The Art of Second Thought

By Robert Ryan Valle

Get a pen and paper. 

Start writing about the first thing that comes to mind.

Stop after exactly one minute.

We were asked in class earlier today to do the same thing. I wrote about writing and came up with two sentences and a half. Others griped about not having enough time in an attempt to buy more thereof.

It was hard. Writing is hard. (You can’t imagine how much I am squeezing the words out right now.) But the exercise was harder because we didn’t have time to think. Or rather re-think. Up to this point I have edited the sentences above an average of three times.

Chances, chances, and more chances.

By Isabel Rodriguez

 “And I also regret not writing more when I was younger..”, I told my father. And just as those words escaped my mouth, I realized; I had so many regrets.

I used to think that getting older leaves you with less chances, as if time has the power to turn you into a a withered, helpless pulp.

Manong Driver

By Jacob Clavano

It was a humid afternoon when I took a cab home. Like many others in the city, the cab didn't look too clean and comfortable to ride on. And like many others in the city, I didn't mind because I was used to it and I wanted to go home already.

From the client's office, we took to the back streets--the many little arteries that support life in this dirty city--and within moments we were already along the expressway to the suburbs. The ride was uneventful until the cab driver embarrassingly told me that he did not know the way to Alabang.

On the things I've become

By Isabel Rodriguez

I was reading an old friend’s blog when I realized that I’ve reinvented myself so many times. (Admittedly, it wasn’t just the blog. A barrage of old photos that have surfaced because of Multiply closing down, added to the discovery of my first blog’s password may have amplified this recollection.)

#YOLO

By Henrick Batallones

Apart from a few times when I can claim to be one of the first to know something - most of which happened during a past life as an American television pundit - I’m often late when it comes to trends. It took me a year to join Friendster, two to join Facebook, and three to join Twitter, although to be fair, I considered joining that site when I was still in college, but didn’t because I thought I wouldn’t have time to tweet.

Cheers to all!

By Isabel Rodriguez

I’ve gone a long way. There was a time in my life when hydrating meant grabbing a beer, or whatever had enough alcohol in it and every occasion was a cause for a drink. You passed a subject? Cheers! You broke up with your boy toy? Cheers! You flunked out of school? Cheers! You found your earring? Cheers! You wanna beer? Cheers!

A letter from my 20 year-old self

By Gabe Brillantes

 Dear 18 year-old self,

I remember you looking forward to reaching your legal age, you couldn’t wait to do a lot of things! You thought you were old enough to do absolutely anything you want: get a job, have your own place, drive a car, get a boyfriend...yet it seemed to me like none of these things have come to actuality. This does not necessarily mean that the future is turning bleak for you, it just means that all these things take time. Well for the boyfriend part it mostly depends on you, on whether you want to go for that guy who has been bugging you nonstop-just kidding-there is no guy. On the brighter side, you have your friends who are always up for anything, what more can you ask for? They were there for you during your first heartbreak, they were there when you celebrated your debut, and they would most likely be there for you on your wedding day. Don’t you think it is a little too early to think of such things?

“When will it be your turn?”

By Sara Almario

I believe I read this quote at Facebook once. I tried looking for it again but since I can’t find it, I’ll paraphrase it:

“(For girls) When you finish high school, you go to college. When you go to college, people ask you, ‘when will you graduate?’ When you graduate, you get asked, ‘when are you going to get a job?’ When you get a job, you get asked, ‘when are you getting a boyfriend?’ You get a boyfriend, you get asked, ‘when will you get married?’ After you get married, people will then ask you, ‘when are you getting a baby?’”

Romantic Comedies

By Stargirl

I’ve always been a fan of romantic comedies. I devoured the formulaic plot with so much passion. Awkward girl meets interesting (yet complicated and enigmatic) guy who immediately catches her eye. Imperfect world ensues, and for some reason sets them apart. Girl finds herself in the arms of an equally gorgeous, loving, stable, (yet plain and predictable) man-- who also in the end selflessly lets her go and wishes her happiness with interesting guy. Well, it is something like that or some close derivative. (Think “The Notebook”, “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Serendipity,” to name a few)

A hypothetical scenario: the effects of dopamine and the effects of the lack thereof.

By Isabel Rodriguez

Long ago, I decided that I was going to be with you.

I was walking towards that place I’d always see you at, but I wasn’t hurrying like I always do when I was about to meet you; I knew you weren’t there. I was happy, almost skipping in my step (You see the things you made me do? You made me almost skip!) because last night we had that conversation about our dreams and I felt like we connected. Never mind that the future you seemed to build in your head had not included me, I’ll make space for myself. There is hope for us yet!