Thursday Literary Class

ANG PARANG LOVE STORY NG DALAWANG MAGAGALING NA MANUNULAT

"Kung payabangan lang naman ang usapan, hindi hamak naman na mas maganda ang blog ko," sabi ni Writer Number One sa kanyang katabi sa opisina na si Writer Number Three. "Mabuti ka pa na pina-follow mo ang blog ko pero yung isa diyan, akala mong napakagaling magsulat, eh ewan ko lang kung bakit hindi pina-follow? Siguro nuknukan ng inggit sa akin dahil maraming nagbabasa ng blog ko. Mabuti na lamang talaga at hindi ko binabasa ang blog niya!"

"Easy ka lang! Blog lang yan, huwag mong masyadong dibdibin. Hindi naman sukatan ang pagkakaroon ng follower eh. Ang importante, maraming nagbabasa sa iyo! At saka, isa lang siya, ano ba naman yung pina-follow ka!" marahang bigkas ni Writer Number Three.

"Ah basta! Mas maganda ang sa akin!" yabang muli ni Writer Number One.

Biglaang napadaan sa harapan ng kanilang cubicle ang pinariringgan ni Writer Number One na si Writer Number Two. Walang kaimik-imik ang binata ng umupo ito kasama nila sa kanilang lugar. Kinamusta ni Writer Number Two ang napapabalitang bagong blog post ni Writer Number One.

"Balita ko maraming natutuwa sa binasa mo ha! Saan ka ba kumukuha ng mga inspiration mo?" tanong ni Writer Number Two.

"Siyempre sa lahat ng aspekto ng buhay, sa pag-ibig, sa kaibigan, sa pamilya, sa mga lugar na napuntahan ko na, sa mga totoong tao na kilala kung talaga ako, puwede ring sa iyo, o sa kanya, o sa kapwa ko manunulat. Kahit saan! Kaya nga sa tingin ko ang galing-galing kong magsulat kasi maraming nagbabasa ng mga sinusulat ko, may kuwenta man o wala!" ani Writer Number One.

"Pero matanong ko lang, ilan na ba ang followers mo sa blog mo?" muling tanong ni Writer Number Two habang umiinom ng kanyang kinuhang kape.

"Aminin ko kakaunti pa lang, mga nasa lima pa lang. Pero hindi ba ikaw na rin ang mismong nagsabi na wala sa followers yan kundi nasa mga nagbabasa ng blog mo yan!" yabang ni Writer Number One.

Napapansin na ni Writer Number Three na nagkakaroon ng munting tensyon sa pagitan ng dalawang magaling na manunulat. "Eh ikaw, saan ka kumukuha ng mga ideya mo pagdating sa pagsusulat mo? Napapansin ko kasing lagi kang nagsusulat tungkol sa mga bagay na nangyari sa buhay mo?" tanong ni Writer Number One.

Sambit ni Writer Number Two, "Tama ka nga! Laging tungkol sa aking buhay ang mga sinusulat ko sa aking blog. Gusto ko kasing malaman ng lahat ng tao kung ano ang mayroon sa aking buhay na maaaring nangyayari or nangyari sa buhay nila?"

Tanong muli ni Writer Number One, "Eh paano kung nasayang lang ang isinulat mo dahil ni isa sa mga mambabasa o ang mga followers mo eh hindi nakaka-relate sa post mo? Sayang naman ang mga letra!"

"Wala na akong magagawa roon. Kung hindi sila natuwa or nakadama ng aking mga pighati, kaluwalhatian at kasiyahan sa aking isinulat, okay na ako roon. Ang importante sa akin at sa blog ko ay may naidagdag akong magandang ideya na puwede rin naman nilang maakibat sa kanilang buhay," sabi ni Writer Number Two, habang nakatitig ang kanyang mga mata kay Writer Number One.

Sumingit si Writer Number One, "Para sa akin, mas gusto ko pa rin kung ano ang itinitibok ng isip at puso ko. Kung ano ang nakikita ko, ganoong klaseng ideya ang isusulat ko. Gusto ko lahat ng mga taong nagbabasa sa akin ay natutuwa at natututo sa mga isinulat ko."

