Sa Iyong Pagtanda......

Batid ko ang hirap na iyong pinagdanasan
Pati na ang mga hirap na pagdadanasan
Kaya sa iyong pagtanda ako ay asahan
Na makakasama mo sa ano mang paraan.

Kung ang paningin ay unti unting lumalabo
At mga kamay ay nanginginig,
Aakayin ka, sasamahan ka
Kaya kumapit sa aking bisig.

Patawarin mo ako kung ako ay mabilis,
At kung minsan tila nagmamalabis,
Hindi ko nais na ikaw ay mainis
Mabilis lamang ako kumilos, mag-isip.

At kung minsan ay di kita mapansin,
Huwag mag alala pagkat ikaw pa rin
Ang nag iisang mahal sa aking buhay
Kaya buong puso sa iyo ay alay.

Kung ang aking boses minsan ay tuminis,
Hindi nangangahulugan na ako ay galit,
Ako lamang ay pagod, tali sa mga isipin
Kaya huwag mag atubili na ako ay yakapin.

Kung sa iyong pagtulog ay di ka mahagkan,
Pagkat ayaw kong magambala ang iyong pahinga,
Ganun pa man, madalas kitang pagmasdan,
At nangingiti sa tuwing nahihimbing ka.

Kasabay ay panalangin na naway sayong panaginip,
Masasayang himig ang iyong inaawit,
Mga halakhak natin nung ako pa’y maliit,
Ang pawang tinig na iyong naririnig.

Mapapansing ako ay tahimik sa isang tabi,
Walang imik, nag iisip at di mapakali,
Sa mga paraan upang ikaw ay sumaya,
Paano ko ihihingi na dugtungan ka pa NYA.

At kung minsan ay di kita maintindihan,
Huwag magtampo, huwag magalit ng taimtim,
Ito ay gawa ng maraming dahilan,
Pero hindi sapat upang ikaw ay manimdim.

Sa iyong pagtanda, iyong pakatandaan.
Di mo man ako maalala, makilala o matandaan
Iingatan ka, sasamahan at gagabayan.
Hangang sa iyong huling hantungan.


Original Composition: Dyun A.

Unconditional love

It was weekend and I can hear my two dogs barking and running around the backyard. They are normally this loud when the local birds started gnawing the fruit of my next door neighbour’s palm tree, and when some of these birds steal their dog food. I tried to ignore them and got up, washed up and walked straight to the kitchen where my breakfast is waiting for me… thanks to my lovely wife who woke up early to make me some breakfast.

As I was drinking my coffee, I couldn’t help but watch my two dogs as they chase the local birds. I sort of get a different kind of joy just watching them getting busy and playing with the birds and each other. I then thought, what could be going through their minds? What could they be thinking of? If they can talk, what would they tell me?

Both of my dogs are well-loved dog. Elmo is our first. He was just little when we got him, no bigger than my palm. When he was young, he always sleeps on one of my feet, and licks my feet as I went pass him. Look at him now; he covers almost their entire bed. My wife says I’m Elmo’s favourite. Well, he’s my favourite too. He was the first one that stole my heart – he’s just adorable.

King was my Christmas gift to my wife. He’s a purebred Maltese. We got him when he was 4 week’s old. I still remember when we picked him up – my wife was holding him on her lap, he was sleeping on her palm and I was holding his hand. He would occasionally lick my hand and would go back to sleep. He was so fragile then. Now he barks like a big dog. Funny how time flies.

I went out to join them. As soon as they saw me they both ran towards me and greeted me with exaggeration. I sat on the steps of the stairs and allowed King to kiss me on my ears while Elmo sat next to me and kissing my other ear. Elmo put his head under my hands asking for a scratch while king laid on the floor waiting for some tickle. I then grabbed the tennis ball at the door of their kennel and started playing ‘fetch’ – they love ‘fetch’! Elmo always gets to the ball first but King has ways of stealing it from him. It was really nice playing with them. After the game I gave them both some chicken necks and we all sat on the swing. King jumped on my left and rested on my left leg while Elmo jumped on the right and rested on my right leg. I was giving them both a good scratch.

