The Phenomenal Failure

When I was introduced to the school system, I thought I was introduced to these things:

  1. That life is a race (maybe)
  2. Everything I learned in between bell rings are most important in equipping yourself for life
  3. You will always be measured
  4. Deadlines are inescapable
  5. Endings are inevitable

I remember waking up everyday to AM radio, Paeng Yabut’s voice would fill up the chill air and intro the Rufina Patis (fish sauce) commercial.  We lived near enough the railway to hear the first trip of the old train, 6 a.m.  This means we should be, at least, halfway ready to go.  We should be on our way as the next train whistles in (6:30 a.m.)  since the school bell rings at a strict 6:45 a.m.  Life is a race, as it is reinforced throughout.  That’s part of the reason why the late comers cannot go and join their designated line during the 15 minute flag ceremony program.  They had to be counted, listed, and hopefully humiliated not to do it again.  It is a disagreeable method in instilling supposed discipline when all you want to do is just draw a line that expresses respect for time.

Iron Will

If I could cheat life and have more time then I’ll be fine.  I’ve been wearing vest over a buttoned shirt for work and I realized then that if I ironed only the sleeves, I’d be saving minutes enough to play an extra song a day on my guitar.  Ha!  I pride myself with coming up with practical and creative solutions, I get occasional free meals off it.

Driving to work, I used to scamper for parallel streets and undiscovered road detours just to keep that sense of movement.  It’s as if traffic build-up causes a rash reaction that needs to be avoided.  I also used  to pride myself of knowing multiple ways to get to work, my wife finds it unbelievable now when I submit to a line of cars running at 20kph and resist to look for other ways.  Whatever happened to “practical and creative solutions”?

Did my will break?

24

24-1

The marketers stretched the value of Christmas day’s showdown of the Warriors and Cavs since the Warriors broke into the opening gates with a mean winning streak.  The Warrior schedule looked promising since beating the Lakers for win #16. With a winning differential of some 14 points, Steph Curry scoring 40 at will, without playing in the fourth Q, the road to win #33 can’t seem to get fast enough. For some faux incentive, someone at marketing seem to have blurted out “Hey, Steph beating the LeBron can be for record game 33-0 if you add the dubs’ last 4 games of the 2014-2015 season!” and somebody concurred “Jason, you’re a genius! Hype up the gullible trolls of social media and let them feast on this meaningless debate”

Cheese Pleased

Beth Twice Cakes and Pastries
A box of cheesecake overload:
Smores; Turtle; Blueberry; Walnut; Oreo ; and Black Forest… Something for everyone and everything for the desirous.

Beth Twice Cakes and Pastries recently came up with an ingenious way by presenting a cheesecake palette for the enthused cheesecake palate.  For starters, I loved the fact that its based on a baked cheesecake.  I like mine velvety as opposed to the unbaked types that slither down your tongue.

Ad-Lib

  

 I discovered the library when I was in 1st grade after the school asked us to contribute books to bulk up their shelves in a make-shift room.  You’ll kind of have this inkling that this space is a temporary refuge for the titles because of the rough finish of the floors and the unpainted walls.  The librarian tried to enliven things up with  letter cut-outs from cardboard and colored paper, but you can’t help but feel that the 5 tier shelves were swallowed by all this grayness.

Patrem

Dan Aguilar, Patrem
the uphill climb is the most fulfilling…

The prettiest boy from the brood is seemingly the smartest.  It helps that he has this natural gift of gab. Humor makes him all the more good looking. In a small town that moves to the dance with every crawling season to see a blade of grass grow, Terry boy tremendous stood out both of place and time. He ran the streets and makeshift bamboo bridges that connect parallel pilapils (enbankments) that is separated by patubig (irrigation channel). He knew he will soon rule this town. He wants more, he wants the world.

For a charming boy, the world seems to bend at his will and the word ‘difficult’ can be swayed with persuasion. There are some kids whose magical journeys begin with a levied self belief that they possess that ability, to weave magic. Most of us start life with wonder, that maybe the world is revolving around us. It’s a perception that is fueled with pinch of truth since loving parents do make every child feel that they are the biggest star in the sky. The small town seem to run much slower than his aspirations. By the time he got to middle school, he was already bored with getting his name called to the stage and have a ribbon riddled in sampaguita pinned on his chest by Nanay and Tatay. The big fish from the small fresh water dike needs to find his way to the lake.

The Ability To Win

The heart of the matter
The heart of the matter
Golden State played the same game plan with Harden.  They gave LeBron the buffet table and let him have an offensive feast.  They looked at the guest list and saw that LeBron was as sloppy with the ball next to Harden.  Just let him feast and let the rest feed on scraps.  The Warriors almost failed because their half baked double that didn’t commit as LBJ pounced on the paint did not produce  the errors it forced Harden, because Lebron played with his back to the basket.

Six Years

Thierri Aguilar, Ballerina
The visual equivalent of the dancing thoughts in my head…

The last six years has been amazing… As it passed like a blur and the days piled up, I feel that I can only look forward to the next.  I am but fortunate to have the luxury to absorb every beautiful thing that is happening around my kids as they discover the world.

Laos Dos

Dan Aguilar,Damian Rea
Halaw sa keepcalmomatic.co.uk
Ang nakaraan… Click mo to Laos         

“Ano ba nangyari sayo? Tungkol na naman ba ‘to sa pag-ibig?”urirat ni Allan. “Hindi naman lahat ng kwento ay tungkol sa pag-ibig…” balik ni Damian. “Oo, pero di ba sabi mo lahat ng bagay ay tungkol sa pag-ibig, dun ka sumikat sa pag gatas mo sa mga emosyon na kalakip sa tagumpay at kabiguan ng puso.” hirit pa ni Allan na tila nasusuka na sa tinatakbo ng usapan. “Siguro, matagal na tayong magkakilala para itatwa ko na ang iyong punto ay walang bahid ng katotohanan…” pag-amin ng mang-aawit at manunulat.

Marahil ito ang isa sa pinakamalaking kabalintunaan ng naging byahe ng buhay ni Damian. Ang maging boses sa paksa ng pagsinta. Ang maging mukha na laging nakapaskil sa bawat poste na nagtataguyod sa damdaming madalas nating itinatatwa o pinagtataksilan matapos pag-alayan ng awit at buhay. Wala ako nun