the sad things in life

I've seen so many differences between the previous stories that I've read. The language is a bit simpler than the previous ones. If I compare the writings of Manuel Arguilla and Noelle de Jesus, I'd say that the style that Noelle used is a simple one. The words are not as complicated as the ones used by Manuel Arguilla. The setting in most of the previous writings are set in a barrio, a poor town, or any other rural areas. In the modern writings that I've read, the setting is in a city. The use of technology in the modern writings can be clearly seen, unlike in the previous writings. In short, I find the modern writings more likable than the previous writings. The main characters don't have names in the modern writings.

The story “Games” are not what I have expected. I thought that it was just a regular game that i know. But when I read it, i realized that it was a different kind of game the story was talking about. The girl in the story can be so irritating because of the game she has planned. Too bad she lost it when she was lost and said a name that is different from the other names she used before. I think Beth, the name the girl used, had a past with the guy. I even think that Beth was the ex-girlfriend that the two couple saw. Their relationship is so messed up that they do “it” but they don't have a commitment to each other. The guy never even said the name of the girl. They just do “it” because they want to do it. Nothing more, nothing less. They still love each other. The only odd thing in their relationship is that their love isn't deep enough for them to be doing the things that normal couples normally do when they truly, deeply love each other.

The story “Document”, which was confusing the first time I read it, wasn't that confusing when I listened to the facilitator. The story was sad because the conflict was all in the guy. His brain confuses him because it tells him that if he takes the risk of giving up their friendship can ruin the whole thing and can have the possibility that they may never talk again. His heart tells him that he loves him. The problem is that his brain and his heart are the ones in conflict. The girl, on the other hand, also made the situation worse for the guy because the guy doesn't know if the short store she made was a sign for him saying “hey, I'm here. Please don't avoid me” or possibly “hey, i want to disappear from your life”. It's also possible that the girl really just wrote the story because she just wanted to and she don't mean any sign. The guy is so confused because when the landlady and his close friends tell that he's in love with her, he says that it's not exactly true. Why would he say EXACTLY? If it isn't true, he could just say that it's not true. But he didn't. That could meant that he wasn't just in love with the girl. It could mean that he's deeply in love so much with the girl. But then again, the guy wants to play safe. That's what makes it sad. His heart doesn't give the courage to take risks and his brain tells him to play safe. In the end, his brain was the one that won.

The side I didn't know

The story “Love in the Cornhusks”, “The Virgin”, “The Corral” and “Magnificence” are all written by female writers. Unlike the previous stories I’ve read, which were written by male authors, these stories focus more on relationships, lust and the lives that are experienced by people. These stories are interesting because they were written in the perspective of the feminine side. All of the main characters here are female characters. Also the female characters here are livelier than the previous stories that I’ve read. They are now active characters here. They’ve been the supporting characters in the previous stories but now they’re the main characters. The men in the stories written by the female authors are now the supporting characters.

I’ve also noticed that the men in these stories are pervert. All of these stories have sex in some parts. I noticed that the female writers focus on sex more than the other stories I’ve read like midsummer.

These stories also tell what the women are experiencing at that time. Having a baby from another man, being molested, raped, etc. they still happen everyday.

The last two stories, “The Corral” and “Magnificence”, are slightly different from the two previous because in these stories the authors show how the women can still show their toughness even though there are so many problems they encounter. In the story “The Corral”, the main character likes this handsome, macho lumberjack so much. The problem is that the guy wants everything except love. The other guy who likes the main character, Mr. Perfecto, is a fat ugly principal but has a good personality. Mr. Perfecto has been courting the main character for so many years. In short, Mr. Perfecto is the perfect man not because of his physical qualities, but because of his characteristics. I think in the end, the girl married Mr. Perfecto and lived happily ever after.