As I was doing this I couldn’t help contemplate on how wonderful dogs are – of how they can give us their 100% and not get upset if we just return 5% of it or less. How patient they are - they waited for me to get home and welcomed me just like they’ve never seen me for a very long time. They always sit next to me or on my lap even after I’ve scolded them. They never get jealous even if I went out with my friends knowing they only have me. Their love never falters even though I’ve changed. They don’t criticise my looks, colour and gender. They never walked out on me when I looked horrible and wasted. They just love me without condition.

After that, I thought of giving them a good walk to the park. So up we went and grabbed their leashes… we’re off to the park!

Photo: Nik, Mahal, King and Elmo, Feb. 2010

The rain and me....

I love the rain. Where I grew up we periodically get rain. During this time I would shower in the rain, walk in the rain, or sometimes just tuck-in bed listening to the raindrops tapping on the roof. I love the sound the rain makes when it hits something solid and the cold air that it brings.

My aunt would not let me walk in the rain, she always thinks that we can catch all sort of diseases from the rain. Coincidently, some kids that did walk in the rain get fever the next day, but that’s the only thing they caught as far as I can remember - a fever. And every time my aunt talks me out of it I always think – well, it’s supposed to be clean because it’s from the sky, right? So how come some mother’s don’t let their kids play in the rain? Why some of us believe on something we have not witnessed? How come often people can’t agree on something so easily understood?

During the time when the questions are important to me, I would close my eyes and allow the rhythm of the raindrops take my mind to places where I can explore the questions further. I would tilt my head upward to catch some of the water that goes with the cold air, somehow the sensation fuels me to dig deeper. I would often get lost in this journey.

As the elements around me absorb my being, my questions were splits into words and then by syllables, making them hard to recognise. And when I open my eyes they are hit by the electromagnetic waves which everyone agreed to call ‘light’ and the different colours that go with it. The ‘acoustics’ in the air, which we call ‘sound’, relentlessly goes through my ears which my essence tries to decipher their meanings. What I call blue and loud maybe perceived by others as different colour and sound. We may agree on a name, shape or sound but really the perception of it is personal.

How are you?

Most of the plants around my house are low-maintenance, I hardly water them and yet they continue to grow and flower. There are two mad-flowering plants in front of the house that are taking advantage of the winter season, they just wouldn’t stop flowering. As I was walking to get the mail I noticed my jacaranda stopped growing. I checked its leaves, some are turning brown. I then I looked around, this is the only plant that’s suffering, although everyone is lacking attention. What is my jacaranda trying to tell me?

Everyday, before i get in the car, I quickly scan the plants around the house. The two mad flowering plants always caught my attention; seeing them flowering and healthy I then thought everyone is doing just the same - that everyone is doing well. It was a shock actually to see that my jacaranda is slowly dying when most of the plants are taking advantage of the cold and wet weather.

And then I thought, this must be the real me in all aspects of my life. Everyday I take a quick recollection about the people around me, and learning that one of them is doing well, I stopped and get on with what I’m doing. I forgot to call each one and personally ask them how they are doing. Some have started a family, graduated college, moved job or moved house and I don’t even know it. I just know that they are doing well.

I hope I’m not too late to save my jacaranda tree, this, amongst my plants is my wife’s favourite. I hope I get to remember to water it everyday before I retire for the day, and check all of them every weekend. And while I’m at it, I’d probably start making calls to the people that I really care… and ask them “how are you doing?”

How are you doing?

Anniversary

We went to this popular French restaurant in the city. The moment we walked in a girl in coat greeted us and took our coats. Then asked for our names and walked us up to our seats. I was really impressed on the warmth of their welcoming; it is something I don’t usually experience.

Then the same lady prepared our table. As she prepares our table she talks about the restaurant – like their chefs, their specialty, where the restaurant originated from and many more. Funny though I can’t remember a thing she said, probably because I was busy checking out the place… the place was just average though the Swarovski crystals and the lightings did set a somewhat special mood.

