My 40th Birthday Alphabet AKA The Mind Inside

Anticipating antsy audiences

Becoming brave bastards

Calmly cooling and chilling

Deciding direct dissection

Energizing, exciting eulogy

Featuring friendly foes and fiscals

Gravitating gaze galore

Hiding her hurts and heartaches

Inside intimate intellectuals

Justified jokes and jazz

 Keywords: Knockout Kings

Lovely language, letters and long-lasting laughter 

Mothering may matter

Naughty and naive neighbors

Offering oddities and oxymorons

Partnering people's perspectives

Quarantining the Queendom of the Queer   

Restless, rusty, random roundabouts

Secret society's super simple solution

Translating tremendous & troublesome tiny taboos 

Uniting universal uniqueness

Voicing out voluntary visions of Valentinos &  Valentinas

Waiting for wanna-be's, warriors & watchamacaliit

Xeroxing xylophones and xenons

Your yearly yonderly yuppy

Zapped, zigged and zagged.

Desiderata 2012

I discovered this poem way back in grade school, in grade two to be exact. Nobody introduced me to it but I stumbled upon it through the school-issued student's diary which St. Mary's Academy of Pasay City was doing.

I never really know what part of the poem that attracted me to it, but I guess it was the use of words that did it. The first line I guess did it, Go placidly amidst the nose and haste...

I was an eight-year old hyper-active boy that loved reading, running, playing and wrecking havoc inside the house.

This poem is my comfort read in times of sad times. I never intended it to be so and in fact I do not have a copy of it anywhere in my house or in my notes.

Why do I like reading this in times of sadness and life-changing events? 

Let me share it:

"Go placidly amidst the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

 

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its shams, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy"

Forged Records on YouTube

Here is a discovery I made which I'm sharing at The Brown Man Diary. The YouTube Chanel Forged Records that has eight videos with a name Joey Tandem says "My small-scale, indie home recording label". There is this treasure behind the rawness of the material and I'm glad that we have another Pinoy showing his stuff online. You guys can watch, listen and download all his videos. Let me share what I like, sounds like a cross between a Had-rockin' The Dawn band and Raymond Marasigan's Sandwhich:
 

Poetry Festival @ Beacon School

Poetry night in my school, Monday, December 12. This will be my first and I hope it goes well not just for me but for everyone, mostly seventh graders who worked hard on their poems. I wish I could share their works here and be amazed at how good these middle school students are.

I did a "sit-in" last week with these kids for their practice session and mighty glad I did. It was surprising to hear them read their piece. Talent really is in everyone, a matter of guidance and motivation is all they need from their teacher. Their teacher is a master and I'm glad I watched her how she handles the class superbly.

Well here is my poem I wrote while I was in Morocco around June 2009:

Isang Iglap

Isang iglap at tapos na ang anim na buwan,

Kisapmata, ihip ng hangin,

patak ng ulan.

Malapit na,

konti na lang

Pilipinas na

Mahal kong bayan!

Uuwi na, babalik na

Kapiling na,

kasama na

Konti na lang

malapit na!

Heto na

Naiisip ko na

Nadarama na

Pilipinas Game na!

Mga umagang puro saya

Mga gabing punong puno ng mga tala

Mga kwentuhang pabida

Lahat tumatawa, natatawa

Nawala'y sa bayan

Napilay, nanamlay at halos mamatay

Nalungkot, nabugnot

Puso'y napuno ng kirot

Isang saglit,

sandaling idlip

Ihip ng hangin

Simoy at amoy

Pilipinas, Pilipinas,

Pilipinas na!