40 YEARS OLD

Memo to self:

Admit it. You've been old since you were 20.
You never thought you'd reach

40...

You always thought you'd die before reaching it
You never thought you'd be given a long life
You never thought you'd live forever.
You never thought you'd find HER...

You never thought you'd be HAPPY.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OLD MAN.
(And No, you're not referring to Poseidon.)


itutuloy...

On Tolerance

Dear Kids, someday you will receive spam mail with this picture and an allegation that the child is a Muslim and he is being punished because he stole a loaf of bread. It was meant to provoke hatred towards our Muslim Brothers so please do not believe the spam.

We have no right to Judge the Moslems. Because we know NOTHING about ISLAM. Hindi naman tayo Muslim e.

Unfair sa kanila yung words sa email. Imagine nyo kung ang spam ay may ganitong subtitle:

A child was caught stealing bread in a remote area in the Philippines run by Christians who believe in the interpreting their Holy Book, THE BIBLE, literally...

IN the name of their religion, the child is punished. Because it says in their Holy Book:

"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire" Mark 9:43


There are some parts of the Bible which our religion do not interpret literally (Mark 9:43 is one of them) kaya ang mga muslim ay hindi dapat mag cite ng verse, out of context, para lang tayo i criticize. At tayo din, hindi dapat kutyain ang Qur'an (Koran) dahil wala tayong alam dun. WALA TAYONG KARAPATAN.

Please be tolerant of other people's Religion. Always pray for them.

Sya nga pala, Dhes, We know you are in Lanao right now. Ingat Kayo! God Keep You All Safe!!!

525,600 minutes x 40

525,600 minutes

525,000 moments so dear

525,646 minutes

how do you measure,

measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights ...in cups of coffee.

In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife

In 525,600 minutes

How do you measure a year in the life?...

How about Love?

Measure in love.



-- Lyrics from "Seasons of love"

Ides of March

"Caesar, beware the ides of March"


Sa aking mga Anakis, sa school pag nabasa nyo yung tungkol kay Julius Caesar, malalaman nyo na tinalo nya si Pompei the great sa isang sagupaan na malapit sa bayan ng Pharsalus kaya sya naging Diktador ng Roma. Ang hindi nyo mababasa don ay nung bago mag simula ang gyera, may isang Legio (siguro sarhento ang katumbas) na nangakong isasakripisyo nya ang kanyang buhay para tyak na manalo si Caesar. Hindi ko maalala ang pangalan nya. anyway, ang aktong pag sakripisyo sa buhay sa isang digmaan nung panahon na tinatatag ang imperio ng Roma ay tinatawag na "Devotio." Ngayon siguro ang katumbas nila ay mga suicide bombers. Itong Legio na ito na hindi ko talaga matandaan ang pangalan ay biglang umatake sa tagilirang bahagi ng mga tropa ni Pompei (right flank nya ata).

Syempre natigok sya kaagad.

Pero nung nanalo sila Caesar binigyan sya ng parangal dahil sinasabi nilang ang kanyang "Devotio" o sakripisyo ay ikinatuwa ng mga Imortal sa Olympus kaya kahit lamang ang kalaban at dehado si Caesar, nagmilagro, at sya ang nanalo.

Sa panahon ngayon, ang daming gustong maging Caesar sa politica. At naghahanap sila ng mga taong pambala sa kanyon para matupad ang kanilang mga pangarap na sila naman ang makinabang sa mga multi billion peso contracts sa Gobyerno. Pero syempre, hindi nila sasabihin na gusto nilang maging CAESAR kundi ang sasabihin nila sa'yo, gusto nila ng PAGBABAGO.

Naghahanap sila ng Devotio.

Ang ating lipunan ay nahahati sa dalawa: mga tumataya sa politika at mga hindi. Kung ikaw ay isang politiko na tumatakbo sa eleksyon, tumataya ka sa politika. Kung hindi... Candidate kang maging Devotio nila. Pag namatay ka, paparangalan ka pero makakalimutan din. Tulad nung Legio na iyon na nagbuwis ng buhay para sa pangarap ni Caesar... Na hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko talaga matandaan ang pangalan nung lintek na 'yon.

