Tuesday, April 15, 2008

To vent I need to always be in abstraction

smoking Dax

Dax and his favorite pastime

Do not blame me—
for the many moons ago.
Someone gave me a lick and promise
never worked, even with smoke and mirrors.

And now, do not blame me
of going back to an old habit.
Self-reproach was quiet enough
to kill me for a day.

- rtdc/15-4-08/lookingatmyownshadow

I asked Dax to pose for me in his smoking position. He's probably one of the very few people in my group who still sticks to the habit of getting his daily dose of drags after a meal or whenever he feels the urge. Most of us have totally quit. Since Dax has the most profound profile among my friends (in my opinion), I always insist that he models for me, which he has no shame of accomodating. If I remember it right, I think he finished 3 sticks just for this photo shot. I had him pose for several angles. I was hoping to enter this in a photo contest but opted not. I could not get the proper exposure for the effect. I wanted the actual (thick) smoke coming from his mouth and that little blaze burning at the end of his stick but failed to do so.

--------

reading EJ

EJ liking everything he's reading.

I attended our book launching yesterday at Fullybooked, The Fort. I met with Wennie at the Ayala Station and we were freakin' late! So late that, Bebang, our very considerate editor, gave us "the look". She was telling us (the writers who are also her "friends") that we're supposed to be there because we don't want our new publisher to get the wrong idea about us being unsupportive, oblivious snobs but we still disappointed everyone (or so I think).

The idea of having a new publisher doesn't totally sink into me yet. Unlike our previous publisher, Fox Literary House, Inc., has been very supportive to its writers. We have "a say" in the book that we are producing. We even have our own bionote at the last page of the book which, every budding writer would probably wish to see after the final product has gone out from the printing press.

I saw a lot of familiar faces from the College of Arts and Letters. Most of them, I have shared a class or two during my previous semesters. Dylan was there too! He bought our book even though he claims that "horror" is not actually his cup of tea. Haha. That's the sweetest thing, I have heard. You rock, Dylan!

I found this review from Booktopia about the books that were launched that day and some tidbits about Fox Lit.

And oh, before I forget. I learned one great thing about myself that day: I looove signing autographs! Haha. Although I was late, I get to sign at least 5 books before we finally shoved off our asses away to the venue. This is total craziness but I usually make it a point to bring my own pen. I have the ugliest handwriting so I need a good pen as my salvation.

12 comments:

Sidney said...

Indeed, a nice profile! It would be even better without cigarette! ;-)

Why do you advertise book launches when they are over? Maybe you could have signed six books instead of five! ;-)

Anonymous said...

I love her profile picture! It's awesome!

:D

Off topic; I handed in my thesis already ate. I never felt so liberated in my life before!

escape said...

the first shot is a nice shot. looks like there's really a real emotion.

that's good but i hate smoking.

congratulations sa mga na launch na books.

Anonymous said...

@Sidney:
Why do you advertise book launches when they are over?
--> haha. precisely because i hate advertising. and i suck at it. i was just merely blogging about it. :-p but if you must, you can always stop by at any bookstore and buy a copy. boy i suck bigtime!

@Kyels:
Oh my, I am genuinely HAPPY for you! ang galing mo. I wish to be motivated. If Kyels can do it? I can do it! Happy for you. :-D

@Dong:
there's a real emotion? Dax will be happy to hear to that. :-)

Anonymous said...

A forgotten art, there is something that anchors a particular generation with regard to smoking that will not do so for those to come and as such it is a picture that tells a story of an innocent past.

I gave up for 4 years but fell off the wagon a few months ago, there is no longer the same pleasure as when I was a kid.

Do you do international autographs?!

Sidney said...

...and how will I get my own and unique dedication from you?

I guess you know that an autograph increases the value of a book.
Imagine that you become as famous as JK Rowling... and I have a book with your autograph... BINGO ! :-)

pieterbie said...

Dax is indeed a great model!
Sounds great what you wanted to do, but very difficult, I guess.

Toe said...

Wow, congratulations on your book launching! I'm so excited for you. I really want to read your books! :)

Great and very artistic silhouette Rayts!

Anonymous said...

Uy! Anong book yun? Bibili ako tas magpapa autograph din ako. hehe.

Yeah! Ang daya mo! You don't announce these things before the event.

Anonymous said...

I applaud your attempt to get the right exposure for the smoke. Smoke does not pose or cooperate for the camera. It needs to be corralled.

Anonymous said...

@redbaron:
i dig you. 4 years is such a feat! and i totally understand if one misses it. sometimes, it's not the drag that one misses though, merely, it's the idea of it and all the politics attached to it. and somehow, it will never feel the same and you remember you've quit the business a long, long time ago. it's good falling off the wagon once in a while. no will fault you to it.

international autograph? wow. that sounded good. of course i can send you a copy if you like and have it signed along with my co-authors as well...but then again, i don't think the book will have much used to you as it is written in Filipino.

@Sidney:
JK Rowling you said? hahaha! you sounded a lot like my friend. I don't know about that but i sure can send you copy with my "unique" dedication on it. i just hope i live up to such "high" expectation. nonetheless, thank you!

@Peter:
yea i know. but your are getting the picture right? i was thinking that, maybe the sun was too sunny that even the blaze would not come out as great as i hoped it would.

@Toe:
haha. nakakatuwa ka talaga. sige pag nagkita tayo (pag-uwi mo), i will make sure i have in my hands copies for you. lahat yun may dedication at autograph!

@Ferdz:
Palalim Nang Palalim, Padilim Nang Padilim. oha, title pa lang napaka-metaphoric na. haha. salamat Ferdz!

Anonymous said...

@Chris:
yea...pretty much. but i got the blaze although not enough because the sun was too sunny (I guess) and the smoke weren't (thick) enough for my surreal shot.

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