“Magnificence” is also a good story that displays the qualities of a good parent because in the story, the mother saw the bus driver molesting her little daughter. If she was an ordinary parent, she’d go berserk. But she didn’t. She even managed to tell her son and daughter to go outside. She has a lot of patience and self-control.

I can say that women are also strong. Maybe even stronger than I thought. I didn’t know that they are all capable of doing such things. Be it allowing themselves to be raped, containing their primal side, choosing the right man, etc. Those are all difficult things to do. And now I know that the women are not to be underestimated.

Difficulties

he story �Bread of Salt� mainly focuses on the 14 year old boy who realizes so many things while time passes by. The 14 year old boy wants to impress this one girl so he did many things to make himself recognizable especially by the girl he wants. All is going well. He was even invited to a party thrown by the father of the girl of his dreams. He and his band performed quite well. When he was eating this type of food, which he probably tasted for the first time, he intended to get and keep some. When the 14 year old boy and the girl saw each other, the food that the boy stole suddenly fell, which is so embarrassing. There he realized that it can't work out with them. he's just a local while she's a royal blood. He'

s poor while she's rich. The 14 year old boy realizes that the world is much more complicated than he would have expected. He now knows that life isn't that easy. He now knows that even if love conquers all, somethings are still existing that conquering isn't enough. The boy's maturing, coming of age. Now he just wanted to move on and face the real world that has yet to be revealed at him all at once. I think that the story tells us about the experiences that people feel. It's like you can't learn it that much until you have experienced to fail it.

The story �May Day Eve� tells us about the past of two people who at first are enemies who eventually became lovers. Agueda, the girl, heard that at midnight on the month of May, when she looks into the mirror and says some incantations, she'll see her husband. She was still young and somewhat rebellious. She did look at the mirror suddenly the time changed to the present. Her little daughter asked what her mother saw in the mirror. Agueda said that he saw the devil. The devil had some things common to her husband. She was just thinking of the past where at that moment she saw Badoy, teasing her. She just thought that Badoy was just probably toying with her because she's just a girl from the province while Badoy's an illustrado. She bit badoy in the hand and ran away. Even if she hated badoy for that, she fell in love. And so did Badoy. Badoy swore that he'll have his revenge. So at the boat going from antipolo, both Badoy and Agueda was present. After that, the time suddenly changes again and this time, the time was more advanced. Agueda's daughter was now a mother and has a son named Voltaire. Badoy saw Voltaire staring at the mirror at midnight and asked what Voltaire was doing. Voltaire said the same tale about the husband/wife thing. Voltaire was frightened that he might see the witch but because the time was 1890, and at that time, it was modern, he didn't believe in witches anymore. But Badoy said to Voltaire that he himself saw a witch, Voltaire remembered that her Grandma saw a devil. He thought that maybe that's the reason why her Grandma died. Badoy cried.

I think that May Day Eve's Agueda was the witch that Badoy was referring to and Badoy was the devil that Agueda was talking about. They really went together and married. Agueda said Badoy was a devil and Agueda, the witch, because many people see their wives and husbands only their good sides at the first few years, and after that, they'll see the bad side. Maybe Agueda really died because of Badoy probably because he lost temper and beat her to death. Maybe that's why he was crying. Maybe that's what he was regretting all the time. When we have something precious, you won't really realize how precious and important it was until you have lost it.

Difficulties

The story “Bread of Salt” mainly focuses on the 14 year old boy who realizes so many things while time passes by. The 14 year old boy wants to impress this one girl so he did many things to make himself recognizable especially by the girl he wants. All is going well. He was even invited to a party thrown by the father of the girl of his dreams. He and his band performed quite well. When he was eating this type of food, which he probably tasted for the first time, he intended to get and keep some. When the 14 year old boy and the girl saw each other, the food that the boy stole suddenly fell, which is so embarrassing. There he realized that it can't work out with them. he's just a local while she's a royal blood. He'

s poor while she's rich. The 14 year old boy realizes that the world is much more complicated than he would have expected. He now knows that life isn't that easy. He now knows that even if love conquers all, somethings are still existing that conquering isn't enough. The boy's maturing, coming of age. Now he just wanted to move on and face the real world that has yet to be revealed at him all at once. I think that the story tells us about the experiences that people feel. It's like you can't learn it that much until you have experienced to fail it.

