K.

Kyle Castillo sa HUMSS-3

[astoicstudent]

Photo by me

Solitude

Ding! The bell rang and left an echo on the school grounds, signaling a start of a new monday, and as if in cue, sudents sprinted and stumbled upon chairs, breaking their organized positions. The teacher came with a slow and relaxed gait and you can tell by his form that he was a professional teacher just from seeing him walk that way. He bowed courteously and momentarily, that we didn't even have enough time to stand up in our chairs to greet him, for as he spoke those words I could never even fathom, came out of his voice, he said; "Classes would be dismissed for the entire week."

Rain fell like a waterfall, pouring in streams with deafening sounds, beads of water escaped from the roof, forming tears in my window. I listened as the downpour slowly quieted in my room. This was how my days where spent, leisurely and idly passing time away with nothing to worry about. I would occasionally read the contemporary Japanese literature, which is most of them are Haruki Murakami's works. Staying late up at night and playing video games, watching anime series or movies, I was living a carefree and leisurely days.

News spread about the Corona Virus, with its numerous symptoms, and deadly effects. The virus can infect other people in close proximity, so in a matter of weeks after the first cases of Covid-19 came to light, it began to spread like wildfire. Soon it became a global pandemic, that requires many safety protocols all over the globe. And so Quarantine was established in less than a month after our dismissal, I did not think that things would escalate at this scale. It was then that has given birth to a new normal way of living, one that a anyone would call a hellish and unhealthy lifestyle.

Days became months, and headlines about Covid continues to spread. People are not wearing mask, and are going outside as if in revolt or just rejecting the idea that there was a global pandemic around them. I have seen many people act so uneducated and irresponsible at the news, which is why at that point I wasn't surprised with the increasing numbers of Covid patients here in the Philippines. I thought to myself that we deserved it, like a sort of divine punishment from God, using the natural forces of nature as his instrument for divine retribution against these utter foolish humans, who have not changed in its entire existence. I watched in scorn, as the news broadcasted yet another update on the rising scale of Covid patients, I just hoped that something kills me before it gets into our area.

Online learning, felt nothing like a place to learn. This isn't to say that the teachers did nothing to do their responsibilities, but more so on the system, on not being a reliable means of education. Most students including myself, had a hard time keeping up with the lesson, we either had device failures, internet problems, or just in general unmotivated to study and learn anything at all. This new way of learning did not feel the same to students, it was like a different norm from some other culture. Adaptation did not come easy for any of us in this new world.

Enclosed in 4 squares with close proximity, my room had a grain of film, lifeless, soulless, like an abandoned apartment. The cracks on walls where like a spray painted graffiti, cobwebs clung to the corner, slowly but surely infecting the entire room. Occasionally you would see roaches seeping through the cracks on the walls, rats would sprint like a bullet which was evident in its leavings. The room reflected who I was, growing cold and slowly rotting away like a dead flesh of body.

Even so, I had made friends with this new world. My new classmates became my friends, some of the most funniest and caring people in this world. We sometimes held meetings, or just chatted the time away, and with them I felt at ease, brimming with hope that it wasn't the end for me. I would be lying when I say that everything about online class was just unenjoyable, because in there I found people who actually accepted who I was, and helped me with my studies. I was someone who is just unsociable, so when I took that first step into talking to them, everything just fell right in place, and as if in harmony we all felt like we had met each other before, like long lost friends. In this day and age, everyone needed a shoulder to cry on, or just some company, and I feel like these people are what saved me from the most boring and worst year that I have experienced.

[astoicstudent]

Photo by Elena Seibert Via https://cdn2.penguin.com.au/authors/original/60765au.jpg

Magic

The 22nd Gunzo prize award for new writer! Haruki Murakami's first novel, "Hear the Wind Sing" won a prize for best fiction written by a new writer. It was published In 1979, and later on adapted into a film at the following year of 1980.

Haruki Murakami was born in Kyoto Japan at January 12, 1949. His hometown was in Kobe, which was where he grew up. He then moved to Tokyo, and studied in Waseda University as an Arts major student, which is where he also met his wife Yoko. After college he then opened a small jazz bar, and for several years, which was ran by he and his wife.

