hey guys!
miraculously, my sickness finally eased up by the second week of september. after that, i really tried to continue my draft, but the brain fog left over from being sick for two straight weeks made it impossible to form even a single coherent sentence. so, i decided to rest a little longer and wait for my momentum to return. eventually, i managed to write a few hundred words—but then my birthday came around last week, and i got caught up preparing for it, as well as spending time with myself, my family, and my close friends.
usually, my birthday puts me in a low mood, but this year was different. i was the happiest i’ve felt since my slump back in august, and i’m so grateful for that. it feels like the spark is slowly coming back. i might not be brimming with energy, but i’m writing again—and that in itself is a good sign. progress is still progress, no matter how small. i admit i’ve been especially slow with this chapter, but i’m finally about a third of the way through the rewrite. my goal is to finish it by early october—mid at the latest—so i really hope things go according to plan hehe.
on a more serious note, my country has been weathering a huge storm—both literally and figuratively—these past few months, and things have only grown more intense this week. it’s been weighing heavily on me, and i know it’s affected my writing pace too. it’s hard not to feel the weight of it all when i’m just an ordinary, struggling filipino myself. i’ve also been hearing about similar struggles across southeast asia (and of course, all around the world), especially when it comes to political injustice. i hope someday soon we’ll all get to taste a better future. until then, please stay safe—and above all, stay strong, in both voice and spirit.