Nagtanong si Writer Number Two, "Paano kung hindi rin sila natuwa sa isinulat mo?"

Sumagot ng medyo inis si Writer Number One, "Wala na akong magagawa roon. Kung hindi nila gusto, masaya na rin ako dahil nailabas ko sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulat kung ano ang gusto kong i-share sa lahat. Alam ko na darating din ang araw na mababasa nila ang isinulat ko at siguradong magiging bukambibig nila ito!"

Biglang nagkaroon ng panandaliang katahimikan sa pagitan ng dalawang magagaling na manunulat. Biglang winakasan ni Writer Number Three ang tensyon, "Guys! Mas mabuti pa na tigilan na natin kung sino ang magaling, sino ang dapat maging followers at sino ang mga nagbabasa. Iisa lang ang pakay natin, ang magsulat ng ayon sa puso't damdamin natin. Wala yan sa dami ng nagbabasa o sa dami ng sumusunod sa bawat galaw mo o sa kung ano ang laman ng mga isinulat mo. Yan ay nakadepende sa gustong basahin ng tao. Ang tanging ginagawa lang natin ay mapasaya ang lahat ng mga tao pagdating sa ating malilikot na utak."

"Writer Number Three! Sandali lang at may itatanong ako sa iyo!" sigaw ng kanilang boss.

"Sandali lang kayong dalawa ha! Huwag kayong magpatayan!" pag-aalala ni Writer Number Three.

Tumingin sa kawalan ang dalawa. Nagpatuloy sa pagsusulat si Writer Number One habang tinatapos ni Writer Number Two ang kanyang kinuhang kape. Tumingin kay Writer Number Two si Writer Number One at unti-unti niya itong kinausap.

"Bakit hindi mo ako pina-follow sa blog post ko?" tanong ni Writer Number One.

Napangiti si Writer Number Two, sabay tingin kay Writer Number One. "Gusto mong malaman ang totoo? Dahil hindi kita kayang sundan. Napakagaling mo kasi pagdating sa pagsusulat. Saludo ako sa iyo, sobra! Nahihiya akong i-follow ka dahil ayaw ko na sinusundan ka lang, tinitingalaan ka dapat ng lahat!"

Napapikit sa sobrang kahihiyan si Writer Number One. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang gusto niyang sabihin. Sa kanyang pagkakataon naman, nagtanong si Writer Number Two kay Writer Number One, "Eh bakit ikaw, hindi mo binabasa ang blog ko?"

Napatungo na lamang si Writer Number One. Nahihiya ngunit malakas ang loob niyang sabihin ang totoo. Tiningnan niya muli sa mata si Writer Number Two. "Kasi hindi ko kaya na nababasa ko kung ano ang nararamdaman mo sa bawat pagsusulat mo. Inaasahan ko na kasi na puros lungkot at pighati ang laman niyan. Ayaw ko siyang basahin dahil malungkot ka. Sana sa mga darating na araw na magsusulat ka, lagi na lang masaya para nakikita ko sa iyong mga salita na masaya ka!"

Parehong ngumiti ang dalawang magagaling na manunulat. Iba man ang kanilang istilo at laman ng kanilang pagsusulat, nagkakasabay naman sila sa tugtog ng kanilang sayaw, ang paligayahin ang lahat ng kanilang nagbabasa.

"Pasensya ka na't naging mayabang ako!" ani Writer Number One. "Hindi ko na kailanman gagamitin iyun bilang excuse sa kung bakit pakiramdam ko na walang natutuwa sa akin. Kailangan kong maging humble dahil hindi lahat ng tao nakakapagsulat ng ayon sa kanilang nararamdaman."

"Pasensya ka na rin kung nakalimutan ko!" sambit ni Writer Number Two. "Hayaan mo't iibahin ko na ang istilo ko sa pagsusulat para maging masaya ang mga mambabasa ko, at isa ka na roon!"

"O, bati na kayo?" tanong ni Writer Number Three. "Tara na't magsulat at alam kong maraming naghihintay sa atin!"


