Walk narratives

Thu, Dec 2, 2021

WHAT I SAW

I walked at around 5:30 pm. Before leaving, the golden hour’s rays penetrated the window at the office. I called Lea so I can take photos of her. It was already dark when I reached UP. I saw people all around Carabao Park, trying to protect it for a drone to move freely. It captured the lights and the belen. It was similar to last year. Little lights in the trunk, circle orbs on the branches. I walked to Forestry (Domingo M. Lantica Ave.) and stopped at this house in front of the UPLB health service. It had lights all over. But no sign of life inside. No car. Did they left? There are monoblock chairs in a room at the left side of the building’s second floor. This suggests that the place might be a conference place rather than a residential place. There’s no people but why leave all these lights open? I passed by a waiting shed. Lights are open for anyone to use. Empty while I was there. Welcoming. If there were chairs or a bed then I could have rested for a bit. Why are empty spaces like this alluring? Especially when the are taken cared of. Are they reminders of solitude? Perhaps all spaces are spaces of solitude. Sans people they will be silent spaces. It persuades me to conclude that spaces are essentially solo. Creation might be right and so is evolution. But whether we accept one from the other, the truth is that there was a point in the narrative when human consciousness was non existent. It was all just space alone by itself. Like the video I shot: Everything was empty space—with bugs, crickets, and the lights—until it is broken by vehicles approaching.

WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT†

I thought about my writing workflow. I realized I really wanted to integrate walk into it. But I need to do so in such a way that allows me to create daily artifacts ala Thoreau, which becomes weekly articles and so on. I also thought about defining contemplation. I defined it as the lifelong pursuit to (1) savor experience and (2) cultivate the children of my mind. For the former, I use walks, photography, and narrative. For the latter, I use Talahardin. Now I was thinking about the product or service to invest in. Thoreau’s diaries were his masterpiece. It was a reflection of his life. If I really want to live well, I need to use my life as the masterpiece. The artifacts to capture that will be the diary. I realized I needed a lens or purpose behind walking: To think deep about myself and the answers to the question how to live.

SYNTHESIS

I was empty yesterday like the house or the waiting shed. A creative rest can make you feel this way. Solitude, emptiness allows rebirth and recreation.

Fri, Dec 3, 2021

Route: Ela-Oñate-Aglibut-Pili-Roxas-Viado-Juliano-Freedom Park-Royal Palm

WHAT I SAW.

I started walking about the same time the other day. The rout:e Mt. Data—Ruby—Bulusan—Diamond—Santos—Lopez—Ela—Onate—Aglibut—Pili—Roxas—Viado—Juliano—Freedom Park—Royal Palm—Lopez—Halcon—Ruby—Mt. Data. I tried looking for empty spaces again. Saw the waiting shed near the church at Ela. The street light created an unusual effect on my camera while at Onate. Then there’s the newly built waiting shed—concrete in its glory—near Pili Drive. But the most interesting thing I saw was the effect of background lights to a slender tree in Pili when I was near Roxas. The lights were not as bright, just enough to create a shadow of the tree. The indigo sky added mystery to the scene. It was my first cold December night walk. I passed by Roxas and remembered Blanca again. Took another interesting shot of the Carillion on the background and the statues below it. The lights are really doing their job. It is as if they were installed just so we can take great photos. Another image that benefited from all the lights was this old tree along Roxas. The light illuminated its branches which are covered by green fur. The contrast between black and green is amazing. I peed for a while at the baseball field. And when I looked back, I saw that the path was alluring— the dark leaves and the bright light on the road created a mystical “portal” look that caught my eyes. I walked some more then took a two minute video for the oblation as it changed colors. It was a relieving cold walk. The cold breeze benefitted me immensely.

WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT

While walking about when I took the turn from Roxas to Viado, I stopped to write these words:

To build a philosophy of living is an iterative process. You can’t afford to wait for everything to be settled before you start living. You have to choose what’s best among your current options. Or just start or try different options. Then you eliminate what does not resonate. I know I have written about this before. But I am reminded of it because of something that Frederick Ross said in his interview at The Guardian. Writing a book about walking is some sort of obstacle to just living. Well, I don’t totally agree with that. I still think that the best way to live is to combine the two simultaneously—to think about life and live at the same time, to inform one with the other. But Gross was right to suggest that living should take priority over everything else. If studying prevents me from living, then it hasn’t done its job. I think so I can add better and be present better and feel better.

