Rain Rain, Go Away…

All this rain is driving me nuts. It’s been raining since Saturday! It’s Thursday already and it’s still raining. Good God. My feet are tired and aching from wearing a leather almost-waterproof shoes. Makes me miss the dry, sunny days when I can wear those super-comfy Converse Chuck Taylors…

My red Chucks, taken on a Monday morning sometime last month.

Important Notebooks

The two important notebooks in my life right now:

my blue Journal and my 2007 Starbucks diary planner.

Can’t live without them, really. Just as I got busy with personal and family stuff over the weekend, I was unable to write anything in my Journal at all. I felt so guilty and irresponsible, that when I saw it in my bag last night I wanted to hug it. (sigh) But well, all that guilt went away after I wrote five pages of Journal entry to recap everything for the weekend. Redeemed myself, eh?

It’s the time of the year

It’s that time of the year again.

It’s the time of the year again when thousands of writers around the world write novels like crazy for 30 days, max. It’s time of the year when thousands of them lose sleep, numb their fingers typing their novels, and get overdosed on caffeine. It’s the time of the year when writers around the globe go through the same pain and joy producing a novel. It’s a temporary respite from most social activities as more time gets devoted to writing the novel.

Oh, yes, it’s NaNoWriMo time once again!

Beginning October of the current year (sometimes earlier, for most), enthusiasts rush in to do all the necessary preparation to complete their novels. They do research, for it is an important tool in completeing a novel. A fact that most writers neglect. At this time, outlines are drawn, casting is done, characters are created, scenes are acted, and chapters are drafted. Registration to join NaNoWriMo also starts in October, when participants can start updating their profiles and joining forums.

Then the frenzy begins at 12:01 am on November 1, with authors scrambling to begin writing their novels. In all of November, the goal is to write a 50,000-word novel (or 175 pages), to be finished by midnight of November 30. Once done with the 50k, one becomes a winner, and given a certificate and web icon. But more importantly, by the end of NaNoWriMo, a winner becomes a novelist.

In 2006, more than 79,000 participants joined in. Almost 13,000 made it to the Honor Roll of winners and walked away as novelists. Let’s see what this year has got to offer.

I’m joining this year’s NaNoWriMo, with hopes of getting that elusive web icon winner; and with much preparation than last year, more prayers that my dayjob will allow me more time, and less stress working on this year’s GS. (*wink*)

It’s Been A Month

The Archer’s Chronicles is 1 month old today. Hmmm… That translates to 60 pages of more than 17,000 words written in the last 31 days. Whoa.

It also means that I have successfully chronicled the last 31 days of my life.

Indeed, this is the most serious Journal I’ve had in my entire life. I always say serious because I have kept it updated on a daily basis. I treat it with respect. And foremost, I have kept it decent. Anyone can peer into my Journal and not one indecent word in there. Not even in my darkest moments of anger and despair.

I love my Journal for two reasons, and two reasons only. First, because it contributes to my life’s balance and orderliness; and second, because I just love to write, and my Journal is the perfect writing companion for me.

My Journal helps me in so many ways, too. It helps me track important events not only in my life, but also in my family’s. My Journal keeps me company when I am so sad and alone at night; rejoices with me when I am happy; even claps for me when I receive good words for an accomplishment. As a writer, I love writing events and other stuff as they happen, because I believe doing so helps me to effectively capture the moment. And so leaving the house without it makes me feel incomplete especially if I need to be away for long periods of time.

I love to decorate my Journal with stickers, drawings, and other stuff. I attach photos related to any topic I write about, and other mementos that can be attached to its pages: ticket passes, receipts, tags, stamps, etc. The list can just go on.

Though the pages are cramped with my longhand together with some of the stuff mentioned above, I keep it neat. I mean, I try to keep erasures, smudges, and dirty smears at the minimum. I guess that’s what I truly meant when I said I treat it with respect. After all, buried in those pages are moments of my life written in longhand.

I am also very keen and choosy with the kind of pens and the type of inks I use when I write on its white, clean pages. I love a pen that’s consistent and comfortable to use. For my Journal, I use the best pens with the best inks. After all, this Journal contains very important things about me. Oh, I’m writing about me. I’m writing about my life.

