In an actual started-from-the-bottom-now-we’re-here moment, TINTA has risen from barely being a blimp on the literary radar to rubbing elbows with Cebu’s literary greats. It has grown to become more than just a student-run organization; it’s become a movement.

Born out of The Reading, an intimate gathering of TINTA members to talk about pieces they were working on or things they had been reading, TINTA decided it wanted a way to expand that and make the event more accessible to people. And thus, Basabalak was born.

Then called Poetry Nights, the Basabalak was held on the ground of Handuraw Events Café and TINTA had partnered up with The Nomads, a social media literary group. It wasn’t the best place to have the event because it was loud and disruptive to people who were just there to dine; it felt like shoving poetry down people’s throats.

And sometimes poetry is hard to swallow so TINTA took its first step to taking the lit scene to another level: it moved the event to the second floor of the Cafe, which was more isolated and cozy. It would be where all the subsequent Basabalaks would be held.

It was the place where the Cebu lit scene would be changed for good. The March Basabalak found TINTA opening its doors to the likes of Merlie Alunan, Daryll Delgado, John Barrios, and Noel Tuazon. TINTA would then be rubbing elbows with more of Cebu’s established writers when it partnered up with BATHALAD (Bathalan-ong Halad sa Dagang) in July. At that point, it would be well-acquainted with writers such as Jeremiah Bondoc, Josua Cabrera and Anthony Kintanar. In the next months, Basabalaks would also be graced by balakeros Adonis Durado and Butch Bandillo.

Basabalak is a place where poets of all ages and backgrounds could come together for a night of literary sharing. It created a space which was safe that anyone could come up to the stage, grab the mic and perform to their heart’s content, whether this was a balak (as basabalak suggests), another creative piece of writing, or a song, anyone was welcome to step up. Basabalak created an atmosphere in which all forms of art are celebrated and every artist is given a voice.

Basabalak is that constant you’ve always dreamed of – it is something to look forward to every month. It might not be that text you were waiting to get, but it’s so much sweeter than that, some would even call it therapeutic. A night to release all that is trapped in you just waiting to come out; a night of healing through words and good company.

This month will see TINTA celebrating its first year anniversary of Basabalak on the 27^th of February.  To be a part of this life-changing journey and see TINTA grow even more, feel free to come up to Handuraw’s second floor and bring the whole team with you!

***

This article for #TINTANews is written by Astrid Ilano.

I guess that’s just how it is between us as Valentine’s came and went.

Ready were my flowers in one hand, the sweets wrapped in a handsome gold,

your favorite brand of cut-out stars in the style of our names, the sticky notes and pictures of our blissful days, all called for at the back of my car’s trunk.

Sweating profusely, my hands were, as I held the roses, about to knock on your door.

You see, I never got to tell you; didn’t want to go all cliché, even. But you loved this kind of thing anyway, so there I was, hand raised, heart pounding.

I knocked. Once. Twice.

There were scuffles and a thud from the other side of the door - were you alright?
Were your parents hurting you again?

Perhaps I came at the wrong hour, or maybe I should have just broken the door down and saved you from whatever was happening.

I heard shouting, my engine revving, I ran to turn it off and threw the flowers at the back.

I was on the front porch when the door suddenly opened and a man walked out stoutly and smirked at me, pushing me aside.

I saw you inside, he left the door open,

In tears again, on a beautiful night like this.

I asked you to change, to come with me.

So you did.

I carried you to my car and we drove off into the night.

Words not needed, just silence as I showed you the place I promised nights ago.

I had a speech ready, but all I could do was take you in my arms and whisper, “You’re beautiful. I love you”, like the fool I am.

Source: http://heres-to-our-feelings.tumblr.com/post/68434024436

***

This entry for Fiction is written by DarkSilence.

Being able to have an amazing defecation session these days is rare, with the classes and projects just pouring down like you’re a parade even worth raining down on. You don’t even have time to sleep, right? How much more to defecate with all the time in the world? Defecation should be done in the solace of the toilet, with your mind sound and ready to let go of everything pent up inside. Including those blocked by a very tense anal sphincter.

With that said so casually, farting is inevitable.

Source: http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/firing-line

Farting is the sigh that these poor solid things breathe out because they aren’t able to escape the dark cavern that is the large intestine. The act also provides a small pleasure; an evidence that even when you feel so constricted, the body can find a way to let go even if it has to take a different form. But, my dear friends, the beauty of your own fart is not appreciated by everyone.