Aside from this, I continued studying Talahardin development. I continued to dilineate notes about Zettelkasten, Evergreen notes, and Talahardin. I realized I could adopt literature notes about the former two to recreate them as an integral part of Talahardin.

Mon, Dec 6, 2021

Route: Ela-Pili-Viado-Velasco

WHAT I SAW

I left the house at arouns 5:15. I walked up Data and entered Sierra Madre just to break the monotony. I saw a cat peacefully napping at the front gate of a house. I hesitated to take a photo of it but walked back to do so. A really small letter tube hanged on a gate with a house that didn’t seem liveable yet. And then there was that cute dog that didn’t bark at me when I stopped to take a picture of it. It even started wagging its tail. A sign of friendliness. I squatted to take a video of it and it continued to wag its tail. I wanted to believe it opened its mouth to smile. The line of cosmos flowers outside the fence of a house was gone. They left a single bush of the plant.

At UP, I walked to Ela-Pili-Viado-Velasco. There was an event in Carabao Park. A few outsiders were trying to enter, they were not allowed. Perhaps they wanted to hang out in Carabao Park, it was still before 6 pm but there is an event, so perhaps that is why they were not allowed.

I wanted to walk at Velasco first but I decided to avoid the hassle and walked towards Pili via Ela. It was not a very centering walk. There were no big realizations. It was too dark to take good photos.

WHAT I THOUGHT

I listened to two episodes of the podcast 70 by 70 while cooking.

Tue, Dec 7, 2021

WHAT I SAW

I went out at around 5:30 pm once again. I meant to go out earlier but it was raining and I sprayed the office with anti-flea spray.

Just outside the door, this came to me and I wrote it down:

Walking is not the point.

The point is whatever that state of mind you want to achieve.

Contemplation.

Meditation.

Zettelkasten.

These are all tools.

Walking is a tool.

I don’t want to put unnecessary emphasis on a tool.

What has to be emphasized is the state of mind - repeated and it becomes a lifestyle.

By 6 pm I was at the Belen. There were no events so I decided to walk there. While taking a photo of the fountain, a woman approached me and asked for me to take a picture of them. I said sure and turned around only to see that it was Ate Peachy. Chichi was there too. Probably their entire research team. I said hi but made my way. I saw that there was a bazaar in front Devcom. There seems to be people at the entrance. Perhaps requiring vaccination card? So I didn’t enter. I walked at Capinpin and saw that I can actually enter at the back of the bazaar and won’t be noticed. Next time. I didn’t have much time.

I walked on the dim lighted mini park beside SESAM.

The yellow light made me think about depression and how it has provided a lens for me to see the world and do art. I wrote these words:

I realized later on that if you have a strong propensity towards experiencing sadness, being alone, you can either get too much carried away by it. I got too much carried away by it early in my life. But what I realized that once I have established a more robust support system (partner, family, friends, community), I can dip myself in sadness, loneliness, drama, stuff pop culture call emo, but being able to get back to light.

And part of this process is presence. If I am present to the experience, I know that it won’t last. That I am intentionally entering it to create art. It is simply a transient experience and I can always choose to get off it. I am no longer engulfed by darkness. I could never return to depression.

I continued walkind towards Aglibut then Velasco and turned left on Narra towards Forestry. I took the usual route I take when I walk here. Insects were again making loud noises at that part of the walk. The same place I took the video in.

There were scattered rains while I was walking. Back at Royal Palm, two gents walked pass me in a hurry. It started raining and their hurry made sense. They had no umbrella. They watched me from a waiting shed as I passed by.

I bought brown rice and nips before heading back home.

Wed, Dec 8, 2021

Route: IRRI Housing

WHAT I SAW AND THOUGHT ABOUT

I went out a few minutes past 5. I walked at Bulusan St. A grandma and her apo were walking alongside me. They walked as if the entire street was theirs.