Pero meron tayong Karapatan na hindi pwedeng tanggalin ng mga Politico. At yon ay ang ating karapatang hindi pumayag na maging Devotio nila.

Darating ang araw, mababasa nyo ang mga kaguluhan sa politica ngayong mga panahong sinulat ko ito. Dapat ipaliwanag ko kung bakit hindi ako nakikigulo at sumasangayon sa mga Politico: kaliwa o kanan, Gobyerno o Oposisyon. Sa mga susunod na isusulat ko, susubukan kong ipaliwanag ang sarili ko. Mga Anakis, kayo nalang ang bahalang humusga sakin. at sana, tama ang mga desisyon ko dahil hindi ako pumapayag na maging Devotio nila, bagkus ang palagi kong sina sabi sa mga politico... MANIGAS KAYO!

itutuloy...

MALAYO PA ANG UMAGA

when the PeoplePower icon of the past shares the stage with a farce, she becomes one too.

When the best and the brightest that this generation has to offer is either Chiz escudero, who thinks that Erap and Marcos did no wrong; or Mike Defensor, who thinks that Gloria is the best president we've had, then,

THE FUTURE ITSELF IS DYING. (my apologies to the speechwriter of W.Bush. I snitched the phrase from him)


Kanta na lang tayo. Marunong ba kayong mag gitara?

	C	G	F-G	C	G	F-G
	Malayo pa	ang umaga, '	di mat	anaw ang	pag-asa

	E	Am	F	C
hanggang	kailan matitiis an	g paghihirap ko?

	Dm	G
	at sa dilim hinahanap

	E	Am
	ang pag-asa na walang landas

	F	C	F	G
	kailan ba darating	ang bukas para s	a'kin?

Analog-Digital World

DIGITAL... Sage made this using her Friendster account.


ANALOG... I have a feeling that Sabine will learn to play the violin really, really soon. Sadie loves to watch us when we play foosball.



DIGITAL... They Love surfing.

ANALOG... Sabine's Team got silver medals for our effort during their sportsfest.

Sage made this "I'm a Princess" digital collage from Friendster too.

Rock and Roll Forevah!

Dear Sabine, by last count you've watched Alvin and the Chipmunks for a gazillion times now. last time you went gaga over another film was with "Cars"

Probably because of the Rock music...

Knights of the Round Table

"It's not the color of the Armor that counts, but the Knight within" --MCGMD

Dear Kids, there is this legend about two, star-crossed lovers, cursed by an evil Religious Wizard to walk the earth together, but to never meet each other in human form. From being a beautiful woman, she is transformed into a hawk when the sun is in the sky, while her lover, a Black Knight, assumes the form of a Wolf when the moon rises and then becomes human again at dawn. They accompany each other in their quest to break the spell. But the prophecy of how to break it sounds like a riddle:

"The two must stand together in front of the bishop as husband and wife on the day without a night, and a night without a day."

Unable to make sense of the riddle, not knowing what to expect, both rode on to meet their destiny. When they finally came to the end of their journey, the Black knight dueled with the Bishop's mercenaries and ultimately defeated the bishop's curse itself. For that day was special. That day, an ECLIPSE took place. It was indeed a day without a night, and a night without a day.

A couple of nights ago, we missed gazing at the lunar eclipse. I would have told you guys this story while watching it. Sayang.

Anyway, that's our new dining table. It's round like the one in the legend of King Arthur and his Knights. Round like the two principal Orbs that make Eclipses happen. We bought it on February 14, 2008.

itutuloy...

Putting Jun Lozada in Perspective

He WAS part of the Other Side.
But he came through... Only because he had to.

Now he's better off without his erstwhile CONFEDERATES.




"Now that it's all said and done,
I can't believe you were the one
To build me up and tear me down,
Like an old abandoned house.
What you said when you left
Just left me cold and out of breath.
I fell too far, was in way too deep.
Guess I let you get the best of me.

Well, I never saw it coming.
I should've started running
A long, long time ago.
And I never thought I'd doubt you,
I'm better off without you
More than you, more than you know.

I'm slowly getting closure.
I guess it's really over.
I'm finally getting better.
And now I'm picking up the pieces.
I'm spending all of these years
Putting my heart back together.
'Cause the day I thought I'd never get through,
I got over you.

