Malditang Librarian

Note 1/18/2019: Shortly after writing this, I got accepted in a research library where I'm currently working. For those unemployed and dealing with disappointment, don't lose heart! Yes, I don't currently have work. I am applying for some and I am waiting for the results, but whether I get accepted or not, it's okay. My current top priority is I want to finish my Master's degree in Library Science, I only have Thesis Writing left. If I will not be able to work, then that's my focus and I will try my best to finish it as soon as I can. Honestly, I was battling with myself whether to continue my MLIS or not - just going to school drains me out, but I thought that it's better to finish it now that I'm very near the finish line. I passed all my subjects and passed all my comprehensive exams without the need for retaking, and all that money and effort would go to waste. Maybe it's just dread and slight depression talking. I want to talk about...

The Philippines is rich in festivals. Almost every month, a festival is celebrated in each province to commemorate a historical or important event. One of the festivals in Iloilo City is the Banaag Festival of Anilao this October:  The Philippines’ Best Tourism Municipal Festival BANAAG FESTIVAL 2018 IGNITES WITH MORE SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCES Press Release by media.Xchange PR  More people are expected to flock to the charming town of Anilao, Iloilo this month to witness for themselves the much-awaited and talked about festivities of what has been officially proclaimed as the Best Tourism Municipal Festival in the country -- the Anilaonon’s very own Banaag Festival. Also known as the Festival of Lights, the Banaag Festival is a cultural tradition in Anilao, Iloilo which was inspired by local sentinels during the Spanish era who guarded bamboo watchtowers and warned residents of incoming pirates by lighting the torch as a signal to flee. Thus, the torch became a ...

“We are never very far from those we hate. For this very reason, we shall never be truly close to those we love." I was looking for new movies to watch and I read about the movie Cold Skin from Caitlin R. Kiernan's blog. It is adapted from the book originally written in Catalan, La Pell Freda by the Spanish author Albert Sánchez Piñol. I read the English version of the book after the movie so I'll talk about it later in the post. The summary: "In 1914, on the edge of the Antarctic Circle, a ship approaches a desolate island, far from all shipping lanes. On board is a young man who is on his way to assume the post of weather observer and live in solitude at the end of the earth. He finds no trace of the man he has been sent to replace, just a deranged castaway who has witnessed a horror he refuses to name. For the next twelve months, his entire world will consist of a deserted cabin, trees, rocks, silence, and the surrounding sea." A young man named Friend...

I first saw the trailer of A Star is Born when I watched Crazy Rich Asians ( link to my review ) in SM Aura last August. That trailer was so beautiful it made me cry. I usually dislike movie trailers with all their sound effects and flashiness to attract viewers. For me, most trailers are overdramatic and sometimes does not actually reflect the movie and often create expectations that disappoint. This film's trailer showed what the story will be about: an aspiring singer who has given up on herself and the established star who believes in her and helps her make her dreams come true. It took me a while to realize that the lead actress is Lady Gaga! She had no makeup, she dressed like a normal person and dyed her hair back to her natural color. I like Lady Gaga and her music, but I haven't really caught up on it since her Born This Way era. As an artist, I really admire how she evolves and her music is different in every album. A Star is Born also has music, and it's very...

When the trailer for Venom dropped months ago, you would not have expected the collective reaction of fans at the slimy Symbiote with a weird long tongue and scary teeth. Everyone had the hots for Venom and found the beast sexy. I really don't know whether to be amused or sigh at the human condition, but I get where it comes from. I just watched it and noticed that the movie critics were not so impressed but many fans loved it. As for my opinion, I don't care what the critics say,  Venom  was fun. I thought I was going to see a man battling his identity and psychological-thriller level angst, but what I got was an unexpected gay romcom between Eddie and Venom. I do agree that there are some silly logical errors in the film, though. Venom is actually one of the villains in the Spiderman stories and movies (which I admit I know close to nothing about though I've watched a few Avengers films), but this is a stand-alone film. Even if you know nothing of the original comic...

