Off To Join The Crusade For The Holy Grail

Okay, this has been one hell of a month. Been doing my thing, slowly but painstakingly doing my job, keeping tabs on my trainees and making sure they get their product knowledge up to speed. Then suddenly God ( my boss and dad, notice which noun I used first? ) decided to spring a surprise on me and decided to let loose the trainees next week, a fortnight ahead of schedule! So this past week up to this Saturday I have to cram my schedule, make unavoidable cuts on the program, and hope to hell they'll be at least more than half baked when they return to the outer branches next week. My life, which I used to consider to be half-dead, is now considered non-existant.

Arrrrgh.

But I do have some news. I was browsing through my blog links during lunch time when I stumbled upon something that made my heart stop.

The Carlos Palanca Awards.

I have been ever curious about this awards ever since I read it first on Jessica Zafra's books. So I browsed through the sites, and eventually reading the contest details What surprised me is that open to everybody! And I thought it was a special contest for established writers! Ok, sue me for an ignorant savage, but this is what living in province is like.

So.

The question is: Can I do it? Can I actually write a short story good enough for the supposedly tough judges? Can I actually conjure something up that will make me be satisfied with my skill with words?

Am I worthy?

That is why I heard lots of people refer to the Palanca Awards as the Holy Grail of Philippine Literature ( kinda akin to the Pulitzer ). Well, I haven't backed out from a challenge yet, so I guess I'll go for it. From what I learned from the Neil Gaiman's Contest and playing Warhammer, no matter the odds, as long as you did your best and, especially, having fun, you'll come out a winner still. So if ever I get to finish my shortie, it's because of my love for words.

Nuff' said.

State of Mind: Echoes of Ideas

Song of the Day: #41 by Dave Matthews Band

Now Reading: Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett

Looking for: A weekend off, or perhaps a short vacation