Genki Desu Ka?

Ahoy!

I’m seriously needing of some chocolate chip cookie fixes. Too bad I was asleep when my dad and sib went out to buy groceries. Maybe next time, then.

What do I do these days? Well, I talk to my hon, and I plurk, if only to keep my karma from dwindling down. I also watch movies, if there’s something good on, and some series and cartoons. I read. Basically what I was doing seven months ago when I was here and waiting for my flight. I’ve finished watching Special A in two days and got bored reading the manga, and now I can’t decide which anime to watch.

I was supposed to go out and bike around the neighborhood yesterday, but it rained. At the start of summer, I thought of running here during mornings, and I have new rubber shoes, too. I had long been thinking of getting a pair, since the last time I had rubber shoes was back in high school, but I waited so that I can buy them here, but when I got here, a pair of white rubber shoes is already waiting for me. Gift from my aunt, ain’t that sweet? So I was set to run and exercise, but I guess the cold got to me. I mean, do you want to run when it’s all foggy and the temperature outside is 60 degrees? I don’t.

Why didn’t I run during afternoons? Well, because even though the sun’s high up, it’s still cold. Also, I get lazy in the afternoon. I like outdoor exercise during mornings. Point is, I haven’t been getting exercise. But I will. I mean, I’d hate to come back home and hear that I’ve put on weight. Of course, I’m a long way from being overweight, but just because a person’s not overweight doesn’t mean he/she’s in shape, you know. (Remembers the worst celebrity beach bod on E! entertainment channel *shudder*) I probably will bike this afternoon.

I’m waiting for my hon, and since I have nothing to do, I decided to read some blogs. Not those blogs in my blogroll here, which I’ll be updating after posting this, but the blogs of contemporary Filipino writers like Mikael Co, Conchinita Cruz, and others. I don’t comment, I just read. I’m not really looking for interaction; I’m contented with admiring them from afar. Haha. I guess when I’m more informed, I’ll decide to meet and greet. It’s a little sad that some of them are not updating anymore. They’re amazing, those writers. I’ve been looking for their works in the internet–mostly essays and short stories; I don’t really like poems. I’m still focusing on Filipino writers; I’ve given much time to American and British writers anyway.

I was thinking of writing in Filipino (not this entry, though). It’s been a while since I’ve written an essay or story entirely in Filipino. I think it was a month ago when I “unearthed” the short story I wrote three and a half years ago. I can believe I wrote it, but I quite forgot that I was that proficient in the Filipino vocabulary. Sure, I understand the words, but I can’t seem to use such words now as much as then. I remember writing the story and not caring about the vocabulary. It was clear in my mind that I should use formal Filipino, but I didn’t want to use high-falutin Filipino words because I didn’t want the story to just be a compilation of “malalalim na salitang Tagalog” and I wanted my audience (and the judges)  to read and understand it. When I read it again, though, I was struck by the way it was written. I’m not being arrogant about it, but I was, honest to goodness, amazed. That just means that instead of being better in the Filipino language, I got worse!

A highly regarded friend was saying that I improved my English since that first time we talked a couple of years ago, and I do think so too. But it’s a little sad that I’ve let myself get worse in my first language in order to practice my second language. That should only happen with my third language! I’m kidding. There was even a time when I got tired reading texts in Filipino (yup, that was when I read my Kas 1 textbook from cover to cover). Er, Kb, this is the reason why I still haven’t touched that athology of short stories by Genoveva Edroza Matute. You’re welcome to borrow it if you want. Oh, and I’ll buy that Jun Cruz Reyes novel as soon as possible so don’t you buy it before me!

On a different note, I’m currently reading Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood (Er, well, he’s certainly NOT a Filipino writer, but what can I do? I can’t find works by Filipino authors—the notable ones— in the library here. Not even Nick Joaquin!). It’s not exciting, certainly, but it has that certain power to compel. Some of his ideas are ideas I’ve also thought, and it’s nice to read about it. Also, I find myself drawn to Midori, since her personality is so alike mine. I’ve yet to finish it. And the story is a bit like Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides To Die (the medical facilities are alike), which is my favorite Coelho book.

It’s been a really long time since I resolved to dive into culture, since I resolved to try and know different books, films, writers, and people. I think I’m doing a good job learning lots of things rather than mastering only a few. After all, it’s better to know little of much than to know much of little. Hey, why didn’t I think of that as my motto for the yearbook? Argh. Our high school yearbook will finally be printed this summer. Blame the associate editor for leaving the editor to do the work. Hahaha. I didn’t! No, really, blame yourselves for not giving us your testimonials on time, or not at all! LOL

Can you tell? I’m happy.