Saan ako magla-lakwatcha ngayong 2011?

Gusto ko sa:

1. Marinduque (para sa Moriones festival)
2. Lucban, Quezon (ulit. para sa Pahiyas Festival. Dapat magaling na ako mag-picture)
3. Cagayan de Oro (dahil na-udlot na itong lakad na ito dati. para sa tubig)
4. Davao (ulit. dahil libre)
5. Negros (volunteer work. Libre. Sana matuloy.)
6. Pagudpud (summer lakwatcha with cousins)
7. Mt. Pinatubo (para magpa-picture sa crater)
8. Anawangin (para mag-camping)

Wishlist:
1. Batanes (dahil Batanes siya)
2. Indochina (backpacking. graduation gift sa sarili. kung ga-graduate)

because it's new year

Happy 2011 dear readers! Cheers!

This time of the year has come again when we need to reflect on the year that passed and list down things we'd like to accomplish this year. It is only lately that I noticed that the first decade of the 21st century has also passed by quietly, swiftly.

Highlights of my 00's decade:

1. I graduated from high school and college.
2. I made a documentary film and was part of a feature film.
3. I'm a stock holder in a corporation.
4. I traveled here and abroad.
5. I became an aunt.
6. I gained (a few) pounds.
7. I developed an allergy to shrimp, dust, and chicken wings.
8. I saw my father in person after many years.
9. My heart was broken. Twice.
10. I became an adult and realized that not every one is as nice as me.

My 2010 is a year full of goodbye's but not so much of hello's. My friends resigned from teaching; more friends and relatives went abroad for work; no more new classmates in Master's because I'm done with my coursework. I felt I lost my energy and will this year. Maybe it's because I have too much time in my hand because of my study leave.

Some of my free time and energy was spent preparing the first Calabarzon Film Festival in UPLB on Feb. Some on Lakwatcha Magazine (which is already out in the market). Some on my lakwatcha. The rest, on my thesis, if there's anything left.

Lady Luck was good to me this year. I almost won the jackpot in a lottery! I was one number shy from being a millionaire. Guess Lady Luck knew I do not know yet how to handle millions, so she only let me win  second prize.

Because I felt I was rich, I invested my money. I also started saving. I still have loans to pay though.

For next year, I want to regain my energy and accomplish more things. I want to be more productive and active. Here are some of the things I'd like to do next year:

1. Defend my thesis and get my Master's degree in Film.
2. Run in 10km marathon event.
3. Write more.
4. Save more.
5. Read more.
6. Get a tattoo.
7. Make more money and invest so I can lakwatcha more.
8. Get serious in learning how to take photos.
9. Re-learn hard work.
10. Ride in a hot air balloon.
11. Have an active lifestyle.
12. Get back to teaching and volunteer work.
13. Win the jackpot in lottery.

Photo from tacomadowntown.blogspot.com

More Run, More Fun!

with cousins
Haribon Run Nov. 21, 2010
Finished 5k in 42 min

result from runningmate.ph

NAME:	KATRINA ROSS TAN
EVENT:	5KM
BIB:	1219
PACE:	00:41:49
TIME	08:21 min/km

NAME:

KATRINA ROSS TAN

EVENT:

5KM

BIB:

1219

PACE:

00:41:49

TIME

08:21 min/km

PhilRice Fun Run, Nov. 28, 2010
Finished the race in 41 min
with former-blocmate-now-soon-to-be-rich agriculturist Poli

with friend and fellow Pahinungod volunteer,
Jose Limbay Lahi Espaldon

Result of Race from Philrice:
Rank: 72 out of 153 (woohoo!)
5km Female Open
Bib No: 686
42:34.7
(less one minute because I was at the end of the starting line.
A minute already passed before I crossed the starting line. competitive!).

Saan nagtatago si Pasko?

Ako na ata ang Christmas Grinch reincarnated. Hindi ako nae-excite sa mga Christmas Party (gastos) o kahit sa Pasko mismo. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko maramdaman ang tinatawag na 'spirit of Christmas' kung anu man ang ibig sabihin nun. Dahil kaya wala akong pambili nito para maibahagi? Siguro.

Wala akong gana mamili. Wala akong gana kumilos. Kaya di ko matapos tapos ang thesis ko. Kaya di ko matapos tapos ang mga ibang bagay. Dahil ba sa lamig ng hangin ng Disyembre? Siguro.

