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The Philippine Declaration of Independence, from Wikimedia Commons.

Philippine Volcanoes win big in Asian rugby; Pinoys still don’t notice. In Emotional Weather Report, today in the Philippine Star.

Writing doesn’t happen in a vacuum; you draw from everything you’ve read, seen, heard. I’d like to acknowledge some of my models.

Time for a rock analogy. The Volcanoes remind us of a great indie band; we’ve known a few of those. They do brilliant work known only to a small, very committed core audience. When the work is this good the fans have no right to keep it to themselves, even if they worry that fame will corrupt the band or take the edge off the music. Yes, you will have to share the music with people you can’t stand—because it doesn’t belong to you. Greatness affects everybody, it infuses their lives with a sense of possibility. But first the band needs to break out, and who could spread the word faster than their fans.

Does it sound familiar? The tone is from Almost Famous, written by Cameron Crowe. Tone, not exact wording—that would be plagiarism. (In the movie Frances McDormand attributes this line to Goethe: “Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” Goethe didn’t say that, a Canadian named Basil King did. But now everyone thinks it was Goethe, as if he needed to take someone else’s lines haha.) Now let’s hold hands and sing Tiny Dancer!

When the Philippine Volcanoes go into battle, they carry our country. Here at home, we have to carry them.

You know this! Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien, and (shortened) in the film adaptation by Peter Jackson to: “I can’t carry the Ring for you, but I can carry you.”

The LOTR movies have a rugby connection: not only were they shot in All Blacks territory, but the Orkish war chants were recorded by fans at a rugby match. “Grond”—the battering ram. “Gurut”—Die (in the Black Speech expanded by their consulting linguist David Salo). Also, if I’m not mistaken “Derbgoo nashgoo.”

Today is Independence Day, so let’s connect the story to Philippine history. At President Corazon Aquino’s memorial service my Jedi master read a beautiful eulogy for his late sovereign. One of the inspirations: Kingdom of Heaven, directed by Ridley Scott, written by William Monahan. (Three words we wish we’d written: “I AM Jerusalem.” Said by Edward Norton as the leper-king.)