When farts have a distinct smell, a different tone in their voices, everyone’s preferences seem to awaken. They would then judge this amazing biological process, as if their opinion matters to the trapped fecal creatures inside you. The diversity of the human cognition may not be able to grant a promise of acceptance. Therefore, you’re the one left to put reins on these farts. But when the going gets tough, the clever gets away with farting.

So how do you get away with farting? Well, I have some advices.

1.    Bury evidence.

How would anyone accuse you of farting when there are no traces of it that could lead to you? Burying evidence is key. So, let’s do some logic.

Fart comes from your butt. Your butt is the origin of the subject of crime. You need to hide the origins of the fart. The butt is “yours”. Now, do you see the butt as an evidence that could trace the fart to your sorry ass? There’s one solution. Bury your butt and leave it there to rot!

A healthier alternative: Quick Defecation. Unpleasurable, but at least you won’t get earthworms into your odoured crack.

The clothes you are wearing traps molecules that hold the chemical compositions found in your fart. These should be buried too. With no odorant clinging on you, you can now live your life free and faultless. Burying things actually erases the fact that you have committed the crime. Therefore, you can easily shout, “Not guilty!” when someone passes a verdict on you and your hemmed-in, soon-to-be excretes.

If Michael caught you farting, bury him too.

2.    Reveal your true identity of being a heartless and digestive system-less android.

You cannot deny your true nature anymore. With the accusations of doing a very humanly thing, you are disgusted by the fact that no one recognized you as a highly intelligent and efficient unit. Efficiency does not make place for something transient such as farts. The exhaust and excreting system of your body only creates a huge bulk of excrements that are ejected in a projectile, with a speed undetectable by the human eye and a smell that the nose receptors do not accept.

These humans are indeed brainless.

Get into this character and reveal yourself with no feelings (it is important you get this bit right). When all else fails, engage in triage. There’ll be no one left to say that you have farted like a puny homo sapiens sapiens in need of release.

Or do none of that. Take responsibility.

Being able to say and reveal that you farted is an exercise on taking responsibility of your actions. Do not run away from the accusations! If you really have done it, then own it. No one will shame you for being very brave in committing a very human act. Accept that you fart, accept that your fart smells, accept that your fart has a disturbing tone of impending doom in it. Take responsibility and accept the consequences of not being able to defecate the night before.

So yes! Fart and be free. Approach a person who farted with acceptance and understanding. After all, it’s just a mere fart. No one should be taking it seriously by making an article about it. 

***

This article for Palihog Ko'g Tudlo is written by Tara Angela Prieto.

You’ve probably heard of me. I’m all over the internet these days—there is no way you can miss me. I’m most popular with teenagers, definitely, with the way they pretend to watch my movies, but they’re really just getting ready for sex…y poses with me to post on their Instagram accounts. Next thing you know, they’ll ask for my autograph!

Still don’t ring a bell? Well, let me ring that bell for you! Man, you have no idea how hard it is to have to sit through the entirety of a 2-hour episode of BBC Sherlock while watching a dude lazily scratch his balls as he munches and slurps on…well, a P25 one-liter Coke and a P20 bag of chips. Crazy, I tell you. But, I don’t judge. I mean, he’s just ignoring his responsibilities, right? More time with me!

And the girls are crazier, too! They’d have these sleepovers and they’d be hugging and kissing…each other on the cheek and squeezing each other’s…pillows and slapping each other as they play with…a game of Monopoly. My only problem with this is that I don’t think hurting each other is necessary if you lose the game? Then again, I wouldn’t know. I’m not even human.

Oh, but none of these beat a man and a woman when they watch my shows at the same time! They always choose the ones with subtle romance and a half-naked man and woman in bed together. They just end up melting into…the bed! What a bunch of lazy bums. They do these on their days off, though, so I’m cool with that.

But some couch potatoes are just impossible. I’d like to be taken care of, too, you know. It is hard having to put up a huge sign every single day that says they’ve been binge-watching. I need my beauty rest, too. But even when I put up the sign, they don’t even pay attention? They’re always busy with all those physical stuff I was talking about.

I don’t mind, honestly, but I’m kind of a neat freak, you know? All these tissues scattered around wherever I am and filled with sticky stuff bothers me so much. Isn’t there a limit to how much snot the human body can muster? And, like, the number of buckets of tears you can cry?

