June 16, 2013 at 10:53 pm (Links, Places, postaday, Recommended, Traveling, Venice)
Tags: discoveries, memories, postaday, postaweek, Sundays, travel, Venice, Wordpress
Could this be a sundial? (Stumbled across it on an excursion to the island of Torcello)
This was in a courtyard in front of an old, old church (the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta – said to be the oldest church on the Venetian lagoon, older even than the Cathedral of San Marco.) Self took the vaporetto first to Murano, then to Burano, and finally to Torcello. That was one of the best days of her trip to Venice in April. The crowds of San Marco Square were far, far away.
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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June 13, 2013 at 8:32 pm (Conversations, Places, Women Writers, postaday)
Tags: San Francisco, photography, disappointment, Wordpress, postaday, postaweek
San Francisco, about two weeks ago. She drove to the City to find a reading. She found the place. She was blocks away, but she could see how the street went perpendicular, at precisely the block where the reading was to take place.
Self tried to find parking in the surrounding streets. None. If she had been more familiar with the neighborhood, she might have not given up so easily. Afterwards, when she sent her apologies to Allison Amend, the writer whose reading she missed, Allison chided her with: There was a parking garage a block away. It was on the directions on the evite.
!!!!!
Anyhoo, self did manage to get off a shot of this San Francisco street corner, early evening in late spring:
Trying to find the freeway on-ramp, circled this same block endlessly
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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June 12, 2013 at 6:24 pm (Places, postaday, Traveling, Venice)
Tags: discoveries, photography, postaday, postaweek, transitions, travel, Venice, Wordpress
Self thinks this young graduate rocks the grey suit/ grey sneakers! Taken in Saint Mark’s Square, Venice, April 2013
Self happened to stumble upon San Marco Square just as a commencement ceremony had wrapped. The square was filled with excited new graduates and their families. There were a plethora of stories, wherever self looked.
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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June 7, 2013 at 5:08 pm (anthologies, Books, Conversations, Places, Recommended, Relatives)
Tags: Bacolod, Burma, Filipino writers, Just published, Manila, Manila Noir, short story, The Philippines
“Do you know what shabu means? Did you know that each letter means something?” Cesar asked, pressing a clean sheet of aluminum foil between two one-peso coins.
“You mean an acronym,” Franco replied, a dull glint of the strip cruising his vision.
“A what?”
“An acronym. That’s what you’re trying to say. Each letter stands for a word. Like PBA. Philippine Basketball Association. Or NBA . . . “
“I get it. Exactly. An acronym. So . . . you know what shabu means?”
“I didn’t know it meant anything.”
“Satan Has Already Bought You.”
* * * *
The gossip in Bacolod. So-and-so had a shabu addiction.
Self: “How can he be hooked on shabu, he doesn’t make any money. Don’t you need a lot of money to get shabu?”
Self remembers how her cousin Manong Genray scoffed: “Even ‘sikab‘ drivers get hooked on shabu.”
Sikab is a bastardization of the words “Tricycle” and “Cab.” You can take one of these, 5 pesos (11 US cents) a ride. Cheaper even than riding a jeepney, which is 8 pesos (19 US cents).
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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June 5, 2013 at 1:54 am (anthologies, Books, Lists, Places, Recommended, Women Writers, Writing, Zack)
Tags: Filipino writers, Just published, lists, Manila, Manila Noir, short pieces, The Philippines
Introducing, in the order in which the stories appear in the anthology:
- “When we learn about the sign, we must see it for ourselves.” – Aviary, by Lysley Tenorio
- “Casa Manila,” the docent announces, pushing the massive double doors twice before they give way.” – A Human Right, by Rosario Cruz-Lucero
- “Do you know what shabu means?” – Satan Has Already Bought U, by Lourd De Veyra
- “Sunday talk and it was all gossip.” – Broken Glass, by Sabina Murray
- “When we finally roll out, our seats are pitched up like we’re on a plane lifting from the tarmac.” – After Midnight, by Angelo R. Lacuesta
- “Nearly 13 million Filipinos ride the Metrostar Express every day.” – Trese: Thirteen Stations, a graphic short story, by Budjette Tan & Kajo Baldisimo
- “The neck is broken.” – Comforter of the Afflicted, by F. H. Batacan
- “Somebody died in this car I’m driving.” – The Professor’s Wife, by Jose Dalisay
- “Lala makes the sign of the cross when she comes upon the naked, mutilated body of Vanessa Blanca hanging from the ancient balete tree on Moriones Street, a block away from the Tutuban train station.” — Cariño Brutal, by R. Zamora Linmark
- “The story Magsalin wishes to tell is about disappearance.” – The Unintended, by Gina Apostol
- “Paco texted me, asking for a ride.” — Old Money, by Jessica Hagedorn
- “Which parts of a bird are edible?” – Desire, by Marianne Villanueva
- “First of all, she wouldn’t change the locks on him.” – Darling, You Can Count on Me, by Eric Gamalinda
- “She doesn’t have to travel very far to see her fortune-teller.” – Norma From Norman, by Jonas Vitman
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June 3, 2013 at 6:00 pm (Family, Food and Drink, Places, postaday)
Tags: Bacolod, memories, postaday, postaweek, The Philippines, Wordpress
Dear Departed Dad’s home province in Negros Occidental is known for its sugar haciendas. Naturally, when self goes, she brings back sweets.
