SALEM's Sembreak Writing Blitz = WORTH IT

When our president decided to have a writing blitz, I wanted to go but then after realizing that I've never really a proper sembreak yet, I decided to tell him that my parents wouldn't let me go out because the time of the event (3:00pm - 8:30pm) was alanganin. I know it wasn't good to lie but I really wanted to spend my sembreak at home watching tv, studying my lessons for the 2nd sem and writing a new story. Of course, as demanding as he was, he didn't approve of it and told me that he'd quit if I wouldn't go. Because of that, I actually cried because I really wanted my sembreak to go as planned but now it can't 'cause I have the activity to attend to. Even after the tears and the rage that I felt, out of the guilt that I felt after lying to our club president and after thinking through that it would break his heart if his successor wouldn't go

I WENT TO THE EVENT.

At this point, I wasn't sure if my decision was good or not.

When I got there (at Nograles Park, Puan), the President wasn't there yet thus adding to my thoughts of telling myself that I was wasting my time there and that I was starting to feel uncomfortable because people were already staring at me and a guy was hitting on me by calling me names and trying to get my attention by singing loudly along some sad and apparently, some not-so-chart-topping-songs playing on the radio. I was sweating. I was pissed and I was growing impatient. I was mad. I had the choice of going home... which I didn't do.

After a few minutes, our president arrived and then after a little while, kuya Abet arrived. At then I thought "Yeay! I thought I was gonna be alone! Cheers to kuya Abet!" While waiting for kuya Khail and kuya Pido, we decided to go ahead and wait for them at President's home. We arrived. We saw their home. It was small but it was spacious inside and it was lovely. I personally loved it. I met his mother. She was pretty and very motherly. She cooked very well too. Anyway, as we were discussing club matters, I wasn't really feeling any bad vibes or anything. I don't know why but it was strange. I guess it was because of the peaceful ambiance that the village gave me. It was just... so... relaxing... UGH! (haha)

Anyway, after listening to the club concerns, we proceeded on to the writing blitz part. It took me 2 (or maybe 3) hours to make 3 poems. Pido finished first with a song about the people who attended the blitz and then kuya Abet made something that what President would say was "a toilet joke" (which I still don't know by now). Anyway, before hearing my works, we ate dinner. President's mom prepared patatim and shrimp for us and I forgot to mention that she also prepared garlic bread for us when we arrived their home. I should say that a lot of SALEM members have a lot of things they missed out. Too bad for them. (Oh well, at least we had more food to eat. Bwahahaha!)

After eating dinner, we discussed and critiqued my works. The first poem we talked about was entitled "The Broken Frame" which is actually inspired by my best friend whom I am having difficulty with because I haven't seen or talked to her for a long time now. I was actually frustrated by our friendship because I thought she was being unfair and inconsiderate of the things that keep me busy and that she always wants me to find a way to spend time with her despite my busy schedule but I never saw myself if I were in her place. I felt sad and selfish.. When I wrote that poem, I remember her telling me about an essay she did in her class and that it was about friendship and it involved me. I felt bad. To make me feel worse, we were at Puan. It was where she used to live before her family moved to somewhere in boulevard or whatever you call that place.

The next poem was about a lizard falling on the persona's face. I actually caught the idea when I was looking up and looking for ideas and then President mentioned something about a lizard. After he mentioned that, I laughed and then I started writing. He noticed. He praised while I was writing and in my head (Yes, praise me. I am your successor. A prodigy with well-treated hair. Hahahaha!) I enjoyed writing that poem even though the thought of a lizard actually falling on my face. It's just LAIN! Haha!

The last thing I made was supposed to be a one-act play about a high school memory that haunted me. It was a time when I was eating breakfast before a math-sci quiz bee. It was also the morning when my mom threw the phone on the floor when my dad got out of the room. It was then I confirmed he had another woman. Mom was really mad. She was crying and screaming in rage. What I did was try not to cry, brush my teeth, get my stuff and go out of the house and wait for a jeepney to go to school. It was really hard trying not to cry in jeep. I ended up breaking down at school in front of my some friends and my boyfriend (who is now an ex).

After all the critiques I received from my peoms, I went on to telling them about a story I was working on. I was something involving the whole Ateneo community. I actually had fun reading it because the guys were paying attention and they laughed at the jokes in the story. Knowing that the humor I put in the story was good, it made my night.. :)

We all decided to go home when I said "and it's already 9:15." and then kuya Abet immediately stood up. I followed his lead. As we walked to the subdivision's gates, we decided to tour the place a little bit. As we were walking around ,we talked about stuff and then we went on discussing on how to develop my story. We ended up having a lot of fun while we were brainstorming.. We were like 4 very prestigious literary people walking down the Toscana road drunk and talking about Ateneo stuff.. :))

When we got to Nograles park, we crossed the street, thank President for welcoming us in his home and said bye bye to him. When I brought my phone out, mom texted me.

"KAREN, SAAN KA NA? GABI NA MASYADO. NANDITO NA KAMI LAHAT. UWI KA NA. DI KA NA MAKA-ULIT NG GANITONG ORAS MAG-UWI HA." Yeap, those were her exact words.

As cocky as my senses at moments were, I was about to tell her "Sige lang. Sulit man din na late ako naka-uwi ma. I made 2 poems and a flash fic. Your daughter is a genius. You should be proud. And mom, I'm gonna be SALEM's next president. You can't expect me to NOT go home this late again. Don't worry. I'm a smart girl. I can handle myself."

I was laughing in my brain when I typed those words in but I erased them and then sent her a text saying:

"Okay, ma. Pauwi na ako. Papunta na ako Bangkal."

Okay, before I hopped off the jeep, I said my goodbyes to kuya Pido and kuya Abet. Oh, and I never really liked Pido until today. I thought he was strange but he wasn't pala. Hehe. (I should really stop judging people too quickly.) When I got home, I told my mom the 3rd, 4th and 5th sentence of what I should have texted her. She didn't really say anything but I know she's proud... :)

While writing this blog, I thought of all the things I would not have done or have if I didn't attend the event. I thought of the food that I would never consume. I thought of the things I would not have written. Most importantly, I thought of all the praises I would not have heard if I didn't attend. In the end, I made a good decision to go against my own plan and take a little risk of getting reprimanded.(which never happened, by the way.)

Prez Karlo Antonio Galay David, thanks for the wonderful experience. In behalf of me and my comrades, we had fun and we benefited from the activity. I wish the other members know what they missed out on.. :))