Ala Eh!

My Bicycles

    As i can remember when I was a kid, there were two things that I really like the most… two things that I’ve always ask my father to buy for me… Airgun and bicycle. My father promised me that after he sold our cow (which I helped to fatten), he will buy my airgun. The cow was sold, got another one, sold again and another one and so on, with pigs, goats, and fighting cocks in between. There was no airgun, but it’s okey, he always get a slingshot for me instead. Yes, no need to buy bullets and I can do birds hunting continuously until the birds get tired and stop.

Then I asked for a bicycle, same promises were made but this time he demanded some sort of ribbon every end of school year. Somehow I managed to deliver, again I didn’t get my bicycle but he did teach me how to ride a cow. Hey, do you have any idea how to do a left turn or right turn on a cow? Yes you do, but what if the cow refused? How about a reverse or a full stop? Not that easy men…

This is just a sweet recollection of how I got more than what I’m asking for.

Then I forgot those things. Then I graduated, got a job. Then I got my own family. Then one day when I come home during a work holiday, my father cheerfully asked me, “Ano? Meron ka ng bisikleta?”. Ha ha ha, I don’t know how everytime I remember that question I can’t help but smile. And so, the following Christmas  season my wife bought for me my first bike. And the next time I visited my father again I said to him with a grinning smile, “Amapo, meron na ho akong bisikleta.” He silently smile back at me,… then we laugh and then we changed the topic.

Yeah, I’m wondering why I didn’t ask for a sports car during that time…

    ANG MAGULONG KWENTO NG AKING KABATAAN NA TUMALON SA KATUPARAN NG     PANGARAP KONG MAGKAROON NG BISIKLETA (Original Title: BISIKLETA)

    I
    May mga oras na madalas maglaro sa isip ko ang mga alaala
    Mga pinsan ko at mga kalaro, gumagawa kami ng mga laruang lata
    Mga pang-anluwagi ni Amapo madalas eh papuslit kong kinunuha
    Ang gustong-gusto ko noon, magkaroon ng sariling bisikleta

    II
    Walang kasawa-sawa sa larong habulan at taguan
    Patintero, apakan ng anino sa ilalim ng liwanag ng buwan
    Penpen de sarapen, luksong tinik, at larong may barilan
    Tatsing, magpalipad ng saranggola hanggang sa abutin ng hapunan

    III
    Sa pagpapayabangan at inggitan kami’y naging malikhain
    Kung anu-anong mga laruan mula sa lata Nido, Bona, at Klim
    Yung maliit na lata ng Alaska ang paborito namin
    Kelangan mo’y gunting-yero, martilyo, pako, plais, at pait na matalim

    IV
    Ngunit mailtuloy ko ang tungkol sa bisikletang pangarap
    Ang sabi ni Amapo ‘pag sinabitan ako ng laso, ito’y aking matatanggap
    Sa kangingiti ko sa titser, magandang grado ang naging bunga ng pagsisikap
    Ngunit bisikletang nais malayo pa rin sa hinagap

    V
    Ngunit si Amapo’y sa halata ko’y waring nananadya
    Sa mga pangako sa aming kasunduan ako yata’y nadadaya
    Waring isang lihim na taktika upang ako’y mag-aral na kusa
    Hanggang sa nakapagtapos ako’t nagkaroon ng yabang sa pagsasalita

    VI
    At nadagdag nga sa naipon kong yabang ay dumami ang mga kaibigan
    Madami rin nakilalang tsiks at nakapili ng sintang katipan
    Sa maikling kwento’y naging ilaw siya na aking tahanan
    Sa katagala’y naiungot ko at ang bisikletang nais ay aking nakamtan

Broken Toys

Toy destruction continues, noises are getting louder and louder, and the playroom?- yes it got messier. They have lots of toys far more than I’ve got in my entire kid’s life. But yeah, still not enough for them, and most of the time a small glimpse will get them to demand our cell phones, my PDA, computer, ballpen, and my camera too. Last time mommy changed her phone because the old phone refused to turn on after Miko munched the keypad. Yes, we know it’s not their fault…