This is one of the most exciting news of the year here in Iloilo City! On November 8-11, 2018 in Festive Walk Mall, Iloilo Business Park will be the 1st Iloilo Mega Book Festival (IMBF). This event's goal is to promote reading among Ilonggos and the rich local literature. There will be various activities such as the 1st West Visayan Book Fair , which will feature 100 books by Ilonggo authors (both historical and contemporary). This aims to promote local literature and raise awareness of the great books by authors from Western Visayas. There will also be Art. Calligraphy, and Writing Workshops and an  All Pinoy Bookfair . Last but not the least is the 5th Iloilo Zinefest  in which I am one of the writers who will display and sell my own zines. Me and Charlyn Mateo, one of my writer friends, will once again join the Zinefest. We both joined ZineZoned3 last year and you can read my experience here: #ZineZoned3: Iloilo Zinefest 2017 experience . Zines are short self-publi...

Iloilo City - Today, Congressman of the 4th District of the Iloilo Province, Ferjenel Biron (also known as "Dok Ferj"), has filed his certificate of candidacy to run for Governor of Iloilo in the upcoming 2019 elections. He held a media conference to share his vision for the Province of Iloilo. The Congressman shared his life story of growing up in poverty in Barotac and alleviating himself and his family towards a better life. He wants to set himself as an example and inspiration for the poor. He is a medical doctor and businessman prior to being a politician. His vision, of course, emphasizes health care and improving hospitals in the province. He also aims to focus on anti-corruption, education, and employment. Sharing the llonggo vision for a winnable future: Dok Ferj Biron reveals plans for Iloilo's economic empowerment Press Release by media.Xchange PR (October 11, 2018) The man behind landmark bills in Congress is all set to implement policies that will t...

My trip to Malaysia alone was a surprise and a blessing. I qualified for a participation grant to attend the IFLA WLIC 2018 in Kuala  Lumpur which I wrote about in my last blog entry . Malaysia is the third country outside the Philippines that I've visited. The first was in Hong Kong in June 2017 with two relatives. The second country I went to is Taiwan from June-August 2018 (I will write three blog entries on that after this one), for a study program in a Buddhist monastery. I was scared to go alone at first, but I dared to. I knew some pretty hardcore travelers in Taiwan, most of whom are traveling alone for quite a while. Though I don't have the personality of a backpacker, I admire their risk-taking, fearlessness, and adventurous spirit. I asked around about Malaysia, and most who have gone there encouraged me to go. So I went. Malaysia's tagline is 'truly Asia', and it is a melting pot of major Asian cultures. There are the Muslim Malays, the Chinese, an...

When I received the notification on my e-mail that I qualified for a Participation Grant from the National Library of Malaysia to go to the International Federation of Library Associations, Inc. - World Library and Information Congress 2018 (IFLA WLIC 2018) in Kuala Lumpur, I was surprised. I was excited but also nervous about the possibility that I might have to go alone. For those who don't know, IFLA WLIC is the biggest and 'most international' librarians conference in the world, with delegates worldwide from various institutions, schools, libraries, and library associations. There's a story behind this. Last year's IFLA WLIC was in Wroclaw, Poland. One of my good friends from CPU Library Science, Christian Acevedo, had gone and also toured in Europe. I was inspired by his IFLA experience, so when there was a call to apply for a participation grant for the 2018 conference, I just did so without really expecting anything. I figured that this year was in Malays...

I know that the blog title sounds cheesy, like something from a self-help book. Are you a book addict ? Is your hobby buying too many books? I think that's good as long as you have the time, space, and it's something you genuinely enjoy and you can manage it well. But as with all sorts of hobbies and activities, too much of something is not always good. However, I'm one of the worst kinds of 'book addict' and I'm on my way to recovery. I was addicted to buying books. I loved the thrill of finding a book, getting it, unpacking it, smelling it, and then it's just added to the unread pile, forgotten. It was not so much about the love of reading anymore but acquiring more stuff. Years passed and I was living in a dust-covered book fortress. In an attempt at minimalism, I started organizing my books and decided to get my act together. I want to go back to reading , not merely acquiring . I realized that so much money went into these books and I don't wan...