At UP, more and more people can be seen at Carabao Park. The lights of the Belen were not yet on, but people were flocking. Some parents let their kids down the dried up pond. If there is anything this showed me, it is that people are willing to risk everything for the sake of freedom.

I discovered new angles and shots not by changing routes but by exploring the spaces between those routes.

I walked towards IRRI housing. The original plan was to walked towards the stream. However, it was already dark, and I wanted to get at Diwa by 6 pm so I don’t get home too late.

So I just walked towards near the gate of IRRI housing. The walk going back when the road is slightly tilted was amazing. I can see the darkness below as I go down. A man walking emerged from this darkness. And then there was the walk under bamboos. I realized that this was the only part of UP I discovered so far with bamboos. Probinsya feels. The creeking sound is alluring. I was grateful for walking here.

I went to Diwa, met Janges, drank ginger tea, and went home by 7.

I am having second thoughts about starting Lilim this early. I think I need to stick to my original plan. Or at least prioritize the metalearning project. This is because I need to think about how I show up. This is part of the research. And I can do this with more focus if I dont worry too much about others.

Thu, Dec 9, 2021

Route: Ela-Pila-Argañosa-Madamba

FIELD NOTES

When I got out the door, I saw Ate Peachy and greeted her. She said, talagang araw-araw kang naglalakad ah. I was surprised. Someone noticed I walk daily. I said syempre and chatted with her some more about the people she was with the other night when I saw her. Then I went off.

It was late. Around 5:38. I arrived at UP only to see that too many people have flocked around the belen. Some were sitting on the stairs in front of it. The belen does not light up until 6 I guess. And so people can now stay there past 6. People increase by the day at the belen and UP in general.

I walked at Ela to Pili and thought about how complicated owning a house is. The maintenance that gets with it and the money you need to do maintenance. I am also second-guessing whether to continue living here when the contract expires. The house is too large and there is space I’m not really using. A large house needs more time and money to maintain. And since I am alone, that means all those resources rests on my shoulder. A few things are stopping me from leaving, however: relatively good neighbors, quiet neighboorhood (until now), almost no one burning. One can never be sure if I can find a similar neighborhood.

From Pili, I turned to Argañosa towards Madamba. Several vehicles and a motorcycle entered the gate at DTRI, always stopping for a few seconds before entering. I didn’t see anyone at the gate when I turned on the corner.

Madamba is lighted but so quiet at this time.

Very much unlike Doc Jen lol.

While walking I reminded myself that I need to sleep earlier. Also, I need to stop relying on the bread boys for my merienda. I should just buy bread and jam like before to save time.

I smelled cut wood. I saw cut lumber at the middle and side of the road. Were these newly cut or not? If not, the smell of wood has persisted.

From afar, I saw a dog in the middle of the street, lighted by one of the street lights. As I approached nearer, it started barking on me. I picked my umbrella out of my bag’s pocket and prepared to engage. Then a lady entered from nowhere. She was carrying what looked like a pan on her hand and a spoon maybe. Then she started calling Choco! Choco! The dogs recognized her voice and approached her. She fed two dogs then moved on and continued calling Choco! Choco! Looks like Choco is playing hard to get.

I forgot to look back at Choco and the lady. I think I was just feeling so grateful that the she arrived. I could enjoy my walk and not feel anxious about three dogs barking and following me!

I looked up and saw the moon and remembered why I like to walk. I walk not for culture m but for nature, and for the big questions it inspires me to ask and the comfortable environment it creates for me to think about these questions.

I turned at Viado. A woman was waiting alone outside the gate of a building. I went out to Freedom Park via Roxas.

While going down Roxas, I realized I engage with information very slowly. I have been processing Talahardin notes for a few months now and am far from done. This is all the more reason that I need to spend time with meta-learning. I need to dedicate my time on only the best books and materials on a topic.

While at the middle of Freedom Park walking on the grass, I mistook the garbage cans as people sitting from afar.

A patroling officer on a motorcycle passed by. I notice that patroling officers are no longer as many as before.

At Royal Palm, I stopped at the bridge to write these words:

Translation is another one of those activities that hits multiple birds with one stone. When translating, you engage with a text to really understand it therefore increasing your grasp of it. You also increase your mastery of the origin language as well as the target language. You also increase your familiarity of the tools you use for translation.

