Sonata, Chivas, and Love Talk

The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Dearest Leo,

Come and have a shot of Chivas (sorry, I don't have any Russian rum right here) with me, and let's do the Love talk. Let me gather my thoughts before I use them in this review. What I can say in the meantime is this:

Leo, you really are frustrated.

Yes, I do understand your sentiment, which is why in this novella of yours, the first time it was released; it was censored by the Russian Authorities. You dare to open their eyes wide open through the sharing of Pozdnyshev’s life story with Proshchayte (which the former says it as prostite). And this era of mine, I was able to understand what you want to say to them. Maybe because in your time debauchery was very rampant; and the society is slowly going sinful out of these immoralities brought about by the supposed changing times.

I wish to cite some of the quotes/statements and give my opinions about them:

“True Love… if true love exists between a man and a woman, then marriage too, is possible.”

–yes, it may not be apparent in your place before, but this is true in our place. People wed out of true love, not out of carnal love. If they see each other as their partner in life, then marriage will come as beautiful as it can be. There are cases when one is being betrothed to another, but if they learn to love each other truly, then marriage will be sweet. Marriage is a big thing both to a man and woman, since they have to work together through it. And yes, I do agree that “there can be love that’s founded on shared ideal – on spiritual affinity”. It is through faith that marriages work.

Pozdnyshev says that he felt terribly sad because of his first time to enter the world of debauchery

– it would feel like your innocence is stolen by a wisdom thief, and will never ever be restored. You have that impression on everything and anything like it. For example, if one is a rape victim, the victim will forever be doubted on a man, if he has clear intentions with her or not. No matter how hard you try, you simply cannot remove the stigma.

“It’s really quite remarkable how complete the illusion is that beauty is the same as goodness. A pretty woman may say the most stupid things, yet you listen, and you don’t notice the stupidities, it all sounds so intelligent.”

– can I make a rebuttal on this? Women, not only in your time, but in ours do not do these always out of whimsical wishes; we do this because she feels that she has no right. Right, in a sense that she feels that she is under a man’s authority or she is the object of man’s sexuality, thus she is looking for a weakness, most of time identified as men’s sexual desires. I remember reading this in another book – “Look as if you are hanging on to his every word, even if it is just a lot of blah; and you will have him following you like a puppy”.

“Imagine if God created human beings in order to achieve a certain goal and had created them either mortal, but without the sex instinct, or immoral.”

– At times, I do reflect on these. If people are immortal, then what is the use for us experiencing carpe diem or even taking risks, or having opportunities that come once in a lifetime..? Immortality means dullness, there will come a time that development is not a school of thought no more, since stagnancy is the best way to outlive. If on the other hand, sexual instinct is absent – or everyone practices sexual abstinence – then where the natural order of things will be placed? I follow the meaning that we need to procreate in order to survive. And yes, I do concur that the society is slowly misleading the true meaning due to the lust that one feels, like you mentioned all those anti-pregnancy pills. It is not because of sexual protection, it is because men wanted to address their sexual desire out of wedlock. But notice this – aren’t we both being conservative?

I shall stop here, for this is spoiling the future readers already.

As you, my dearest, explained everything in your afterword; mine were simply reiterations of it. I am echoing this for the future readers to understand that the times of prostitution and immoral values are evolving. But yet again, you have mentioned, that these are deeply rooted in our society. Is it because that we are living our humanity – being sinful at best?

...Or simply because we have ideals – too high for everyone to reach for it?

My Chivas is always open,
Ella

PS: Let’s try riding the train together and understand your government. I shall read your next creation, Anna Karenina.



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A Novella To Appreciate Peace

Hunger by Elise Blackwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It was tough to express sympathy to those victims of the Siege of Leningrad without doing additional research.

I've recently learned that:
a. Leningrad is the previous name of St. Petersburg, it may not be the Capital of Russian Federation, but it is their naval base.
b. The geography of St. Petersburg is landlocked by other capitols, and their only opening is the Neva River on the Baltic Sea - where the Baltic Fleet is on defense.
c. The seige took more than 800 days, with the only aim is annihilation.

With these snippet of facts, before reading the book, the siege would give you curiosity, and yes, additional information to appreciate. While reading along, the book gives soul, since the story of the siege is told in a first-perspective view of the botanist. After closing the book, I was a bit disappointed that tears did not come to me, but I heaved a deep sigh and appreciated that I was not part of that world. I was born after the revolution here in Manila - a nonviolent one - and that is why I am grateful that I live in a peaceful place.


