Friday, November 19, 2010

One Empty Station



The room was field with empty noise,
Like a cloud of random voice.
Thousands of words storm my ear,
But no trace of crisp laughter to hear.


I tried to search for the missing piece;
Filtering the sounds and frequencies.
Realization then struck me:
One station was empty.


I extracted her bouncy voice from memory,
And recalled her spirit's genuine glee.
My thoughts took me back to old conversations;
Then another look at the empty station.


She flashed a faint smile for the show;
But it lacked the familiar glow.
She chuckled a bit as she spoke,
But devoid with the usual life and echo.


I walked out the room with a heavy heart,
And felt the deafening silence behind my back.
I hoped I could suck all the weariness out,
As I closed the door and left everything in the dark.


I closed my eyes to utter a little prayer,
And wished for more strength for the fighter.
Please bring back the glow and luster,
On that one empty corner.


Thursday, November 11, 2010

Nightmare


















A nightmare
hovers me;
Arouses the
nothingness in me.
In the dark,
A hollow face
I see;
Caressing
my indignity.
Lost
in oblivion,
Snatched
with lucidity;
My ghost
cries
over
me.
----
galing sa balon ng aking kwaderno.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

ESL Blooper(s) 3

Well, at least the boy really gave it a shot.
We really can't blame them.
Koreans have only one sound for l and r (and it's actually somewhere in the middle).

RIP



Malakas ang bugso ng hangin,
Tila bagyong paparating;
Agad idinipa ng bisig,
Parang ibon sa himpapawid.


Bumuhos ang mga alaala,
Parang pelikula;
Kahit pikit ang mga mata,
Mga pangyayari'y kitang-kita.


Pag-ibig na pinakawalan,
Posas na di matakasan,
Dahil sa mga tinig ng taghoy.
Paalam... ang mahina kong tugon.


Sa huling pagkakataon, langit at sinilayan.
Wala nang ibong nag-aawitan.
Mga puno'y kinawayan,
Pagpatak ng daho'y sinabayan.


Ulirat ay ginising
Ng isang lagabog.
Naiwan ang sakit
Sa katawang lasog.


Mundo'y hindi natakasan,
Pait ay naulit lamang.
Pusong duguan,
Parang kaluluwang

Pinagkaitan ng kamatayan.


--
galing sa balon ng aking kwaderno
Hindi ko na maalala kung para kanino ito.

ESL Blooper(s) 2

During a phone class between a newbie ESL teacher (at the time her native accent was still prominent) and a korean student.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Destination: Potipot Island

Potipot Island can be reached by a 5-minute boat ride from Uacon, Candelaria, Zambales. It’s a small heart-shape island surrounded by white sand. The water is clear and calm, especially in the morning. Candelaria, Zambales is approximately 240+ kms from Manila – about 5-hour drive. But, if you are taking the bus, be sure to allot at least 7 hours of your time. We took the 6AM Victory Liner bus bound to Sta. Cruz in Sampaloc. Then, we asked the conductor to drop us off at Dawal Beach Resort.

(Jeg, Hazel, Jasmin, Jigs)

If you want to stay overnight in Potipot, you have to pay an entrance fee of P300. You need to bring your complete camping gear because there are no resorts on the island. Another option is to stay in one of the resorts in Uacon for the night after spending a day in Potipot. Day trip entrance free is P100. We took the second option because we wanted to travel light. There are several resorts on the mainland of Uacon. We stayed at Sun Bloom Resort. Room rates are very affordable. A room has 2 double beds, so if you are travelling in a group, it’s really a good deal. We checked - in at noon and showed my deposit slip (reservation fee). A room is P1200 a day. The room was simple but comfortable enough.

Then, we took a tricycle to Candelaria market. One good thing about Sun Bloom is that you could just rent a stove and cook your own food. First activity was cooking. I marinated some liempo (pork belly), chicken, and some squids, while cooking adobo. Sure my adobo was a hit! After everything was set, we started devouring everything (LOL!) Every food complements each other, especially with salted eggs and fresh tomatoes on the side. The resort also sells “drinks”. We bought a case of Red Horse beer for P440. Relatively cheap. Now, is there a better way to relax than to eat, drink and share some good laughs. HHmmmm…. Actually, there is! How about night swimming? The water was relaxingly warm. The sand was also fine. After a few more beers, we called it a night. We planned to go to Potipot Island as early as possible the next day.

I got up before 6 (a little later than planned) and prepared breakfast. We packed some food and then talked to some boat owners. You can hire a boat (with a capacity of 4-6 persons) going to Potipot for P400 (back and forth). You just have to tell the boat man what time you want to go back to the resort and they’ll be there on time. Pay the boatman when you got back.

