Writing Exercise: The Blind Minstrel (Prose)

Friday morning March 22nd. I died a broken hearted man while talking to a constable sent over to investigate a crime, unimaginable in my youth and disability that I will and be able to commit.

To tell the story was all that I could do and to him I had to narrate the events as they unfold, teary eyed by the darkness that surrounds me and how nobody believes me;

Constable, I have nothing to hide, I swear by my good family’s name what really happened yesterday, and all will be told.

Whilst the sun began its journey across the cloudless sky,
I started my day carrying my trusty guitar,
and took a walk to my favorite spot in the gutter beneath the bridge downtown.

I sing merry songs to those souls who in my blinded state,
I can only hear. There were voices muttering gladness for the songs they’ve heard, others insult, and some who just don’t care;
then sounds of dropped pennies can be heard from my little can.

I pause every now and then,
said my thanks to my loyal patrons who found time to listen to my squabbles,
picked them up quickly and dropped them inside my pocket and walked on.

I don’t beg to get my day’s rations constable, I have my pride!
It was by lunchtime, that I heard my stomach grumble urging me to go and get my grub.

I crawled and walked,
I even stumbled a few yards just to touch and smell the creatures that abound me,
guided by their voices to an abandoned alley.

Then off from the gutter I stumbled on top of something;
letting my hand touch the warm being that I have stepped upon,
then a sudden realization whipped my senses, for here lies a woman I can tell!
all nude and lifeless in a place I can call a rats den.

I dropped my guitar and crawled to a tenement nearby;
to the souls who lived in that place I asked for help praying that life could still be preserved on that helpless woman.

I left without notice,
after making sure that the voices has helped her;
for in my hunger I think I myself cannot last as well.

But somehow I got the notion that the people that helped her were following me!
Their voices grew louder and louder; forcefully picked me up,
battered me, and pushed me up a vehicle.

It was later that I found out that those same people that I called upon
has accused me of robbery, murder, and rape;
I dragged a woman; a business woman to be exact from uptown that was passing by the alley they say;
and robbed her of her belongings at gun point,
and in my discontentment I raped her then shot her three times to the head!
thus the blood on the pavement...

Heard every word I said constable?

I told them the story as I’m telling this to you;
but they only laughed at me; beat me up again;
my execution they want swift.

In my beaten state, though I know I won’t live to tell;
but to you I pray, restore my dignity for I’m just a minstrel,
a blind one, but cheerful to be exact;
trapped in a tragedy of the unjust.

I’m sorry but I think I have to close my eyes;
in my bruises, I have to take a moment’s rest…

Jasmin Uy

Message in a Bottle

Writing Exercise: How I became Hemophobic (A Vampire tells all)

The year is 2010, Castle of Doom, Vladista. Breaking free from this slab of darkness that surrounds me in this smelly- pit for a coffin, I have awaken once again to wreak havoc on the weak, and feast on the blood of the fallen.

As I step out into the window’s edge of my castle. I noticed that the humble village where I once ruled years ago (but was stopped by that pesky vampire hunter and was cursed to sleep decades passed) has now been replaced by rectangular mountain- like structures rising high into the moonlit sky. What once was a figurative landscape seem like shadows, along with the smell of foul air which I can't make out what.

As my adrenalin rushes screaming for blood, I decided to go hunting for hapless victims disguised in the form of a bat. To and fro I look when I came upon a small room atop one of the rectangular structures.

I was shocked at the sight of the dissidents- a family inside which to me looked like corpses about to crumble, but meekly speaking with each other. I managed to hang upon the wall to listen to their weak blabbering.

I found out that in this new era, a great plague and a global war had passed and all the people (the few who survived) are dying from hunger and disease. Sadly, I took a last look upon their mange-mangled faces and decided to fly out their window.

I got back to my castle’s tower where I sat thinking that I should fight the urge to gulp human blood and devour other sources instead, but somehow my pride asked me this question: “How can I, Count Hovir, father of the undead and the most feared character in the underworld be thinking of this option?”

Then off I flew again to the horizon in the dead of the night to devour blood, getting weaker by the minute as I think I have traveled way very far from Vladista- when I found it! An animal silhouette which looked to me like a wild boar sitting just under the tree I’m resting on.

As I was about to pounce on my target, I suddenly heard women’s voices fast approaching my location. Then it occurred to me that this is my lucky night for I can have as much blood as I want, a feast to be exact and if Im lucky enough, I can mate with all these women too! Just think of all the blood and bodies I can have. I decided to wait a while longer in my vampire form waiting to pounce.

