You can see the picture on Cee Neuner’s site (Thank you, Cee Neuner, for this series of interesting Foto Challenges!)
Suggested topics: floats, things hanging on trees, rope, fishing items, grass, green, orange, white, blue, numbers, bare branches, or come up with your own topic
Self considered several possible topics (Hanging, Bare Trees, Collections, Displays, etc) before she settled on: GROUPS OF OBJECTS
It was a lot of fun, coming up with a topic!
Thank you, Cee Neuner!
It was very cold and foggy on the Skyline College Campus. The last time self was here was almost a year ago, November, reading with Zack.
Now, she was visiting two of Prof. Liza Erpelo’s classes. Liza is an Associate Professor in Skyline’s Language Arts Division, and Coordinator of the Kababayan Program. She is absolutely tireless. Self loves her vision, her energy, and her smarts. Self learned today, from Liza’s introduction of her, that Liza credits Jaime Jacinto with inspiring her to bring Filipino writers into the classroom. She said that one of the writers Jaime invited was self! Oh, she remembers! It was shortly after Calyx Press published her first book, Ginseng and Other Tales From Manila! How wonderful Jaime was, and all the Filipino writers who welcomed her with wide open arms into their little community: Lou Syquia, Virginia Cerenio, Oscar and Luisa Peñaranda.
As self is always fascinated by interiors, here’s a peek inside Liza’s office, for the benefit of dear blog readers:
Liza is an avid San Francisco Giants fan, as anyone can tell from this little arrangement:
The Giants won again today! The magic number is dwindling (Self believes it’s now 4).
Would you believe, after speaking to two classes and having a fabulous lunch at Tribu with Liza and her new Fulbright (who, of all things, turns out to be from Bacolod!), self dashed to her car, took a wrong turn somewhere, and ended up in Half Moon Bay. But it was a beautiful day! And the beaches were gorgeous, simply gorgeous.
Coda: The book the students had to read and write a paper on was self’s Mayor of the Roses. A young man (not Filipino — interesting that they sign up for this Kababayan class anyway) asked self a question about “Extinction” (This is her one ZYZZYVA story. Howard Junker sent it back to her with a scribbled note: “Needs to be MORE wild!”) which, self was bemused to learn, was not one of the stories Liza had assigned.
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
Zack and self visited Liza E’s class at Skyline College today.
It was a beautiful day!
During the class (Students had drawn up a list of questions for self and Zack beforehand), self had occasion to recall that if it were not for Brian Roley, she would not have a book called Mayor of the Roses.
Self talked about the genesis of the title story. It was a nugget that remained in her consciousness for almost a decade before she sat down to write it. She originally hoped to turn it into a novel. But in the end, she hadn’t the nerve to live within the horror of its material for more than a couple of pages.
Brian just made an appearance at Pomona College. When self found out, she said: Why didn’t you tell me beforehand? Did you know son is at Claremont? He and his friends would have packed the reading!
Self delivered unto Liza (for The Bump) the incredible oinking pig. Self has to thank John Malkovich’s character in “Red” for giving her the idea.
Self feels so privileged: standing in Liza E’s office, Zack showed her the galleys for Leche. He told her a little about how the novel ends. Heads up, y’all: The book comes out in April.
Earlier, self had just stuffed her face with Lychee Shake, Lechon Kawali, Sinigang Bangus Belly and bibingka with ube ice cream at Tribu. Even though self kept protesting that she could not eat, she of course ended up eating. (She is definitely taking niece G here on Sunday, when she picks her up from the BART station! Before going to watch “Waiting for Superman” at Palo Alto Square!)
Liza E wore Giants wristbands on both wrists! Self found out that she and Jeremy are such fans they actually watch every single game! Compared to them, self is such a Johnny-come-lately! But self was happy to get into it with Liza on the time Brian Wilson had to color his orange fluorescent fabulous shoes with a black Sharpie because you are only allowed to have footwear that is half orange. Or some such ridiculous reason.
Stay tuned, dear blog readers. Stay tuned.
Self to (hapless) Stanford student at Information Desk, Stanford Bookstore: I am a Stanford grad! Why don’t you carry my book in your “Stanford Authors” section!
(They used to carry it, you know. Way back when!)
Stanford student: Oh, sorry, Ma’am! I’ll let the Buyer know!
Oh, self, you are just so incorrigible! Why harass complete strangers, presenting them with your complete and stunning un-reknown?
Self noticed in her peregrinations around the Bookstore that there were T-shirts very prominently displayed next to the cashiers, proclaiming: FEAR THE TREE.
Oh my Goodness!
Later, when self made a shortcut through the Stanford Shopping Center to get home, she saw a huge crowd snaking out of one of the stores. She assumed it was Pinkberry, but when she was closer she took a good look and saw: The line was issuing forth from the Giants store.
BWAH. HA. HA!!!
If only self hadn’t been in so much of a rush to get home, she would have pulled over and taken a picture.
Anyhoo, here are some pictures self took at the Cantor Arts Center this afternoon:
The current exhibit is “Mami Wata: Arts for Water Spirits in Africa and Its Diasporas” (Definitely got self’s creative juices flowing!)
On her way out, self picked up a flyer for “Ayiti Pap Mouri!”, a Haitian Dance, Music and Art Festival coming up Nov. 18 – 21 in San Francisco’s Dolores Park. For more info: djenane_saintjuste@hotmail.com
Stay tuned.
Fireworks exploding from the neighboring houses! Cars honking as they speed down the street! Screams! Yells! It is noisy outside!
(Poor li’l Gracie hiding under the dining room table, her tail between her legs!)
Series MVP Renteria ??? YEEES !!!
Lincecum was magnificent! Hats off as well to Matt Cain (pitched Game 2) and Madison Bumgarner (pitched Game 4)! All these guys are in their early or mid-20s. Hope they’ll remain Giants for a long, looong time!
Bittersweet moment: the last time self will see Brian Wilson cross his arms and point to the sky.
2nd night in a row, self did not cook dinner! Hubby surviving on beer, chips, and salsa!
Bruce Bochy, you are genius! Sheer genius!
Bochy for Governor!
(Lincecum in the post-game interview: Wow, take a look at those arms! For a skinny guy, that is some major, major musculature!)
Stay tuned.
Oh, the absurdity. The Giants are not known for their hitting.
Tonight’s game was actually painful. How painful?
At one point in the 8th inning, self started to root for the Texas Rangers.
“Come on!” she found herself yelling at the screen. “Just score one run. Can’t you score just one run?”
Until that inning, the Texas Rangers pitcher had somehow managed to hold the Giants lead down to 2.
Then, with two out in the inning, the Rangers pitcher was pulled because he had developed a blister.
After that, one Giant after another hit.
And hit.
And hit.
To the point where watching became agony. Absolute agony.
Self, looking at the Rangers pitchers’ faces, knew they were in hell. There is absolutely nothing more excruciating than watching the self-immolation of a much-touted team.
Pitcher after pitcher came to the mound. Someone threw 11 straight balls. The Giants walked in one run, then another, and yet another.
Self found herself saying such things as: “Will this inning never end?”
Self is now rooting for the Rangers. Please. She wants them to win at least one game. So that the season will not be over. Not, anyway, so soon.
Stay tuned.
Kanlaon 