The story “May Day Eve” tells us about the past of two people who at first are enemies who eventually became lovers. Agueda, the girl, heard that at midnight on the month of May, when she looks into the mirror and says some incantations, she'll see her husband. She was still young and somewhat rebellious. She did look at the mirror suddenly the time changed to the present. Her little daughter asked what her mother saw in the mirror. Agueda said that he saw the devil. The devil had some things common to her husband. She was just thinking of the past where at that moment she saw Badoy, teasing her. She just thought that Badoy was just probably toying with her because she's just a girl from the province while Badoy's an illustrado. She bit badoy in the hand and ran away. Even if she hated badoy for that, she fell in love. And so did Badoy. Badoy swore that he'll have his revenge. So at the boat going from antipolo, both Badoy and Agueda was present. After that, the time suddenly changes again and this time, the time was more advanced. Agueda's daughter was now a mother and has a son named Voltaire. Badoy saw Voltaire staring at the mirror at midnight and asked what Voltaire was doing. Voltaire said the same tale about the husband/wife thing. Voltaire was frightened that he might see the witch but because the time was 1890, and at that time, it was modern, he didn't believe in witches anymore. But Badoy said to Voltaire that he himself saw a witch, Voltaire remembered that her Grandma saw a devil. He thought that maybe that's the reason why her Grandma died. Badoy cried.

I think that May Day Eve's Agueda was the witch that Badoy was referring to and Badoy was the devil that Agueda was talking about. They really went together and married. Agueda said Badoy was a devil and Agueda, the witch, because many people see their wives and husbands only their good sides at the first few years, and after that, they'll see the bad side. Maybe Agueda really died because of Badoy probably because he lost temper and beat her to death. Maybe that's why he was crying. Maybe that's what he was regretting all the time. When we have something precious, you won't really realize how precious and important it was until you have lost it.

Difficulties

The story “Bread of Salt” mainly focuses on the 14 year old boy who realizes so many things while time passes by. The 14 year old boy wants to impress this one girl so he did many things to make himself recognizable especially by the girl he wants. All is going well. He was even invited to a party thrown by the father of the girl of his dreams. He and his band performed quite well. When he was eating this type of food, which he probably tasted for the first time, he intended to get and keep some. When the 14 year old boy and the girl saw each other, the food that the boy stole suddenly fell, which is so embarrassing. There he realized that it can't work out with them. he's just a local while she's a royal blood. He'

s poor while she's rich. The 14 year old boy realizes that the world is much more complicated than he would have expected. He now knows that life isn't that easy. He now knows that even if love conquers all, somethings are still existing that conquering isn't enough. The boy's maturing, coming of age. Now he just wanted to move on and face the real world that has yet to be revealed at him all at once. I think that the story tells us about the experiences that people feel. It's like you can't learn it that much until you have experienced to fail it.

The story “May Day Eve” tells us about the past of two people who at first are enemies who eventually became lovers. Agueda, the girl, heard that at midnight on the month of May, when she looks into the mirror and says some incantations, she'll see her husband. She was still young and somewhat rebellious. She did look at the mirror suddenly the time changed to the present. Her little daughter asked what her mother saw in the mirror. Agueda said that he saw the devil. The devil had some things common to her husband. She was just thinking of the past where at that moment she saw Badoy, teasing her. She just thought that Badoy was just probably toying with her because she's just a girl from the province while Badoy's an illustrado. She bit badoy in the hand and ran away. Even if she hated badoy for that, she fell in love. And so did Badoy. Badoy swore that he'll have his revenge. So at the boat going from antipolo, both Badoy and Agueda was present. After that, the time suddenly changes again and this time, the time was more advanced. Agueda's daughter was now a mother and has a son named Voltaire. Badoy saw Voltaire staring at the mirror at midnight and asked what Voltaire was doing. Voltaire said the same tale about the husband/wife thing. Voltaire was frightened that he might see the witch but because the time was 1890, and at that time, it was modern, he didn't believe in witches anymore. But Badoy said to Voltaire that he himself saw a witch, Voltaire remembered that her Grandma saw a devil. He thought that maybe that's the reason why her Grandma died. Badoy cried.