You took a hammer to these walls,
Dragged the memories down the hall,
Packed your bags and walked away.
There was nothing I could say.
And when you slammed the front door shut,
A lot of others opened up,
So did my eyes so I could see
That you never were the best for me.

Well, I never saw it coming.
I should've started running
A long, long time ago.
And I never thought I'd doubt you,
I'm better off without you
More than you, more than you know.

I'm slowly getting closure.
I guess it's really over.
I'm finally getting better.
And now I'm picking up the pieces.
I'm spending all of these years
Putting my heart back together.
'Cause the day I thought I'd never get through,
I got over you.

Well, I never saw it coming.
I should've started running
A long, long time ago.
And I never thought I'd doubt you,
I'm better off without you
More than you, more than you know.

Well, I never saw it coming.
I should've started running
A long, long time ago.
And I never thought I'd doubt you,
I'm better off without you
More than you, more than you know.
I'm slowly getting closure.
I guess it's really over.
I'm finally getting better.
And now I'm picking up the pieces.
I'm spending all of these years
Putting my heart back together.
Well I'm putting my heart back together,
'Cause I got over you.
Well I got over you.
I got over you.
'Cause the day I thought I'd never get through,
I got over you."

Post VD

"For he who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience sublime happiness"-- Edmund Dantes, le Comte de Monte Cristo

Dear Kids, I wrote about SAD syndrome last December. I'm just wondering if there's a statistically confirmed disease entity called "Post-Valentine's Day Syndrome?"

I've been checking my account last night in a social networking site and I found disturbing entries bordering on the suicidal.

Maybe it's because the disappointment is greatest when the expectations are highest. People look forward to Valentine's day Months before the actual date. Then when those expectations aren't fully met, those with depression will find it easy to take what they think is the easy way out: Death.

Last Night, while trying to write to a depressed collegiala with disturbing messages, I received a phonecall from your Yaya who told me that her sister slit her wrist (because of a boylet who probably has a frenchkissing IQ of a rotting corpse). I rolled my eyes, told her not to panic, since suicide attempts via wrist slashing rarely succeed (except in the movies), and to bring her sister to the nearest clinic or hospital to have the wound stitched up and to be given prophylactics because her sister might die... OF TETANUS!

Lintek. nakaka depress. Para hindi tayo mag suicide lahat dahil sa depression, basahin nyo nalang itong na pulot kong message.


So, is he a very, very, clever comedian or not? If not, Magtatayo ako ng call center at kukunin ko syang agent. Papatawagin ko sya kay Mirriam umaga at gabi para dumugo ilong ni Madame (a lot of people will pay me to see this happen. papalitan ko na blog URL na ito at gagawin kong: mayamanako.blogspot.com)

February 14, 2008

I've been awake for a while now

You've got me feelin' like a child now
Cause everytime I see your bubbly face
I get the tingles in a silly place


It starts in my toes
And I crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go


The rain is fallin' on my window pane
But we are hidin' in a safer place
Under cover stayin safe and warm
You give me feelins that I adore


They start in my toes
Make me crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go


What am I gonna say
When you make me feel this way
I just-mmm..

It starts in my toes
Make me crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go


Dada dada dadada dada dum..
Mmm mmm..


I've been asleep for a while now
You tuck me in just like a child now
Cause every time you hold me in your arms
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth


It starts in my soul
And I lose all control
When you kiss my nose
The feelin shows
Cause you make me smile baby
Just take your time now
Holdin' me ti-i-ight


Where ever, Where ever, Where ever you go
Where ever, Where ever, Where ever you go

That you make me smile
Even just for a whi-i-le.

Kapamilya

Because of the ironclad clause in the document (specifically Paragraph 11) that makes me liable if I breath a word about the reason why I was there, I need explicit permission from Marlet & Co. before I blog about this.

wala akong 2Million Peso spare change e.

Thank You Very Much...

To Dhes for this Picture (among others) and for giving Ayheen a very personal tour of the whole complex. You made her feel like one of those Balikbayan Billionaires in one of those official studio tours.