Hopefully you would like this. I know it's in Filipino but when you write, it doesn't matter what language are you using. The bottom line is you've shared what you have inside of your heart. Few days from now, The Brouhahas is one year old! Thank you so much for your unrelenting support!

Toodles!!!

Some Things To Ponder On And Other Brouhahas

Live from my blogsite to your computer, it's another round of successful, unsuccessful and somewhat-successful brouhahas courtesy of the past things that happened to me, to you and to all of us living in this pretty-please planet called Earth.

This moment is going to be a different one because I will not add some titles to the brouhahas that I will be presenting to you. Instead, I'll be writing here some serious quotes that will relate to my brouhahas. I am too fond of reading and contemplating to some of the words that the great and noble people had uttered while they were living. Many of us have inspired through those words and some of us even portraying it. Others might not understand but through experiences that happened to their lives, there they go understanding the real meaning of the quote. I always look forward for new words coming from the likes of my favorite writers Paulo Coelho, Haruki Murakami and Kahlil Gibran. Same goes with other philosophers and big time personalities who has so much in their lives that they've uttered those words of wisdom. Even my very beautiful friend becomes our own Confucius because a certain event in our daily lives has an equivalent quotation from her.

A quiet mind is all you need. All else will happen rightly, once your mind is quiet.

- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

My very good friend, as I fondly call him dude, was for the longest time tried to be very serious, very quiet and very focused on what he is thinking about. I was so scared at first because it was my first time to see him this very quiet; knowing him as very ecstatic and sometimes naughty. He had to choose (I don't want to explicate further) of the chances the people from our institution presented to him. I still don't know his answer for those chances but until now, he is still needing for a concrete answer. He did a "divine intervention," and still, he didn't know the answer. If I am in his shoe, I need to see the consequences both the good and the bad. If I was being compromised, that's a different story. If I was chosen because I have the guts, then it is a good kind of story. For you, just continue doing that kind of intervention; it will really bring a lot in you. I believe that sometimes, you need not to show or even to talk about what you have in you. It is maybe important if you just contain it to yourself and if you're ready to show it, that's the perfect time. Good luck!

You're much better than fireworks. They'll all over in a moment, and you're going to stay for a fortnight.

- Kate Ross, Cut to the Quick

Last Saturday, I was with my dear buddies watching the 3rd Philippine International Pyromusical Competition held at the SM Mall of Asia. The venue was jampacked! People from all walks of life were all present to witness the greatest show in the sky. It was an international event joined by different countries around the world showing their glibness on fireworks. At that time, it was the battle between China, which was the brainchild of the fireworks display and the Netherlands. It started really, really late because of a show but our waiting time really paid off as we watched the fireworks display of China. It was an astounding performance; define nerve-wracking and hair-raising fireworks display from them. It really has something to do with their invention, the gunpowder. We went home straight but while it was traffic along Roxas Boulevard, we saw the pride of the Netherlands and they were also good. The last leg of the competition will be on March 17 and maybe we will watch it. It will be between Italy and the Philippines so everybody should not miss it. But I would surely hate the audience and the people!

Oh you hate your job? Why you didn't say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.

- Drew Carey

Of course, I'm not going to do that. For this week, I did an exam that I really don't like doing. It was probably the most difficult examination paper that I've created since the beginning of my teaching profession. I used to teach this kid who has no reception at all: visual, language and all. I was asking my co-teachers on what am I going to do with him as his exam. The heaviest part of all, it is Filipino, the subject that is very impossible for this kid to comply. I don't know, for others it is the simplest exam but for the one who is doing it, I'm telling you, IT'S NOT! Luckily, he survived my examination paper and he even got a good score.

Never take a person's dignity: it is worth everything to them, and nothing to you.

