starting.attempting. waking. the end of another day it is traced by little activities of being here. conversations had, repeated a hundred times. and a thought nags, nothing was done today. and the sun sinks one more time…

tomorrow. tomorrow. it will be done. to try. waking. and be under the sun.

music: piece by piece. katie melua

mood: steadyeddieandabitbored

To win that bottle.

Mood:  surprisingly happy

Music: You’ve got to give a little, take a little, and let your poor heart break a little. That’s the story of, that’s the glory of love.// You’ve got to laugh a little, cry a little, until the clouds roll by a little. That’s the story of, that’s the glory of love.// As long as there’s the two of us, we’ve got the world and all its charms. And when the world is through with us, we’ve got each other’s arms.// You’ve got to win a little, lose a little, yes, and always have the blues a little. That’s the story of, that’s the glory of love…

THE STAR THROWER
(Author unknown, but the inspiration is widely attributed to the writings of anthropologist Loren Eiseley)

One day, thousands of starfish had washed ashore along a beach that a man was walking upon.

As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer.

When he got closer, he saw that it was a little girl and she wasn’t dancing. Instead she was reaching down to the shore, picking up starfish and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

He called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?” The little girl paused, looked up and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean so they won’t die.”

“Don’t bother, dear,” the man said, “There are too many starfish. It won’t make a difference.”

The little girl listened politely. Then she bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves.

She then looked up and the man, smiled and said, “Well, it made a difference for that one!”

The first one-woman show of artist Liza Flores opens with cocktails on October 27, 2008 at 1/of Gallery, Shops at Serendra, Global City.

Based on a popular environmental story, Liza created large and playful acrylic on archival paper art pieces (2 pcs at 30″x68″, 2 pcs at 38″x30″, and 1 pc at 62″x36″) – made even more whimsical by glow-in-the-dark starfish. These paintings are going to be part of CANVAS‘ trio of short ecofables, which will be published and launched as a single children’s book in February 2009.

borrowed from: http://lookingforjuan.blogspot.com/2008/10/star-thrower.html, http://www.canvas.ph

mood: sighing happy

music: somewhere over the rainbow & what a wonderful world . Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

The moon engulfs everything like desire losing reason. There is a hunger tonight for blood and sinew. Flesh will be had. It will be caught, mistress. It will be caught. It is a promise.

We will gnaw until we break the bones dry. We will cut off the head and leave it for the wasps to feast on. We will squeeze the tiny heart and hear its last beat—the last note of a wayward song, made sublime by its final silence. We will allow a drop of blood to pay the earth for what once was. We will bury what is left deep among vanquished hopes. And then together walk the murderous chasm between then and now.

Shine on, sister moon, be with us. Taste this morsel. Let us offer you this token for your gift of forgetfulness. Let your opaque drug sooth. Then shine no more.

Find glee in the burnt feathers on your altar.

for Cawou, Oa and Lutzi. Of the Furies, kindly now, dearests, for even fowls have souls.

salamat sa mga lolong mahilig magkodak. and lola Tinay, who went through countless instas in her 99 lifetimes. who saw the world, regarded age as a mindset, and taught us green leafy things in general and in principle are healthy. who never minded when clumsy broke her 35mm. she only demanded that we remember…and occassionally, recite poems.

Ha long is translated as ”when the dreagons descend into the sea.” Legend has it that back in the early founding days of the Viet people, foreigners came to invade their land. The Jade Emperor sent for the Mother Dragon and her flock of child dragons to help the people fight off the invaders…While the enemy vessels launched a great attack on the mainland, the dragons fought back descending in flocks from the sky. They spat pearls that changed into jade stone islands as they touched the water (forming the islets and the rock formations that dot the bay today). The islands linked together to form citadels that held back the enemy’s advance and smashed their vessels. After the battle was won, the dragons did not return to heaven and stayed on earth.

They say when you look hard enough into the emerald depts of the bay you may just see a flock of dragons flying underneath the boats.

Spring-Watching Pavilion

A gentle spring evening arrives
airily, unclouded by worldly dust.

Three times the bell tolls echoes like a wave.
We see heaven upside down in sad puddles.

Love’s vast sea cannot be emptied.
And springs of grace flow easily everywhere.

Where is nirvana?
Nirvana is here, nine times out of ten.

 - Ho Xuan Huong*, Spring Essence: The Poetry of Ho Xuan Huong (Copper Canyon)

 As the sun sets in Halong Bay.

*was an aristocrat and a concubine (2nd wife) from late 18th century Vietnam.

music: Nasan Ka . Pupil

mood: trying to recall

the lovely Bride…

The Bride is rumored to have watched her first porn at 24. One of those tepid nights after class. ‘Tis true what they say about idle minds (made worse by like minds). The next day, the myth has it, she was debilitated by a hell-hot fever. Bedridden for days. A week after she got herself a boyfriend*.

Nobody checked her temperature after the wedding night. But we all saw her the following day. She was in the pink of health. Aclimatization is wonderful process *wink*

*totally unverified

The day….before da main event…

walk to the finish line….

…wins the lottery!!!

to be continued…[uploading is a bitch.]

next attraction with Oa’s pwetry.

Part 2:

happy bubbles…with Tatay and Nanay…sniff sniff pic.

The Vows…

“I thought the sand would never be still…

…I’ve found you at last, my love, in a face that looked at me from a crowd

no flash of recognition all these years…

Then suddenly, your eyes the warmth of home…

Now all the pieces are in place…Now my restless heart will search no more.”
- Alloa Alameda, July 2002

…and that is how Inday began to rule Lantapan. Elot? He continues to grin.

He has this thing, sleeping with a pillow on his chest (or on his back when he sleeps on his chest). He prefers the really heavy kind, not the soft pillows they advertise on TV. On some nights he tops it with a thick folded blanket. The added weight comes in handy. Thinking about this he remembers an article about cow chutes. In the more progressive parts of the meat industry they’ve devised cow chutes that hang from assembly lines to carry cows. The chutes wrap around the cows like a blanket of comfort and carry them into the slaughter house. It calms the cows before they die. He thinks this is the whole mystery (and hype, he adds) of happiness. Happiness is a cow chute.  

He’s averse to many forms of touching and can only stand skin comity from souls well met in previous lives. But there have been a few times in a crowded train, he finds himself in the throng of humanity mashed up, when he almost almost feels like he’s not actually alone. 

He can only stand kids that are pleasant. And only for very short periods. And maybe sometimes when they are all about smudges in the face. But he could never never handle the wailers.  

He can’t remember if he cried falling asleep. Nor remember dreaming. He piled on two pillows and that seemed to help. 

He’s never cared for the moon but since she mentioned the fucker he can’t seem to get enough of it.     

Shel Silverstein  

Somebody has to go polish the stars,
They’re looking a little bit dull.
Somebody has to go polish the stars,
For the eagles and starlings and gulls
Have all been complaining they’re tarnished and worn,
They say they want new ones we cannot afford.
So please get your rags
And your polishing jars,
Somebody has to go polish the stars.

(Para kay ‘Pinas. Pasensya na sa kawalang-bahala. Malalampasan din ZTE, garci atbp.) 

mood: mad / optimistic / tired

music: in the name of love . u2