I think that May Day Eve's Agueda was the witch that Badoy was referring to and Badoy was the devil that Agueda was talking about. They really went together and married. Agueda said Badoy was a devil and Agueda, the witch, because many people see their wives and husbands only their good sides at the first few years, and after that, they'll see the bad side. Maybe Agueda really died because of Badoy probably because he lost temper and beat her to death. Maybe that's why he was crying. Maybe that's what he was regretting all the time. When we have something precious, you won't really realize how precious and important it was until you have lost it.

Difficulties

The story “Bread of Salt” mainly focuses on the 14 year old boy who realizes so many things while time passes by. The 14 year old boy wants to impress this one girl so he did many things to make himself recognizable especially by the girl he wants. All is going well. He was even invited to a party thrown by the father of the girl of his dreams. He and his band performed quite well. When he was eating this type of food, which he probably tasted for the first time, he intended to get and keep some. When the 14 year old boy and the girl saw each other, the food that the boy stole suddenly fell, which is so embarrassing. There he realized that it can't work out with them. he's just a local while she's a royal blood. He'

s poor while she's rich. The 14 year old boy realizes that the world is much more complicated than he would have expected. He now knows that life isn't that easy. He now knows that even if love conquers all, somethings are still existing that conquering isn't enough. The boy's maturing, coming of age. Now he just wanted to move on and face the real world that has yet to be revealed at him all at once. I think that the story tells us about the experiences that people feel. It's like you can't learn it that much until you have experienced to fail it.

The story “May Day Eve” tells us about the past of two people who at first are enemies who eventually became lovers. Agueda, the girl, heard that at midnight on the month of May, when she looks into the mirror and says some incantations, she'll see her husband. She was still young and somewhat rebellious. She did look at the mirror suddenly the time changed to the present. Her little daughter asked what her mother saw in the mirror. Agueda said that he saw the devil. The devil had some things common to her husband. She was just thinking of the past where at that moment she saw Badoy, teasing her. She just thought that Badoy was just probably toying with her because she's just a girl from the province while Badoy's an illustrado. She bit badoy in the hand and ran away. Even if she hated badoy for that, she fell in love. And so did Badoy. Badoy swore that he'll have his revenge. So at the boat going from antipolo, both Badoy and Agueda was present. After that, the time suddenly changes again and this time, the time was more advanced. Agueda's daughter was now a mother and has a son named Voltaire. Badoy saw Voltaire staring at the mirror at midnight and asked what Voltaire was doing. Voltaire said the same tale about the husband/wife thing. Voltaire was frightened that he might see the witch but because the time was 1890, and at that time, it was modern, he didn't believe in witches anymore. But Badoy said to Voltaire that he himself saw a witch, Voltaire remembered that her Grandma saw a devil. He thought that maybe that's the reason why her Grandma died. Badoy cried.

I think that May Day Eve's Agueda was the witch that Badoy was referring to and Badoy was the devil that Agueda was talking about. They really went together and married. Agueda said Badoy was a devil and Agueda, the witch, because many people see their wives and husbands only their good sides at the first few years, and after that, they'll see the bad side. Maybe Agueda really died because of Badoy probably because he lost temper and beat her to death. Maybe that's why he was crying. Maybe that's what he was regretting all the time. When we have something precious, you won't really realize how precious and important it was until you have lost it.