Murakami once had an epiphany when watching a football match, it is that he needed to write a novel. Before however, he never even thought about writing at all. “[Writing] apparently filled a void I was feeling in my heart, just before I turned thirty.” – Haruki Murakami. At a young age, he was engrossed In reading it was what he did a lot except writing. He often find his mind somewhere else, always being immersed in the fiction universe.

He ran a bar with his wife at his basement in Tokyo, and later on owned a small Jazz bar in another neighborhood. It was when he closed the bar that he wrote his very first novel at a kitchen table. It is "Hear the Wind Sing," which became success that won an award and had started his career into writerhood. He reflected upon this book, and stated that luck and timing where a vital part of success when it comes to his career.

Many of his earlier writings was characterized by vivid imagery accompanied with magic atmosphere in the setting, and unorthodox events. These earlier forms of Murakami's writings, he himself found difficult to comprehend. That all he wrote came from his inner subconscious. This way of ambiguous writing, became one of the reasons for his being popular with readers. It is a writing that is fresh from the mainstream of contemporary Japanese literature, which most young people during those times, found boring.

During those times however, some authors find his writing irritating. To them his writing lacks political and intellectual stance, that made it less interesting to them, that it is no more than entertainment. These are the so called "serious" writers during that time, who writes with intellect and prose about politics and society in Japan.

The following years Murakami published many books. One particular book was the one that started his course of profession into the international stage. It is the, "A Wild Sheep Chase" which became his first major international bestseller. This made his other works famous, and not long after, his novels got translated into different languages throughout the world. And during this time period, most of his works are receiving praises and awards, it was the pinnacle of his career, someone that any writer aspires to be.

One particular novel that Murakami changed his writing style was, "Norwegian Woods." It is also a book that I'm currently reading right now. A coming-of-age story, written in a straightforward style of approach by Murakami, which was a far cry from his style of writing in his previous works. This novel was the one that put him on the map. It sold millions of copies in Japan and internationally, which firmly established his place as a literary celebrity.

Murakami was mostly unaffected by his growing fame in the literary world. In the late 1980's, he stayed at Europe for several years, and in 1991 moved to the United States. During this period of time he wrote a book called, "The Wind-up bird Chronicle." It's theme depicted the nightmares of Japanese militarism on the Asian continent.

Murakami returned to Japan in 1995, where it was a time, prompted by the Kobe earthquake and Sarin gas attack, by the Aleph or at that time, the AUM shirinkyo a doomsday cult, it was carried out on a Tokyo subway. These two disastrous events is what inspired Murakami to write, "Underground" in 1997. Which was a nonfiction in account of the subway attack. In 2000 as well he wrote, "After the Quake" which is an insight about the psychological effects of the earthquake on the residents, it features six short stories about it. Haruki Murakami is one of the living proof that our physical environment is what shapes us as a human being. It is evident in his quotes found in his works. "If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking." Norwegian woods written by Haruki Murakami in 1987.

[astoicstudent]

Image by DragonImages/stock.adobe.com

A Hobby Features

Child's Gambit

"While all artists are not Chess players, all Chess players are artists." Quoted by Marcel Duchamp, a French-American painter, sculptor, Chess player and most notably known as an artist, for revolutionizing developments in the plastic arts during the 20th century's opening decades.

Over the roughly one and half millennia of it's existence, Chess has been known as a tool of military strategy. History tells that the games origin was in 6th century. It was when the youngest prince of the Gupta empire, was killed in battle. His brother devised a way of representing the scene to their grieving mother. Set on an 8 by 8 Ashtapada board, which was used for other popular pastimes. A new game emerged known as Chaturanga, with having only 4 major roles, a Rook, Knight, Bishop and a single King piece who's fate determines the entire outcome.

At the age of 8 years old, my father introduced me to the game of chess. He taught me the key moves and features of every Chess pieces. That each piece has their role to play in the game like an empire or a kingdom, who's people follow their King. "Because in this game, you are the King," my father said as he move piece on the board, as if giving command for his troops to advance forward against the enemy.