Regalos de Perú

UPDATE: The design on the back cover (and also printed on all the inside pages) that looks like a totem (to me, at least) is a tumi. According to Wikipedia, a tumi is “a sacrificial ceremonial knife distinctly characterised by a semi-circular blade, made of either bronze, copper, gold-alloy, or silver alloy used by Inca and pre-Inca cultures in the Peruvian Coastal Region.” For more details, read the article here.

My boss went to Lima, Peru last week for a speaking engagement. She came home last Monday and kindly gave me pasalubong stuff to add to my growing treasure chest: a notebook and a shotglass. Wee!!! The notebook is such a beauty, I was really speechless when I saw it. And the shotglass is so unique. But I’ll do another post about that.

The front and back covers are made of thick leather, both embossed and painted. Unlike other leather items from other places, this one is not smelly. It even has a tangy smell to it, something that tells you it’s new, it’s clean, and it’s real leather.

On the front cover is a group of men singing and facing a mountain while a hawk hovers above them. Embossed is the word ‘Cusco’. Internet research showed Cusco is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. This means that the mountain embossed on my notebook is the Andes mountain range. Below that artwork is the word ‘PERU’, also embossed and painted in red and white.

On the back cover are three different artworks: a woman carrying a child with a llama beside them; a totem, and an abstract slanted border.

Printed like a watermark on the inside pages is an image similar to the totem embossed on the back cover.

The notebook’s front cover.

The back cover.

Inside pages.

Details of the front cover.

Details of the back cover.

Vintage Shotglasses?

Whoa. These two shotglasses were presented to me as gifts by someone I do not know. The shotties came wrapped in layers of old newspapers with a note: “I just cleaned out my cupboards and saw these. Thought they may be good to add into your collection.”

Well, they may be vintage shotglasses, considering the design. But I’m no expert here. I will have to consult other glass experts later. After careful inspection, I saw water stains inside the glasses, and they have to be removed. Very minor flecks of water stains, though. Nothing that a vinegar and water solution will not remove. Now, whoever that kind person is, here’s a big THANK YOU!!! And hopefully I can say my thanks in person someday.

More Notebooks, More Pens…

In my trips to Manila, I always visit a National Bookstore branch. To me, a trip is incomplete without visiting any NBS shop. Or any bookstore for that matter. It’s the time I browse for books, buy a notebook or two, and splurge on pens. And so last Thursday, after my “collecting” trip to the Summit Media offices at Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas, it’s NBS time!

First stop: Notebooks!!! …and papers. I so wanted to buy a Mead notebook. They are so many to choose from, but I refrained from buying due to its uh, high price. Yeah, nanguripot ako bigla. I’d rather skip on the Mead and save up for another Moleskine. But lo and behold. At the end of the tall racks of notebooks are stacks of black NBS Best Buy notebooks. Great! Got myself one for a good 79 pesos. (Grin.) See, it even has an elastic band similar to the ones found on Moleskines.

NBS notebook, Pilot G2s, and Uniball Signo.

Next stop: pens, pens, pens galore! Hmmm… I could see gleaming Pilot G2s, Uniball Signos, MonAmis, and Rotrings in their glass shelves. This time, I am willing to spend. Hahaha! And so after a rush pen-shopping that left an irritated store clerk, I now have my own 0.7 Pilot G2 trio of black, blue and red; and a 0.5 Uniball Signo. I was drooling on other gel pens, but for practical reasons, I’m happy with my G2s and the Signo.

0.5 Uniball Signo and the 0.7 G2 trio.

My NBS foray was a bit rushed and I felt wanting more. I had to rush out to do other “city errands” to save on time and bus fare. Also, I can’t always be in Manila during weekdays, or my office backlog will pile up. So it was sort of bitin. The good, old Daddy up there might have heard by big *sigh* for another notebook because yesterday, while I’m on my way back to the office at lunch, I saw notebooks at a store near UP Gate selling at bargain prices. I picked a Merit college notebook still wrapped in plastic. Got it for 99 pesos. (It’s originally priced at 199.) Woohoohoo!!! The thick board cover has very minor creases, but the inside pages are still in immaculate, pristine condition. Hah.

