Day 5,475...give or take.

FADE IN

INT. MARIANO C. SAN JUAN ELEMENTARY, AFTERNOON, 1996

A timid, bucktoothed MAR, 12, diligently navigates through the lush compounds of the rural school towards the admissions office. She stops in front of the door furthest to the back of the building.

INSERT (nameplate mounted on the door) "M.SORIANO, principal"

Mar gingerly smoothes her navy blue pleated uniform skirt and takes a deep breath...

INT. M.SORIANO'S OFFICE, CONTINUOUS

M.SORIANO, 52, looks officious scribbling her signature on a mile high pile of paperwork. There is a knock O.S.

M.Soriano

Come In.

Mar emerges, halting before the principal's desk. The principal is possessed in her task and doesn't bother to look up.

Mar

Ma'am, my name is Ma-

M.Soriano

Do you know why you're here?

Mar

(thinks for a quick second)

Because my homeroom teacher sent me...?

M.Soriano

You write well, do you not?

Mar is stunned unable to respond, M. Soriano looks up impatiently.

M.Soriano

Well?

Mar

Ummm.... I like to write ma'am.

M.Soriano

(seemingly annoyed)

Do you write well?

Mar

Ummm.... I don't know...

M. Soriano slowly ascends from her crow-like perch, towering over the child authoritatively.

M.Soriano

False modesty... is a sign of bad character. Do you

understand (Mar nods, lying)? I've read your feature articles

and you write with a lot of heart...I like it.

Mar

Thank you, ma'am.

M. Soriano

I can tell you enjoy writing when i read, because it isn't

hard to read your work...I don't get blinded with anger from your incompetency. I suppose when you're twelve, you aren't jaded or callous by the world yet...

Mar

(shrugs)

I suppose...

M. Soriano

So...let me ask you again. Do you write well?

Mar

I...love to write...and it is my intention to write well.

M. Soriano

Good enough. You will represent MC San Juan in a writing competition in Binangonan and place in the top five, understood?

Mar shrugs, terrified.

M. Soriano

Oh for Pete's sake stop shrugging! (produces a blank form)

This is a permission slip, get your parents to fill it in, sign it, we'll take care of the competition fees. Do you hear me?

Mar

Yes ma'am.

Takes the blank slip obediently, bows her head politely before turning to leave.

M. Soriano

Oh and stop saying ummm! You don't sound nearly as intelligent as you write.

*****

This was fourteen years ago and that competition is what started it all. 'Started' in the sense of cultivating my love for the written form of expression... not what made me famous, catalyzing my wonder-child screenwriting career, buying me my house by the beach, winning me my first Oscar. siiigh. But i've known it for this long.

It took me several attempts at 'grown up' jobs to make me realize that I shouldn't neglect my true calling -the almighty pen...or tywriter...or netbook... I am in a current situation in which 'spec' writing my heart out doesn't mean I'll starve or go homeless, so I'm making the most of it. This blog isn't so I can show off my work (you can read it upon request) or so I can vent about my personal life -it's to monitor my progress towards my path towards 'success'. For me, that means a trip to the Academy Awards. It can take me years, even decades to find my path and get there but this will be my map, jotting the many mundane, inspired, mortified, overwhelmed, pain-stricken and occasionally blissful days that will eventually burgeon into my success. You in for the ride?