As a kid back then, I only thought of Chess as just another boring game for adults. I didn't particularly liked it. Everytine me and my father played Chess, he just takes his time with one single move, as if it was a revolutionary move. It just bores me back then, why people have to wait for one single move that dosen't even do anything. For me It was boring, and most of the time I just play it with brute force, exchanging pieces all the time so that I feel a twinge of excitement from it.

My father taught me that every move counts. That it's like song, slowly building up for the Chorus, or a story going through conflicts and leading up to the climax. Sometimes we sacrifice a piece in order for us to win, or just simply divert enemy and reposition your pieces for a counter attack. To me, it all feels like a miniature war, without any life wasted and unnecessary blood spilled.

Now as a teenager, I find myself trying to learn how to play Chess properly. I didn't know what the trigger was, maybe genetics? My father, uncle and grandfather were all good at playing Chess and maybe because of this, I find myself very interested and intrigued with the different variations, moves and strategies you used in playing Chess. Calculating and predicting your opponents moves, finding the weakest point of their defenses like exposing a chink in an armor, the battle of wits, all of which I find intriguing about Chess. The game made my mind and heart feel like one, beating and pulsing like a clock's moving parts all in harmony. It is more than just a game there is a sense of artistry and beauty to it, like what athletes call, the beauty of sports.

[astoicstudent]

A travelogue

(Photo by me)

Flow

A cool breeze of air washes over the houses, with railings lined on each side of the streets, the morning dew could be felt as it hang thickly in our mirror as we drove by along the neighborhood. A thick blob of fog hung into the air, its layers as cool as ice, welcoming us in a cold embrace.

It's strikingly cool like a winter weather, is the first thing I felt on our way to Baguio City. An unusual temperature considering this is a tropical country, which made the city famous for its unusually cold weather.

Before we arrived to Baguio, we stopped on the road to admire a very famous landmark. The attraction had a huge head resembling that of a lion's. Many people had gathered there as well for a stop, simply to buy souvenirs or take pictures of themselves along with the lion. It was a majestic sight, we took photos along with the family. Even if the sculpture was that of a scary, huge and monstrous lion, it did have a sign on the side saying "Welcome." Well... it is a very intriguing invitation, considering we where just on our way to the main city.

I remembered that day like it was yesterday, the bleached white sky was covered in thick clouds. Air as cold as ice, I stood just outside our car, it felt like I was in a very different country. On the horizon you could see, a grove of tropical pine trees, it's open park and spaces are covered in pure green like moss.

I have always liked the color green. In Baguio everything is almost covered in green. In the morning you can feel the morning dew emanating from the greenery of your neighbors plants and garden. It is just a refreshing feeling, as if saying that this is a city of green pastures.

We stayed at a nearby hotel, it had 3 rooms, one big livingroom, a bathroom and a double deck bedroom. It had a television, an L-shape sofa, fridge and a table to eat. The place did not have an aircon nor a electric fan, because all you need to do was open the windows, and it feels like winter. Natural air flowing to your room, it felt like inviting nature into your life. The room just felt natural it made me comfortable and carefree from all the problems in this world.

We went to a very popular tourist attraction place, that is called Burnham Park. Famous for its swan boats, rental bikes, and a good spacious place for strolling and jogging. Me and my cousin when and did most of the fun activities you can do in that place, we enjoyed like there was no tomorrow. Burnham Park offers a lot of fun activities to participate in, especially the swan boats which you can ride in this man-made Burnham lake. With its wide varieties of activities that it offers, it also comes with an affordable price for both the bikes and swan boats.

The city was bustling with people, wearing coats and beanies against the cool weather. Buildings and shops had signs that were lit with colorful neon lights. The night time was beautiful and full of strange life. People walking from one point to the other tending to their businesses, salespersons talking with customers, strangers exchanging greetings to one another. Everything about Baguio city just seems to flow so naturally, a very relaxing and refreshing experience that I hope to relive once again in the near future.