And that is a reason I need to contemplate going back to translating Thoreau.

Flowers fell down a palm as I passed by.

I walked out of the gate after passing people at the Belen.

Fri, Dec 10, 2021

Route: Batis

NARRATIVE It was a little uninspiring at home after lunch. I wanted to do another work session on the desk but the motivation just wasn’t there. So, I took a bath and decided to leave by 2:30 to go to Diwa’s house to buy cat food and sit the kitties. I wanted to pass by Raymundo gate but the pet food store was out of way, so I had to pass by UP gate. Good that I did, I saw the lotus (or are they lily pads?) I think they are lotuses. There arre maybe 6-8 of them in the pool (I think) different from where the fountain is. If I am not mistaken, this is the same pool all dried up the other day where kids went down to play. Or maybe not. Maybe I am mistaken. These lotus plants seem mature. Perhaps they were here all along since a few weeks ago. I can see that there are pots submerged under water and the leaves just sprung out of these pots.

I walked towards the library, went down to Velasco and walked pass a sitting guard. We saw eye to eye. Then I turned towards Bella Cartash. A sign was hung. Apartment for rent it said. I stayed at Diwa’s place feeding and playing with the cats for about an hour and a half. Then I went out to walk towards batis. It was already about 5:30 when I did that. I wanted to catch the path when there is still some light available since there are no street lights there at Drilon Jr.

While in Camia, I saw two cats at the middle of the road. It’s a mother and its child. They look a lot like each other especially their tails. They were short like Shorty. It was so cute I had to take a photo of it. They were startled when I approached so they went under the nearest car. That’s where I took a photo of them. Unfortunately, their tails can’t be seen. Well, they’re too short to be seen anyway.

I also took a photo of a street light. I turned left and saw three elderly people talking and seem to watch. Where they watching the whole time?

While passing by the triangle intersection of Drilon Jr. and Gapud, I started asking myself:

How do I want to spend my days?

My time on earth is too limited. Something must give for me to focus on what I want most to do.

I answered a partial yet authentic list:

• Longer walks for sure.
• Thought-provoking reads.
• Interesting yet challenging conversations.

I could spend every day just doing these three.

At batis, I immediately noticed that the road was wider than before. The whole time I wasn’t able to visit this place, which I once dubbed similar to my favorite route back in Sta. Maria, people were already developing it. Will there be a chance that this opens up as an alternate route for cars. There is. Otherwise, why would they spend money on it just to be walked on by people like me? This means, this could be a busy road one of these days, no longer as friendly to the cause of solitude.

It was really dark, but it was 6 pm anyways and at this time of the year, this can be expected. The half moon though was bright enough to give me some light. I saw a tempory tent shed on the left with chairs under it. Workers took a break here perhaps, or where they guard houses? I thought someone was there. But who would stay here alone at this time? Just me.

I walked up until I saw the wall on the left that signals an assault that goes directly towards houses. I then turned to go back. I had to return to Diwa’s house to fix the door that won’t lock. Along the way, I saw several fireflies that stopped blinking when I tried to video them.

As I approached the triangle again, I was greeted by another lonely comrade. A waiting shed waiting under a friendly light.

Night walks are surprisingly full of imagery.

FIELD NOTES

How do I want to spend my days?

My time on earth is too limited. Something must give for me to focus on what I want most to do.

Longer walks for sure.

Thought-provoking reads.

Interesting yet challenging conversations.

They extended the road at batis

The half moon is bright as is.

A lone firefly

Sun, Dec 12, 2021

Route: Ela-Pili-Roxas-Viado-Pancho-Freedom Park-Royal Palm

Narrative

I went out around 5:30 pm. It was starting to get dark. Brought my laundry first at Ressie’s then I started my way to UP. Lots of people were at Grove. UP has turned into a place of pilgrimage. The last time I saw this many people that behaved this way was the last Sunday I ever went to Manaoag before the pandemic. I saw a family who brought four dogs, I think. All small toys. One of them didn’t want to walk. It just sat there. Its master carried it instead until gate. He tried to make it walk once more. When it still didn’t, he started dragging it, forcing it to walk. Its probably a stressful place to bring dogs to. I know I won’t bring Chikako with me to a similar place.

