Kapag hindi ako nananalo sa contest...

...iniisip ko na lang na hindi magaling ang mga judges!

Be necessary to someone.

A printed reminder at, of all places, the Seair office at the Caticlan airport.

My reaction: haay...

Dwelling

Where are you now, my beloved? I look for you west of dawn in meadows of colors resembling faces but my eyes find no closing. Like flame looking for its furnace my vision aches to dance its pirouettes of wind-cuddled walks and summoned promises there in your embracing.

Where are you now, my beloved? I seek you east of midmorning in oceans of noise resembling songs but my voice finds no silencing. Like wings searching for their nest my hymns of weeping and rejoicing yearn to take their sanctuary there in your reveling.

Where are you now, my beloved? I search for you south of dusk in gardens of shapes resembling letters but my hands find no releasing. Like dew seeking its ground the lines I write crave to fulfill their prophesies of sun-drenched conversations – winding, exhausting, wordless – there in your accepting.

You found my soul on a flowerless day in May and in you my soul found its dwelling. Then you found the wind and you rowed quietly to your leaving. Now my heart hears no repeating, only walls and a roof and there is no breathing, there is no uprooting.

And I am satisfied. Memory loves company.

Busy your face!

Sa Tagalog, busyhin mo mukha mo!

BJ

I was down with UTI this past week. That's Urinary Tract Infection, folks. It's when your urinary tract is blocked by nana, making it painful to make wiwi. You also get fever on and off. I was told it's quite common among females, but not for males. And mine was quite severe, with a white cells count that was 683 more than the high range of 3. Nobody really knows what causes it. The doctor that attended to me in the hospital last Sunday, though, did ask me when I last had sexual intercourse. I couldn't answer right away. I didn't know what to say. So she asked if it had been days. I shook my head. Months? Still unsure about what to tell her, I just said "yeah, months". The truth is I've never...well, never mind. The doctor wanted me admitted for 2-3 days. But after a quick check with my friend doctor, I told her to just give me the prescription and I'll self-medicate at home. She did give me IV before releasing me. The antibiotic she prescribed eased the pain a bit. But it wasn't until the following morning when I felt much much better. Mother made me BJ. That's buko juice, which she had me drink before breakfast. Miracle drink, I tell you folks! An hour or so later the pain started to go away. By the time I drank my second glass of BJ the following morning, the pain was almost gone completely. Mabuhay ang BJ!!!

Back to regular programming

Gulo na naman ito, folks. Gulo!

Frat You!

Another hazing, another senseless death. When will fraternities realize that this practice reveals only intellectual, spiritual, and moral bankruptcy? That not owning up to it and to the crimes that ensue from it is the ultimate in cowardice? That the ideals of brotherhood, courage, and loyalty mean absolutely nothing when the very lives that are supposed to live out and bear witness to them are taken away? This must end. Now.