FAVORITES and INFLUENCES.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

FAVORITES. The sea. I emanated from an archipelago or a country with 7,641 islands. Surrounded by waters. Although I am not into swimming, water sports, or long travels by ship, I love the sea. (Though I worked with fisherfolk as an organizer for NGOs.) The sight of the sea offers me peace and quiet. The mountain that is adjacent to the ocean: The ideal existence. Summer trips to the sea in the province, on school breaks, punctuated my younger years. 🏝🌅🏝

INFLUENCES. William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616). English playwright and poet. Widely regarded as the most influential writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Mr Shakespeare’s body of masterpieces continues to be studied and reinterpreted. No writer, I believe, denies the influence of Shakespeare in their work. ✍️📚✍️

FAVORITES. Spaghetti Western. Films produced in Italy mostly; mid-1960s. Sergio Leone! His films "demythologized” the conventions of traditional U.S. Westerns. My favorite Sergio Leone movies: “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” starring Clint Eastwood, and “Once Upon a Time in the West.” Others: “Django” by Sergio Corbucci, and those hilarious Bud Spencer and Terence Hill films. Yes! Music by the great Ennio Morricone. 🐴🤠🐴

INFLUENCES. Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind.” He wrote the song when he was 21 years old. The song was included on his 1963 album “The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.” A protest song that poses a series of rhetorical questions about peace, war, and freedom. The refrain "The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind" has been described as "impenetrably ambiguous: either the answer is so obvious it is right in your face, or the answer is as intangible as the wind.” 📚🍎🎼

FAVORITES. Scrapbooking. A method of preserving and arranging personal and family history in the form of a book, box, or card. Typical memorabilia include photographs, printed media, and artwork. Scrapbook albums are often decorated and frequently contain extensive journal entries or written descriptions. When we were young, I was the voluntary organizer of the family albums. Always have patience and diligence to spend hours in a weekend for scrapbooking. ✂️📘✒️

INFLUENCES. Greek Mythology. The body of myths as told by the ancient Greeks. The ancient Greek religion's view of the origin and nature of the world; the lives and activities of deities, heroes, and mythological creatures; and the origins and significance of the ancient Greeks' cult and ritual practices. Modern scholars study the myths to shed light on the religious and political institutions of ancient Greece, and to better understand the nature of myth-making itself. 🧙‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧙‍♂️

FAVORITES. Fish dishes. Choice of meal? Fish. All kinds of fish. With the head or fillet. The only food that I order at a Mexican restaurant is Mojarra Frita or fried tilapia. However a fish is cooked or prepared, that’s fine with me. Poached. Steamed. Grilled or barbecued. Baked. Braised. Fried. Microwaved. Air-fried. Sushi. Ceviche or “kinilaw.” My most favorite was “steamed lapu-lapu” (grouper) that my mom used to serve me, since I was the only heavy fish-eater in the family. 🐟🦈🐠

INFLUENCES. “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” is an allegorical fable written by Richard Bach. It is about a seagull who is trying to learn about flying, personal reflection, freedom, and self-realization. It was first published in book form in 1970 with little advertising or expectations; by the end of 1972, over a million copies were in print, the book having reached the #1 spot on bestseller lists mostly through word of mouth recommendations. A high school influence. 📚🍎🎼

FAVORITES. Haunted houses. Always been fascinated by “haunted houses.” As a little boy, I wasn’t scared of the dark or ghosts. “Paranormal spirits” won’t hurt us. Bad people do. I had many trips to visit haunted houses in the Philippines and in America. An old Hispanic house owned by a kin in Pangasinan province was a favorite. My aunt told me guerrillas in WW2 died in the basement. And “kapre” or giant man-horses lingered around on full-moon nights. Fun! 🧛‍♂️🏚🧟‍♀️

INFLUENCES. Woodstock, a rock music festival at Max Yasgur's farm in the town of Bethel, New York from 15 to 18 August 1969. It might be the most famous rock concert and festival ever held. For many, it showed the counterculture of the 1960s and the "hippie era.” Many of the most famous musicians at the time showed up during the rainy weekend, as can be seen in a 1970 movie, Woodstock. The festival was a major influence of my Traveling Bonfires. 🎸🎼☮️

[Photos: Pinterest. BeFunky.)