Before I entered UP, I saw Ju. We stared at each other for a long time then realized this is us. I touched his left nipple, which later led to jokes with the gang.

When I entered UP, a question came to me: No one has ever answered this to me yet clearly. Why does one need to work in public? I mean, we always have the choice to work behind close doors. So why do some choose to get out there?

I walked at Ela to avoid people only to see how much people were attending the mass. Good thing there were inside the church and not on the streets. It was dark already.

A boy stood at the gate of the church with eyes closed, head bowed, singing behind his mask, or fervently praying. An older boy, who was probably his companion, wasn’t sharing his religiosity.

I turned right on Pili after I saw a group of friends or family who were walkind towards me. I reached Roxas and took one of only two photos I took for this cold evening walk.

It was here I think when I remembere my meandering answer to the wonderful question Maui asked—what is Los Baños for you? Aside from not getting to the point, I felt compelled to use the word “spirituality”, which is uncharacteristic of me.

I know I am not being honest and articulate when I am forced to utter something that isn’t true for me but sounds right for others.

I am too polite for a philosopher.

I walked at Viado. The only person I saw while there was the lady guard inside her small shed.

I exited at Pancho then walked at Freedom Park. While in Freedom Park I realized that to organize my notes on the Talahardin system, I can simply go back to my workshop on life management system and use the structure there. That is what I am going to do today.

FIELD NOTES

No one has ever answered this to me yet clearly. Why does one need to work in public?

Flocks of people attending the mass

A boy stands at the gate eyes closed, head bowed, singing behind his mask, fervently praying. Who was probably his companion wasn’t sharing his religiosity.

I know I am not being honest and articulate when I am forced to utter something that isn’t true for me but sounds right for others.

I am too polite for a philosopher.

That’s it

• An idea about what is important to you: a convergence tool - including goals
• A system: routines, habits

Tue, Dec 14, 2021

Route: Data-Diamond-Halcon-Lopez-Carabao Park-Narra-Lantican-

Narrative

I left the house yesterday at around 5 pm. The sun was still up. I was about to take the usual route to UP via Bulusan or Banahaw, but I realized I might be able to buy yogurt so I walked at Diamond to Halcon then Lopez to go to Ate Grace’s. There was a single bottle left. I bought it. Frome there, I walked towards UP.

The canvas tent where people pass under has been disassembled. I walked via Carabao Park, where people started flocking in. I saw that the Belen wasn’t on lights yet even if it was already about 6. I also learned that the public is actually open to view the display until 10.

I continued walking towards library. A family was walking at the other side of the road. They might be going to freedom park. An officer stopped them.

From library, I walked Narra and crossed the bridge. I saw a good angle and took several photos.

It was still bright when I walked up Lantican. Many vehicles were pasing by.

It was dark when I reached the forestry area. I saw an officer resting in the shed at the intersection of Lantican and Pancho. I continued walking, saw a good spot to pee across the road so I did it. Then I made my way across the arc to forestry.

The walk was dark, with the sounds on cicadas filling the air.

I had very little thoughts in this walk. I was just grateful to walk here again.

But I did remembered the GIGO principle and realized its relevance to spending enough time in metalearning mode. Nailing metalearning assures you that you only consume the best of the best.

I walked back to do some errands before coming back home.

Field notes

Garbage in, garbage out

• More time spent identifying what to put in will make sure something good gets out

Thu, Dec 16, 2021

Mt. Data-Sierra Madre Ext.-Sierra Madre-Onyx-Santos-Lopez-Ela-Pili Drive

Narrative

I went out around 5 pm. Late again because I vacuumed the house. I wanted to eat some streetfood first before walking so I decided to go to Ate Dhel’s Proven. So I walked there by taking the Sierra Madre route (just to avoid the annoying tricycle drivers). I passed by a pile of garbage beside the house with two large German shepherds. It was a photo find.

I notice that what you’ll find in people’s garbage piled might be a good photography project.