My 50th + 1

Shotglass No. 50

Shotglass number 50 is the shotglass that almost didn’t make it to my collection. Its seller didn’t reply to my email even after the bidding was finished, and I had to wait for several days to pay for it. Luckily though, they shipped it on time. But shotglass number 50’s odyssey did not end there. The courier service delivered it to the wrong addressee who surprisingly received the package even though it is clearly not his. (The package is under my name, for Pete’s sake.) To end the story, I finally got the shotglass and here it is. It’s the 50th into my growing collection. Warmest welcome.

Shotglass No. 51

If shotglass number 50 is my most anticipated shotglass yet, then number 51 is the one that surprised me the most. It’s a gift from my good friend Popen, an avid shotglass collector who introduced me to this interesting hobby. I got it the same day I got number 50, and it was the first time I got two new shotglasses from different people in a day’s time! Whew!

Number 51 is my first shooter shotglass, also the first from Hardrock Café, and only the second to come all the way from Singapore. A new shottie to welcome. Hmmm… a new shottie to show off.

Moleskine, Dear Moleskine…

It felt like Christmas morning yesterday afternoon when the Aboitiz guy knocked on my office door. He’s like Santa to me as he has something I had been praying so hard to have: my own Moleskine notebook. And yes, oh yes, I am now a certified Moleskine owner.

I remember a song that my aunts and uncles sang to me when I was a kid. It’s an American folk song, but to me it is an unforgettable lullaby. Suprisingly, when my Moleskine arrived yesterday, I was humming the song in my head, unconsciously at first. Now I have my own Moleskine song.

Moleskine, Moleskine,

Oh my darling Moleskine.

You’re now here to stay forever,

Never leave, my Moleskine…

The sealed Aboitiz 2GO Quickpack…

… my Moleskine large ruled notebook still wrapped in plastic…

… and finally, my Moleskine is unwrapped! See the stickers and brochure?

My Journal, My Non-Living Best Friend

I’ve always tried to keep an updated Journal since I was a small kid. Sometimes I’ll fill a notebook, but mostly, the pages are left empty after the first few get doodles of ink. Lately, after I moved back to the pen and paper scheme, I entertained the idea of keeping a journal/diary. And I took it seriously. Today, 19 days after I started writing, The Archer’s Chronicles is 20 pages rich of scribbles, doodles, drawings, and stickers. For the last 19 days, it has become my non-living best friend.

My Journal is a blue 6.25 x 8.25 ruled spiral college notebook that used to be a concept notebook for my projects. The front and back covers are thick plastic, which protect the inside pages from scratches and dents while the notebook is inside my bag. The inside pages are made of inexpensive thin paper with the text “Wise Buy by Expressions” on the upper right portion of each page.

I use a variety of pens to write on my Journal, but mostly I use my 0.4 Pilot G-TECs. I also use other gel pens like the MonAmi Gel Pets and a blue 0.7 Pilot Super Gel Pen I like a lot. Some days call for that “special touch”, and so I write with my Parker Vector fountain pen using black Parker Quink ink.

I usually write around midnight, when I’m done with housekeeping and television soap-opera and my neighborhood gets some semblance of calm and quiet. I like to write in silence. I always have. Silence brings me so much: words, emotions, remembrances–even sound. Lately, a new habit has formed, though, and I am suprised. I am beginning to like to write while the radio is tuned in to RJ100. It’s such an excellent motivation to write.

Writing has become ceremonial for me. Almost ritualistic. I like to write after my night bath, with a mug of steaming hot tea next to me–sometimes Lyons Earl Grey, sometimes Tazo Green Tea. It depends. I like it steaming hot because I love the aroma of tea filling my writing corner of the room. My journal entries always begin with the day’s date and time. I also include the background music. As I write, I slowly sip my tea.

After an entry, the tea is finished, and it’s time for bed. Finally, I can sleep.