Trisha's painting

I made a wish-ko-lang stamp of this painting by 13-year-old Filipina Trisha Co Reyes. The painting is her entry to the International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment 2011. The competition had four million entries from 99 countries. Trisha won. We need more Pinoys like Trisha than the imbeciles occupying Malacanang.


See http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=734584&publicationSubCategoryId=200

Salome

Si Salome, kasintahan ni Elias, ay nawala sa “Noli Me Tangere” nang kaltasin ni Rizal ang kabanatang saan siya binigyang buhay. Mababasa ang detalya tungkol sa nawawalang kabanata at ang kabanatang “Elias at Salome” mismo sa http://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elias_at_Salome#Tingnan_din

Una kong nabasa itong obra ni Ms Joi Barrios tungkol kay Salome nu'ng 1991,
at hanggang ngayon ay matindi pa ang hatak nito sa akin. Lumukso ang aking
puso nang bigyan ako ng permiso ni Ms. Barrios na ilagay ang tula niya dito sa
aking blog. Na-contact ko siya sa http://joibarrios.blogspot.com/

Kay Salome, ang tauhang hindi napabilang
sa “Noli Me Tangere”

Ni Joi Barrios


Lagi na’y nakaabang ka sa iyong durungawan
tuwing sumasapit ang dapithapon, Salome.
Waring ritwal ang laging pag-antabay
sa pagdating ng kaibigang tulisan.
Bago lumubog ang araw,
nakaupo ka na sa may pasimano,
inaabala ang kamay sa kung anong gawain,
habang ang mga mata ay nasa lawa,
tuwing makalawang sandali.

Ay, Salome.
Bawal sa mga babae ng iyong panahon
ang pamimintana.
Ito’y pahayag ng pag-anyaya,
parang kamison
na sumisilip sa balikat,
o sakong na dumudungaw
sa laylayan ng saya.

Ang pagtanaw sa lansangan
ay paghangad ng mga bagay
sa labas ng tahanan,
sa panahong and daigdig na babae
ay sala, silid, kusina
at ang tanging pangarap
na pinahihintulutan
ay maging asawa at ina.
Ang batas na ito ay eskapularyong
laging nakalapat sa dibdib
sa paggising at pagtulog
at pamaypay na lagi nang nagkukubli
sa iba pang lihim na hangarin
na maaaring mamutawi sa labi.

Ngunit lagi na’y nakaabang ka
sa iyong durungawan
tuwing sumasapit and dapithapon, Salome.
Kasinghaba ng buhok mong nakalugay
ang paghihintay.
Nakikipagkaibigan ka sa pagkainip
sa bawat hiblang sinusuklay.
Habang inaalo,
ang pusong nagpasyang magmahal
sa isang lalaking walang maipapangakong
singsing, tahanan o mga supling.

Kasingtalim ng munting karayom
na gamit sa pagsusulsi
ang takot na kumukurot sa puso
tuwing kumakagat ang dilim
at wala pang bangkang tumatawid sa lawa.
Nakikipagtalo ka sa pangamba
pagkat ang isipan
ay patuloy sa paghabi
ng kung anong masamang pangyayaring
maaaring maganap sa kaibigan.

Habang inaalo,
muli at muling inaalo,
ang pusong nagpasyang magmahal
sa isang tulisang laging hinihiram
sa kanyang digmaang ipinapaglaban.

Ay, Salome.
Kinakailangan mong mamuhay at magmahal
nang higit sa iyong panahon.
Kaya’t binuksan mo ang durungawang
ipinipinid ng iba.
Sinukat mo ang pag-ibig
hindi sa pamamagitan ng kasal
na may basbas ng langit
kundi ng pag-iisang dibdib
na binibigyang katuparan
ng pagniniig ng puso at diwa
at dugo at laman dito sa lupa.
Nangahas kang bigyan ng kahulugan
ang mga salitang
pag-ibig, tahanan, pagkababae.

Kaya’t wala ka man sa mga pahina
ng nobelang dinakila,
hindi man ikaw
ang tinanghal na halimbawa
sa mga dalaga ng iyong lahi,
lalagi ka sa aming alaala.
naghihiwalay sa atin
ang iisang pangarap:
ang makamit ang kalayaang magtakda
ng sariling buhay
sa anumang panahon.


Ang "Salome..." ay isa sa mga tula sa libro ni Joi Barrios, Ang Pagiging Babae Ay Pamumuhay Sa Panahon Ng Digma.

What the '60s had that we don't have

The 1960s did not have the fast-paced technology we have; but they had resources for fun that we don't have now. This video shows an era gone but ever relevant.

What do we have that the '60s did not? More worries.

Don't Worry, Baby

Well it's been building up inside of me
For oh I don't know how long.
I don't know why
But I keep thinking
Something's bound to go wrong.

But she looks in my eyes
And makes me realize
And she says, Don't worry baby
Don't worry, baby,
Don't worry, baby,
Everything will turn out alright.

Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby.

I guess I should've kept my mouth shut
When I started to brag about my car.
But I can't back down now because
I pushed the other guys too far.

She makes me come alive
And makes me wanna drive
When she says, Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby,
Don't worry, baby,
Everything will turn out alright.

Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby
Don't worry, baby.

She told me, Baby, when you race today
Just take along my love with you.
And if you knew how much I loved you
Baby, nothing could go wrong with you.

Oh, what she does to me
When she makes love to me
And she says, Don't worry baby
Don't worry, baby,
Don't worry, baby,
Everything will turn out alright.

Don't worry, baby,
Don't worry, baby,
Don't worry, baby.

For more, go to http://www.musicbabylon.com/artist/never_been_kissed_soundtrack/never_been_kissed/226889-the_beach_boys_dont_worry_baby-lyrics.htm

What's the name of the song?

The tune for this Sony Cybershot T700 ad, very catchy and full of joy, has been spreading silently among thousands who had seen it. iTune and other websites are being searched for the elusive title of the song. It took a lot of trial and errors to even find this ad spot in YouTube. Enjoy and, if you know the title of the tune, please let me and thousands of others know. The main vocal, I learned, was sung by Jazz singer Emma Pask.


More about Emma Pask at http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=emma+pask

I Got Caught Dancing Again

I remember being grabbed by this song when I first heard it in 1974. When I play it today, anyone listening invariably likes it, and sometimes ask me to play it again and again. It's what I call a lifetime favorite.