To Koryn (we dropped her name at the entrance. kung may sikyo kayong makita na naka cast ang paa, siya yung naka duty noon at nadaganan ang paa nya ng mabigat na pangalan.)

To Marlet (dahil sa bikini babes na umupo sa harapan ko. ngalang, nasa likod ko naman Misis ko)


I mentioned to Koryn and Dhes that the only network we watch at home is their Home network. Actually, it's because of my byenan who is crazy about the telenovelas, and bigbrother etc. I also would like to watch Marimar shake her booty but only at the risk of earning their ire.

Oh well. Atleast Narda is already there.... uhhh... Angel pala (sorry about that guys)

Winning 2nd Place and Winning Friendship

That's you, Sage, and your Team...


After saying your prayers just before going up on stage.


You guys were really jamming it up together.


It was just like how you practiced it at home.



You guys snatched SECOND PLACE despite of trailing the others at one point in the Game.


After the QuizBee you also performed in the Chorale presentation.



And your group was given the Most Coordinated Award.



Then we went bowling after lunch

Preparing for Quizbee

Dear Sage, Tomorrow is your quizbee contest. in the video above you can see your Lola Letty Acting as the Quizmaster Stenographer/secretary tasked to take down notes of the questions you answered and spelled properly; your Mom as the Timekeeper and Audience Manager (The unruly audience being Sabine, Sadie and Me)



The painting above is by Palma Tayona of VisualViscera.blogspot.com. (published with artist's consent. Thanks man.) its title is "It takes a Village."

I say it's appropriate. It takes a village to raise a future Nobel Prize winner in Physics y'know.

SUPER TUESDAY

Why should I care? Because American Foreign Economic Policy affects me, dammit.

How do you talk to an Angel?...

"... How do you hold her close to where you are?
How do you talk to an angel?
It's like trying to catch a falling star..."-- The Heights

Dear Sage and Sabine, Thursday last week we finally got to meet Koryn. Actually I immediately recognized her but her gaze went past me and settled on Sabine who looked extra adorable that day (you all were). Then she hugged Ayheen like they were old friends. When it was finally my turn to shake her hand I suppressed the wisecrack that almost slipped my lips unchecked (I almost said "Hey, I didn't recognize you with your clothes on")-- Buti nalang, I'd probably still be in the ICU by now.

It was her building and she was pretty busy (like us) so we didn't get to talk much. Actually, the conversation was mostly between her and your Mom. What I found awkward was that everytime your Mom asked her a personal question, I already knew the answer (and most of the time, the stories behind it). Although I'm not a stalker or a serial killer, I still am a stranger to this Angel of a Lady and I found it uncomfortable to know so much about her. And yet, I bet she doesn't know anything about me. I know, it's unfair.

Whether you like it or not a blog can be dangerous. It is an invitation to strangers to see who you are at your most vulnerable. I recognized that early on that's why I always tell everybody that I'm not really a blogger. This blog doesn't contain my CV, my antics, my real dreams for myself. It was never about me. This website is a repository of the sweetest memories you'll ever have of your childhood. The sad ones I edit them out. Because we need to spend a great part of our existence to live down the painful memories of our childhood kahit gano kakonti ito. Most of the time the only things that can help us live them down is by remembering the best part of our lives. I will try to record the best and sweetest memories of your childhood here.

And Real Bloggers like Atticus, Koryn, Snglguy, Dhes, Tin and other silent lurkers out there are, as I have said in a previous entry, the angels who have read how sweet and generous and adorable you all are. Hopefully they will remind you of this fact even when by some twist of fate this website gets deleted.

And to These angels, Thank You for letting us into your lives. We understand the importance of Privacy and Personal space. We hope that we can really be friends here in cyberspace and beyond.

BTW, Koryn, you really look stunning-- This time, I won't be asking for free tickets to Disney on Ice (Tapos na e)

THE GIANTS OWN XLII

Dear Jaycee and Jayden; Aidan, Cheryl and Florante; Congratulations to You Guys!!!

Congratulations NEW YORK!

Hey Liza, you think the Mets can top this one in their own coming season?... Ooops, Sorry about that, Jaycee, What I meant was: GO YANKEES!!!