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Weekly Diary Snippets

Hi reader,

As much as possible, I would jot down all those significant events in this blog, including the field trips, the book reviews, and all other discussions - together with its mundane-ness - of them. 

Last Saturday we have had the book discussion of Gilead, together with the celebration of the book club's third year anniversary. Part of the activities was to share our diary entries - events, no matter if highly significant or not - on weekly basis. So for the whole month of April, we are to jot down and share these with our book club buddies. 

(I forgot to read the instructions for this activity; it was supposed to be short, and it would fit 1/2 of the letter-sized bond paper. But my entries are too long - almost fit that whole letter size. So I decided to create a blog entry on this.)

Here we go:

Week 1, 04.03.2013 Tue

After shift, I walked straight to the sleeping quarters, tiresome head brought about by stress of the heavy workload that day. Carrying my stress to sleep about law school and commute to and fro office-school-home, tuition and book and other finances, and dedicated time and discipline to read – I asked myself if I can face law school while juggling with workloads. I cannot resign because I have the advantage of conducive workplace (with free WI-FI; quiet room; study room; and sleeping quarters), and being a part-time student will take years just to complete the degree. Sleeping it off, I dreamed. There was a voice telling me, “Relax. I shall provide you with whatever you need.” After hearing that, I woke up, and heave a heavy sigh and prayed to God that I am grateful of your message. It may not be the dream car (to ease my transport) or a higher pay, or a lighter workload, but at least he told me that He will provide.

The man who unluckily chose my paper for it to read with everyone immediately knew that those are my words due to the context clue SLEEPING QUARTERS. Everyone in the book club knows (via my random tweets) that I even conduct a self-proclaimed pajama party because of its cozy environment with nobody to share it with. Heee. 

Week 2, Thursday, 04.11.2013

If there is an issue that I haven't accepted or outgrown yet, it is the confidence that no one will appreciate me because I am not that physically attractive. There is an officemate who recommended me to a textmate. Gullible enough, I fell to his trap, believing that this random texter will be a new friend. I always hoped for those moments when you just want to tell stories or rant your stress out and he's there to console you. An effective scheme, this officemate bragged his successful plan and me being gullible and too hopeful, I felt victimized by a bad joke. I ran to the quiet room, sighing at everything and read Gilead. 

Then the quote from page 52 hit me.

"The little incandescence you see in people when a charm of a thing strikes them."  

I can’t help but cried. And I remember mum. She always says that there is beauty in every person, even to me. Yes, I may not be that attractive, she says, but there is a "light in your eyes" that make people come to you. That light, that iridescence, the charm that will never be stolen. 

Dear officemate, thanks for this bad juju, I finally have a textmate. We have a common friend that made ways for us to get to know each other. Good friends, we are, sharing snippets of whatever is happening in our residences, our frustrations - and I really hope that we keep in touch for a long term. I wish to tell him my lawschool escapades and to hear his gaming tactics soon. :)

Week 3, Wednesday, 04.17.2013

During work downtime, I went to the quiet room to read some more excerpts of Gilead. I read this excerpt:

“It is one of the best traits of good people that they love where they pity. And this is truer of women than of men.” 

And I remember the talk that I used to have with the man who got away. I told him that I love him, but it is not the love that I first felt. And maybe that is one of the reasons why we broke up - maybe he couldn't accept this confession. I am sharing this not because of the bitterness I maybe felt from the short-lived relationship, but because it is for us to enlighten that love just "grew". You learn to understand the person, then you appreciate the person... and as you go along spending your good times together, the feeling just emanated. I believed that the shared experiences that we have had lead me to learn how to love him, regardless of who he is or where he comes from.

I used to have live-tweets of the remembering! Haha, I hope that guy will not be bothered by this bit. A friend of mine told me that one of my therapies of moving on is through letting it all out. So there. Maybe that's why some of my friends know this anecdote before meeting him in person. We haven't met for a long while, and hopefully, we can be good friends (or at least civil in a way), since we both have surpassed the period of bitterness.

Week 4, Thursday, 04.25.2013

How do you define happiness in workplace? And if you haven’t attained it in full, are you ready to compromise? Or are you to walk away?  

Last night, I’ve seen friends in the government who are in different offices – sharing stories on how they were happy in the office they belong to. Friends work in different policy institutes, some even in Govt. Financial Institutions. They say that they contributions to the policy papers matter, and they felt fulfilled when they contributions are being considered.  