 
    SA PAGLALARO… (Part II)

    (see Part I)

    Laruan’g nilaro’t nagkalasug-lasog
    Pinaglaruan nga’t nagkadurug-durog
    Hinagis, tinapon, binabarug-barog
    Hilang pakaladkad at pauntug-untog

    ‘Pag bago’y maingat, himas kunti-konti
    Bawal pang hawakan’y kinakanti-kanti
    “Sisirain mo ka’gad”, sagot “hinding-hindi”
    ‘Pag pumayag ka na’y, lokong ngiting-ngiti

    Napagalitan mo’y, ikaw’y awang-awa
    Kay bagong laruan, ngayon sirang-sira
    Nagkandaiyak pa’t pisngi’y basang-basa
    Nais mo’y makitang, sila’y tuwang-tuwa

Burning pain, red and swelling, painful and painful…, please don’t touch if you don’t want to see an angry monster’s face. My right foot becomes almost useless for two days. I’m on sick leave for two days and I’m quite not sure whether I’m glad I’m not in the office. Cycling caused it said my mother-in-law, Milang said it is gout, hah!,  your voracious appetite of purine rich foods. I suspect I just  need more cycling time.

Just a mild sprain said the first doctor (how can? i don’t rem…). Yes, must eat more to recover fast I presumed. Molo soup and deep fried fish for lunch, pork adobo for early supper and some peanuts in between and planning to eat a big one when Milang come. To my agony, I’m already a cripple before Milang came from office while the kids enjoyed seeing me dragging my right foot around. So, with great effort on my part Milang sent me to the second doctor after she came back. Poke here, poke there until I say "ARAYYY! Masasapok na kita.." then he said, "I’ll give you medicines for gout and please try to avoid these foods.", there the list makes me want to cry. Milang is smiling, I can read it saying "Hah! ‘told you".

Three days passed and I’m eating all those foods again especially when nobody’s looking, yes I learned how to eat with eyes close. Hey, not confirmed wah… Okey, okey, I will go for blood chemistry test this coming weekend.

    GOUT DAW

    sumapit ang gabi’t di kayang matiis
    ang kirot sa buto, dulot ay hinagpis
    sa ngiwi at hirol, agos aking pawis
    sa pangal’wang duktor, ‘ko’y halos tumangis

    ay naku at gout daw yaring karamdaman
    h’wag nang maghimantang ako’y nabalian
    may resetang gamot’t listang iiwasan
    payo’y bawasan ko aking kasibaan

    ay agam-agam ko, ako’y kinukulit
    ang kinabukasang ‘di dapat iwaglit
    wastong kalusuga’y dapat na igiit
    dahil alalay ko’y mga bata pa’t paslit

Had a few shots of hard drinks the other day at a videoke party here at our corner in Pasir Ris. My Amapo is here for holiday visit together with my youngest sister. I can’t resist indulging on those enjoyable memory tidbits of yesteryears. I can see a picture of a carefree drinking sessions using one glass passing around of hell-tasted gin. Hah, their laughter is contagious and you don’t need to know what they’re laughing at. Tuning forks.

A short untitled poem for you, grabbed from what I can remember recited by one of Amapo’s drinking buddies.

    may isang babaeng
    umakyat sa balag
    sa pagmamadali’y
    ang panti’y nalaglag

    kay laking gulat ko
    oo’t nanggilalas
    wala na siyang ngipi’y
    kay itim ng balbas

I don’t know why either of these home-cooked food is always on our next meal everytime I plan to cut down on my food intake:

1. Arroz-Caldo
2. Chicken Tinola
3. Chicken/Pork Adobo
4. Pork Paksiw
5. Litson Paksiw
6. Pork Sinigang
7. Ginisang Balatong na may sotanghon
8. Roasted whole Chicken stuffed w/ tomatoes and onions
9. Beef Caldereta or Mechado
10. Beef Nilaga
11. Ginisang Bagoong
12. Ginisang gulay with pritong dilis

