I am not out of my faction. I am part of #TeamErudite of #DivergentNation!

By Zara D. Garcia-Alvarez

I am not out of my faction.

I am part of Team Erudite!

I don’t know about you, but I was born an Erudite. Like it or not, I was born this way. Yes, yes, the other factions have wonderful traits, but an Erudite is the most intelligent of the factions.

Without intelligence how could we read? And I’m a reader. And specifically, if you don’t know where an Erudite comes from, I suggest you pick up the book:

INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

***

I was teased as a child for more reasons than one, but that didn’t stop me from my quest for knowledge. And I did more than just get good grades—I got excellent grades! I kid. No, I did graduate as valedictorian of my class and was president of this and that, and almost always part of every extra-curricular activity known to school-dom—but, I digress. It’s more than that.

For me, it was the love of language, the love of discovery, and the love of solving what other people have a difficult tendency to see. It was the thrill of the challenge. The thrill of knowing.

Okay, so I was laughed at when I was a kid. Who wasn’t? And I started to wear glasses when I was 8 ½ years old. Sure.

But, books were always in my arms or in my backpack. And what I found in books and in study, I found nowhere else.

Does this sound like you?

• Are you a little shy?
• Maybe introverted?
• A super-geek?
• Who loves to know things? And who actually does? 
• Are you a voracious reader?
• Do you see solutions where other people only get confused and flabbergasted by problems?
• Do people always want to be your friend in hopes that you’ll help them with their homework?
• Or do you secretly fantasize about saving and dominating the world in your small or VERY LARGE way?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are an Erudite!

And welcome to an awesome team! You should be proud.

We’re the cerebral bunch. We’re the super-geeks and proud of it!

***

Can you spell “perspicacious?”

That’s right: E-R-U-D-I-T-E!

***

Okay, Whiz! Now, it’s time to join up. Help Team Erudite reach the top, where we all Erudites KNOW we belong!!! Buah-ha-ha!

(I’m kidding—but not really.)

Join the team. If you’re a smarty-pants then you know what you must do. It’s more than IQ. It’s commitment, passion—okay, okay—and a lot of I.Q.

So, join. It’s the smartest thing you’ll do.

To check the latest news on the Erudite Faction, visit:

Zara Alexis

Do the Dewey Read-a-Thon with Me! April 21-22

By Zara D. Garcia-Alvarez

Do the Dewey Read-a-Thon with Me!

April 21-22

***

Oh dear, look what I got myself into! The Dewey’s Read-a-Thon, which is a worldwide, communal reading challenge for 24 hours!

I figure, I read anyway. And now, the Dewey’s Read-a-Thon can help me justify my obsession and love for books, as well as provide a time and site of encouragement to help me catch up on my reading—because, really, I need the encouragement! (Cheerleaders, please visit ME often!)

Readers will read books, can post in their blogs about what they’re reading, and also be able to visit other readers’ blogs along the way! The fun even includes participating in mini-challenges throughout the day with a chance to win prizes!

 And who said the greatest reward of reading is reading in of itself? Hah!

Why not join me and countless other read-aholics out there—yes, believe it or not, this read-a-thon is international, which means you and I will be reading alongside our friends from around the globe!

I'm the one with the red dress and the blue ribbon in her hair just in case you're wondering---and I'm from Brampton, Ontario, Canada.

Hello, Norway! Hello, France! Hello, Jerusalem! Hello, Taiwan!

* Zara waves excitedly with her glasses on and bookmarks piled up beside her! *

***

So, if you love reading and want to spend some time (yes, 24 hours) doing it alongside some awesome people who are just as NUTS as you are about books, well, then, what are you waiting for? Sign up! You can sign up here.

The cuckoo reader. Yes, me.

Oh, and since we’re on the subject of “cuckoo,” here’s a great book suggestion to read during the Read-a-Thon:

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST by Ken Kesey

And just so you know what you’re getting into, here are a few details about the Dewey’s Read-a-Thon:

1)     The read-a-thon will run from SATURDAY, APRIL 21 to SUNDAY APRIL 22! There are start times for everyone around the world!

2)     Mini challenges will help break up the monotony of your read-a-thon experience and is completely optional. That’s right. You never have to do anything, but you know, if I were you, I’d participate just for the fun of it. It’ll be sure to help you build community and give you a chance at winning prizes. And you know me, I’m more than happy to win a prize…or two!!

3)     You can also host a mini-challenge if you like. To do that, you can apply here.

4)     Or if you’re too busy to be a reader, but are great at encouraging others maybe you’d like to be a cheerleader? Are you an uplifter of spirits? Do you feel great when you make people smile? Do you own a pair of virtual cheerleading pom-poms? If so, maybe you’d like to be a cheerleader for the event? You can sign up here for that.

