By Charina Clarisse L. Echaluce OF BOTTLENECKS AND PHILOSOPHIES Charina has always seen traffic as a time for contemplation After all the “Noes,” there comes the sweetest “Go.” Since I started my literary blog, I frequently receive this question: “Bakit ‘Minsan Okay Lang Ma-traffic’ (Why is your page titled ‘Minsan Okay Lang Ma-traffic’)?” And I never get tired of explaining to new followers that my blog is neither about stories that took place amid traffic nor a campaign for the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. I never get tired of telling them that my page is about the “traffic” on the streets of life. Traffic in a ‘book’ I started dreaming to be an author when I was seven years old. Shortly after I finished reading all the fairytale books during a school break, I came up with the idea to create my own “book.” I folded a few pieces of paper and stapled them together. When it already looked like a book, I started writing a story, with illustrations on some pages. I created a lot of “books” in my childhood years. The stories then were mostly ones a typical kid would write about—her family, her playmates, princesses and princes of her dreams, talking animals, heroes, the future, and the like. Then one day, I just woke up realizing I no longer dreamed to be a doctor, a math teacher, or an astronaut. It became clear to me that I wanted to be a literary writer who could touch hearts, who could write stories that could reach the depths of people’s souls, whether they are doctors, or teachers, or astronauts, or just ordinary people. That was when I entered the heavily trafficked highway en route to my greatest dream. Traffic in dreams Along the road, I met journalism. I was in Grade 4 when I first read a copy of our school paper. I saw some poems and short stories. I told myself, “I should have a piece in the next issue.” So I went to the publication adviser and applied. Eventually, my poem got published. I became the literary editor before I graduated elementary. In high school, I continued being a campus journalist. I became a feature writer, won mini press conferences, and received the “President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Award of Outstanding Achievement and Academic Excellence Award in Campus Journalism” in senior high. I fell in love with feature writing almost as intensely as with literary writing. But almost, as always, is never enough. Even the winnings and awards for feature writing did not make my heart forget what I earnestly wanted. I was about to take up Creative Writing in college but the traffic light said, “No.” The course is not being offered at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines that time so I resorted to my second love, Journalism. Traffic in blogging Online traffic is very important for bloggers, but what I got, many times, was a different kind of traffic. I tried my luck as a literary blogger. But from 2011 to 2013, I got stranded in sharing my pieces on blogsites and pages that did not have regular readers. All in all, I have created two Tumblr accounts, three Twitter accounts, a BlogSpot blog, a WordPress blog, three Facebook pages, and a Wattpad account. I ended up deactivating all of these, except my Wattpad and BlogSpot accounts, which have a few readers. I stopped trying. Perhaps, the traffic light had been saying “No,” but I failed to notice it. Traffic in newspaper In December 2013, after my internship, I got hired in the Manila Bulletin while I was still a student. My novel, Cynthia, also started running in its tabloid Balita. In May 2014, I graduated cum laude and began working fulltime as a journalist at the aforementioned broadsheet. Being a reporter has been the longest yet the most colorful traffic experience I have had, so far. I learned a lot of things in my almost half a decade stay (January 2014 to March 2018). My editor believed so much in me and trained me very well—and because of her, I fathomed that I could do something else aside from being a literary writer. My articles got published in the Manila Bulletin, Balita, Tempo, and the Philippine Panorama. I touched a few people’s lives by giving them voices through my features. I became a campus journalism trainer and some of the students I trained even won the national competition. But then, the traffic light said, “Go.” I had to leave the field of news writing and continue chasing my ultimate dream. ‘Traffic’ on Facebook In 2016, I tried my luck in blogging again. “One last shot,” I told myself. Then, my Facebook page “Minsan Okay Lang Ma-traffic” (which I fondly call “Traffic”) was born. The traffic light said, “Go.” As of writing, my page has over 42,000 followers. ‘Traffic’ in books To my dream of becoming an author, the traffic light also said, “Go.” In April 2017, my self-published book Minsan Okay Lang Ma-traffic was released. I was able to sell all the copies before the yearend. Later on, a publisher offered to mass produce my first book and to publish my second book, Muli, Minsan Okay Lang Ma-traffic. The books will be out in bookstores, with hope, in the middle of the year. Traffic and traffic light The Traffic volumes 1 and 2 are collections of “traffic” tales from my life, from the lives of my readers, and from the lives of the people I know and people I only created. The new Minsan Okay Lang Ma-traffic edition has covers and literary pieces similar from the self-published one. Improved for this edition, Traffic volume 1 has a different layout now, with more pictures and additional sections such as “Traffic Memories” and messages from people who have read the first edition. Viral “Thoughts While Watching” (movies thoughts) blogs will also be included. On the other hand, Muli, Minsan Okay Lang Ma-traffic is dedicated to my grandfather who died over a decade ago. Before letting him go, I promised him I would tell the world about him if my dream to be an author would come true. The book includes the story I wrote for him on his 10th birthday in heaven. The books also share traffic realizations and stories of people who had been or who are being controlled by a traffic light in forms of shorts stories (in “Trapiko” section), poems (in “Kalsada” section), flash fictions (in “Busina” section), dialogues (The Yalogo), quotes (Light Hugot sa Traffic), “Traffic” series (Trafficserye), among others. The inspirations and/or the reasons why I wrote the pieces will also be revealed. “Pinalalaya ako ng pagsusulat, sana palayain ka rin ng pagbabasa (Writing has freed me, I wish reading would free you, too),” has been my tagline since I started blogging. My books may not be the best ones but I can assure you that these were created by the hands of my heart and by the heart of my soul. I hope these can help readers realize that after all the “Noes,” there comes the sweetest “Go.”