And for dessert, we normally have:

1. Cassava cake
2. Yema
3. Minatamis na saging na saba
4. Dilang pusa (ha ha do you know this?)
5. Fruit/buko salad
6. Buko pandan
7. Leche flan
8. Nilupak/niyubak na cassava (missed ko na rin nilupak na sinigwelas)
9. Dinildil (banana)
10. Palitaw

The list can go very long, and oh yah, I don’t want to say they’re all my favourites but all of those can easily get me to eating more damakmaks of rice. And of course they all come with free flow of my hometown’s kapeng barako (strong coffe).

Okey nevermind, I promise that starting tomorrow, I’ll start my abs hardening diet and exercise. Oh I can hear you LOL. Eh,… did you say "ulol"?

         ANG BILBIL

         Balumbon ng taba’ng kainis nakatapal
         masarap na pagkain’y siyang nagpapakapal
         bukas magda-diet laging inuusal
         ala-eh gawin mo at h’wag puro dasal

         Nangapal na sebo’ng mahahawakan mo
         ang likas mong hubog nabago’ng disenyo
         maanyo mong hugis nabalot ng ano
         iyan ba’y malusog o tamlay na lobo

         Ang kalusugan daw ay ’sang kayamanan
         Syempre kung mahubog ay lalong mainam
         wastong pagtitimpi sa ‘yong katakawan’t
         tamang ehersisyo ang iyong puhunan

         Ngunit bakit nga ba ‘daming nagnanais
         wastong kalusugan at magandang hugis
         iba nga’y nagtitiis ng gutom at pawis
         hangad ay hangaan’t pansin’g labis-labis

         Ngunit h’wag dibdibin aking kaibigan
         pulupot ng bilbil sa ‘yong tagiliran
         dapat ayusin mo’y buong katauhan’t
         h’wag kang marahuyo sa panlabas lamang

Yah, Cupid’s business is not limited to his arrow’s reach. A friend wandered inside the cyberspace and ends up engaged to a beautiful lady. They fell in love at first chat. Who else’s fault? Of course, it’s Cupid’s! He’s now using electrically charged arrows and blindedly pointing to the cyberspace. Be careful next time you chat with someone… If you’re crazily smiling to your monitor and imagining the other end is smiling back at you,… yee, he’s working on you. He he, my friend I know you’re very happy and getting excited about the BIG day, this is for you…..

    LOVE @1st CHAT

    Pag-ibig tunay ngang ang kapangyarihan
    Milya-milyang agwat iyong nasasaklaw
    ‘Di man makilatis kanyang katangian
    Sa linya nagkita’y ano’t tinamaan

    O nadarama ko’y pag-ibig na tunay
    Kahit nga kawad lang tanging nag-uugnay
    Sa konting tampuhan ay nanlulupaypay
    Smiley sa teks mo’y sumisiglang buhay

    Kaba’t pananabik tayo’y magkikita
    Totoo nga kaya ang ating pagsinta
    Handa nga ba tayo’t ‘di nag-aalala
    Sana’y di magulat ating mga mata

    Uy ikaw nga yaang inaasahan ko
    At kamukha mo nga ang nasa litrato
    Dikta ng puso ko’y kung okey lang sa ‘yo
    Seryosong ikaw na’ng pakakasalan ko

…no I never heard them at all,
’till there was you…. - The Beatles

A poem about a lady…

    SI NIMFA

    Marilag na ginang, badminton kay galing
    Balitang mahusay pang-Masters sa bowling
    Kahit anong gimik ‘di siya umiiling
    Dalhin mo sa disco’t handa s’yang gumiling

    Kung karaoke rin lang ang pag-uusapan
    Sa boses at husay mahirap unahan
    Kahit anong awit, pop man o kundiman
    Damihan mo’ng request, di mauubusan

    Ngunit di mayabang kahit talentado
    Mabuting kaibigan makakasangga mo
    Siya rin ay palaban anumang engkwentro
    Kaiingat sila’t BIGATin yata ‘to

…and moving not to your planned destination, how would you intend to jump outside and make it right? Some people have the power to anyhow push themselves out, touch smoothly on the ground and happily take another ride. Unlucky ones can easily break some bones, or their neck, or maybe split their skull into some pieces. Others will just sit back and will try to enjoy the ride.

