In pursuit of a Muse

The breeze this morning made me realise that Chrismas is getting closer. The anticipation is slowly builds up my excitement each day. At the office, Alvin and the Chipmuks’ Christmas carols are blaring at our speakers.
When I was much younger, our family used to go shopping at Cubao and be spectators of C.O.D.’s Christmas presentation held at their facade during the evenings. Parents and kids of all ages watch in awe. We attend mass an hour before Christmas, wearing new clothes. And when Media Noche(12a.m. of Christmas day) culminates, my cousins and I, hold on to the biggest box of gift given to us, and open it at the same time.
Now, our family has a new reason anticipating Christmas, for my sister and her husband, now from Caticlan, takes a vacation at Manila. We scour through the tiangges of Greenhills and Tutuban, from the morning ’til our feet are sore.
Being with my family is the best gift I always get from God during Christmas. And nothing makes me feel complete than having my family seating at our small round table eating to our heart’s content.

P.S.: Dear Santa, if ever you’re reading this blog, I’ve been a good boy this whole year. Hope you grant my wish…

I got a new blog entitled "At the right side of the brain".I’ve been pondering a lot about being an artist and how it affects me as a person. During these past few years, I was blessed with the gift of wisdom on how to be better with my craft. And what better way to be understood by the community, than through blogs and sites.

Initially, I thought of starting a webpage. Unfortunately, it takes more time time to conceptualize and set it up. With little time that I have I have to resort to something else. So why not begin with a blog and keep the ball rolling? You’ll never know what lies ahead.

See you, guys

Blogging is a keyhole for undiscovered talents. I really enjoy doing wildcard searches at blogger and not surprising to find so many talented people around. These guys could express themselves so well that I find myself smiling, nodding, or reflecting while reading their posts. I just hope such talents would continue to write and inspire people by sharing their thoughts.

A bald man took a seat in a beauty parlour.  "How can I help you ?" asked the stylist. "I went for a hair transplant." the guy explained, "but I couldn’t stand the pain. If you can make my hair look like yours without causing me any discomfort, I’ll pay you $5,000. "No problem, " said the stylist, and she quickly shaved her head.
All deaf

Familiar with Mr. Clean? Yes. It’s the detergent with that sinister smiling bald guy with humongous arms, and blonde eyebrows. How about the eccentric friend of Jerry Seinfeld George Costanza? LL Cool Jay? Vin Diesel? Michael Jordan? Find anything common? Yes. Baldness. Self-inflicted or biological setbacks.

Having a bald head or having ones hair cut to look quite bald, is common to men here in Manila. I give you a bet, for every establishment, you’d probably find one or more of the likes. Some of them in a suit, while others  in a monkey suit complete with their bling blings. Making eyes burn, [more]

Kazakhstan’s sixth most famous man Borat, came to be no.1 in the US Box-office with his movie Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan on the US-charts.

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The 2005 movie Pinoy Blonde would have achieved same prestige as Borat if..[more]

Have you been bitten by the rush?

There’s a Filipino myth that when a a young person already drinks coffee he/she won’t grow up to his/her potential. Which is why at an early age I was not allowed to drink it, leaving me with no other choice but choco.

During the late 70’s and eary 80’s you could hear people proudly say "…yes, he even took me out for a coffee at the Manila Hotel," Probably due to the extravagant price of coffee at that place, coffee became a recreational activity and at the same time a status symbol. But nowadays, coffeeshops grew like mushrooms. So when you’re going to meet someone, this came to be the best place. Or when you don’t wan’t to be disturbed, want to enjoy bossa, read a book, and all the hundred personal reasons we find ourselves heading for that cold cup of iced latte, or the brewing steam of hot moccha.

I realized that some of the important things in my life involves a huge amout of coffee.  It served as the paint in my canvas of life.

1979, Province of Pangasinan, 4 years old
I greeted my Aunt Linat the usual pleasantries and found her busy managing the coffee pot at the kitchen. The coffee was made of roasted rice grains wherein its aroma filled the morning air. She took out an old jade-colored cup and filled it halfway, reminding me that I should not take too much, for I’m too young for it. I felt a jolt and found a new friend.

1982, at home
My first coffe cup was from the container of a Blend 45. My parents made me use this glass for me not to drink

1998, college student
Le Couer de France, SM West
Brought Liza,(not her real name)my girlfriend, to run away from our peers and have a private conversation on our own.

1999, college student
Cafeteria beside the University, theater class
Our theater class converges at this cafeteria where we enjoy cheap instant Nescafés prepared by an old couple. It’s there where we hangout with our peers with coffee and smokes in hand. Aspiring to be another Brocka or Bernal.

2001, at home
Bought a coffee maker and tried to imitate the taste of The Coffee Experience with Liza. After a few months we broke up.

2002
Have a new relationship with Andrea. She just can’t stand more

I told you that I could make it
make it all alone.
Before you said that I was
building dreams made of sand

Now I try to never look back again
From what we might have been

I feel alone but free
No need to change the real me
at times I may be unhappy
But it’s something I expect me to be.

Awake at night and it’s you
who fills my weary heart.
Awake I just realised
that we’re already apart.

Angry words could never be taken back
And mere apologies could never mend it

Packed up your bags
Left the ring by the bedside
And I woke up alone
I know that you’ve gone…

These are the days when I wake up and got nothing to say. It’s not my usual self but I get this feeling that it would be appropriate for me to just zip my mouth intead of forcing myself to blurt out mindless syllables. If you only knew the effort I put myself just to smile, you’d better yet leave me alone.

Few call it mood swings. Hell, I never experienced such(probably don’t admit to it, as well). I’m not a transparent person, so when I get take the ride during these moments, only a few would just notice. However, I got an excuse, they just regard it as an artist’s moodiness, which I dislike.

But being in that state feels a little rewarding. Deep thoughts play in my mind, thus giving me more time to ponder about life. I get to be a better listener and observant with the environment.

I do agree–the less you talk the less mistakes. But the more mistakes we create, the more we learn in life. Quite ironic, isn’t it?

I spend four hours or more of my time during workdays riding on a public transport. These hours I try to spend as fruitful as possible whether reading books, contemplating my work, or simply surveying  things that surrounds me.

I was heading home one night and noticed a couple of kids selling sampaguitas at EDSA-Kamuning. If you’re not familiar with EDSA–this hi-way is notorious for the prescence of erratic bus drivers, and over speeding cars. They were just probably 3 to 4 years of age wandering the busy hi-way, knocking on windows of private cars to sell their sampaguitas. I began to wonder: where are the parents of this kids? They’re selling sampaguitas but do they already know how to count their change? Why such fate at a very young age?

Di ako marunong bumasa o sumulat,
at di ko rin inasam na matutunan pa.

Sa humintong dyip dagli-dagliang sumampa
baka sakaling may maawa.
Gumapang sa pagitan ng mga sapatos at sa mga paang pagod sa maghapon
Agad na pinunasan ang bawat isa sa mga iyon.
Hanggang sa umabot papalapit sa tsuper
aking tiningala ang lulan nya.

Sa mata nila iba’t-ibang emosyon ang aking nakita.
May inis, awa, paghamak.
Pero ang aking ipinagtataka
ay yung mgataong di ako nakikita…
Alam ko ako’y nasa tabi na nya
Pero ni lumingon ay di nya magawa.

Ayan ang aking hanapbuhay sa edad na apat.
Marahil makakabuting ako’y magpahinga muna.
Masakit na ang aking lalamunan at likuran.
Bukas naman ulit…