21st

 (08 / 21 / 21)

    August 21st marks the commemoration of the death of Filipino hero, Benigno Aquino II, or simply, Ninoy. But also, August 21st marks a unique date being that we are in the year 2021.

    Here's a little something about peace, love, and everything in between.

To want you is to want to have you accompanied

For the whole infinite journey

Never going back to zero

Proving I can be your hero

To do that is to do all things possible

Everything that I can control

Rest assured they'll be delivered

I'll always have you under my cover

To see you smiling is to see a heart filled up hard

One smile is already the utmost reward

One hug assures I'll always be on your side

One kiss ensures enjoyment for a lifetime

To fail in doing these is to fail miserably

You can argue I don't love you too deeply

Yet I'm banking on having a second shot

On giving your daily dose of love, care, and whatnot 

x

Human: You, Man, is Flawed.

"Richard Cory" is a poem written by Edwin Arlington Robinson. The titular character seemed to have it all, the luxury and all the fortune that anyone would want to have. Still, he shot himself dead.

Reasons for Cory's deadly deed were not given and were just left for the reader's perception. However, if we would put some clarity to it, one possible justification was that Richard Cory was just human, like all of us. Even with all of the luxury and fortune he had, life was not complete as he wished it could have been.

It was easy to recall the story of that poem because it was adapted into a song by musicians/songwriters Simon and Garfunkel into a song. It still had the same tragedy that the poem had, also in the POV of someone who envied the life of Richard Cory.

However, a remarkable difference made in the song was the effect that the final chorus had on the song. The chorus went "But I work in his factory, and I curse the life I'm living, I curse my poverty, oh, I wish that I could be Richard Cory" and it was given another shot even after the event of Richard Cory taking his own life. 

This part of the song spoke of another human flaw that most of us seem to have: the act of looking over at someone else's graces without looking into the flip side of the coin.

People who envied the life of Richard Cory saw the brighter side while neglecting whatever could be lurking on the opposite side. Little did they know that Richard Cory had a great amount of uncertainty which ultimately led to his demise. 

At times of despair and uncertainties, it couldn't be helped to resort to the thought of having the life of someone else. However, it should not linger so much it would turn into something that couldn't, or shouldn't, be realized.

Look beyond your shoulders only to be inspired by your neighbor's triumphs. Better yet, be an inspiration to those who would look over at your exploits. Also, always seek for true happiness. 

Below is Edwin Arlington Robinson's "Richard Cory".

Richard Cory

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,

We people on the pavement looked at him:

He was a gentleman from sole to crown,

Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,

And he was always human when he talked;

But still he fluttered pulses when he said,

"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich – yes, richer than a king –

And admirably schooled in every grace:

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,

And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

x

Taking the First Step

It has been four months since the first lockdown in Manila. With that, I've yet to have my hair cut until today. After weeks of debating with myself regarding whether or not I should have my hair cut, I finally decided to do it today.

With the new normal due to the pandemic, it'd be very surprising to still see barbershop scenarios like these. (From Facebook.com)

It wasn't easy. Since I was a kid, I wanted a longer hairstyle, one that I could slip onto the back of my ears, one that could hide my ears. School regulations didn't allow me to try having that. So when I graduated, I saw that as a chance to sport that long hairstyle, except that I had lost my silky smooth straight hair I used to have when I was a kid. Also, the Coronavirus scare was not ready to leave us yet.

My curly wavy hairstyle got me through my licensure exam last year. Now, it got me through the first four months of the Coronavirus lockdown. 

Not like last year, I was motivated and eager to do what I had to do because I knew I wouldn't ace my licensure exam without doing the essentials.

However, things were different during the past four months. I procrastinated and used the pandemic era as a reason to not strive the same. way I did last year. I was neglecting my side hustles, my writing, and further development in my profession.

For some reason, I thought that cutting my hair would be the first step in beating down this procrastinating season I've been having. Cutting my hair would mean I would no longer be accepting mediocrity in my outside appearance. Lousy hairstyles sometimes could reflect a lousy lifestyle in any aspect. 

Just as I am now back on track with my hair, I hope to also be back on track with regards to my eagerness and drive for further improvement in my professional career, passion, and character. 

It's a work in progress, but it will never start without taking that first step.

Wish I Was

Here goes verses I thought of during one my worst days. Here's another thought though: Why do we call the "end" as the "judgement time" when most of our time in this world are used on judging our fellow inhabitants? 

I sometimes wish I was dead

People only think of the good things

What good things were said

And not the bad that I did

I sometimes wish I was dead

Life was a race, and definitely a waste

'Cause I ain't the one who led 

For I don't got the haste

I sometimes wish I was dead

'Cause it's hard to leave my past mistakes

Of such tragedies, I was always reminded

Like a bootleg recording with lots of takes

I sometimes wish I was dead

For they say I couldn't change my attitude

No matter how I try to bend

I still seem to be up to no good

Will my wish ever be real 

Can I be hopeful instead, and not just wishful

I don't really know what else to feel

I don't have much more to say, I'm a fool

Maybe I shouldn't even rush it

We'd all be going, at present day's rate

I just hope when my time's been hit

I'd take with me all your disgust, anger and hate

"My Own Shit"

Jason Mraz released a much-awaited studio album in 2018 called "Know" and it was his sixth. However, only 10 songs made it in the album’s tracklist. Other gems from the singer/songwriter’s roster had to be still unreleased. One of those unreleased gems was a song called “My Own Shit”.