When you know where you’re going and your car is moving to opposite direction, you have a bigger problem. And if - you know what you want and you’re walking to the wrong path,… tsk tsk, este ha ha ha, come let’s laugh and cry at the same time, somehow, whatever we do will make sense… lol.

         UMAYOS KA

         heto’t naghihintay ng tamang sasakyan
         upang makarating sa nais puntahan
         unang iiwasan’y maaliw ang isipan
         ’pag nalibang ako’y, baka malagpasan

         saan man nandoon, h’wag kasisiguro
         ang wastong direksiyon ay intindihin mo
         kung mapasakay ka’t sa mali ang tungo
         pards maiiling ka sa kata***han mo

         sino bang me sabing di makakarating
         huli man sa oras basta’t pipilitin
         ngunit kung katipan mo’y isang mainipin
         hala ka, sige ka’t magt’yaga ka sa hangin

         hoy, nangingiti ka at meron kang kotse
         kung maligaw ka man ay hindi na bale
         alam mong lipana aksidente sa kalye
         ngunit bihasa ka’t di ka madadale

         natatandaan ko ’sang payong-kumpare
         isa-isip ang mapa’t h’wag sige ng sige
         ’pag nasumpungan mo’y mga hamlas at bwitre
         baka masambit mo’y buti pang namasahe

         sino bang me sabing maiipon ang oras
         gayong bawat saglit ‘to’y kusang nalalagas
         byahe ng buhay mo’y di piho ang wakas
         namnaming mabuti bago ka mautas

…’nak nang… bus ko ‘yon ah…

I went to the doctor the other day and paid him some money for his advice. I knew all those things  myself but I must pay someone else to tell me before I can pay attention. Classics! We talked for 10 mins and this is what he said, "Cut down on or avoid your favorite foods, eat more of those you don’t like and do a favor to kick your ass out of your bed to break some sweat early in the morning, at least four times a week. Come back two weeks later and pay me again." So simple, yeah so easy….

    HIGHBLOOD

    ‘ngapal aking noot masakit ang batok
    ‘yamutin at pikon, nais na manuntok
    mabigat ang kilay, hindi naman antok
    ‘punta ka nga sa klinik mariin n’yang alok

    pinisil nang pinisil kanyang instrumento
    at may sumasakal, sa masebo kong braso
    akoy tinitigan’t, ‘Ikaw ba’y nahihilo?’
    Ay bakit po dok, ‘eh hayblad ka hijo’

    hahaba pa naman ang angkin mong buhay
    ‘kaw’y mag-ehersisyo’t h’wag tatamlay-tamlay
    damihan ang prutas, lumamon ng gulay
    uy hwag kang malungkot at ‘di ka pa patay

    kay agang gumising no’ng kinabukasan
    magdya-jogging ako sa parkeng takbuhan
    nawa’y maraming tsiks, t’ako’y gaganahan
    puro yata highblood rin, iba’y luyloy ang t’yan

    ngayon ang panata na pagsusumikapan
    subo’y bibilangin, pagod oorasan
    paboritong pagkaing lahat maiinam
    babawasan upang hininga’y madagdagan

…. haaay batok.

We love to celebrate birthdays. Particulary here in my office with more than ten filipino buddies, here’s what to expect if your birthday is coming.