Ate Dhel’s was close. I looked for other places to eat at the area but there was none. So I started walking Santos to go to Lopez where there are some street food vendors. I crossed the street and saw one. My gally, I saw Ju once more! Second time in a single week! I asked him where he was going and why he was early. He said this was the regular meeting time at Satya. I said I’ll go ahead, waited for him to vanish, then went to the streetfood stall to order tokneneng and isaw. A dog was moving around looking up at customers waiting for whatever food he can get. He had a damaged right eye. I looked at his other good eye. I felt pity. I bought two more isaw. The other one, I am sure I fed him most of it. I wasn’t enough. But he has the look in his eye that he have been living like this for a while and he will find a way to survive. I saw that look again after seeing him outside Savemore, after buying some groceries. He was walking, staunch, perhaps going to his next spot. He knows the streets.

I continued to UP. At Ela, on the pedestrian lane going towards the church, a boy walked slowly at the lane while raising his hand in a stop position. He continued doing this until he and her guardian reached the other side. As I passed by the church, I heard a young girl reciting prayers. I sat at a bench for a while.

While walking towards Pili Drive, I noticed the constant appearance of people and cars on my walk. I realized that the presence of people along the way while walking has an effect on whether walking changes one’s perspective. It seems that solitude heightens these changes as well as the length of the walk and thus of solitude.

I looked at the moon. It was almost full. I have a history of looking at the moon and realizing something. As I looked at it behind a thin sheet of cloud, I remembered Nietszche and how wrong he is. How can something so beautiful not truly exist? I feel like by saying that metaphysics is wrong, he is doing metaphysics.

All of these reminded me that the problems of philosophy are not that hard to understand. They are only made complex by the personality of philosophers and the world they revolve around.

I also remembered the Nietszche podcast I listened to in the morning. The host was a fan of the philosopher—thinks he is part of the new race of philosophers that love freedom. However, doesn’t mean that an idea that is radical, rebelious, convenient, and beautiful is true. An idea can be so old, so conservative, so boring, ugly, but still be true.

I practiced walking better by noticing the different changes of perspective that walking makes possible. I looked at the moon and noticed how I approached it. I looked at the tree and did the same. I noticed how people approaching affected me or how the wideness of the terrain affected me.

This noticing of the environment and just being and then stopping for a while to jot some fieldnotes made me realize that walking is a dance between being and thinking and being while thinking.

After reaching the last light post, I started walking back. There, I saw the shadow of Makiling. It was already dark, but I could still see that the peak is hidden behind a low thick cloud.

While walking back, I felt some gratitude that the Philippines is actually doing better in terms of respecting people’s freedom while rolling out the vaccines. I also articulated the difference of insight and conclusion. Insight is thought that is not born out of another thought. It can be part of a thread of thought, but there is always a space between the thread and the insight. A conclusion is directly connected to a set of prepositions, which can only be deduced through careful analysis. An insight can be a conclusion to a thread of thought, but its coming is surprising, takes time, happens at unexpected moments as if it comes from somewhere else and not the author.

Fieldnotes

• Met Ju twice.

• Fed a dog.

• A boy wanted to stop a car while crossing pedxing.

• A young girl reciting prayers at the church.

• The presence of people along the way whole walking has an effect on whether walking changes ones perspective. It seems that solitude heightens these changes as well as the length of the walk and thus of solitude.

• I look at the moon now. Almost full. Behind a thin sheet of cloud, and I remember Nietszche and how wrong he is. How can something so beautiful not truly exist or exists within me?

• By saying that metaphysics is wrong, he is doing metaphysics.

• If you come to think of it, the problems of philosophy are not that hard to understand. They are only made complex by the personality of philosophers and the world they revolve around.

• Doesnt mean that if it is radical, rebelious, convenient, and beautiful, it is true. An idea can be so old, so conservative, so boring, ugly, but still be true.

• Walking is a dance between being and thinking or being while thinking.

• I can’t believe I will ever say this but the Philippines has done way better and more reasonable in addressing the rollout of covid 19 vaccines that Western countries

  • No mandatory ordinances
  • Ivermectin has been approved
  • Adverse effects are reported, not covered up
  • Government officials from all levels of government have been generally suspicious and vigiliant on mandatory vaccination

  Meanwhile, in the West:

  • Austria will start fining unvaccinated and are building prison camps.
  • Australia are convicting unvaccinated.

