Log 11

The Pink Aftermath

I purposely put aside my blog writing/posting for two reasons: to concentrate on Ramadan and the Philippine 2022 Presidential elections. Both are tedious and requires vast amounts of energy.

The Ramadan began for us this year on the 2nd of April until the 2nd of May. A typical Ramadan day involves waking up at 2 AM to prepare and eat our Suhoor, followed by the Fajr Prayer and the actual whole day of fasting. We break fast at Maghrib's adhan, after which we rush to the mosque to pray all the way to Isha and to the Ramadan nightly prayers (Taraweeh and the midnight prayer Tahajjud). We repeat this cycle for 29 days. Lots of sleepless nights, contemplating, Qur'an reading and alms giving. Exhausting but fulfilling.

My business, my beloved Sari sari store, slowed down to an almost agonizing crawl at this time. Being of course in the food-retail occupation in a Muslim-concentrated area, people naturally didn't buy much during Ramadan. We made about 3 times less compared to other normal months. I'm happy to report that we're slowly getting back on our feet.

But with what has happened with the elections... although I have to humbly accept the results, I do not think I may ever find peace or truly get used to it. The administration before this was also mostly corrupt and even the ones before. It's shameful to imagine a person from another country looking at us, and have themselves remark, "How could they keep this going on and on and on?" I shall elevate "this" from the usual corruption and graft and cheating and selfishness and use the word we should have used a long time ago: Evil. Evil people won. Sons of evil people won. Evil families have continuously been winning. Evil is winning.

I am not an active and extroverted person. I have few friends in this city who I see all too rarely that I can say I have zero friends here. But while I have watched the campaigns quietly, I have done all I could as a sole person and citizen. I have researched candidates and actively followed news about them regarding their views, their debates, and what they have posted online throughout these past months. What I have done was the responsibility of the individual. The power of the small, single soul.

Now, I believe therein, in my littleness, lies my niche and strength. Because tremendous powers are kept in the little things. And while we as a species record great waves of wars and change and actions for our history, it's little things that are the genesis of them. It's the little things that keep them going. And, after much contemplation, I now believe it's the little things that will mightily help end the evils that are to come.

"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." - Galadriel/Tolkien

And thus this project: The Pink Aftermath

This is going to be hard for me. This is going to drain me. Because as my friends have attested, they probably know no one who hates politics as much as I do. As I heard them once say, “There’s apolitical, and there’s you.” But I need to do this: I shall act as both witness and scribe to what will happen in the next 6 years.

On Twitter I read such things as "I'm out" or "Pass" alluding to the action of not paying attention while a person they hate sits at the seat of our country's highest office. That's where we got it wrong the first time. How great it is to choose the easy way and not pay attention. What privilege. What moxie. We cannot do so this time.

Already it's starting. And already I have heard stories from the decent and hardworking people of the low working class. That's what I'm going to collect: Stories. Personal stories on how this presidency is going to affect their lives.

The Pink Aftermath is going to be logs of personal thoughts and reflections, and stories I hear in passing. I have already heard cashier ladies and tricycle drivers, and pedicab drivers murmur what this, the new presidency and administration, may actually mean. They will be shared here in the coming days all they way to the next years.

My description for this blog is “Small town. Queer Life.” I had intended to write my little stories of queer love and romance with the men I meet and talk to and witness. But ‘Queer’ is a mighty word with beautifully amorphous and largely-encompassing meanings. I extend the purpose of this blog to cover and include the Pink Aftermath.

I’m just your regular guy who’s going to record small town things. As a friend I consulted last night said, “We lost because we centralized a lot of things in “centers” of support.” I’ll stay in the marginalized sphere, listen to its people, and “Record the things only you can.”

As a last note, remember that we have vowed to follow Leni-Kiko 2022. 2022. We are still in mid-year. It isn’t over. And over and beyond that, as long as evil is still in mainstream, it will never be over.

Kulay rosas parin ang bukas.

xoxo

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