Just as soon as I saw human shadows, I came down from the tree in my most terrifying look but instead of great fright, (I saw that the ladies’ look were like corpses with glowing red eyes similar to that family which I left in the rectangular structure back in Vladista) the ladies were looking at me with mouths watering and blabbering something like their lucky this time of the night too, as they were looking for food!

They started to grab and pin me to the ground, but I managed to get on my feet and took flight right away.

I flew, this time in haste and with caution for every house and village I passed by, people would stare at me and grab like I’m part of their food chain, and in my great sadness I returned to my castle and coffin, vowing to go to sleep for another century and never drink blood again, for in this new time and era, people are even more hungry than vampires.

Jasmin Uy

Message in a Bottle

Writing exercise- Presidentiable 1 or 2? (The argument I had with my consience during the past national polls)

Me: With the sudden shift of events after a lot of EDSA revolutions, plus the downfall of the economy not only in our country I think it would be better if we let a capable and intelligent president hold the reigns of the country. Of the two, I think P1 seems to be the right person fit for the job with her credentials than of P2 which finished only elementary and gained popularity only as an actor!

Me2: Hahaha, don’t be a fool! Ok ok I admit that P1 may have good credits to her name, but man she’s a hypocrite and a power grabber!

If you’d go to the streets right now you can tell that P2 has the people’s hearts. Even if she’ll win she only has the name but how can she run the country well when nobody, not even the poor is supporting her. I think P2 is more fit, in this sense!.

Me: Hahaha, don’t make me laugh. I think he’s an idiot - he’s an actor for god’s sake, that’s why he has everybody’s heart, but I admit though that he has run his production company well even without proper education. Perhaps, it was somebody who ran it, "under the saya” hahaha.

Me2: See, you do admit that he had managed to run his company well, imagine what good he could do if he’s top honcho of the country. And your P1 including her husband are rumored to be political underground players where they frequently let the three G’s (goons, guns, and gold) do the talking for them, and the most dangerous part there is that we don’t have knowledge of their activities because P1 and her cohorts have masked their activities well enough! I’d rather stick with my simple actor whose mind is not yet corrupted by Philippine politics.

Me: Grrrr! Do you believe what you’re saying? That’s the most dangerous part! Picture it this way, he has a simple mind (like his friend) he will easily be corrupted and used by the people around him for their own personal ends because he will be too dumb to see what he’s doing. By the way, where’s his friend now? Locked up in prison! I’d rather gamble with placing P1, because I care about my country’s welfare than to have somebody like P2, who I fear will worsen the already-worse situation f our country.

Me2: Ok, you have your way, I’ll have mine. All I know is that you’re making a big mistake if you put her in power.

Me: Hahahaha, your problem is that I’m calling all the shots around here. You’re nothing but my conscience, too bad I’m controlling the hand that will cast the vote tsk tsk I pity you. Having said this, I cast down my vote in her favor, and went on with my day as usual.

View: http://www.yuwie.com/jovir

¾

Writing exercise- An Application Letter

September 21, 2006

Dr. Rupert Bean PhD.
Director
Aerospace Technology Department
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
St. Andrews Base, Pasadena, California

Dear Sir,

Greetings!

I have heard from a reliable source coming from your department Dr. Albert ‘Teborcio’ Einstein, whom I believe is one of your assistants and happen to be a close friend of mine since college, that you are in dire need of a specialist in the fields of Quantum physics and Aerodynamics who will work closely with you and your staff in doing classified projects and experiments aimed for the United States Air force.

It is in this matter that I would like to present myself, Jovir Amatong PhD. DOA for the job that your good office is offering.

I am currently residing at Suite 69, Timesquare, New York, 26 years of age and a Doctorate degree holder in the fields of Aero-analytical Phase Engineering, Aerodynamics, Astronomy, Computer Engineering, Dressmaking, Tire- Vulcanizing, Cooking, Journalism, and Physical Education (To name a few), from Indian Aerospace University in San Jose, California.

Some of my credentials include working as Director for Bell Technologies (Which has coordinated with your office for the Apollo Space Program back in 1993), the creation of the steering system for the Moon rover, the invention of the Banana barbeque pill- food for astronauts, and the co-creation of the highly revered ‘Project Hornet’- a United States government commissioned project where we experimented with Rocket Aerodynamics and the effects of space travel on astronauts thru the use of paper models and planes. Unfortunately, the project was cut short by the government because of the lack of available funds and monitoring but still we have gained ample knowledge from the project that is now in use the world over.

Though I may not be the foremost expert in Quantum physics, but it is in my good intention to let you know that what I may lack in that field, I can easily make up since I am also a Computer Engineer and I have invented a software program which can aid me in that field. I can also brew up great tasting coffee, and I can cook exquisite mouth-watering dishes perfect for you and your personnel.