Sabi ko sa isang kaibigan, nakakalungkot ang lamig ng hangin. Emo daw ako. Siguro. Conducive ang kalungkutan sa lamig, kaya siguro naha-heigthen nito kahit mumunting emosyon. Kaya siguro mataas din ang rate ng suicide sa ganitong panahon, sunod sa buwan ng Pebrero kung kailan mas malamig.

May kung anung kalungkutan ang nangingibabaw sa aking isip, at lalo itong nararamdaman ng katawan dahil sa lamig ng hangin. Kahit may jacket ay tumatagos ang hangin na para bang gustong gawing yelo ang buong katawan, kasama na ang kaloob-looban.

Moi in 208th place

I placed 208th out of 328 runners in Biodiversity Run held in Mt.Makiling, Los Banos last Sept. 4. I finished the 5km (difficult) trail run in 53 minutes. The trail was difficult because it rained the night before the race. Rocks up the mountain were slippery, so I had to trek for almost 2km then run 3km. This was the first time I joined a fun run. It was indeed so fuuuunnnn. :D

We got a free baller and free Pocari Sweat at the end of the race. 

I loved the singlet and the race bib. From Left: Pam, Moi, and Cayo. 

Next fun run: Makiling Challenge, Sept. 12; 5.30am. I'm running with cousins and we registered for 5km. Good luck na lang sa akin na hindi nakapag-train. Oh, well, I'm doing it for the FUN, and slightly for the RUN. :D

Goodbye Friends

A friend observed that I have been sending off people these past few months. The good thing about it is the parties; the not-so-good part about it is knowing that it will take time before we see each other again. 

Change is the buzzword at the moment, not only the change that the newly-elected president wants to achieve but also change in one's direction in life. In April, we had a send off party for friends and colleagues who resigned from teaching in the university. They went on to have new careers--one went to law school, one decided to be a magazine mogul, another focused on graduate studies. One friend, however, stayed in the teaching profession in a private university. 

It must have been a difficult decision to make, especially that they have been used to their LB way of life for many years. It takes a lot of courage to face the unknown, the uncertainties. But it must have been exciting as well--new job, new environment, new habits, new friends. What I find fascinating is how they knew that it's time to change their life, that it's time to leave what they have been used to. Is it like love that you just know? (forgive me for the comparison)

Last May and June I attended despedida parties of high school friends who left the country to work abroad. With their leaving, the country lost yet again professionals because of lack of jobs that compensate well. In June also, I sent off En who went back to Iloilo, and a few weeks after my sister left the country for Singapore to conduct her OJT. 

It seems like everybody around me are undergoing big changes in their lives, moving on to new directions. It's sad to see close friends and family go, but, as in failed relationships, one must know how to let go of people for them to find where they would excel and grow and be happier. 

  

More on Piracy

Two papers on piracy were presented at the 6th Annual Southeast Asian Cinemas Conference held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam last July 1-4. The first one tackled piracy as cinephilia and the other one as an alternative distribution for films.

Piracy as cinephilia, or love of films, makes the ownership of classic films--be it local or foreign--possible for those who can't afford the original copies of these films. The author (a foreigner) of this paper focused on Quiapo, and she analyzed blogs, forums, and websites pertaining to buying DVDs. The comments range from giving tips on how to spot a good pirated copy, maps on where to buy good DVDs, and what to wear and what to bring when going to Quiapo.

One finding that I find interesting is that through piracy, archiving of film classics has become possible. She mentioned a plan for archiving films initiated by the Philippine government before, but it didn't push through because there was no funding. This agency was supposed to be put up in Los Baños, Laguna. 

Until now, there is no concrete government action to archive our old films. Copies of some Filipino films before are found in foreign countries, and we have to buy these from them. Some of these classic Filipino films, however, are in Quiapo. One just has to know where to look for them. In this case, an individual can archive our films better than the government.

The second paper talked about piracy as an alternative distribution circuit for films. Two Filipino attendees shared that there are independent filmmakers who considered and actually contacted "master pirates" to pirate their films and sell them in Quiapo. Another foreign attendee said that one filmmaker will have legal copies of films packaged as pirated and then sell it as a pirated copy. These stories sound ironic (and funny), but it only shows how piracy has become the norm for most cinephiles to own a copy of timeless and beautiful films.

Of course, the ethical question on piracy is still hanging over our heads, but when you see a Kurosawa set of films or Lino Brocka's classics sold at P30 or P40, who has time to philosophize on that?