It’s cool to rest—hell, I’m an advocate of that—but, god, I just can’t stand dirty dishes being left in the sink just so they can watch their favorite movies on me. That’s why, whenever a character in a show/movie is doing some washing or laundry or homework or anything productive in general, I always stare at the viewers by raising my brightness level just so they’d get the hint. But, man, you’d think these people are zombies with the way their eyes remain unresponsive when I do that. Mad concentration skills, I tell you!

Source: https://vulcanpost.com/264001/

But it’s cool, I’m cool. I love my job. I get to see all the dirty…homes of my viewers and judge them for it. Juuuust kidding, of course. No time to judge for me. Too busy for that. This job is not a walk in the park, I tell you.

So… do you recognize me now?

Yours,
Netflix

P.S. They’ve also given me this surname of sorts! In 2015, I was baptized as “Netflix and Chill”. Cool, right? Everyone uses it now!

***

This article for Dear Life is written by Claire Obejas.

Dili na bag-o sa akoa ang mokatkat ug modulhog sa kabukiran tungod kay kada-adlaw kong magbaklay gikan sa among balay nga nahimutang sa bukirang bahin sa Sugbo paingon sa UP. Nahimo na kining ordinaryong buluhaton. Apan niadtong nakagahin kog higayon nga mokatkat og mas taas nga bukid, nakaingon ko nga ang pagsaka-kanaog sa kabukiran dili ra kutob sa pag-uli ug pagbiya paingon sa eskwelahan, kon dili, usa kini ka panaw nga makamugnang handumanan.

Niadtong Disyembre, human sa Pasko, wa na gyod ko kapugong sa akong kaugalingon nga mosaka og mas taas nga bukid isip pagtapos sa hangak kaayo nga semester. Ug labaw sa tanan, tungod pod diay sa kadaghang pagkaon nga akong gihabhab sa bakasyon.

Source: http://givemeareasonto-love.tumblr.com/post/68010223945

Ug kay lagi mas lingaw man kon adunay katabi sa dalan, nanintal ko og duha ka kauban. Naghinamhiman na ang duha. Ang usa, tungod kay ganahan kuno siyang malimot sa kaamaw sa iyang bana nga matod pa niya, adunay laing kaduwa. Samtang ang usa, ganahan lang gyod kuno siyang panington.

Sayo sa buntag, alas kwatro, ang sabot nga mangmata maong bisag naglisod pa og tikang sa mga tiil ug alsa sa lawas nga nabug-atan sa katapolan, hala sige bangon. Bisag lami pa kaayong magbukot sa bagang habol nga makawala sa katugnaw, hala sige bangon..

Ug kay lagi ako man maoy nanintal, ako ilang gipagiya kon asa mi padung. Limod sa ilang kasayoran nga utro pod ko nga wala kahibaw kon unsa among maabtan, kon unsay nagpaabot namo sa tumoy sa tungason nga dalan.. Basta kay naa pa mi gisubay nga dalan, segurado ko nga makauli pa mi sa among gigikanan.

Mga baynte minutos pa lang sa among pagsaka, gihangak na ang usa namo ka kauban. Gipaningot og maayo bisan pa sa katugnaw sa alas kwatro sa kaadlawon. Samot na gyod nga gipaningot sa dihang niusig ang usa ka batalyong iro nga nag-atang sa dalan nga among giagian. Maayo na lang gani kay nakatakin mi daan og mga latos aron ihadlok sa mga iro. Girl Scouts god ni!

Padayon namong gibaktas ang bakilid nga kalsada. Adunay kongkreto ug batoon nga dalan nga mora ba og wala na maabti sa mga politikong nagpaharuhay sa ubos. Ug sa among paglantaw-lantaw sa kadalanan, aduna mi nakaplagan nga mga basurang biniyaan pod sa mga milabayng bisita. Mora ba hinuon og nahimong labayanan ang kabukiran sa mga kagaw sa taga-
ubos nga nisaka lang aron magkuhag mga hulagway nga ikapanghambog. Nalantaw pod namo syudad diin ang mga buildings mora na lang og buak nga mga bildo nga gihabolan og abog.

Wala mi nihunong sa pagsaka-kanaog hangtod nga nakaabot gyod mi sa bukid kon diin nalantaw namo ang mas daghan pang gagmayng bukid sa ubos. Dili kabayran og sapi ang among nalantaw nga kaanyag sa pagsaka sa adlaw nga mora og nisumpay sa panganod ug dagat, pakapinan pa og hangin nga makapanlimbawot sa balhibo. Paminaw god namo, pipila na kang ka tikang maabot na namo ang langit.