• Insight vs conclusion

  • Insight doesn’t seem to come from thought. One can say it is triggered by something, but that something is not information.
  • There might always be role that physical world or movement plays.
  • Insight could happen as part of a thread of thought. But it isn’t clear how it is related to the thread.
  • A conclusion however scaffolds on initial thoughts and can only be generates by analyzing those thoughts together.

Fri, Dec 17, 2021

Route: Tadlac Lake

Narrative

Yesterday was the day I formally cut ties with Accuweather. It told me the rain is going to stop in 38 minutes. This convinced me to put my doubts away about going out for a walk on this rainy weather, close the door, and leave. And it wasn’t just a normal walk. It was a half-day walk to Alligator lake.

It was difficult to walk along Mt. Data on my way to Agapita. Submerged parts of the road were filled with water, and since the area was quite elevated, water was rushing down on some parts. A bad time and place to walk. But I continued. Everything will be better when I ride the jeep, and in 38 minutes, the rain will stop. Or so I believe, because Accuweather told me.

It was a mindful walk going to Lopez to ride the jeep~~—~~absorbing despite the rain. Or was it absorbing because of the rain?

Side note: Saw it just now. There is in fact a Mt. Pulog, contrary to what Ome said that this should have been Mt. Pulag. And what is ironic is that Mt. Pulog is in Sorsogon. And Ome is a Bicolano. Haha.

I was expecting water to enter the soles of my shoes. But I felt none. Was it my socks? Thicker ones are probably ensulating me from the wet. I entered the jeep. Only four of us were there includung the driver. A long queue of vehicles stopped on the other side of the road going to Sta. Cruz. From Olivarez, where the jeep stopped, to Bagong Kalsada, it would be an 9 min ride. Double that for traffic and stops. I transferred sit at the end of the jeep where rainwater is moistening my left leg as we wait at Olivarez Plaza. It was 2:09 pm.

We arrived at Bagong Kalsada at 2:25 pm. My theory was correct. I got of the jeep with the rain really pouring hard. Contrary to Accuweather’s prediction, the rain doesn’t seem to be stopping any time now. Surprisingly, the moment I took shade, the rain started to weaken. I bought two pieces of bread—pande coco and spanish—then started walking Bagong Kalsada towards Tadlac. I passed by a busy talipapa at the entrance. I bet people could buy most of their needs here.

I stopped for a while and typed these words:

I am an artist writer than a researcher. An everyday literary philosopher rather than an anlaytical one. I ought to publish just to practice publishing and sharing my thoughts.

I later learned that I was in Masili, a barangay of Calamba, in Real district.

It started raining hard again. Unfortunately, my umbrella, the only thing protecting me from drops of rain I wasn’t expecting to be these large, had some holes in it. I stopped inside a shade shaped like an umbrella but metal. The irony.

I waited inside the umbrella for a couple of minutes before continuing the route. This was my route going to the lake.

Bagong Kalsada was filled with resorts on both sides. Some are not so obvious. I think they are just piggy banking on the success of nearby pansol and the resorts in Los Baños. Some of these resorts are almost hidden inside guarded subdivisions. Construction continues in one of these resorts—a sign that business is okay, or perhaps recovering, despite the lockdowns.

When I arrived at the corner of Bagong Kalsada and Tadlac, I was surprised to see a railroad. I thought I will be walking on the rails going towards the lake or perhaps riding trolleys. It was a relief to see that a cemented road for cars was just beside the rails. I turned right and started walking Tadlac.

Walking on Tadlac street felt like walking in Rizal in the streets beside the rails, except there are no trolleys.

Along the street, the side of the road started to ascend, houses start to descend, and the mountain—great Mt. Makiling is revealed.

I saw a signboard about the lake. Tadlac Lake is its name. Why is Google maps calling it alligator lake? Tadlac is, in fact, a barangay of Los Baños. So Masili and Tadlac are the border barangays of Elbi and Calamba.

As I got deeper in Tadlac, I noticed signs of the pandemic—writings on the walls on the side of the road reminding people of curfew hours, community gardens perhaps built to address hunger, and the biggest surprise of all an isolation facility at the heart of the barangay.