I must say the service is top class. And then I thought, maybe they’re popular because of their service. But then it all changed when I had my first canapé - it was delicious! The waitress gave us a brief introduction of the canapé but I wasn’t interested, I was ogling around understanding the arrangement of the place. It was indeed a first class restaurant.

Anyway, the starter – canapé, was very nice. My wife and I tried to understand what’s in it but we can’t seem to work it out. All we know is it’s a pretty good canapé.

Then the same lady walked towards us and talked about their menu and how it was set. She did mention a couple of specials. I don’t know what’s in the heads of the chefs of these first class restaurants, their menu is always hard to pronounce! Anyway, I ordered their wagyu special while the Mrs ordered some tuna. By the way I’m using layman’s language to describe what we ordered as I can’t work out their proper names.

For entrée I ordered baby rabbit, I was told that it was their signature dish, and the Mrs had some cuttlefish. We didn’t order dessert yet as we wanted to take time enjoying our meals.

After taking our orders a waitress walked to us and gave us some freshly baked breads. Just like the canapés, they're pretty good breads. Maybe because they were freshly baked or maybe the rosemary or whatever you call the green stuffs toppings makes it yummy – I couldn’t careless, they were good!

Then we were offered wine. As much as I wanted to have some but I’m driving so I have to say no. Besides my wife just got back from a surgery and she’s not allowed to have any alcohol.

I don’t think my words gave justice to the foods that we had, I’d just show you the photos and let you be the judge.












The Canape:













Entrees:














Mains:

Desserts:

Should i stay home?

hahahhaha.....

geeezzz.... this says it all, we're fucked! screwed! dead!

Train ride

The train was full this morning. I was squeezed in between a man with his backpack on my face and a lady with her handbag on my bum. I looked around and it seemed everyone is sandwiched in different ways, so I shut my mouth and endured that position for few mins. The moment the train stopped, I changed spot; I stood on the upper stair that gave me more room to move.

It’s the first time in 2 weeks I experienced a train full of commuters. Normally, in the morning I can find a seat or two; today it’s bursting at the seams. Well, hopefully tomorrow it’ll resume to normal.

What’s so good about commuting? Well, aside from I can sleep on my way to and from work, I also get some occasional entertainment listening to people’s stories. It’s not that I’m eavesdropping or something, their voices just kept kris-crossing in my ears and I can’t help laugh at the funny ones. I will be sharing some of the stuff I overheard; I won’t be dropping names (.. like I know them). Besides sharing their conversations alone is rude enough.. so yeah.. just their conversations.

-------
Friend to a Mom: Hey, you look like you didn’t give birth.
Mom: Oh yeah? Well, I gave birth two months ago, remember?
Friend: That’s what I meant, you still look pregnant.
-------
Lady with a pram talking to another lady: And so yeah, I put my baby in the pram and then… Wait! Where’s my baby!?
Guy: I have her honey.
Lady: Oh thank God. Now where was I?
-------
School girl to a friend: The only way I know the difference between left and right is that my mole is on my left side. I’ve trained myself to feel my mole.
-------
Girl on train: It’s so hot in here… I think it’s because of me.
Another Girl: Us! hehehehe
-------
Guy to Girl: Let’s go window shopping at the vending machines.
Girl: Hello? Why would I want that? They don’t have shoes.
-------
Drunk Guy to a random old man: Your hair is cool man. Has it always been that long and curly or just when you got old? I’m not saying you’re old but your hair is really cool, it rocks.
-------
Guy 1: Hey man, are those for girls? Why are you wearing girl’s shoes?
Guy 2: I can’t find my shoes so I took my sister’s
-------
Filipina mom to her toddler that’s wearing a hooded jacket: Baby, put your head back in or else you will not have any more boobs.
Translation: Ibalik mo yung hood sa ulo mo kung hindi, hindi kita pasususuhin.
Funny though the kid did put the hood back on.

Photo: Sydney Central Station, June 2010