Bubbles

I have been on a reading and writing break for a good part of 5 days now. This will be shake up for the handful of people who are sheepishly waiting for posts in this blog. So, here it goes.

Since I put myself in a reading break, I figured that I have been having less thoughts inside my head. No idea to think about, no concept to wrap my dying neurons with, no contradictions to be untangled and no sudden realizations about aforementioned things. Good things happened during the weekend though. A lot of good things.

1. Off the bat, I got to visit my quickly growing son. He now stands 3 feet just with his little cute Crocs on. He weighs about 15 kilograms already, a hefty kid at that. He does not look pudgy like other kids his age since I think he got his height from his deadbeat dada. He now has this short tail of hair at the back of his head that I have put in my non-negotiable checklist of things to flinch at. Though I have accepted the fact that it looks cute on handsome kids. 

Sorry, its my son we're talking about here so I'm going to do a little promotion. My kid is one tough soldier but he chirps at the sound of "bubbles" and he runs frantically to catch the bigger one with his face or perfect little hands with long okra fingers. He is just pure delight to look at and during the time we spent playing, sleeping, snacking; we kinda got into a sync including body odors and breath smells. I didn't think that I could be so happy with a person this rowdy, slimy and rough. I didn't even know that happiness is a pint-size, 15kg sack of pure energy and thoughtfulness. He gives me his leftover, half eaten cereals so he could share with me.

2. I got two books during the weekend. One was a gift, another tale from Vonnegut and about Trout's amazing mind and cool framing instrument. It's a 1997 novel, Timequake. I've read a few pages but I haven't really digested anything it said, I just know that Kilgore Trout was still alive in that book and that maybe he's about to go on and follow Cyclone Bill, his pet parakeet. I'm itching to read him on paper. The other book is a little gem from BookSale (thank you very much BookSale) which costs about 15 pesos. A good enough deal for me. It is titled The Chosen, and by the looks of the jacket, it's about Jewish people. I'll see for myself why it was a finalist for the National Book Awards.

3. Still talking about books, I got to walk by Mt. Cloud Bookstore again. I just walked by, it was right in front of me in some time. It was tempting but I had to go home, alcohol was jealous. I didn't know it was famous until my friend, the author of An Ongoing Novel asked me about a little bookstore that carries good titles for very reasonable prices. He said that the guys at that bookstore would visit book events and other literature-related activities to encourage others to drop by at their place whenever they got to visit Baguio. So the mystery deepens, I've never been to that place even when it opened a few years back when I was still in college. Dumb boy. 

Another thing is the discovery of a bookstore that offers ukay prices for good finds. Though they may not match that of BookSale's (of course I still love you BookSale,) they have really good books. Some notable books are Sybil, a book about the true story of a girl who developed 16 personalities. I wanted to buy that one but I had to go back to Bulacan that afternoon and besides, I only had 200 pesos for fare money. I would have bought it for a friend who made me download a 3-hour film adaptation of the film. I won't watch it until I've read the book (if I am ever lucky to find it again.) Another is a follow-up to Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner novel, it was a book title A Thousand Splendid Suns. Again, I was going to buy it for a good friend, a book gobbler and a prolific poet. 

Another book was a collection of short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, it had a certain dark look to it; much like Poe's works. Also, I laid my eyes on a Papa Hemingway book, again, wanted to buy it for a friend. It was a good experience: sweaty and cramped and disappointing. I couldn't find a copy of Songbirds of Pain though. If you happen to find one, I'd be more than happy to pay for it plus commission. There was no more Vonnegut, Thompson, McCarthy. I'd be damned to let my friends loose in that little ukay bookstore.

4. Got a new watch. Thank you very much, dear sponsor. Yay! Tank style ala Boardwalk Empire gangster (in reference to Jimmy Darmody.)

5. Got a new Frat patch. Thank you residents, it was well worth the price.

6. I got to do good by buying some stuff for other people. Seeing their face light up with little somethings is a sight for sore eyes deprived of moisture and sleep and strained by harsh light and smoke.

A good weekend indeed.It was eventful. I hope I can get my act up back on reading. I'm still looking for books to read and I think I'll begin giving gifts to people now. I think its high time to give after years of receiving.