I have attached along with this letter, my comprehensive resume and assessments from my colleagues from different aerospace institutions around the world.

I am available anytime for an interview at your convenience.

I hope that I have met your requirements with regards to the nature of your work and the projects at hand.

Respectfully Yours,

Jovir Amatong

 

On Television...Your World (An ode to Francine Prieto)

Every morning when I wake up, you are there.

Last day’s worries melting away with just a look at your face.

Then I would shrug my morning blues off, come to work again to earn my days truffles;
Though full of wanderings, necessities and pressure;

Still I’d push on through, knowing that all of this will be gone; with just a look and a smile from you.

Everywhere I go, anywhere I look, off nooks and crannies I’d get glimpses of you…and then head shaking with a smile, id go back again to face my day thru.

As the day ends, I like to savor that refreshing feeling to go by the ocean at night and brew up a drink or two;

And think brightly of things to come, another day ahead, and still get the chance to see you again.

Yes, to me you are the most alluring; not in naked ways but your whole being...
Yet I can't find the reasons and I don’t know why. It’s certainly not obsession, God I hope not!

But it seems my day’s complete with the sight of you alone.

Staring at your picture, hearing your voice… You never tell me I’m a loser, and perhaps you’d never will, trapped in a mushy romantic fantasy…maybe write a song or two…and keep on looking still.

Perhaps it’s a vague rendition, off from my mind’s imagination, But what if by sheer circumstance or an act of fate, you’d step right out off your world and unto mine?

Naahh…Looking on still, my lips crack into a smile. It will never happen, in certainty it never will!

You have your world and I have mine to explore and way separate lives to run. In an artist’s canvass, you will always and can only be etched;

I’ll just watch you from afar on that colored tube; address myself a welcome, a cherished welcome ...another chance to see you on television... your world. (JA)

The Albums

Albums of the hopefulls...

Axistrizero

Designs (print, web, and apparel) many of which i find to be very cool are made by Arnold, a friend of mine.

you might want to check out his hardwares at: www.axistrizero.com

you'll never be dissapointed!

Your Japanese Name Is...

Hibiki Konoe

What's your Japanese Name?

Hoob

Marketing Peeps

Vagabond

The Light by the Window

One rain pelted- cloudy day
I saw a light by the window
From a house I passed by;

When I came out for a day’s walk
To be with myself, and find time to engross in all my troubles,
And let time fly away on the park nearby;

The light shone so bright, more than I ever did see
Not the ordinary setting for a house,
A feature built for you and me

I stared, and curiously took a peek,
On the light that used to be small before my eyes but now glowing even more!

Standing motionless by the window I looked on still,
The light was dancing like yellow dessert fires on a moonlit night
Capturing me with sheer delight!

Then a feeling of warmth, somehow strange to fathom
Filled myself and engulfed me with intonation
Surprisingly all my troubles that haunted me, all have gone away
My mind’s at peace with no more worries to care...

I took the light in my arms carefully, and gladly ran all the way home
The light I put in a pedestal to be always by my side, in the dark to guide my way

And as a constant reminder I said to myself, that the light I took,
I must always kindle and take good care;

For the moment it's left out and fades…I will never be here...

Jasmin Uy

Message in a Bottle

The Isle of Rofus

With the progress of civilization and the passing of father time, also came the ills of humanity. For years, nations fought wars; societies became enslaved by prostitution, hunger, twisted religion, oppression, gambling, adultery, and theft.

Since time immemorial, these vile deeds has plagued humanity, and as these acts have gotten worse thru the decades, the elders of the various religions from many nations around the world came together and brought up a plan to preach the belief amongst their subjects of the ‘Isle of Rofus’, a promised land and nirvana where one can go to in the afterlife, provided that the path of purity and goodness has been followed. They thought up stories and tales so as to really make the people believe in the legend.

Hence, tales about the legendary isle was spread throughout the world. People from all walks of life were told of the good news.

For many decades, the belief of the isle, lingered on the minds of the people that they straightened their chaotic minds and took on the path of goodness. During these years men laid dormant and peaceful all throughout. Then came the dawn of the new era, as men foiled their minds and made new toys, evil in their hearts that lay dormant thru the years was awakened once again. Men slowly deviated from the ways of good and were enslaved once again by the toys they created and worship more than their gods.

Slowly, the belief in the Isle and the path of goodness was eradicated from the minds of humanity, and they took on all their evil ways once again. Now they have ‘guns’ and ‘money’, just two of the powerful toys that were made to make their lives easier but are slowly encroaching them with the ways of evil. And the Isle is no more…

Message in a Bottle