Ate, I hope you realize how fortunate and blessed you are for visiting New York, for being there, This HOUR, This MINUTE!!!

Anyway, At the back of my mind when I posted the preceding blog entry below, I was thinking of steeling myself to re-post the "Bloody but unbowed" line since the Giants were the underdogs. Instead I am reposting this poem...

"You are my adversary,
but you are not my enemy.
For your resistance gives me strength.
Your will gives me courage.
Your spirit ennobles me.
And though I aim to defeat you, should I succeed,
I will not humiliate you.
Instead, I will honour you.
For without you,
I am a lesser man."— “Opponent”, from Celebrate

SUPER BOWL 42

GODSPEED,
NEW YORK!!!

disney on ice

Dear Kids, We watched Disney On Ice at the Luneta Colosseum on January 25, 2008 or on the eve of Sadie's 2nd Birthday...

There were 7 of us including your Dad. Tatlong anakis, Byenan, Isang Asawa.
(Koryn! Natiis mo kaming hindi bigyan ng free tickets?)

The picture below was part of that show (101 dalmatians on ice skates)

After the show we had Merienda at Taco Bell. That's you and me, Sabine. The one waiting at the counter in front of us was the Grand Daddy of Rock in these Islands, Jose "Pepe" Smith. I wanted to introduce you to him... but I changed my mind.

I accidentally included this video. Sage is singing her composition "Daddy has a big tummy."



Below you can hear Sabine's rendition of the Cuppycake song to Sadie. I think it was recorded a few days before Sadie's birthday. Note the chick standing on the right side of the screen. Same one I also see in the sack every night. hehe! (eat your heart out, Trixie baby.)





This the most expensive popcorn ever. it's worth 100 bucks as warned by Koryn.



Ate Sage and Ate Sabine were singing Happy Birthday to Sadie




On Sadie's Birthday (January 26) We went to Philcite to fly a kite. when we got there, our plans were rudely interrupted by the filming of a made for tv movie of these two local personalities.

We were only able to fly the kite together just before sunset.




Then we had an early evening picnic near the Coconut Palace. Sadie's shown below contemplating the demise of the once full bottle of coke ala Hamlet holding the remains of his old friend (Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio.)
We enjoyed the sites and the popsicles




Before we finally left ...

Syelebrating Edsa Dos (hic!)

Dear Sage, January 18, 2001 was the second wedding anniversary of your Mom and Dad. We went to EDSA that day because we wanted to show our support to the civilians praying for a peaceful change. The heavens answered our prayers...

Oh Boy! We got more than what we bargained for, eh? (mental note: be careful of what you wish for...)

Anyway, not the least of my grievances against the Powers-that-be back then was their blatant attempt at sabotaging the media, notably, the crippling boycott of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Only recently have I learned that Erap was not to blame for that Third Reichish tactic. In an interview with PDI, he said that he only casually broached the idea to Armida Siguion Reyna. She and her ilk in the Showbiz started the boycott. It was a feeble attempt at suppressing Free Speech

So why did we go to EDSA that day?. ..Erap, blame Armida.

But even though neither political parties (opposition and incumbent) would like to remember those 4 days in 2001, I myself would like to celebrate it. For one, Sage, your Mom and I had a great date; we got to meet other long lost friends and mentors there; we got to dance in the street too (ofcourse she had to be contented with me and my two left feet)

I remember asking the heavens a favor: Please let Tito Willy support the people in the EDSA rally. The following day, the heavens did answer my prayer. He went on the stage, in uniform, wearing only aviator glasses but no sidearms, together with his other comrades.

We are Proud of You Tito Willy. Everytime I think of Cincinnatus, It's your picture that I see (maybe not in a toga. But you get the picture, right?)

Wherever you are, Fair Winds, Sir!

So, were we naive? Were we like a pair of drunken kids who did not know what we were doing? did we make the wrong choice 7 years ago? the answer is "HELL NO!"

Edsa Dos brought out the worst in some people. But it also brought out the best in Most of Us.

NOTE: those two kids in the picture are Uri and Andrei (your Comia Cousins) No Liver cell was damaged in the shooting of that photo. The drinking session was simulated-- But not the cuteness of those two, kid actors.