As I was about to make a left turn going up towards the lake, the rain started pouring really hard. This was the most challenging part of the walk. I had to contend with my feelings. I felt swindled by Accuweather. I was starting to call the walk a bad idea. To make matters worse, there were almost no place to take shade. I saw a closed store with just a little shade. I took shelter. By this time, I can already feel my socks squishy with rain water. My shoes are already three years old, battered by long walks, and are no longer waterproof. I am but an amateur walker. But in hindsight, this was a good educational experience on the importance of waterproofing when walking and choosing the best gear to walk with.

It was raining hard it was difficult to write anything down on my phone (waterproofing phones are also important in these situations) or to check where I was already. I knew I was near the lake. But the other lake, Laguna de bay, emerged first, although it was gray with rain clouds.

The rain continued pouring but I knew I was near so I continued. I passed by a man sitting on a shed then a concrete stairs where water flowed down. I saw Tadlac lake there for the first time but never thought that was the viewdeck. I continued walking only to realize the view of the lake will be gone soon. I checked the map and I did passed the viewdeck. I hesitated to go back. I thought the viewdeck was where the man was sitting on. I don’t want to share it with him. But I remembered how hard it was to walk here on this weather, how I will waste all of that if I don’t commune with the lake. So I went back, prepared to talk with the man. Then that’s when I saw that the stairs going down, where the water flowed, was the viewdeck.

But will I go down? Brown water from the road above is flowing down hard, torrential. Hell, my feet are already soaked. What’s the difference? So I went down. Walked slowly, lest I slip. And that was when I finally got really close to the lake. It was magical.

I finally arrived at the lake after much difficulty. Particularly on my feet. I arrived at around 3:30 pm. I saw some herons perched up some trees. Some flew above the lake. There were also small wild ducks swimming at the edges of the water. I saw some kingfishers, small blue ones like those in Lobong. I stood under the shade of a large tall tree, it was still raining, and I ate the bread I bought at the bakeshop.

Then about that time, it stopped raining. My goodness. It stopped. And that’s when I realized it was actually a good idea to walk at this time—no people, just me, the view of the lake and the mountain while raining was a different view. I could visit this lake anytime when the sun is up but not when it is raining like this. And perhaps the biggest realization of all: This was probably the longest I have been around nature since my escapades at Lobong CIS.

I decided to stay in the lake for at least an hour. To stay and appreciate nature. I took photos, watched the birds through my binoculars, and took two videos.

With all these beauty, I realized that Lilim has to be written. I will start doing a bi-weekly publication. While not publishing, I’ll just pile up the walking writings and publish them when I am ready. This was a motivating factor to fix website

Fieldnotes

Raining. Difficult to walk along Data to Agapita. But it was a mindful walk, absorbing despite the rain. Or was it absorbing because of the rain?

I was expecting water to enter the soles of my shoes. But I can’t feel any. Was it my socks? Thicker ones are probably ensulating me from the wet. I enter the jeep. Only four of us here includung the driver. Traffic to sta cruz. But because of stoplight. From here to Bagong Kalsada, it would be an 9 min ride. Plus another of that for traffic and stops. I transfer sit at the end of the jeep where rainwater is moistening my left leg as we wait at Olivarez Plaza. 2:09 pm.

2:25 arrived at bagong kalsada. Rain stopped bothering me.

I am an artist writer than a researcher. An everyday literary philosopher rather than an anlaytical one. I ought to publish just to practice publishing and sharing my thoughts.

Unfortunately, my umbrella, the only thing protecting me from drops of rain I wasn’t expecting to be these large, had some holes in it. I stopped inside a shade shaped like an umbrella but metal. The irony.

Arrived at the lake with much difficulty. Particularly on my feet. I was here around 3:30. There are some herons perched up some trees. Some are flying above the lake. Some small wild ducks are swimming at the edges. I saw some kingfishers. This is probably the longest i have been around nature since my lake at lobong.

Lilim has to be written. Even as a biweekly or monthly publication. Just pile up the walking writings. Publish them biweekly when they are ready.

Wild ducks fly across the lake but just right over the water. Its funny to watch.

Nature does not discriminate - in both its goodness and badness.