Jason Mraz from redandblack.com

LINK FROM YOUTUBE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ8mWOb3Pro

Judging from the title, it was not very radio-friendly with regards to the profanity of the word “shit”. In line with this, a song from that album called “Unlonely” used the word “fruck” to disguise some other word that rhymes with it. Going beyond the title, one would really feel the emotion running through the course of the whole song. I would say that “My Own Shit” could humanize whoever is singing along with it.

With only audience recordings of the song’s rare performance available, it could be said that non-concertgoers like me would be able to grasp the meaning of the song.

The song starts off with these lines.

“Everybody’s got a little bit of their own

I got voices inside

And I got fears I still hide

I’m gonna break down sometimes

‘Cause I got tears I must cry

I’ve got wrongs I get to right

Truth be told I’ve told some lies

I’ve got friends I’ve got to find

And I still need to apologize…”

Soon after, Jason leads us to this wonderful chorus.

“Everybody's got, everybody's got

Everybody's got their demons

Everybody got their reasons

Everybody goes to seasons

Trying to hold on

Everybody’s got their own shit

Everybody's got to own it

Everybody's got those hardships they're trying to let go of

I've got my own”

The song tells us about the struggle present in one’s life. There are conflicts involving friends, parents and families, and even lovers. But as for me, the most difficult one to handle would be the conflicts that one could have with their own self. Those inner demons can damage you more than anything else, and eventually be the roots of the conflicts one is bound to have with some, if not all, of the relationships and interactions needed for harmonious living.

It can be very challenging to admit that you have issues and roots of conflicts within you. What can make it work is knowing that “everybody’s got a little bit of their own”. Knowing that we all experience problems though they may not be entirely similar. It is not about the joy knowing that there is somebody else feeling the same agony that you feel, but it is instead about the thought that you are not alone. “I am not the only one who is still a work in progress.”

The worst thing that one can feel after acknowledging the existence of his/her demons and conflicts is the feeling of being alone. One shall not be a lone fighter in this world. One cannot overcome his battles alone. Being there for someone can be really instrumental in accomplishing that work in progress.

Aso't Swine, Fine?

Post from Facebook.com

Laman ng balita ngayon

Mga hayop sa 'di magandang kondisyon

May aso sa ilalim ng transportasyon

Mga baboy, 'di na pwede sa kahit anong okasyon

Post from Facebook.com

Sakit sa mga baboy ay lumutang na

Dahil doon, lumutang na rin sila

Kita ng mga magbababoy ay kulang na

Kailan kaya probema'y mawawala

Siguro nga dapat ay kanin na lang

Kanin na rin ang magiging ulam

Kanin sa almusal at tanghalian

Para maiba, sinangag naman sa hapunan

At para maiba ulit

Pwedeng kakanin ang ipalit

Puto, biko, o sumang-latik

Isama na rin ang kalamay na aking hilig

At dahil magpa-Pasko na

Bida na naman nga sila

Puto bumbong at bibingka

Para sa mga nagsisimba

Kumusta naman kaya ang magiging Pasko

Ng bida sa post na nag-viral sa face-ko, este Facebook

Ang bida ay hindi tao kundi aso

Laking perwisyo talaga sa aso ng ibang tao

Kaya tanong ka sa umpisa ay ASF

Marami kasing hindi gaano nag-iisip

Kumpara sa hayop, tayo ang mas may isip

O baka gusto nating maiba ang ihip?

Alagaan natin ang isa't isa

'Di dapat abusado kahit makikinabang ka

'Wag na manloko ng kapwa

'Wag ihalo sa tocino at hotdog kung may sakit na

News article from Inquirer.net

Ang SKIP Train at ang SIKIP Train

This is a poem written in Filipino pertaining to the commuter trains being used in Manila, Philippines. 

Alin ang gusto mong sakyan?
Ang tren na walang laman
O iyong puno ng taumbayan
Na siguradong ika'y pagpapawisan

Wala rin namang ibang mangyayari

Hindi ka makakapili

Kung ano ang tumapat sa sarili

Doon ka na mayayari

Kapag maluwag ang pasukan

Siguradong 'di ka mahihirapan

Pero kung masikip ang madatnan

Magiging madugo ang labanan

Ang maluwag na sasakyan

Minsa'y hindi naman tumitigil

Habang ang masikip naman

Ikaw na mismo ang magpipigil

'Di mo rin naman malalaman

Hindi mo mapaghahandaan

Pumila nang maayos at dahan-dahan

Kalma, swertehan lang sa pwesto 'yan!