I remembered my days in DOF where my drafts in positions paper got refurnished and submitted to multilateral agencies, even to the legislative department. I felt that I mattered, no matter how little I am. And this feeling was never present in the current workplace. Yes, I handled institutional funds, but I performed as an off-shored unit from US – contributing my expertise to an American Investment Bank.  

Maybe, this is the compromise that I have to face and will continue to face as I currently work in the private firm. But instead of sinking in frustration, I chose to look at the positive side – the free sleeping quarters, the okay pay, and the cool work-shift.

People noticed that all of these diary entries are about the workplace! It doesn't mean that I lack social life, it just so happens that I created those entries in my workstation! Drafting them and remembering, then edit these entries at home. Every chance of downtime, I typed them in. And since the guy who unluckily picked my paper did not go through all of these too-long-to-read-entries, I am sharing this with everyone who's willing to read them. 

It may not be inspired to create a daily journal of my life (since reading along is time-consuming already), but by creating a blog entry of this may inspire the others. Even you may start your own weekly snippets, until you get used to writing diary entries.

-Ella, matronic reader

PS: congratulations to Mami Louize for moderating the Gilead's F2F discussion and I really appreciated all those questions and digressions (that are composed of more than 500-word limit, HAHA). And of course, in repitition - YAY TFG 3rd year Anniversary~ Thanks Anna for the souvenir postcard - 

PPS: Lesson learned: "Thou shall not judge Ella, even with all her moments."

Book Trip 2013: Día del Libro

Last year, I realized that book-shopping in groups is more fun. And so I did it again! This time around, I've got the logistical advantage since it is nearer my residence. YES, this year, it was held in Bonifacio Global City. Tambling mula bahay, tambling mula office - yahoo! 

Dia Del Libro 2013, held last 20 April 2013 at the Bonifacio High Street

Lookie! Spanish books floating around the walkway. Nice exhibit! 

Día del Libro is the Spanish translation of Book day, where all books are sold at a discount. In exchange of every book purchase, you will receive a rose - a sign of gratitude for patronizing the event. The program is being held annually, sponsored by the Instituto Cervantes - Manila, a non-profit organization created by the Spanish Government in 1991. Spanish culture will forever embedded in our being as a Filipino, together with the interest in literature.

I may not understand Spanish language in books - it doesn't matter, since the major bookstores are also joining the event. Not only that - F. Sionil Jose's Solidaridad Bookstore is one of the stores participated! Oh, how I remember my first time. 

To add some of the fun fun fun - my books are signed by the author himself! And the box giveaway for the Rosales Saga "completist" have been signed too! I also have my 30 seconds of fangirling with the author. 

"My name is Ella. Betos is the family name. I think it is Spanish-sounding, don't you think?"

"Sir, please sign the box, too - I'm about to give it as a gift to a die-hard fan of yours!"

Having this conversation with him is priceless. He is so smart, and at 89, you see all his works being appreciated not only by the kababayans and kapwa Pinoys, but the foreigners, as well. Ermita is one challenging read, but it is also a bestseller - the name itself gives appeal and rings noodle of the readers.

He laughs as I give him my ultimate fan-girling punchline

My 30-second fangirling session:
Ella: Sir, forgive me for being so forward and frank, but I love your prose - especially those quotable quotes about SEX! (flashing a huge grin)
F. Sionil Jose: Hahaha, pambihira! Hahaha

Ella: Siguro lover-boy ka noong bata, ano po?

F. Sionil Jose: Don't you see? Even now, I am that lover-boy still. Hahaha!!!

"Sir, picture-picture."

After the book-signing-slash-fangirling session, we walked along and we took lots of pictures. We bookish friends simply felt infinite that night. Hanging out, girl-and-boy-talking and book-browsing, and being silly and having all the joys, without the pressure whatsoever. For me, it is in this peer that I felt the beauty of the true book club. Everyone respects your choice, and you seem to be glued together if you have shared interest in reading (not only on the same genre, but reading as an ideal activity) - and you have shared experiences in reading the same book - in this case, we are all dedicated to read (and some already read and willing to re-read) Ermita and Rosales Saga. We, having the same advocacy of enriching Philippine Lit, have full of feels. We even dedicate our group masthead to the National Artist, as our drive to render effort to read all his works this year.

Jungle of Books: Mind Your Head!

People walking and people minding their heads.

 Ara, Clai, Ella, and Phoebe, enjoying the jungle of books and having their solo moments.