The island is pretty small, but we were a bit lucky that it wasn’t crowded when we went there. I just hope the visitors and care-takers of the island will be concerned enough not to exploit the island. A few years back, the island looked different. There were more trees and the place looked pristine. Now, they have cleared some of the trees and added more huts (for rent). The place is still beautiful but I hope they will not make any further changes on the island.

Sure I had a great time. It was just what I badly needed to get away from the scorching heat in the city, have some relaxing time (after working for 7 days a week for several months) and have quality time with my hubby. It’s definitely a worthwhile destination especially when you are on a tight budget. ☺☺☺

Friday, May 7, 2010

ESL Blooper(s)

When I started teaching ESL to Koreans, I was very surprised to know that most of my students were atheists. During my training, we were even reminded not to talk about religion unless the student opened up the topic. Nowadays, most of my students go to church every weekend. =)

Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Aftereffect

The irritating beam of light from the windows forced my eyes to open. I tried to cover my face with my pillow but it was really difficult to go back to sleep. The late morning heat was terrible and I was sweating like a pig. I tossed and turned in bed hoping to somehow have at least another hour of sleep. I was getting more and more frustrated. I gave up. Still, I didn’t want to get up because my body felt really heavy.

After an hour of idleness in bed, I finally gained enough will to get up. I wobbled a bit. For a second, I thought my head wasn’t there. Lazily, I grabbed my towel and went straight to the bathroom. The water was refreshing and I wished I could stay there for the whole day. But, no matter how tired my body felt today, I reminded myself to come to work on time. I smirked. I was sure Tara would be late today. This means “booze”.

I took the first jeepney going to Taft. Wrong. The music was irritatingly loud. Too loud, I thought. The worse thing was I had to endure the terrible banging of the speakers for 35 minutes. While in the jeepney, I found myself getting annoyed with a lot of little things -- I got irritated with the girl’s hair touching my shoulders, all the jeepney drivers blowing their horns impatiently, the beads of sweat on my forehead, the noisy but gibberish jingles of some candidate, etc.

I made it to the office on time. I walked straight to the ref and grabbed my ice-cold water. I gulped everything down and then refilled the empty tumbler. I felt bloated with water, but I was still feeling thirsty. I went to my station and told myself, “So, this is hangover!” Then I remembered what happened last night and recalled how Tara and I got home. Somebody has got to pay… I took out my marker and post-it notes, then wrote a few reminders…



Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Meet my pet, BAET.

Meet my pet, BAET. She isn't your ordinary pet. She has her own "mood" and "mode" swings once in a while.
Hyper Mode. She does lots of crazy things.
Travel Mode. She loves traveling.
Sentimental Mode. She loves the rain. Sentimental Mode (2). She has a song for every emotion.
Sentimental Mode (3). She loves sketching and writing.
Dance Mode. She used to be a "Tukso" dancer.
Crying Baet. She cries a lot, secretly.
Angry Baet. She rarely gets angry. (Inhale... Exhale...)
Beach Mode. She loves going to the beach.
Surprised BAET. She likes surprises.
Nervous/ Excited. Haha!
Reading Mode. She likes to read, sleep and dream.
Scared BAET. She likes watching scary movies. ^^
Hiking Mode. She likes nature and adventure.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Nostalgia (part 1)

It’s 4AM. I’m still watching “House”. The man says, “He must be really good.” “How did you know?”, says Cameron. “If you are a jerk, it’s either you are a genius or unemployed.” I basically know all the plots already, but I still laugh at Gregory’s sarcastic humor and enjoy the nitty-gritties of the cases. The dialogues are subtle and the characters complement one another. “That’s absurd!. I love it.” How I love Dr. Gregory House! Sometimes I think that he is my kind of guy. Funny. Sometimes I wonder why I get attracted to uniquely “interesting” people. Well, that’s another story.

My thoughts wondered for a moment while the team was doing their usual brainstorming. “Like I always say, there's no "I" in team. There's a "me" though, if you jumble it up.”, says House. I checked my watched, and kinda remind myself of my schedule tomorrow. It’s almost 5AM, but I guess insomnia will let me stay up for at least another hour. It’s weekend, but I won’t be able to sleep much the next day. I promised Peter that I will head one the final interviews for the applicants at 10. I know I’ll have trouble getting up early (Yes, 10AM is early for me) Poor applicants… my patience will be extremely short tomorrow. I hope they have at least memorized the Constitution.

