I LIKE my life in the farm.
Since coming home to Dumangas last month, I’ve been partying a lot like a mad hatter after the pandemic.
But by the third week, I was bored, and was ready to do something different.
A lot of people want to retire to a simple life in the farm.
So, that’s what I did.
I remembered the farm.
On St. Augustine’s Day, I started working on my farm, Hacienda Dom Pedro de Dumangas.
***
I’m not a fan of the malls.
But because I had several dates at the Festive Mall since coming home, I have been going.
I mean, who wouldn’t go to a mall to meet all the handsome men I’ve been seeing? Haha.
***
My good friend, the poet and history professor Felino Garcia, Jr., passed away on August 27.
I last saw him alive on August 17.
We had lunch at some restaurant, which I prefer not to promote here because…
Why should I?
***
Anyway, it was Felino, the writer Melecio Turao, and I for lunch.
Great friends having a grand time for the first time together post-pandemic.
Oh, we also had a young Peter’s Prize winner with us.
Not my date! (But you’d wish! Haha.)
Just consider “the date” as part of his prize for winning this year’s Poetry by 21 and Under competition, okay?
***
Anyway, Felino, Mel, and I.
We had so much fun catching up, and planning activities for literature, publishing, the arts, Iloilo, Negros, Western Visayas, The Peter Solis Nery Foundation.
In short, world domination. Haha.
***
We took the conversation up to Book Latte.
I’m naming Book Latte here because the owner was kind to us.
She actually stopped by to say hi to us, and took pictures with us.
And when someone treats me like “the Peter Solis Nery”, I have no problem promoting their great coffee, and amazing carrot cake anytime.
***
On the day Felino’s wake began, I was invited to attend the opening of Panagbo, an exhibit by Roxas City and Capizeño artists about the dried fish industry, at the ILOMOCA.
It was curated by Marika B. Constantino, who I knew from her New York artist residency days, which is not really many, many, many years ago.
Anyway, Marika and I became fast friends because she’s a granddaughter of National Artist Jovita Fuentes, who is the heroine of my 2008 Palanca Award-winning play.
***
Some friends asked if I can write something about the exhibit.
As I see no harm promoting new artists, and I really like how Marika has gathered, and organized, if not mentored, these artists, I’ll write “something” that people can chew—Just go, period!
Go visit the Panagbo exhibit at the Hulot Gallery of ILOMOCA!
***
Actually, I liked several pieces at the exhibit, but I got distracted by the opening day crowd.
They were taking photos with the artists who were standing by their artworks.
Covid mandate-conscious, I physically distanced myself from “the public”, and occupied myself with artists and “officials” from Capiz.
(Hello to Miggy Dadivas, the mayor’s son who confirmed that his dad was in a meeting with the housing project authorities.
Busy mayor! Haha.)
But let me mention the artists who are featured in the exhibit, because what harm does it do to know their names?
(To know their works, again, you have to go check out their work at the ILOMOCA!)
In alphabetical order: John Alaban (who is so humble, and who introduced himself as a fan, even requesting his daughter to take our photo. Haha!), Animô, Kim Raffy Astrolabio, Shiela Mae Bernaldez, Charline Bigbig, Rochel Calinao, Clinton Dellota, Lloyd Develos, Eyecan Creatives, Lorenzo Ignacio, and Jonard Villarde.
***
I came with a gradient green organza-like blouse so colorful that it drained all the colors in the reception room.
(Another reason why I stayed away from the exhibit while it was crowded.
I didn’t want to compete with paintings and installations! Haha.)
Anyway, I was anticipated to make “an appearance” at the exhibit so I did what a respectable performance and stunt artist had to do.
In short, if you were there at the opening, and you missed me, you must be blind.
Or blinded by jealousy. Haha!
***
Anyway, I’m so glad that the Dumangueño brand of artists were there.
I was acknowledged by Roxas City Vice Mayor Teresa Almalbis in her speech as “the (emphasized) award-winning writer”, and that really touched me.
I only met the good Vice Mayor last month in some fancy seafood restaurant in Roxas.
And heck, I’ll name the resto because she sent a plate of oysters on the house for my party—Parola, it’s name.
But I promised myself not to promote their eating crawl (after the pub crawl model) until they took me to one—on the house. Haha!
***
Back to Dumangueño artists.
Visual artist and father of the bike movement in Iloilo Rock Drilon was there.
(Yes, father of the bike movement. If you have a problem with that, let’s sit down for a long coffee chat.)
Filmmaker and forest planter Tara Illenberger was there.
(Yes, forest planter. If you have a problem with that, let’s sit down for a short coffee chat.)
***
Other artists and writers spotted, or at least, people who came up to me for photos, selfies, chats, besos, et cetera:
Nereo Luján, the journalist making a name as a local historian.
So, yeah, Nereo and I walked through the neighboring Brandy Museum before the 4pm start of the opening program.
Maricel Montero, ILOMOCA director, who also came up to declare she’s a fan of all my craziness, stunts, and brilliance.
She later introduced a reggae-man, but I’m not sure I understood everything so I’m not writing about it.
***
Pianist Clement Acevedo, painter Allain Hablo (who has an ongoing exhibit at the neighboring Mamusa resto-bar), Peter’s Prize-winning visual artist Kristoffer George Brasileño, writers Bryan Mari Argos and Allyn May Canja (they hold some cultural or tourism posts, but I don’t like to make errata in future columns so let’s not get into details), chef Mary Pauline Gorriceta-Banusing, visual artist and cultural researcher Liby Limoso, filmmakers Kevin Piamonte and Kenneth de la Cruz.
***
This is what I don’t like about writing society people: it takes so much time to double check their names and specialties.
For me, they are just “people”, “kindred souls”, “friends”, “human beings”.
Or, in a worst case scenario, backstabbers.
(And I say that last one nicely. Haha!)
***
I love society people.
What I don’t like is misspelling, or even forgetting their names!
Because I hate people misspelling my Nery (with a ‘y’) for the one ending in ‘i’, I have agreed to use just my initials, PSN; sometimes with the particular determiner ‘The’ to make myself #ThePSN./PN