 Groupies: We do not just love the books, we also love picture taking. HAHA

Too much feels: Everyone simply felt infinite

Phoebe and her open-minded boyfriend. :P

And Ella, having her moments of trolling around the Spanish Reads! 

Oooh, love love this portrait~ (And Ayban missed the photobombing haha)

What is this abstract picture, I cannot even!

Hmmm, what is this though?

We are the bookish people that bond together and stays together. :) 

Photos are owned by Phoebe Andamo. Read her tweets about political rants, manga fangirling, and buhay-buhay bitterness here.

Book Trip 2012: Philippine Lit Raid

Walking down memory lane... 

I was first introduced to an online library and social network Goodreads a year ago, months after my training outside of the country. My friend invited me to their gathering / palengke meet-up after their first valentine outreach program. And so my love for reading and bookish trips has grown from there. 

Little did I know that this Group, named as The Filipino Group conducts book raids. This is the first time I attended a bookish-field-trip of the group and it was all about Philippine Lit Book Raid. Ayban, a hardcore fan of F. Sionil Jose, took the lead and suggested to go to Solidaridad publishing. And for all his books to be signed.

And so it was, I joined the bookish raid last March 17th 2012. And yeah, it is my first time to visit Solidaridad.

Field-trip attendees (from left to right): Ella, Doni, Ayban, Cary, Sheryl, Kwesi, Rollie

 A photo-session taken, before we go along with book raiding. And trolling. And being torn to buying best books. Actually, books are an expensive investment. 

Counter: Solidaridad bookstore, being a vintage publishing house, houses cash-only cash registers. Too bad we cannot use our credit cards to defer our payment. That made my book hunting a little bit harder, and smarter.

Good thing that Ayban was with us. He recommends good Filipiniana reads. Not only just because it was a best-seller, but also he says some books are full of soul.

Let the book hunting begin - Kwesi looking for additional reads aside from F. Sionil Jose's Rosales Saga.

Overwhelmed: There are lots of books here that I haven't seen in bookshops inside the malls. Novels and short story anthologies coming from other regions of the country.

Torn between two poems: Jim Pascual's or Merlie Alunan's? Since the latter is cheaper, I bought the second one. Poems are hard to define since they are subject to different interpretations. And as a tear-jerker towards books, poems are one of the reading challenges. I even made a poetic review about it.

This is a perfect example of trolling. Photo title: "I'm sorry."

Another trolling! This time it is Rollie's turn. Can't you see the difference? :P

Solidaridad bookshop is not only full of Philippine literature, but also of magazines from abroad. There are tons of NEW YORKER ISSUES from way way back five years. :D

It was a fun-filled field trip! And my love for Philippine literature increased. Level 1 to Level 2, I guess. From that moment on, I decided to read more works from the home country, and try to appreciate the writings, and hopefully, be able to shed tears from all those drama scenes.

KD's diary entry composed of Kudos to Ayban and to all participants who made habol with the bookish raid, for we also visited other bookstores in SM Mall of Asia. And we have had dinner together, and talked about book and simply being perky about it. The cute thing  is, we have had tulaan sa sasakyan because KD brought a soundtrack of poems from Alvin Yapan's Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa. :)

[photos are courtesy of Kwesi Junsan; see his bookshelf and bookish rants and reviews here.] 

Live-tweeting, Fan-girling, Intense-Reading: Gilead

Gilead. There something biblical about the setting, even Genesis defined it as a mound of witness. And it is - a witness to the supposed-changing times, to the dilemmas, to the weights carried by its people, and to the divide of two generations.

Told in journalistic episodes in autobiographical form, the novel contained the quietness and subtlety ala-Remains of the Day. This is about Reverend Ames and his memories he was about to bequeath to his very young son. Mami Louize told us that these are Memories of Hope, these letters and life lessons he will give to his kid... as he counts his remaining days. 

While I was reading Robinson's Gilead, I have my blackberry with me, and whenever I want to reflect on the quotable-quotes or to think aloud, I tweet it. Not really just to rant it out or to seek attention, but maybe to share the sentiments that I feel as I read along. I have a feeling that my live-tweeting sessions has the same vibe as the movie Stranger Than Fiction. Read the tweets bottom to up, I saved up all these tweets to share. :)

Remembering quotes from Gilead awakened some of my precious memories. Forgive me for tweeting two languages in a sentence. I cannot seem to find the first tweet since, I believe, they have been buried from all other tweeting brigades.