Last year, I made some applicants cry. I thought, some of them were cursing wordlessly, while others were staring at me blankly. Other members even asked me to visit other rooms to intimidate the kids. “PAANO KA NAKAPASOK NG UP? MATALINO KA BA? EH, BAKIT SIMPLENG TANONG LANG HINDI MO MASAGOT! KELANGAN MO NG CLUE? WAG NA! KASE AND CLUE, PANG-BOBO!” Pamatay! Just imagine House delivering those lines. Haha. Some people think that when they got into the university, they were someone special. But the truth is, in UP, you have to break that cockiness and realize that like everyone else, you’re just a normal student. Once you’ve broken that wall, you’ll start gaining real confidence.

When I was an applicant myself, I was very quiet. I almost never spoke when I was in the tambayan. Silently, I observed every person. Some members looked nerdy, some tried to be funny, while some are simply funny. I thought staying quiet would spare me from catching the members’ “special” attention. I was wrong. I had my share of “special” welcome from a few members. Rodel Abuy even flung my sigsheet to the air. I can’t really remember the reason why. Leslie, Gaylord and others were asking me something at the same time. I answered, “Yes” to a question, and then suddenly Gaylord cried, “Ano? Bading si Uda?” Pfftt! There goes my sigsheet. I excused myself with grace but started to cry after a few steps.

During my own final interview, lots of members were talking at the same time…. trying to intimidate me. They failed… not because I was invincible but because I couldn’t hear them. I was looking through them. Finally, most members grew tired. The interview was already focusing on the “juice” of the Consti. Anuar/Buni was the head of the interview. My interest grew as the interview progressed. I found myself gradually tasting the “juice” itself. I cried after the interview. This was a revelation to the members. A crybaby was actually covered with an intimidating façade, which was not intentional. Dulce said, sometimes my eyes look scary when I stare. I didn’t know.

Well, I hope the interview goes well. It’s past 5. I’m not a resident member anymore but I couldn’t just leave UP Kalilayan. I still want to be present in most of the events, projects and get-togethers. There’s simply no place like Kali—a home away from home.

Kali-girls' Day

Free Medical and Dental Mission (Mulanay)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Lullaby

Dixie Chicks - Lullaby .mp3
Found at bee mp3 search engine

They didn't have you where I come from
Never knew the best was yet to come
Life began when I saw your face
And I hear your laugh like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

I slip in bed when you're asleep
To hold you close and feel your breath on me
Tomorrow there'll be so much to do
So tonight I'll drift in a dream with you

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

As you wander through this troubled world
In search of all things beautiful
You can close your eyes when you're miles away
And hear my voice like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

Landslide

Smashing Pumpkins - Landslide .mp3
Found at bee mp3 search engine

I took my love and took it down
I climbed a mountain, I turned around
And I saw my reflection in a snow covered hill
'til a landslide brought it down

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I've been afraid of changing cause I've
Built my life around you
Time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older, too
I'm getting older, too

I took my love and took it down
I climbed a mountain, I turned around
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hill
The landslide brought it down
The landslide brought it down
***

I feel the poetry... I hear the beauty.. I love its melancholy...

This song never fails to make me cry whenever I hear it play in any tragic movies.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Unstable

she dRHinks the gRHief,

whines over lost dRHeams.

she dRHowns the misery

but like a brick, she’s sinks.

the sorRHow, now is swimming,

while with air, she is gasping;

heaRHtbeat’s erratic,

body’s trembling in panic.

she enjoys to stay miseRHable,

oblivious and unstable.

for the pain makes her alive;

the stitches and wounds she suRHvived.

for cRHying in a bucket!

hope she clears her head,

he’s gone and missed his chance,

she has to stabilize her stance.

each night is to paRHty,

not to relive the cathaRHsis;

lift another “ttekkeRHi!”,

and call it quits.

for my "alcoholic" friend who has found her real love ^^ hehehehe!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Dance in the Rain





Immortal is the tree
Who stands the test of time,
Who conquers every battle,
And ages with wisdom.

Immortal is the tree
Who shed its leaves each year,
For every love he has lost,
And every heart he has won.

Immortal is the tree who teaches me,
How to stand every death,
Through the colds of winter,
Through the burning summer.

He alone gives me rest in spite of pain,
Undying under the rain;
Lifting my spirit in a glance,
Reaching my hand for a dance.

Gemini









Twins can never be identical,
They may look the same
But completely polar.
Two different identities
But may live in a single body.
Half-willed to run away,
Half-willed to stay.
Cries over a simple hap,
But conceals a broken heart.
Her mind wants to drowse
Into deep slumber
And live in dreams;
While consciousness
Wants to stay in lucid realm.
The stars are partly to be blamed,
For she is a Gemini,
Confused and disarranged.