Dear Reader

How are you? How are you coping with the quarantine protocols, limited mobility, and equally limited physical social interaction? What were your happy moments? How was your vaccination experience? Whatever is the form of the wind or sun outside your window, I hope you are faring well, that you are healthy.

Let me introduce myself again. I am Nancy. This is my virtual notebook, a reflection of my interests, and a writing portfolio of sorts. Most of what you’ll find here are book reviews and amateur attempts at literary penning because my identity seems to naturally assimilate reading and writing. Other things you’ll discover in this blog are my advocacies and my trials and errors in gardening.

What’s exciting is that I’m planning to add four new categories—self-care, editorial, letters, and discourses.

In the past year, I discovered how caring for the self is just as important as eating an adequate meal for breakfast. As someone who is practically convent-raised (both at home and in school), it took me so long to accept that self-care is not selfish.

I also realized that social issues are not a separate group, and whatever political decisions are made to resolve them create a ripple effect to the people both directly and indirectly involved. We do not live in separate capsules. Hence, I want my words to be bolder and write editorials that reflect my thoughts as a citizen, not as a representative of the Memoriter.

I was thinking of opening this blog to letter writers. I have been writing for so long in both personal and professional capacities, but it is in letter writing that I find my words scrambling out of reach. I hope to rediscover the art and beauty—for it is indeed a work of art and beauty—of letter writing. If you want to be my “virtual” pen pal and collaborate with me on a letter we can publish in each other’s websites or social media platforms, send me an email or write a comment, and we’ll work things out.

Then the discourses. I mean, I'm exploring the possibility of a podcast. I like talking to other people and listening to their stories almost as much as I like cooking. This is what I missed so much in community journalism, the interview process of reporting. For now, I am thinking of asking diverse people a few questions and featuring them here—people with similar advocacies, love for reading, or who have been my inspirations. 

In updating and redesigning this blog, I have tapped my creative energies to cope with my emotional stress. I have been writing actively, yes, but under a professional setup. But coming here and writing creatively again means I am ready to unplug a tightly lid chest with entrails struggling to be emancipated.

It is refreshing to be back here. My past months were dumped in one crazy ride of “up highs” and “down lows” and the bright end of the tunnel is still nowhere in sight. Yet, like any other ride, there are glimpses of beauty and hope and laughter, and those have kept my head above water.

Reader, see you at the bright glimpses of life,

Nancy

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(Photo by Nancy Cudis Ucag. All Rights Reserved.)