The tweet series started with a quote. This is how I spent my weekend, with every-day-iloveyou-habit of reading. And I decided to continue on from page 50. When Ames told his son about the peculiarity of his kid, he said the human-face-quote. It somehow awakened my precious memories with him. (Topmost tweet – for the sake of the English-speaking communities – “I remember him suddenly. Those eyes that wonder, those timid smiles, those irate brows. Yes, irate, because he’s always irritated whenever we quarrel. :P”)

When Ames talked about his longing, and during the years of loneliness and waiting, I quoted his sentiments about grief and loneliness. That one does not think of them as stand-alone qualities, they went hand-in-hand with peace and comfort. And I thought maybe if everyone can think of the same, they will feel at ease. And while I was reflecting I shared the sentiments with those who have the “tendencies”. I want to tell them that feeling grief and loneliness are perfectly normal. To feel alone is normal. But one should remember that there are positive things in life. (the parenthetical tweet shared my current emotional state: “Okay, I am about to cryyy!!!”)

As an active participant in the book discussion in our book club, I even placed some pages to remember. 

Irate moments are plain irate moments: Maybe like the others, they feel the same way. I am not a devout Catholic, and I am not an American. So these irate moments in tweets are some notes to remember, too, for I need to research on some bits. Or maybe because I felt that these bits of information required a bit of research. The most bottom tweet mentioned my impatience to the part of Ames telling about the clash of father and his grandfather, and having the divide between a pacifist and an abolitionist, even inviting some men to join the Civil War –

Bottom tweet: “This is the part when I feel dizzy in Gilead. Too many blah-blahs appearing. He’s not talking to me anymore, he’s storytelling."

Middle tweet: “Lots of confessions from John Ames. Is that even legit to do before dying?”

Top tweet: “Why is John Ames angry with his namesake…? Yes, he’s a prodigal son, but where else does he get that prejudice? #Gilead”

Funny, these irate tweets are spur-of-the-moment-thinking-aloud episodes and followers and friends replied to me; something like – Can you please be patient? Or I won’t read Gilead, I’ll just read your tweet along. HAHA

If you thought that Gilead is a serious read, it is. But it is not that melancholic, it contained a bit of humor too. Or maybe it is just me. When Ames said the quote (bottom tweet, with citation), he was reflecting on the sermon he was giving and Jack Broughton was in the church, grinning. I felt like Jack, grinning at some of the pastors. Who can’t help but smile feeling the stigma of their own sermon? Maybe I also thought of the challenges men in cloth face when they share their homily, and most of their words are not really for the audience but for themselves. So when I tweeted the middle tweet (translating to English – “-if a person is irritated, you’ll say this too. Humorous!:P”) I was laughing in a coffee shop. Top tweet mentioned “You did your homily well, John Ames, telling to yourself. I get the humor all right! If I am that kid (Jack Broughton), I’d have the wide smile too. Kudos! Hihi”

Faith tried and tested: The most bottom quote is heavy. It talked of forgiving and remembering. It talked of Ames’ humanity. He had a clash with Jack Broughton. He knows that it is right to forgive a person, but how can he forgive if he remembers the sins Jack did… and for me, as the book is about to get emotional, the epistolary episodes went back to civil wars, to different sects of religion. And I just told myself (Second tweet from the top): “Where is the matronic essence? Gilead is starting to have drama. Too much drama, I believe.” As I am about to doubt the book, the topmost tweet bombarded me with a new episode of faith.

And so here we are with the essence of loving and over-sharing. Some of the live-tweets have been deleted maybe because of respecting the discretion, it might awaken the bitterness in him that I have learned to let go. 

A moment of pause to the last tweet: The Immersion phase sold me to love Gilead. 

And as I close the book, there goes fangirling. Some Filipino phrases are reiterations of what I felt when the book ended. And being a tear-jerker of books, as usual. I cried. I cried while I tweeted. I cried while learning that this book is a new favorite.

I concluded the tweet-series with the award of five stars. And with my state of being as vulnerable as I was, I was walking while crying, and simply melancholic during my stay in my workstation. This is a definite goodread. Hail to Marilynne's work! 

