[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’ MY LIFE AS ART’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PETER SOLIS NERY
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
AT THE rate I’m globetrotting, I should know better about packing for trips by now.
But I’m still a lazy bum, and would postpone packing in the last 24 hours. Maybe even the last 12 hours.
I started to like these space saving vacuum storage bags, so I was confident things will go easy when I pack for four months in Europe and the UK.
Well, I’m staying there until the early winter. Friends also tell me that it’s already getting cold in Ireland and the UK, so I started to get really paranoid.
I started to choose my winter coats.
My black peacoat, which I wasn’t able to wear last year because I was largely in the Philippines all throughout winter. My red princely cut coat, which I like very much because it is red, and with golden buttons. My blue Calvin Klein parka.
One sweater or two? What about turtlenecks? I look good in a turtleneck!
I’ll be going to Spain in late September. And the Greek islands in early October.
Do I bring sandals? Walking shoes? Do I bring running shoes just in case I decide to pick up running again while on a prolonged vacation?
I got to bring my black boots. They make me walk sexy. Feel sexy. I know I’ll be hitting the bars. I want to go in sexy.
If it’s sexy, then, I got to bring at least two ripped jeans, too.
What about shorts? Beach wear?
I bought a dozen new underwear for my Philippine trip in August. Do I bring just these?
Or do I pack my two dozens, just in case I decide to just wear-and-dispose?
Anyway, I’m sure I’m overpacked. Didn’t I bring tons of clothes to my Philippine vacation and didn’t get to wear all of them?
And I just realized I got three new tracksuits (bought in June and August) I’ve never worn at all.
So, anyway, these vacuum bags. I needed a bigger size.
And because I waited for the last minute to pack, I’m now feeling rushed, and out of time.
I could not easily decide whether to buy the three large combo pack, or just one jumbo. I ended up buying both.
And then, I went into a frenzy of packing everything that I can see.
Books. Does a writer pack his books? I decided to bring a few titles.
The UK-based Pinoys can actually buy my books from Amazon-UK, but I don’t know if they know how to order at all.
Anyway, I expect to have some book signing events. Or, at least, some meet-ups with fans who are willing to dish out a few pounds, or euros, for a signed copy of my book/s.
And I have to have my books to read, too.
For my Philippine trip in August, I carried with me Christina Rossetti thinking I could finally read her complete poems. It didn’t happen. Too much happened to me in the Philippines.
Well, more like I caused many things to happen in the Philippines during my trip. But let’s not get technical.
I decided to count the airports I’ve been through since the beginning of the year.
I counted 18 for my last Philippine trip in August/September.
In February, I flew from Iloilo to Manila, then Manila to Taiwan to Chicago to Baltimore. That’s six more for a total of 24.
Airport #25 is Baltimore to Toronto (Airport #26) to Manchester (Airport #27).
Last week, it was Liverpool (#28) to Barcelona (#29); and Barcelona (#30) to Liverpool (#31).
Next week, it is Manchester (#32) to Crete (#33); and the week after that, Athens (#34) to Manchester (#35).
Oh, did I mention I started posting hugot lines on my Facebook account on September 10?
Encouraged by 160 likes and other strong reactions, eight comments, and nine shares, I went on posting one or two a day.
It’s amazing how these hugot lines affect, and I would assume find resonance in, many people. Check out the hugot by searching these hashtags: #petersolisnery #ilonggopoet #hugotilonggo.
I don’t know how long I can keep this hugotline fad, if I keep it at all. Right now, I am seriously thinking of starting my autobiography.
I mean, I talk about myself all the time. It’s about time I put this into a more orderly fashion. Make you see the trajectory of God’s plan for me. You see, I’m a pretty reflective person.
And I know that I am always a better version of myself.
But until you see the whole picture, the big picture, it’s always easy to dismiss me as an egotist. And I have no problem with that since you are only reading a newspaper column.
But I’ll say it again, buy my books, and see a different version of me! (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
