Author Archives: filinthegap

About filinthegap

Lani T. Montreal is an educator, writer, performer, and community activist. Her writings have been published and produced in Canada, the U.S., the Philippines and in cyberspace. Among her plays are: Panther in the Sky, Gift of Tongue, Looking for Darna, Alien Citizen, Grandmother and I, and her most-toured comedy drama about gender and immigration, titled Sister OutLaw. She is the recipient of the 2015 3Arts Djerassi Residency Fellowship for Playwriting, 2008 3Arts Ragdale Residency Fellowship, the 2001 Samuel Ostrowsky Award for her memoir “Summer Rain,” and was finalist for the 1995 JVO Philippine Award for Excellence in Journalism for her environmental expose “Poison in the River.” Lani holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Roosevelt University. She teaches writing at Malcolm X College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago and writes a blog called “Fil-in-the-gap”. (filinthegap.com.) She lives (and loves) in Albany Park, Chicago with her multi-species, multi-cultural family.

A Death Moratorium

In the last two years I’ve lost people I know, some more intimately than others. It had been difficult moving from grieving to feeling grateful to be alive and able to enjoy a birthday cake with my daughter or bond … Continue reading

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Writing Femme

I wrote this piece for the 2008 Femme Conference that happened in Chicago, where I was invited to make a presentation. I recently found it on Dropbox while looking for old plays that I hope to revisit. It’s really interesting … Continue reading

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Noemi

Why do we love knowing the pain that comes?I pondered this as I listened and felt the ache of a broken-hearted friend. I remember pondering this in middle school. Twelve and besotted. A girl with curls and a mean spike. … Continue reading

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Reading tonight!! August 8, 7pm CST

Please click on the link below! Please be mindful of your time zone 😜❤️ https://youtube.com/channel/UCjPamgCSAffKyPVUIPxUVhg

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Bus Ride

Bus ride When I was little, members of my family would take me on these endless bus rides. Mostly my grandpa, or apo, as strangers and family alike called him. I remember how comforting, as if I am being cradled … Continue reading

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Midnight Rumination

The promise of rain makes my body ache. Barometric drop. Barometric rise. Humidity that seeps into my skin and wraps my joints in a pin-studded elastic. It’s like a punishment each time. Trapped in a storybook nightmare with no one … Continue reading

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Dog Food

Sometimes I want to mix in dog food with your food saute it in garlic and onion pour in eggs beaten in milk and cream cheese and voila! Gourmet dish fit for kings and queens who send cake thieves to … Continue reading

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Please take a day off and call your senators

This just cannot go on Can’t keep apologizing for my meekness I want to stop looking over my Asian shoulders when I walk at night I can’t keep worrying about my friend when she’s a few minutes late from putting … Continue reading

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Happy International Women’s Day!

On this day of reckoning, when women all over the world should be celebrated and uplifted, when we commemorate the sacrifices of the women who came and fought injustice before us, I just want to sleep! I’ve been alternating between … Continue reading

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If I die tomorrow (Day 6)

Please make a fucking fuss I traveled halfway around the world to be something You will not not cry as if my dying means nothing Once I thought I was Nothing I thought I could disappear and no one would … Continue reading

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