Tulaan: Lalab At Babaeng Hubad

Where Bold Stars Go to Die by Gerry Alanguilan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Hindi na nga intense ang lalab
Malalaman mo pang huwad na pag-aalab
Ang nangyari sa isang lalaki
Tila hindi mo pa mawari

Kung hanap mo ay pagniniig na tunay
O sex scenes na nakakagulay
Halika, manood muna tayo ng hentai
At kung hindi ka makapaghintay
Magpunta sa pader at ikiskis hanggang mamatay

Sa totoo lang, akin rin ninais
Ang lalab na ubod ng dalisay at tamis
Ngunit ang sabi nila'y hangga't kayang tiisin
Iwaksi muna sa isip, ang pagkakatao'y darating din.

-Intense, ni matronang mambabasa




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#SummerKomikon

Pwede mag-fangirl muna?

I am not as addict as those aspiring artists and cartoonist who are very enthusiastic in attending Comic Conventions, but Pinoy Komikon is very close to my heart, even I only attended it - twice. (Yeah, ironic. I know :P) 

My first komikon ever is 2012 Summer, where Trese Komiks is in rave, and there is a cult following the stories of those Mysterious murders. Book lovers and book bloggers recommended Alexandra Trese to me and yeah, I bought the series. Malapit sa puso kasi!

Budjette and KaJo's autographs

And I went there to support Kwentillion, where my friend is a contributor to the Magazine. :)

Ella and Kwentillion Magazine

2012 Summer Komikon was with my friends from The Filipino Group, and with them who embraced me with their fanaticism, I was sold and promised to attend the next year's event.

Memories of 2012 Summer Komikon: (from left to right) Rollie, Charles, Ella, Jayson, Tina

The first time will always be remembered here. :)

AND SO IT WAS.

The same wave of fanaticism from last year became viral, even known to the new book club in Goodreads - Pinoy Reads Pinoy Books. Full of kids who are first timers, I shared them my excitement and enthusiam to be with Komikeros even for a short while, to be able to talk to them and share your love with them, and to finally gather all fanatics together and just fangirl all day long! Too bad we were not able to take pictures of the whole day activity, but at least we met and bonded together and be merry in all those happy-nings.

Pinoy readers and fanatics: Miggy, Arbin, Reev, Phoebe, Ella, Clai

The advantage of my profession being a vampire accountant is being able to arrive in the venue earlier than usual, and became one of the first 100 attendees with freebies and loot bag. :)

And with the early visit, early fan to be with the Komikero Manix Abrera. :)

Komikero Manix: The creator of KikoMachine Comic Series. He has the compilation of strips spanning nine volumes, a silent comic named 12, and News Hardcore. He's able to keep memories of his college life, of being with media, and even his short and sweet stories of everyday life. He's plain awesome

Ella and Komikero Manix

Finally, all of my old komiks have been signed. Yay! Trese Series, Underpass Komiks, SkyWorld, Where Bold Stars Go To Die, SkyWorld volumes 1 and 2, and even the indie komiks Crime Fighting Call Center Agents. (Actually, it was an insta-friend named Misa who recommended the series to me, sayang, hindi ako nakapagpapicture sa kanya). 

I enjoyed the event whole day~ But yeah, before we went to the afternoon activity we had a quick lunch outside and took some pictures.

Perstaymers sila: Diane, Clare, Ella (secondtaymer), Jane

Perstaymers: Vanessa, Cheska, Ivy, John

Perstaymers with enthusiasts: Ara, Ayban (expert), Jayson (expert), Phoebe, Clai, Arbin, Miggy

Expert: Jayson got a variety of indie-komiks, from School Run series to Urban Animal. :)

Ayban and his Araknid Komiks

Geeky Chic: She finally shook hands with the creators of Skyworld (who are totally HOT MEN!) and with the alamat group who created the Underpass Comic anthology. :)

Clare got her Kikomachine Komiks finally signed! 

Ivy joining John and his rave with Alexandra Trese series.

Collector Phoebe finally met Manix, and got all her volumes signed. Siya na! I am sure she's still feeling that cloud 9 feeling of being a fangirl.

Meeting Arbin for the first time in Komikon! Glad you appeared to us and bonded with us, even for a short while. You even carried Miggy along! 

Tres Marias named Vanessa, Cheska, and Ivy met with us too! It was fun seeing them with all those books. Their patience were also tried and tested, as they finally have all those volumes SIGNED! 

Superfan: Isa sa mga nag-aapoy na superfan ang sumugod sa Komikon para mapirmahan ang lahat ng komiks at makipag-usap nang bahagya sa Komikero. At bahagya siyang naloka. Bahagya~ :P

So there you go, at least I can embrace you with the same enthusiasm as I have when I attended these events, and for the next time around you can come and join us, and just fangirl all day.