Sisk- boom-bah!

You don't have to jump THIS high, but have a great, positive spirit of encouragement!

***

GIVE ME A B! GIVE ME AN O-O! GIVE ME A K! give me an s!

AND WHAT DO YOU GET?

BOOKs! BOOKs! BOOKs!

YAY!!!!

***

5)     Other than that, my only other suggestion is HAVE FUN. We’re all in this together.

That’s it for now—until I see you again during the Read-a-Thon. Well…some of the time I’ll see you because really, I plan on sticking my nose into a few books.

Okay, this isn't MY nose, but if I were to ever get a nose job, this is the nose, I'd like.

I’ll be updating throughout the event so I can be held accountable for my progress (or lack thereof). Be sure to check back.

And let’s “do-ey” the Dewey together!

***

Zara Alexis

All Things Asian Event Post: 04.04.2012 – The Barong Tagalog: More Than Just Piña Fabric

By Zara D. Garcia-Alvarez

All Things Asian Event: April 2-16

Zara’s All Things Asian Event Post:

The Barong Tagalog: More than Just Piña Fabric

The blogs: That Hapa Chick; Live, Laugh, I Love Books; and My Words Ate Me are hosting the All Things Asian Event featuring guest posts about anything and everything about the Asian culture!

My guest post blogging interview will be featured on one of the host blogs on April 13.

But, until then, each and every day, a guest post will be featured until April 16, 2012, so be sure to drop by and visit the hosting blogs! Just click on theAll Things Asian button above that links to the host blog.

***

As for me, I couldn’t pass up the chance to post a few articles as part of the All Things Asian Event on my own blog, alongside this important event because quite simply put: I’m Asian! And I’m especially honoured and driven to share the beauty of Asia with my readers to foster awareness, community, and inclusivity—all things that are especially important to me.

***

In Canada, we are blessed with all four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. In the Philippines, there are only two seasons of note as in most tropical countries:

Dry season – is characterized by its low humidity, which usually runs between November to May during the amihan (northeast monsoon).

Wet season (or rainy season) – is when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs and when air quality improves, which is usually between June to October during the habagat (southwest monsoon).

As for my history, members of my family have told me their stories of childhood, which included running in the streets in the rain or stooping below a rain gutter for a cool down.

***

A favourite pastime is children running, playing, or showering in the rain!

***

And with this weather, both of meteorology and of politics, comes a history of the fashion in the Philippines.

As a North American, men usually wear a suit or a tuxedo to formal events.

But, in the Philippines, that type of wardrobe would stifle a man because of the excruciating heat. Instead, it is known that the cultural and formal dress for Filipino men is the traditional Barong Tagalog.

Barong Tagalog

***

The barong Tagalog is an embroidered, lightweight, formal garment, worn untucked and over a kamiseta (a cotton undershirt).

The barong is made from a variety of materials:

Piña fabric, which is hand-loomed from pineapple leaf fibres and because of its growing scarcity, the cloth is expensive and this type of barong is reserved for very formal events.

Jusi fabric is made from abacca or banana silk.

Banana fabric is made and hand-woven from banana fibre and usually comes with geometric design details that come from the Visayas island of Negros.

Pineapple

Extracting the pineapple fibres.

Embroidered barong

***

This is all fine and dandy, but do you know the history of how this traditional formal wear came about?

It is understood that:

the Spaniards who conquered the Philippines made Filipinos wear the barong untucked to distinguish them from the ruling class

and because of its sheer fabric, it helped Spaniards see that the wearer was not bearing a weapon underneath in potential rebellion!

A Filipina gun seller shows a handgun at the opening of the 2010 Defense & Sporting Arms show in Mandaluyong City, east suburban Manila, Philippines in promoting responsible gun ownership in the Philippines.

The tucking of the Barong Tagalog shirt was prohibited by the Spaniards so that Filipinos could be designated as low-ranking and distinguished from the people of mixed descent, the mestizaje, and the islanders, or insulares.

The irony here and wonderful outcome is that:

the Filipino community has reclaimed its wearing of the Barong Tagalog.

What used to be worn to signify a low rank and subservient culture to its oppressive ruling class is now worn independently for important, formal functions that signify important milestones and financial and social success.

Though the history of the barong comes from a dark past, Filipinos now wear the Barong Tagalog as a unifying dress code, identifying them as Filipino nationalists and men with excellent taste and cultural pride!

Mahbuhay!

***

Be sure to return tomorrow for more information about the Philippines and the continual celebration of the All Things Asian Event!

For previously posted features by The Bibliotaphe’s Closet for the All Things Asian Event, visit the Event Page here.

Zara Alexis