Dili gyod tinuod lalim mokatkat sa kabukiran apan sa among pag-abot didto, nakapanghupaw ug nakaingon gyod ko, “Finally, naa na koy positibong kahulogan sa “katkat problems”.

***
Sinuwat ni Jae Mari Magdadaro.

Some Helpful Tips for Gadget-savvy Iskolars

Ever experienced destroyed charger cables and messing up your dulcet aura as you try to fix them? Worry no more, fellow Isko && Iska’s! Here are a few geeky gadget hacks to help you out!

1. Do-it-yourself cord/cable protectors

Okay. This comes a bit obvious to everyone. But, there are people, such as moi, who do not seem to care for our tools as much as our finished outputs.

Saving the cords and cables, though, is much better than buying new ones. And it does look sort of pretty.

// Caption: (“printf(“Gorgeous”);”)

2. Hide people on Twitter without blocking them.

You’re faced with a situation. Some bigoted friend of yours tries to be mega-sexist on social media, and you don’t ever want to hear another word from them. Ever.

You hang the mouse cursor over their highlighted account names on Twitter. Then that almost palpable little angel on your right shoulder tries to keep you from hitting “Unfollow.” “You’re being immature,” it says.

Cue in Twitter’s convenient Mute button and you’ll never have to worry about relaying personal enmity against “persons concerned” in the heat of social media ever again.

P.S. Best used when person concerned is a boxer-turned-senatorial-candidate.

3. Quickly re-open a closed tab.

I always find it so annoying when I’m binge-surfing during the wee hours and I always accidentally keep hitting on the close button on the Chrome tabs.

Hit Ctrl+Shift+T on Windows or Command+Shift+T on Mac and bask in the awareness of your own foolishness.                                                                                                                                                                                  

Also, erasing part of your browser’s search history won’t affect this little tidbit’s usefulness.

Warning: Make sure your parents aren’t reading this article!

4. Watch blocked Netflix movies

Netflix’s streaming service once prevented users in the Philippines from accessing content. Users, thus, used a free browser-extension called Hola to access these blocked catalogues.

Hola’s potential is rad. 

//Caption: (“Hola, Hola.”)

5. Google can help you study.

This could have saved my neck a few years back in one of my Chemistry classes in high school, when my teacher unwittingly copied an entire exam out of an online repository. I only discovered it weeks later.

Get eluded no more. Just google “site:edu [subject] exam”. Works just fine for students who want to put a little more work into the brain gym.

//Caption: (“for(net=0;;net++) study(eat(sleep(study)));”)

So the next time a prof of yours tries to copy stuff from the net for an exam, smile demurely as le prof hands you le A++.     

Hope you learned a few tips. ‘Till next time!

***

This article for Palihog Ko'g Tudlo is written by Jace Roldan.

Photo sources: msn.com

So you went and gave in to the capitalist-driven day of love. And now that it’s over your wallet is depressingly empty and future declarations of love unfortunately cannot bank on flowers, chocolates, and fancy meals anymore.

There are a number of creative ways to express your feelings, and it need not be expensive or unrealistically difficult to achieve. You don’t have to go and build a Taj Mahal (doing that just might send the wrong message) to prove to your significant other that you’re practically a goner for them. You just have to tap into your reserves of sappiness, fluff, and teeth-rotting romantic streaks. That may not sound so simple, but give your plans effort, passion, and dedication to send the deeper messages across.

Bake/Cook

We’ve all heard that the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. But who’s to say that doesn’t hold the same for ladies? Being a kitchen enthusiast myself, I know firsthand the time and effort one needs to put into making food. I’ve done pastas, cakes, and even the simplest cookies, but I find that baking/cooking without passion makes the results rather lacking in taste. There’s something in the product that stands out when it’s made wholeheartedly, and even a botched attempt still shows you tried passionately... and that maybe, the kitchen just isn’t for you.

Paint

Source: Christine Solon

Watercolour is a fun medium to play with, and with its rising popularity, it’s pretty easy to pop down to the nearest school and office supplies store and purchase an inexpensive set. Experimenting with calligraphy to go with your piece is another thing you can do, and don’t worry about not getting it right the first time – practice will make it better. Some of the things I love painting are animals in geometric patterns, silhouettes, and lines from poems. You can try different styles to get started, and it’ll all flow from there.

