November Bender

November has been a bagful of feelings and events. Here are some pictures of those events that I did not have time to blog about.

1. Joan's surprise birthday cake at Pizza Hut Trinoma (those guys are great). Shot with a crappy iTouch phone, because Joan is a ninja.

2. QMC Hall, walking under the heat of the sun.

3. I took the yearbook photo of our Third Year Batch. It rained, so we shot it in the library instead of outside. We had to prep the space though.

4. J.Co donuts. Went in line for an hour for J.Co donuts.

5. Gelmer and Hazel chilling in the library.

6. UP SOCCSKSARGEN Org shoot (that we do every year) in the lagoon. It was a lot of fun.

Other things that happened this month:

Ate A left for Bahrain. She just called me last night to tell me that she's ok. I miss her (and her massages), but I am glad she's fine.

I am applying for an exchange program through AIESEC UP. Want to apply along with me? Check them out here. You don't have to be a UP student or alumnus (18-30 years old allowed). 

My theses is making me panic. I am quite behind. 

On Book Hoarding

For the first time this semester, I cut a class.

I do not condone the cutting of classes, and it's not just because I'm a good girl (seriously though, I am a good girl), but because I often milk the information from my GEs and electives, because I feel like I'm missing out on a lot if I don't attend.

But when Hazel told us of the National Book Store sale in Market Market! I had to go along.

And so Claire and I skipped Sociology for a trip to BGC with Hazel. 

And yayy! I spent 570 pesos on 7 books... and a cool calendar.

Yeheyyyy!!!

It was a lot of fun finding books that I wanted. Initially, I wanted to buy architecture books. You know, those hardbound coffee table books that most people just put in their living rooms so that their tables look pretty. Architecture (and art) students tend to hoard those, and since it was the last day of the sale, there were few left. I did not buy any novels. I wouldn't have time to read them anyway.

So I contented myself with art books and picture books. I could not resist the bargains. The 50-peso books were just awesome, and it didn't take long for me to decide which books to get.

The first book I found was Norbert Wolf's book on Romanticist painting (Php 50!!!!). I was drawn to the cover, which is a painting by C.D. Friedrich called Wanderer Watching a Sea of Fog. I hoped to see Juan Luna featured in the book, but meh. He was not. 

The cover reminds me of the BBC miniseries of Persuasion, adapted after Jane Austen's work. 

I also bought a book on the life and works of Piet Mondrian, whose Composition series has been replicated and imitated over and over again that I see them framed in the houses of the nouveau rich. It's difficult tell if a Mondrian is genuine. Might as well have a book about him (Php 100).

Because, Mr. Mondrian, your works are easy to imitate.

The only book on an architect that I managed to buy is one on Alvar Aalto's furnitures published by Ediciones Poligrafa (Php 50!!!!). Aalto's work reminds me of UP Diliman's 1960's buildings: seemingly dilapidated, but designed by good architects.

I bought a book on vacation homes for shits and giggles (Php 75 WTH???!!!)

I don't usually buy children's books. But a few of my friends buy them for the illustrations alone. I found this copy of King Ocean's Flute by Lucy Coats and decided to buy it (Php 50???). It's the first children's picture book that I've ever bought for myself, maybe except for Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series. 

The book was illustrated by the awesome Peter Malone (check his works here). His work is very colorful and happy.

Swimming with dolphins weeee!!!

I've decided to be very discriminating when it comes to picture books. It's a good way to get to know more artists like Kieth Thompson and Oanh Le.

I think my best purchase of the day is Zen Ghosts written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth, who is also a graphic artist. The illustrations are made with watercolor and ink. Aside from the art, I also loved the story, which is based on a story told by Zen Bhuddist monks. 

It doesn't hurt that Muth likes to draw pandas.

The story tells children the complicated truth of duality. You are one person when you are with your family; you are another person with your friends; and you are a different person with your special someone. I didn't get the story at first until I read the back. But the book made me ask questions. Now that, I think, is great art.

Until Next Time, Ate A.

Last Thursday, Ate A left for Bahrain.

It took a while for her to process her papers, because she wanted to do everything legally and she had health issues. But after several months of hard work and patience, it finally paid off.

I hate goodbyes. I've said goodbye to her countless times. The first time was at Kinder 1, when she had to go home to her family. I can't remember it anymore, but she said my mother had to hold me because I wanted to go with her in the taxi to the airport.

Last Thursday, I gave her a hug before going to school. When I came back in the afternoon, she has already left. 

I feel happy for her, because she is opening up a new chapter of her life. She has been aiming to become an OFW for a while now. Even if she is unmarried and doesn't have dependents, she wanted to go abroad because she wanted to try. She's not young anymore, she said, and she would take opportunities to improve herself as long as she is able. I hope that when I am at her age, I would have her vigor.

I will be seeing her again soon. I hope that all will be well for her in Bahrain. I hope that her employer is kind, and her colleagues decent. I hope that the unrest in West Asia doesn't spread to the coast of Bahrain. I hope that after her contract ends, Ate A can return home safe, and return home better.

Photowalk: the Quezon City Memorial Center

14 November 2012

The schedule for all things thesis was handed out yesterday and I feel the anxiety creep over me slightly. I admit that I'm a little behind and the schedule was overwhelming.

So I planned a small solitary photowalk for myself today. I originally planned it to be in UP because I have a morning class, but I'm a little sick of UP at the moment so I decided to go to the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

It almost didn't push through because it was so hot. There were tons of clouds in the sky, but none of them seemed to want to block the sun.

Since it's not a weekend and it was 10 o'clock in the morning, not many people were around. The park was very quiet compared to the weekend family rush and afternoon tambay hours for younger people.

Some high school kids were practicing sabayang pagbigkas.

I visited the flower garden. The last time I was here, it was still new. I had hoped that improvements have been made.

The plants are still intact, but I was a little disappointed because some areas were overgrown and lacked maintenance.

They had a small pond inside, which was clear the last time I visited. Now the surface is covered by algae. I'm not sure if the green muck is healthy for ponds. I don't know if there are still fish here.

It's a bit dirty too.

The plants are thriving though, and I guess that's the important thing.

Ah vandals. Kayo talaga.

I left the flower garden and took a look at the newly paved lane aligned with Quezon Avenue.

Then I looked at to my left and was surprised to find a legit pond, which was not there the last time I visited.

There are huge tarps bearing the photos of Filipina photographer MM Yu and French photographer Lea Eouzan for the month-long exhibit KM1.

I think I spent more than half an hour beside the pond.

I am glad that there is something like this that people from all walks of life can enjoy. The park is not perfect, and it cannot serve the whole city, but anyone can see the effort. Besides, Quezon City is facing an unimaginable number of problems today, a huge one is the growing population of informal settlers. It is better if the government prioritize those problems first before overhauling its parks and recreation.

 But I do hope that there will be more places like these in Metro Manila, where people can come in and enjoy themselves without having to pay anything, where they can go with their family and friends and lovers and just be with other people from other walks of life---people whom they share a city with.

I am also glad that even though the park is already established, there are still things to look forward to in the future.

See you later, QC Museum!