Living feeds writing

“You have to live to write.”

The thought struck me in the wee hours yesterday as I was getting ready for bed, tired from grappling with a flaky WordPress site to change the themes of two of my blogs there.

And I thought so many writing teachers must have drilled that into their students’ heads.

The Kano

Jacques, my Dutch friend, gave me a bit of a distraction, a pleasant one though, over the weekend. Late Saturday afternoon, he dropped by so we could have some vodka — The Bar, orange-flavored — at my landlord’s store out front.

Tax of no return

I’ve always hated filing my income tax return. Not because I hate paying taxes — the office takes it out of your pay anyway and you’re already taxed right and left whenever you buy anything at all.

I love this job

A full-time editor usually earns more than a full-time writer. But after letting go as a full-time editor, which I had been for quite some time, I’m rediscovering how much more I love to write.

It’s why I got into this line of work in the first place. It’s just me and a blank screen to fill with words — before any reader gets into the picture.

© ATM

Favorite spot

My writing table

Typhoon Ondoy did a lot of damage to Metro Manila, but on the bright side, the flood that it caused help me get my apartment cleaned up of clutter. I had no more excuse to keep the junk that I’d only been planning to throw out – someday.

Starting the day upbeat

I woke up early today, after a brief nap. Lately, I have been taking short naps instead of one long full sleep, because I’ve gone freelance and have more time, and pressure, to keep writing at home.

Weekend hangover

I started the weekend with a hangover, because I closed Friday night drinking with Boojie and his friend Amado at the Ten 02, my favorite watering hole. When they left, I moved on to the back of Faustino’s and had a nightcap and a tapsilog, which was very good.

World Press Freedom Day

On the invitation of Joe, the NUJP chairman, Neil and I did two songs at Freedom Bar last Saturday (May 3). So with just a quick one-hour rehearsal we did two songs. Neil sang CSNY’s “Long Time Gone” and I sang the Eraserheads’ “Ang Huling El Bimbo.”

I didn’t realize while on stage that LeAnne had been taking pictures, one of which appears here. And I guess Joe was taking a video of all the performers, but I haven’t seen it.

After that gig, at around midnight, I went over to Ten 02, a new bar owned by Myra Ruaro, who also goes by stage name Skarlet. It’s where I hang out a lot now after work. And Myra is usually there to chat with customers.

© ATM

Jamming at Newsdesk

I like to jam, and Newsdesk Cafe allows customers to do that every Friday. Its regular performer is Melvin, a member of Bagong Dugo.

During his break, Boy D got up on stage to do some songs, after which I just had to take my turn.

I did the Eraserheads’ “Huling El Bimbo,” followed by Kamikazee’s “Narda,” during which Leanne J started snapping away with his camera.

© ATM

Taking it slowly

Whenever I have time, I like doing the things I enjoy slowly, like eating. And I learned this while doing restaurant reviews when I was a lifestyle writer for the old Daily Globe.