Muscovado is raw, minimally processed (unrefined) brown sugar. In the last few years, self has been seeing this brand (MASCO ROCKS) in most Philippine stores and supermarkets. The sugar is in irregularly shaped lumps, hence the word “Rocks” on the label (much prettier than cubes, if you ask self). And how adorable is that shape for the bottle, like it’s trying to do an Elvis impression? Rock on, Musco! Rock on!
Stay tuned.
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June 2, 2013 at 7:09 am (Places, Surprises, Traveling)
Tags: artists residency, Edinburgh, Hawthornden, humor, memories, postaday, postaweek, Scotland, travel, Wordpress
Edinburgh, June 2012
June 2012: Self arrived in Edinburgh wearing white capris and silver sandals. When Hamish spotted her, about 30 seconds after she’d positioned herself at the baggage carousel, she was so astonished, she blurted out: “How did you know it was me?” BWAH. HA. HA. HAAAAA!
She saw this artwork near the University of Edinburgh main library. She was with Joan, a poet and fellow resident at Hawthornden. During that day, she almost got squashed by a double decker. She remembered Joan dashing across the street and yelling back at her: “Come on!” So self started, and belatedly saw the bus, and Joan yelled: “No, Stop!” And then, confusingly: “OK, come!” Then, “Stop! Stop!” Then: “Come, come!”
Suffice it to say, self survived that day. And later, she went to Edinburgh a lot by herself. She ended up buying: Sweaters. A pair of boots. A red raincoat. Mary Janes. She survived!
Stay tuned.
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June 1, 2013 at 5:06 am (Movies, Places)
Tags: adaptations, Fridays, humor, Palo Alto, postaday, postaweek, Wordpress
Emerson Street, downtown Palo Alto
Did anyone see that movie? Self just rented it on Netflix. It left her scratching her head. It is possibly the only adaptation of a Tolstoy classic that turns it into – high camp. Rent it and watch for the scene with the dueling tongues – BWAH HA HAAA!
Stay tuned.
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June 1, 2013 at 3:28 am (Family, Lists, Places, Recommended, Weather)
Tags: Fridays, happiness, lists, Palo Alto, restaurants
Where does the time go?
Today just flew by!
Self found a copy of Sole Fruit of Her Loin’s birth certificate.
She spent the afternoon in the company of son:
- We saw a movie together in Palo Alto Square (Sarah Polley’s absorbing documentary about her parents’ relationship: Three out of four stars)
- We walked along the strangely sparse corridors of Fry’s Electronics, and gazed upon a low, brick building advertising itself as GROUPON offices.
- We walked along California Avenue and self showed son one of her discoveries, Spice Kit, right across the street from erstwhile favorite The Counter.
It was the second incredibly hot day of the year. Self ran her car’s air conditioner at full blast (Thank goodness she had it fixed last year!) and listened to an old Mariah Carey CD.
She stopped by the Palo Alto Baking Company and bought two cream puffs (The Man’s favorite).
As soon as she got home, she watered and watered. Then she made dinner: broiled baby back pork spare ribs.
Now, time to rest.
Early Evening
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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May 30, 2013 at 3:19 am (Links, Places, Recommended, Traveling, Venice)
Tags: memories, photography, postaday, postaweek, travel, Venice, Wordpress
On the Vaporetto, Venice, April 2013
Is this an “In the Background” kind of shot, in keeping with WordPress’ Weekly Photo Challenge theme of the week?
Self has no idea. She would never have posted it, though, if she hadn’t been looking for a photo where “background,” or anyway the idea of background, was key.
So, it’s all good.
It turns out self’s fondest memories of Venice are not the paintings, not the magnificent churches, but the vaporetto rides. Which thousands of people take every day, on their way to and from work in the city.
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
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