- Frank Barron

Respect is the issue here and it has different angles, perspective and meaning. Respect for elderly, respect for each other and respect for all. One example is my best buddy being ridiculed by his student (a former student of mine) in front of his students. He hated the gesture so much because not knowing by the student that he's forgetting stepping beyond the boundary between himself as a student and the person being poked fun as a teacher. Another incident of not showing some respect of our students to their teacher is not greeting them even though they've seen their teacher eye-to-eye and his/her presence. I was at our library together with my students when a bunch of students went in and created a much irritating noise. They did it without even greeting me and noticing my presence inside of the place. I was really pissed off and I said these words, "my gosh, it seems that there's no teacher around here!" Because I am not their teacher, no respect was being shown and they were showing me who the hell am I! I still remember their faces and if ever I'll be joining the bandwagon, I'll see them there! This incident is really a blow of disrespecting woman. Some men (I didn't use the word gentleman because they were not showing it!) were cracking jokes about my good friend telling her this funny, yet belittling nickname. Because of that, my good friend had a feeling that it was about her. Knowing for her very strong personality, she battled back to her colleagues in which respect was already forgotten. Good thing she was like that and because these men can actually do those things to her, everything falls into place according to their naughty job. If you want to be respected by others, you have to show your respect towards other people and it will all goes back to you. But for those people who are trying to underrate you, I think there should be a way to fight back not physically but showing them what you got. In that way, respect by others will be flourished to you.

The art of politics consists in knowing precisely when it is necessary to hit an opponent slightly below the belt.

- Konrad Adenauer

When you hear the phrase "below the belt," are you defining it connotative or denotative? According to Wikipedia, it is mainly used in combat sports like boxing, martial arts, and some sort of refers to all the area of the body that lies below the line of the opponent's navel including the genital area, legs, and crotch. This phrase can be figuratively to describe anything which is considered ABUSIVE, OVERLY HURTFUL or PLAINLY UNFAIR. Nowadays, there were some jokes, considering them as "half-meant" might lead to a truthful one. Yes, it may be funny to others but hurtful to them. Statements that are considered funny remarks, might be a serious one for some sensitive persons. A joke about a certain situation which was led them to an embarrassment would turn into a disaster of being pissed off and a fight. If it is a matter of showing credentials, talents, recognition and luck, you are way better than these "pea-brained" individuals. Why are you going to steep down to their level if you are much higher than them, maturity-wise! They are the people who are considered nonsense and what they only do are also nonsense. I don't know if I am pertaining to somebody or to a group but if this is about you, then sorry! You just hit me or us below the belt!

What we anticipate seldom occurs, what we least expected generally happens

- Benjamin Disraeli

Expecting or anticipating something to happen to my life is my loveliest hobby of all. And since it was the best thing I am doing, it is also the time I was crying because I expected something. For instance, I was hoping that I will be part of this grand event in our institution. But yes, I wasn't being chosen to do it for I really don't know reason. I'm just taking it as an excuse; maybe it is the perfect time for the others to grace the event since I was always being tapped to do it. But this event is different, I may say. For me, I am representing the institution, I am representing the whole event, all eyes are on me. Whether a mistake will happen or not, still I can manage to lose it. But yes, they didn't give me a chance to do it. I am really so much in pain! Whenever I think of it, I become teary-eyed and boasting my confidence even though the people might not into it. My newfound friend told me that I should try it next time but I guess there will be no next time. Because of this incident, call me immature, but I want to try my luck to another institution in which my capacity of becoming an educator will be noticed. I still don't know; there are chances that I am doing my best but it was unacknowledged. I know it sounds too sour but that is what I am feeling right now. I am still waiting for another one. If that will never happen, I know already the answer. It's time for me to move up and live what I desire and do what I want!

Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.

- E.L. Doctorow

Few days from now I will be celebrating the first anniversary of my blog and I just want to make some realizations that it is really hard to begin a post and really easy to finish it. Along the way when you write, you'll come up with new ideas. You'll explore brand new ideas that would surely be enticed by your readers. It is not about how many followers your blogsite have but how you touch the lives of your readers by your posts. Now, I don't know if they have got anything from it but for the span of almost 12 months writing here, I know I did good.

That's it for this week, more brouhahas in the coming days (whether I feel remarkable or not!).

Toodles!!!

Thanks to Thinkexist.com and Brainy Quotes for the wonderful sayings.