mong laptop. Ang ilang beses mong pagplanong mag-toothbrush, na nakalimutan mo dahil sa may sinusulat ka. Nang bumuntong hininga at naamoy mo ang sarili mo tsaka mo na lang ulit naalala hindi ka pa pala nagto-toothbrush simula gumising ka.

Ilang beses ka na bang pinuna ng mga kaibigan mo dahil hindi ka nawawalan ng notebook at ballpen sa bag mo? Ilang beses ka na bang napapagkamalang praning dahil bigla ka na lang ngingiti habang nagku-kwento ang kaibigan mo tungkol sa masalimuot niyang lovelife, kasi may naisip kang magandang idagdag sa isusulat mo. Ilang beses ka na rin bang napapagkamalang may sariling mundo, kung mas lamang na nagkukulong ka sa kuwarto mo? At minsan, ilang beses ka na bang natatawag na bampira dahil mas lamang na gising ka sa gabi, at tulog sa umaga.

Hayyy…ganito ang buhay naming manunulat. Madalas masaya kami sa sariling mundo na ginagalawan namin. Mga sakripisyo para lang makabuo ng nobelang makakapagpasaya at makakapagpakilig sa inyo. Nobelang mamahalin ninyo at kapupulutan ng aral. Kahit na minsan, nakakakulta ng utak magsulat, at naninigas na mga daliri namin…go lang! Ang mahalaga kasi sa amin, ang mabuo ang nobelang sinusulat. At forever mapasaya kayo, aming minamahal na mga mambabasa.

Ito ay para sa mga kapwa manunulat ko. Kampai! *alak sa inyo, ice tea sa akin..bawal sa akin eh. Hahaha!*. Mga bagay na aming tiniis at niyakap ng buo para lamang mapagyaman ang talento sa pagsusulat na ipinagkaloob sa amin ng Poong Maykapal. Ang siyang manunulat na aming mga buhay.

ISANG MALAKING SALUDO SA INYONG LAHAT! Bow!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Exploring Bicolandia

I've seen a lot of Bicol on TV these days. I think it's one of the hottest tourist spots that we have in the Philippines today. Few weeks ago while watching KrisTV, Kris Aquino herself said that she wanted to go to Donsol Sorsogon to experience the Butanding Interaction, and then i also saw Donsol too on a wildlife documentary show on GMA 7.
Seeing that very place that i've been with a few months ago being featured in a lot of programs put me in so much awe. I feel so lucky that i have gotten the chance to visit the beautiful places in Bicol. (Naga, Albay and Sorsogon) It was truly a paradise. I never knew that there are places like that in the Philippines.

It was very rare that i've got to travel and visit such beautiful places so i thought about putting it here. It's definitely worth blogging! :)


Our team left Bulacan at around 6-7PM via bus, then from a terminal in Cubao, we took the bus that will took us to NAGA. It was the the longest and the bumpiest ride i've ever been with! It took us overnight to get to NAGA but i had fun. The bus is so comfy though, the seats we're huge and soft so it's still comfortable just sitting there the whole night.

 at the office before we took off


at the Cubao's bus station while waiting for the bus that will take us to NAGA.


Me and Daryl inside the Lazy Boy Bus 


Stopped over at Mcdo Batangas around 12AM


Bus's ceiling :)

Arrival at Naga around 6AM then breakfast at Jollibee Naga



                               
we toured around some old churches around naga then checked in at Camsur Watersports Complex at around 2PM. It was raining hard the whole day so we just spend most of our times inside our hotel room.











Came night, we decided to eat out! Cant remember the name of the resto we've dined in but they have kick ass sisig! I coudnt help but order extra rice. LOL. Anyway, Day 1 is sort of boring. Maybe its because of the rainy weather and that we are all tired of the bumpy bus ride plus the lack of sleep! So the excitement and the fun really begins at Day 2--The day we went to Donsol Sorsogon for our Butanding interaction and Island Hopping.
It is my most favorite part of the tour. It's my first time to try snorkling. Sadly, butandings are not around at that time so we're not able to dive and see them but it was nonetheless fun! We did island hopping, shark feeding and coral watching. :)


                                       
                                          at the boat. :)
                                       
                                          At San Miguel Island.

After spending the whole afternoon at the island, we decided to head back to our hotel. We swim on the pool then ate dinner fast then head straight to our next activity--The Firefly Watching at Ogod river. I didnt have any pictures of that experiene coz flash photography isnt allowed in the area but if i have to summed up that experienced in one word? It was BEAUTIFUL.
After the firefly watching, we go back to the hotel again to finally rest but we end up playing cards til 1AM in the morning! LOL. Next day was our last day so might as well make the most out of the time that we're there. I woke up at around 7Am. We had breakfast then our shuttle bus picked us up to take us to our last destination--The Bulkang Mayon.








The whole Mayon experience is also one of my favorites! Seeing it in person and the fact that i was just a few meters away from it gives me a HIGH. lol It was just so beautiful, you could stare at it all day and you wouldn't get tired. The beauty of Mayon grows in you. The pictures speak of its splendor beauty but it was nothing compare to the feeling that you are seeing it live.

Ofcourse, there's a variety of souvenir stores/shops along the area. The bicolanos were nice and considerate. They give us discounts! HAHA. and ofcourse, as always. We tried to take as many pictures as we can!! Here are some:









It was indeed a tiring day. My feet and my back are really sore from endless walking and picture takings, the whole team are all tired but we are all smiling despite the back aches coz we know that it was all worth it.
Well, it's not like we'll be seeing Mayon everyday right? It was a once in a lifetime experience so might as well, enjoy every minute of it, and make the most out of it.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.  =)))

 I know in the future, there are possibilities that i'll be seeing Mayon again but i know it will never be this special. Nothing beats the first time! First time is always the unforgettable, the one that you would always remember. And i would always remember how beautiful Bulkang Mayon is.

Hayyyyy uwian na! HUHUHU















Our flight back to Manila was at 12noon but our plane was one hour delayed so we decided to take our lunch at the Legazpi Airport Cafeteria. Im not that enthusiastic about the food we ate coz i am somewhat nervous. Im a first time flyer so i really dont know what to expect! and im also excited to board TBH. HAHAHA =D
While waiting for our plane, we saw Camille Pratts. She was also Manila Bound. I didn't have any  pictures with her coz im not the type that--you know! LOL but anyway, it was nice to see her. She's nice to people and some of my colleagues were given the chance to have a photo-op with her.

The plane ride only lasted for a few minutes. Cant remember exactly how long but about 30 to 45 minutes. It was fun. And i looked funny coz im too excited and nervous hahaha but all in all it was a good ride. The best thing about riding a plane is you got to see the view from the window, you got to see miniature buildings and houses and fields.It was surreal!  Hayyyy finally... We landed safe!
we arrived at Manila around 2PM.

and that's when all the tiredness and sleepyness and hungryness sets in.

Goodbye Bicol, Hello Again Bulacan!!! :)