Happy Mondays

Gel's brother, Ralph, bought this from Cubao X. Funny title and funny face to match, ftw.

National Geographic magazine from 1958.

Check out Gel's worried face.

True friends. Battling the rain and thunderstorms for Gel.

Jimmy Abad - my favorite amongst the readers.

Gel has been, for the past months, organizing the comeback of Happy Mondays -- a poetry reading night -- with Kissa.  The said poetry night’s re-launch was last Monday, Aug 6. Despite news of foul weather, Nicole and I decided to go out on a limb to support Gel’s effort to, forgive the cliché, keep the fire alive.

I remember the violent winds and the terrifying amount and rate of tears from the open skies outside the small space of Tomato Kick. I remember the look on Gel and Kissa’s faces as they alternatingly look at the crowd then at their phones and watches. 7 pm and there were only 3 readers. But I also remember a packed bar, keeping tears at bay as I take in poem after poem. I remember feeling surprisingly inspired, not frustrated or jealous, like always. I remember wanting to pee so bad but not allowing myself to stand and miss a line or two, or an entire poem. TMI I know, but I'm trying to make a point here. The 95^th installment of Happy Mondays is a big success and I couldn’t be happier to see how passionate people can be about poetry. It lasted until the wee hours of the morning. In fact, I remember coming home to Gel’s house at almost 3 am after hearing a score of poems about activism, rain, love, captcha, and whatnot. (I also remember Gel really drunk on vodka sprite, but that’s a different story.) 

In the end, the point is that there really is nothing like enjoying poetry. With a bottle of beer. And, in the company of good friends. 

P.S. Got stranded at Gel’s house until Thursday morning. Smashing Pumpkins concert got cancelled. What do I care, I didn’t even buy a ticket. 

The rest of the stranded story here on Nicole’s blog.