Youngblood 3

    I am a confessed comic geek and am a sucker for miniseries that retell the early days of our favorite caped heroes such as superman and batman. I reread these stories again and again because there is something romantic and magical about this period. The same can be said in the stories of the young contained in Youngblood 3, a compilation of Inquirer editorial essays from teens and young professionals printed during 1999 to 2004.

  Before blogs and friendster, Inquirer newspaper was a pioneer in dishing out real teen/yuppie drama by giving kids a space in the editorial page called Youngblood. These  tales  range from  the ridiculous such as pointing out failed moments of trying to learn how to bike to poignant ones about dating a married man.  The essays really got me hooked beyond the topics themselves because the the real catch is the writing. Each mini-memoir is honest and written with genuine care. This is because for the young authors, no matter how absurd or lowbrow the topic, it is serious since they are experiencing it. Thus, the essays don't mince words and are captivatingly sincere. Moreover, I never get tired of reading these stories because they reveal the wonder of our humanity which is the ability of make choices and the endless roads that come about from it. No matter how small or inane, choices shape who we are and how we become uniquely set apart from others in this world. This is especially true in the time of youth when there are so many choices given and too many victories and mistakes to be made.

 Lastly, the stories are enchanting because they remind me and I guess the Youngblood authors who are not so young now what it is to be alive. I think what I am trying to say is best summed up by a freelance writer who writes "I don't want to miss out on living my life. That's what humans are for, right?"

Trivia:

- One of the teachers from my university wrote in Youngblood 3 and I didn't know until a friend of mine pointed it out. It was about his crazy courtship and how he followed his future wife to Germany.

- Youngblood is still ongoing and weaving its tales. It is found in the far left of A11 of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Editors: Jorge V. Aruta and Ruel S. De Vera

Publisher: Anvil Publishing

Website: Philippine Daily Inquirer

Price: Php 150.00

National Bookstore Release: Available Now!