Since I am teaching in a public school, our students do not have the same privilege nor the opportunities as compared to the students who belong to a well-off family who can afford to study in the private schools of their choice: most of them do not have decent Internet connection, functioning phones or even money to buy cellular load. This is the real situation that some romanticize about. There is nothing romantic here. This is the truth that the majority of Filipinos suffer on a daily basis. Some may applaud those who suffered for their resilience, but certainly not me. It's appalling and preposterous and not in any way a valid, solicited reaction. If we keep on celebrating this so-called resilience, we are just accepting the very little portion that they can give us. I hate being too political on this site because this is meant to be a sanctuary of the things that make me happy and certainly that thought doesn't make me one.
That's a reality bite, if ever you need one. But I can't promise you, it will make you full.
But I need to continue with this creative endeavor because this is basically what I signed up for. It's just that my insane schedules zap out all my energy, I barely have time to even pick a book. In fact, even if I wanted to finish Jessica Zafra's The Age of Umbrage and it still has a truckload of Miss Z's acerbic wit that I had known and adored, I am having a hard time getting around it. My reading record this year is laughable, I am still debating whether I will still join Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2021. I have 5 TBRs on my Kindle Fire and I can't seem to even get to Chapter 2. The only consolation I have is that I grew up reading the books I love so I am not as guilty not being able to live up to that bookish reputation that has been tagged to me from people who knew me.
Speaking of reading, Novice magazine, where my essay #Pride of Passage was published, arrived during this hiatus and I just marveled at how wonderful it all turned out. It's a literary concoction from creatives of myriad disciplines and I still get kilig on my inclusion. And I must say, everything's worth it! I am thankful to all those who bought copies. You can still buy a copy of your own by clicking this link.
Our mission is to promote the literary arts in Singapore, to stimulate the feedback mechanisms in the literary scene, and to develop Singaporean writers to international standards. Our standards are therefore high, and our paradigms are the TLSes and LRBs of this world. We believe that good writing can and will emerge in Singapore, and we aim to aid that process by applying rigorous critical and editorial criteria.
Like, I can't believe it! QLRS is a dream journal and me being included is one of the best plot twists this year. I am still waiting for one more plot twist and I hope I'll also get it! Keeping my fingers crossed!
I still have more ideas up my sleeves for more website updates, I just need time, energy and motivation to keep doing them! I am also open to suggestions. All you have to do is to comment below!
Thank you and I hope you are safe in wherever you are at the moment!
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