1. You will keep quite and wishing nobody will bring up any topic about birthdays.
2. Someone will suddenly ask you, "So, how much is your budget?".
3. You’ will not be surprised because you’ve been thinking for this.
4. If you’re a bit slow to say your amount, the food list will be given to you. That will help you decide on the "how much?".
5. You’ll recieve a cc e-mail inviting all the ten-plus filipinos in the office
6. Another e-mail will be  sent without your knowing asking who will contribute for the birthday gift(s).
7. You will be tempted to give them a hint of what you want for your birthday gift.
8. A birthday card will be passed around (you will ignore it when you notice it) for a short birthday greetings, all of those will somehow sound the same and you know it.
9. On your birthday, everybody will come except for those who didn’t contribute. You will be obliged to open the gift and the card will be passed around one more time. Depending on the  mood, they will make fun of the gift, greetings, and everything. It’s quite fun with all the expected jokes, laughter, feasting, teasing and of course the planning for the next celebrant. New guys will be asked when is his/her birthday.
10. Then you give your money but don’t worry it will be almost the same amount as of your gift+cards+wrappers+taxi fare.

You see, if your the celebrant, nothing to worry, just assume you’ll be buying some gifts for yourself. They will do it for you.

Of course there’s a lot of exceptions on this list…. hmmn yeah, I just made this up.

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This poem was composed and sent out as an e-mail invitation….
    PARA KAY LANIE

    ‘kaw ba’y nasasabik magngasab ng palabok
    ihanda ang ‘yong panga, ‘wag hintayin ang alok
    sundan lang amoy, at sa pinto’y pumasok
    lapain ang handa habang umuusok

    ‘di ko lubos na alam kung ano ang bam-i
    ang sabi ni Maria’y pansit ang ka-klase
    huwag na lang itanong kain lang ng marami
    subo lang ng subo hanggang sa mata__

    uy huwag ka’t class ito at may burger din daw
    sa konting ambag mo’y di ka magnanakaw
    ‘di dapat mahiyang masabing matakaw
    kung mauutot kay sabayan mo ng sigaw

    at meron din pork na nakasanayan na
    kung ano ang luto’y itatanong ko pa
    inihaw, adobo, ay kahit ano pa
    makisalo tayo, bumati’t magsaya

    ngayong busog ka na’y t’saka mo tanungin
    ang naghatid nitong malinamnam na hain
    dinig ko’y kaarawang ‘pagdiriwang natin
    maganda’t mabining kapamilya natin

    ‘lang taon ka na ba’t hindi mahalata
    sa aming paningin ikaw’y batang-bata
    may dal’wa ng supling ni walang mag-akala
    Mama Hapi Birtdey!! Ikaw daw ang taya

    — 2005 —

Pang-asar on birthday card…
    KAY ROLAN

    sa kaarawan mo, sana ‘kaw’y malasing
    upang kahit ’sang araw ay di mo mapansin
    ’santaon na naman mabilis na humaging
    dagdag sa edad mong bumagal bilangin

    — 2005 —

Pang-asar on birthday card…

    SI MAKISIG

    pinakamagaling sa luntiang paksa
    dahil kay tagal nang namalagi sa lupa
    sa edad kung nais n’yong tumama ‘ng ‘yong hula
    apat na dekada, dun ka magsimula

    binatang-binata sa tikas at tindig
    medyo lang pihikan’t hindi mapaibig
    malakas, matipuno, matigas ang bisig
    mabait huwag mailang, ganyan si makisig

    — 2006 —

Composed for this entry…
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY HERMES

    ipagpaumanhin aming kabiguan
    ang ‘yong paanyaya’y ‘di mapaunlakan
    pagbili ng regalo’y di rin maukulan
    huwag sanang isiping puro lang dahilan

    hangad namin sa ‘yo’y lahat ng magagaling
    pakasaya kayo’t ‘yan ay iyong piging
    balewalain mo, mga ‘di nakarating
    hamo’t sa susunod tayo’y maglalasing

    — 2006 —