sungazer

i'm the one in the blue dress

with fellow PSF IV contributor and winner (First Place, Short Story for Children) Kate Aton-Osias

More photos here

- I’m just jotting notes here because I’m too sleepy to write an entire blog entry.

- Bien Lumbera as guest speaker, Carlo J Caparas as judge for Dulang Pampelikula; I waited for the cat fight that didn’t come.

- But Mr Lumbera had some choice words. Maswerte kayong mga nagsipagwagi ngayong gabi; walang bahid-pulitika ang inyong pagkapanalo. (Rim shot.)

- Buffet!

- Buffet! That was too far from where we were sitting!

- My father lined up for the buffet three times. I am so proud.

- Unfortunately now I feel like I wasn’t able to get enough dessert.

- During the presentation of the one-act play (which was a riot, I’m telling you) there were two guys in front of my seat. I almost tapped them on the shoulder and said, Excuse me you’re in the way.

- It turned out to that they were part of the one-act play.

- Imagine if I actually turned the bitch on and told them to scoot to the side. Ulk.

- Favorite moment: My father rushing to our table before dinner was served, and telling my mother, Nakita ko si Ricky Davao.

- Favorite moment: Finding out that Anne Lagamayo (PSF contributor,author of “Hopscotch”) also won a Palanca. It took me three hours to finally figure out who she was, haha. (She and her mom were at our table.)

- Favorite moment: FINDING OUT THAT MOOKIE KATIGBAK, KAEL CO, AND CONCHITINA CRUZ WERE THE BOARD OF JUDGES THIS YEAR FOR POETRY HOLY MOTHER—

- So that’s why Mookie and Kael congratulated me at the Free Press shindig. Hee. I get it now.

- But really, MOOKIE KATIGBAK, KAEL CO, AND CONCHITINA CRUZ WERE THE BOARD OF JUDGES THIS YEAR FOR POETRY HOLY MOTHER—

- Fuck me, man.

- Favorite moment: A judge onstage shaking my hand and saying, I heard you were very good.

- Favorite moment: Kael Co shaking my mother’s hand and saying, Napakahusay pong tumula ng anak niyo.

- Ayonamane.

- Favorite moment: Conchitina Cruz (Conchitina Cruz!) saying, We love your work.

- Conchitina Cruz!

- Conchitina Cr – okay, enough.

- *Bleep* to me: Writers are HOT.

- Me: YES.

- The catch: They’re either taken, or they don’t like you.

- Dean Alfar: Look at [Eliza’s] fuck-me shoes!

- There! Quoted! Ha!

- I wanted to approach Luis Katigbak, but the fuck-me shoes wouldn’t let me, ow.

Bien Lumbera said that we Palanca winners must continue to write.

Done.

Done.

And done.