Jessica Zafra's Blog, page 28

What are your favorite poems?

I was having drinks with Von and Jon when the talk turned to poetry. “Do you like poetry?” Von asked. I like poetry, I have so much respect for it that I don’t even try to write poetry. Then we started enumerating our favorite poets, and I’ll always be a lit major because I started […]

Prince, 1958 – 2016. Forever in our hips.

Dearly beloved We are gathered here today To get through this thing called “life” Electric word, life It means forever and that’s a mighty long time But I’m here to tell you There’s something else The afterworld A world of never-ending happiness You can always see the sun, day or night So when you call […]

Going to Poland in May, looking for Filipinos to talk to

Photo from Simply Cracow I’ll be in Cracow, Warsaw and Gdansk in May to write additional essays for my travel book. Are you a Filipino living in Poland? I have questions for my never-ending world domination research. Let’s meet. Since I like to read novels set in the places I’m visiting, these are my current […]

We’re forming a band. Got any suggestions?

When we sat down to brunch someone who looked like Fernando Torres was sitting outside. We should’ve taken the photo immediately because he was replaced by not Jason Statham. Who knows what happens in my murky subconscious, but I woke up the other day thinking: I have to form a band. So I told my […]

Drogon is 6! Today he is The Oracle. Ask him all about your future.

Happy Birthday, Drogon Targaryen-Targaryen! Do you have questions about life, love, work, cats, sleep, tennis, hair, coffee, sex, hopia, music, dogs, space, ink, paper, travel, anything that matters? Ask The Oracle! Post your questions in Comments or @jessicazafrascats on Instagram. Then go and feed a stray cat, or watch A Quiet Place. By the time […]

Quarterly Reading Report: Gay England, luminous seasons, baroque and twisted Japan

I just had my annual conference with my very patient accountant Lani, who can explain the soul-deadening minutiae of taxation without throwing ledgers at me. This tells me that the first quarter of the year is over and it is time for the accounting I do enjoy: the books I have read so far this […]

Nella Sarabia’s optical shop reopens at Acacia Dorm in late April

Some good news: Our suking optical shop will reopen across the street from its former location, at Acacia Dorm on the UP Campus. (If you’ve never been there, it’s near the UP Chapel and the Infirmary.) To get ready for the happy occasion, let’s revisit some of the dozens and dozens of eyeglasses Nella has […]

A cleansing fury: Remembering Kurt Cobain

Not long ago I was in very good spirits when I met someone who proceeded to cast a black cloud over my mood. She probably meant well—it is always useful to prepare for the obstacles one might encounter—but it was not what I needed to hear. Please, I’m a raving neurotic overanalyzer, I already get […]

Writing Boot Camp report, part 2: The advantages of going away to write something

From hereon I think Writing Boot Camp should always be held out of Metro Manila. Clean air and a change of scenery is always conducive to thinking (or sleeping, which is a vital part of writing that nobody talks about. Eight to nine hours a day, people. Accept no substitutes. Hmmm, I should do Sleeping […]

Writing Boot Camp report: Disasters averted by sheer luck

I took the 11:15 bus from the Victory Liner terminal in Pasay. The ride is comfortable and safe, but the bus line doesn’t sell round-trip tickets and makes a very limited number of seats available online. Next time I will follow my friends’ recommendation and try the Genesis or Joy buses. Once you leave Metro […]