Write

It doesn’t have to be a love letter. That is, of course, nice and awfully sweet, but if that’s not your thing, then don’t dismiss the idea of writing just because people link it with letters. You can write poems, stories, essays, or even lists (at some point, even a grocery list would be grand). And if you’ve got a bad case of writer’s block, use an existing work and add a simple “this reminded me of you”. Better yet, you can take this idea a notch further and leave a note to your S.O. to make them feel you care.

Create music

Source: http://amixtapeforthesoul.tumblr.com/

For those who can play musical instruments, you are lucky people. You can brighten up your loved one’s day by staging a personal concert or serenading them with a song. For those who can’t play instruments or lack the confidence in their abilities to pull off a piece, you won’t go wrong with a customized playlist. Doing that is even easier now with Spotify and 8tracks, but if you want to go all vintage, a mix-tape would be absolutely lovely.

Origami

Source: http://yahoosg.tumblr.com/post/69227132047/this-origami-artist-can-fold-just-about-anything

There’s no better way to pass spare time and calm restless hands than to put those digits to work on a piece of paper. Before you know it, you’re going to have an army of paper cranes, paper roses, turtles, dolphins, fishes, and more. Origami is also perfect on whatever it is you’ve written, and keeping words about love hidden in the creases of a crane makes the thought all the more sweeter.

Saying “I love you” can come in different forms, and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and  leg. Behind all these suggestions, after all, is the never-ending need for communication, time, thought, and action.

***

This article for Palihog Ko'g Tudlo is written by Monica Gloria Manluluyo.

Achieving the Right Aspirations Through the Right Way and at the Right Time

“Follow your dreams.”

Everyone has heard it being said at least once and, even for some, several times. Dreams, aspirations, and goals. Whatever you may call it, this has been always part, and not apart, from human nature. It is a fundamental component of human imagination, the very same imagination which comprises human ingenuity at its finest. Every single innovation in human civilization has been a product of one individual’s aspirations. And through determination and hard work, anyone with a dream can make even the most impossible things, whatever it may be, very possible. But why is it that many people fail to achieve their dreams, believing that its pursuit is a trivial matter? As Paulo Coelho wrote in his best-selling novel The Alchemist: “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: The fear of failure.”

Source: http://www.movemequotes.com/top-10-quotes-from-the-alchemist-by-paulo-coelho/

Dreams are often neglected, rejected, and thrown away because we believe that if we try, we will fail. Truth be told, failure cannot be avoided in the pursuit of one’s dreams. But how we respond to this failure sets us apart from all the others. The light bulb was not invented in a single try. Belief and determination are integral in the achievement of a dream.

In addition, one must also consider if their dream coincides with their purpose in life, as set by a higher being. If it is not meant to be, then it will not come to pass. Thus, it is also very important that a person truly understands who he/she is and what are they called to do in this life. You will never even conceive a dream that is not in league with your true identity and the whole reason why you exist.

As put forth by this certain novel, everyone has something they want to accomplish. For instance, some of us may wish to become teachers, or doctors, or politicians. This is placed in our hearts when we are young, when our imagination and innocence work hand in hand, causing us to be passionate about doing something for people that we love.

But what many do not realize is that the dream is not the most important thing. It is the journey we undertake to achieve this. Many do commit unacceptable and selfish things to become successful. They compromise and pull others down. But when they achieve their aspiration, they find themselves empty and filled with regret over wrong decisions. This should not be. If we keep ourselves virtuous and our motives, honorable, then it offers as much reward as achieving the goal.

Oftentimes, the journey we take teaches us that what we do in order to achieve this dream is more valuable than the dream itself. And it is also important to realize that every good aspiration will become perfect at the right time. The patience, the diligence, and the moral excellence we take to achieve success develop us and can make possible the impossible.

All in all, it is not useless or trivial to choose to follow your dreams as long as it is what was given to you and which was meant for you from the very beginning. In fact, it is never too late to start the pursuit. But in the end, you will not achieve it by sheer luck. Hard work is one of the keys to success. And the fear of failure should not hinder you as well. If you really have the passion, you will succeed in the end. But always remember: the dream is never, and has never been, the end goal. Rather, the important and valuable thing is who we become as we follow our dreams, as we follow the path we have taken, no matter how difficult it may be and no matter how long it may take. Finally, I end with another quote, also by Coelho:

***

This article for Beyond Bluebook is written by Roch Chan.