"I believe that inside every gay man is a bitchy queen waiting for the right opportunity to bitch."
—Jomar Fleras, “The Quintessential Book of Manners and Etiquette for Filipino Gay Men.
It is probably unique here in the province of Oriental Negros that the change of political leaders would also mean the change of festivals. For a couple years, we celebrate Buglasan Festival every October. However, after the recent elections, the newly elected governor decided to move it to December and construct a permanent trade center and exhibit for LGUs and called it Sidlakang Negros (similar to Panaad of Negros Occidental). The Buglasan festival then, now became Buglas Festival. I don't know what happened to the last two letters. But the activities last year and the previous years are practically the same.
Just this afternoon, we had the Buglas Festval of Festivals. It used to be a festival olympics of almost 20 LGUs, but this year, only four participated. Namely the Jambabalud Festival of Jimalalud, the Tawo-Tawo Festival of Bayawan City, the Pakol Festival of Sta. Catalina and the Langub Festival of Mabinay. I thought only the colleges in Silliman are apathetic in joining university activities like Miss Silliman and the All University Cheering Competition. There's seems to a parallelism here. What happened to the other local government units? What happened to the internationally-acclaimed Yag-Yag Festival of Sibulan? Or even our local Sandurot Festival?
The Buglasan Festival or Buglas Festival (which ever way you call it) is certainly one of the best traditions here in the province. It's a festive gathering of local treasures that negrenses can be proud of. And here are the faces of this tradition:
Isn't it worth preserving? Although we may have a mediocre Buglas Festival this year, we can always do better next year? Whatchathink?
I was suppose to go to Malatapay this morning but the weather did not cooperate, so instead, I thought of a quick stop at Silliman beach.(Yeah, right.) But I ended up promenading along the shoreline and the airport area for almost three hours. Here's what I got...
Well, not that bad... By the way, the plane was worth the wait. I should learn from that, i guess.
In the midst of trying to be a decent photographer, I stumbled to this which is a great idea.
Here's my ekphrasis. It is poem being based on, derived from, or inspired by the picture. An ekphrastic poem can also be about a piece of music, so you will have to find a visual for the music (maybe be a photo of part of the score, the picture of the composer, or the like.)
Walking Away
Someday, in the midst of dividing planes there will be stones waiting to be crushed and after the painful ordeal of dividing and crushing, you will be sleeping in caves with the moon patiently guiding you. I will only be watching you shiver and there might be crows that will visit you. Hold on! Nostalgic night will come and in your memory I will be a deja vu— eternal battle you will fight with bare hands.
My attempt to become a serious photographer happened after intimately embracing solitude. Nothing tragic really occurred that day; it's just that I felt left alone. So I decided to wander around take some pictures. I packed my stuff, borrowed a camera from a friend and then I found my self in the Parish Church of Bacong and its beach front. After a more than a hundred shots, I was not contented with what I got. Believe me, I took almost 400 shots that day.The next best place I can think of is Dauin (the next town). In just a few minute of commuting from Bacong, I visited a familiar place and there I got better shots.
I'm not really sure if these are good or bad photographs but I enjoyed taking them and I believe in the stories they want to tell.
More photos here. The title of this post is from a poem by Marjorie Evasco.
I'm not really a musical genius or at least musically talented, but I always had this penchant to sing. I probably have all the qualities to become the next American Idol(except that I'm not an American or I don't live in the US)... REGECT! But at least I want to sing!
Here are some songs in my playlist lately...
One. Saan na nga ba ang barkada ngayaon? Sponge Cola
Two. Headlines (Freinds Forever) Spice Girls
Three. Umbrella Rihanna
My favorites
Four. Your Guardian Angel Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
When I see your smile tears run down my face I can't replace and now that I'm strong I have figured out how this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul and I know I'll find deep inside me I can be the one
I will never let you fall I'll stand up with you forever I'll be there for you through it all even if saving you sends me to Heaven
It's ok..(x3)
Seasons are changing and waves are crashing and stars are falling all for us the days grow longer and nights grow shorter
I can show you I'll be the one
I will never let you fall I'll stand up with you forever I'll be there for you through it all even if saving you sends me to Heaven cause you're my...you're my...my... my true love my whole heart please don't throw that away cause I'm here for you please don't walk away! please tell me you'll stay!
Use me as you will pull my strings just for a thrill and I know I'll be ok though my skies are turning gray
I will never let you fall I'll stand up with you forever I'll be there for you through it all Even if saving you sends me to Heaven (x2)
Five Taking Chances Celine Dion
Lyrics
Don't know much about your life. Don't know much about your world, but Don't want to be alone tonight, On this planet they call earth.
You don't know about my past, and I don't have a future figured out. And maybe this is going too fast. And maybe it's not meant to last,
But what do you say to taking chances, What do you say to jumping off the edge? Never knowing if there's solid ground below Or hand to hold, or hell to pay, What do you say, What do you say?
I just want to start again, And maybe you could show me how to try, And maybe you could take me in, Somewhere underneath your skin?
What do you say to taking chances, What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Never knowing if there's solid ground below Or hand to hold, or hell to pay, What do you say, What do you say?
And I had my heart beaten down, But I always come back for more, yeah. There’s nothing like love to pull you up, When you’re laying down on the floor there. So talk to me, talk to me, Like lovers do. Yeah walk with me, walk with me, Like lovers do, Like lovers do.
What do you say to taking chances, What do you say to jumping off the edge? Never knowing if there's solid ground below Or hand to hold, or hell to pay, What do you say, What do you say?
Don’t know much about your life And I don’t know much about your world.
tonight, i succumb to the whips of life like badminton swings fluttering me to the other side of the court
***
for a poet scrambling for poetic diction, the most difficult part in writing a poem is choosing the words to end it. it requires a certain finality like a fruit falling to the painful embrace of solid grounds
***
like the t'boli weaver who capture designs from dreams, we live taking risks in conjuring our desires to something tangible-- something creeping between our fingers yet we refuse to feel
***
late night walks in this city reminds me of security and stability despite the orange, gloomy light from the lamp posts, painting the city with tinge of sepia that approximates its rudeness
***
i know my comfort is beyond that door, where the room is darkened and lies infest like snakes beneath greening fields and only your skin illuminates a solitary flicker and i begin to feel the drifting warmth of your breath between my palms
***
we reluctantly swim into our neighbor's pond, with white lotuses guiding us when to breathe and raise our heads up high to welcome the afternoon sun
***
i can never be poetry to a poet writing about midsummer's pain, the moon's phases and the asphalt craters in his streets. for in between the phases of the moon, i can be midsummer's pain filling the asphalt craters in the poet's streets
Time has swiftly flown away. This is fast becoming a cliché for us who only have five months (at least) to cram in college. The second semester is knocking at our doorsteps...
But here are some still shots that would remind us of how far we have been for the past few months...
June
Paghoylunhoylun 2007 the KMC/CMC acquaintance party
RYLF Leadership Training June 24
July
My day!
CSO IPR/Leadership Training
August
International Youth Day 2007 (Manila)
Founders Week 2007
Hibalag 2007
MIss Silliman 2007
All University Cheerdance Competition
SolarGeneration Orientation at the Booth Area
Inuman sessions after Hibalag...
September
SolarGeneration visits Negros Oriental State University
in St. Paul University-Dumaguete
Spectrum National Journalism Fellowship (Bacolod City)
And now, I welcome the Second semester with fear and trembling...
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