Monday, September 03, 2007

Last on the Palancas (Pramis)

"Thank you very much to my parents, my sisters, my dear husband, and of course (with matching eyes up and index finger pointing heavenward) sa nasa itaas..."

So goes my imaginary speech at the 2007 Palanca Awards ceremonies held at The Manila Peninsula last 1 September. After a few days really really thinking about it, I decided not to fly over. Because it's too far, because it's too expensive, because I have to finish my stories for the Montpellier writer's group, because I want to go to Belgium, because I have to start autumn gardening, because I just opened my online shop and will have to help my mother-in-law set up hers, because because because... So my parents went for me. And because mom and dad are deep into their business and are the hardest people to get on the phone these days, I had to rely on Dean's blog for the chismis.

In his entry, I again stumbled on Ian Casocot. I don't really know Ian, but from his blog and the few e-mails we've exchanged, I already like him. He seems feisty and funny, plus he looks cute in his photos (yep, shallow, is my middle name). You've also got to give the guy a thumbs-up for his efforts getting Filipino-authored works out there. He runs the online literary magazine Literatura, and issue no. 13 will be devoted to this year's Palanca winners. Click here to read the back issues and wait for the new one. (P.S. Be prepared to read my full name--why, oh why, did my parents have to name me like a character from a telenovela?!)

This just in! My mom's comments about the country's most awaited annual writers' event:
1. "Ang daming pagkain, Apol. At masarap naman."
2. "Nakita ko si Korina Sanchez, kasi nandun si Mar Roxas, eh di ba mag-boyfriend sila?"
3. "Hindi naman boring."
4. "Hindi na ako bumili ng bagong damit, sinuot ko na lang yung suot ko nung wedding mo. Feeling ko ang ganda ko."
3. "Siyempre binasa ko naman yung essay mo para kung may magtanong sa akin makukuwentuhan ko. May mga nagtanong nga. Sabi ko nagsulat-sulat ka tungkol diyan sa buhay mo sa France. Sabi ko din, siyempre talented ka, eh anak kaya kita!"

Now you get an idea where I get my slight sayad from. I love my mom :).

13 comments:

JEROME GOMEZ said...

sayang baka sana nanalo ka ng P100,000. At least may pamasahe ka na pabalik. guess who won. nakakalowka!

taraftsering said...

na-imagine ko na ang iyong fabulous mother looking blase and going over the buffet! i miss her! kain tayo sa bahay mo in january! i want steak!

Apol said...

Hey, 100-quiao-richer, EDITRIX! Libre mo ako sa Jollibee :)

Hey, TARS, of course! All the sisters and their husbands will cook for you.

The Disparate Housewife said...

I love your mom too hahaha! Important elements that make up conversations with my own mother, much like yours: food, celebrity sightings, entertainment, fashion, and reverse offspring projection!

Chinachix said...

apol, your mom sounds charming haha...and winner talaga si jerome! (and im not talking about the Palanca ha)

ps - is etsy your online biz?

Apol said...

IANNE, kaya pala I am so drawn to your mom too!

CHINACHIX, yep, it is. I sell there all the crafty stuff I do when my brain needs to rest :)

mcsister said...

Your mom's so cute. Galing mo talaga Apol!

Ian Rosales Casocot said...

it was the craziest palanca EVER. jerome won 100K and i won 50K. you should have been there :)

decorator said...

panalo ang nanay mo!!!

kaya ka pinangalanan ng rosa... hihihi!!!

Anonymous said...

congrats. the world's becoming a small place, i can just say congrats to the person behind the essay. galing talaga ng technology.

Apol said...

Hey, MAYS, she's the antithesis of your mom, I think :)

IAN, next time... (positive thinking ang tawag dito!)

GWYN, so are you coming? E-mail me.

Thanks, BADOODLES!

Anonymous said...

Apol!!! (Or should I say, Rosalinda!!!) I've just read your Palanca Award-winning essay and it's stunning! I recognized a few snippets from your blog, but all the anecdotes and musings were put together so well that the whole was much greater than the sum of its parts. I was utterly captivated by it. Even though I've been reading your blog for a long time and know that you've happily adjusted to your life there, still I felt terrible for you when I read that you cried during the mistral, was furious about your encountering racism (not to mention, bitchiness), and then proud and happy that your cooking and jewelry have helped restore your equilibrium. Befitting your name, your life really is telenovela material! ;-)

Now that I've actually read the winning piece, I think you deserve my full exclamation points quota for the day! Congratulations again, Apol!!!!!!!!!! :-D

Apol said...

Hey, KATRINA, you're one of the sharper people I know, so all this love means a lot! Thanks.