Ligaya

Salamat, Tiya.

Sa, kung sa aking pakiwari man lamang, 'di mabilang na pagkakataon na dinampot mo ako at inihele. Sa, kung sa aking palagay man lamang, pag-aaruga na walang iniwan sa marapat na ibigay ng isang magulang. Sa walang-sawang pagtugon sa kahit anumang kahilingan ko: lomi, holen, turon, pandesal na may giniling, kape, ang pagsakay sa tren, at kung ano pa. Sa walang kapagurang paninilbihan sa amin. Wala kayong katulad.

Hindi kita lilimutin.

Ngayon, nang sabihin ng mga mediko na ika'y tila nasa mga huli nang kabanata ng iyong mahirap ngunit makulay na buhay, mahalagang malaman mo na hindi ka nag-iisa. Humihingi ako ng paumanhin kung huli na ang saklolo; sana mapawi ang kung anumang kalungkutan na dinulot ng aking kapabayaan ng aking pag-amin sa 'di masukat kong utang na loob sa inyo. Uulitin ko, wala ako dito kung wala kayo.

Hanggang sa muli nating pagkikita.

Magpahinga ka na, Ligaya. Talaga din namang matatapos ang kahit ano pang hirap; mapapawi rin ang kahit ano pang pagod. Ilang saglit pa ay ginhawa na lamang ang mararamdaman mo, Tiya. Lahat nang ibinuhos mong pagbibigay ay masusuklian na din, sa wakas. Nawa'y bigyan ka ng labis pa sa labis. Pahinga na, Tiya. Pahinga na.

Tour de Farce

Went on a guided tour of the National Museum (both of them, I guess) last Saturday and while the displays were utterly magnificent I can’t say about the other people on the tour. They were a bit too loud and a few apparently thought the tour fee gave them the freedom to get up close, personal and touchy-feely with the displays. Then there were the mobiles (a couple of them were surely unlocked cell phones forcibly put to service using an unauthorized prov-i-der, ehem) of various shapes and sickeningly, sounds. I tried my best to ignore them but they were just too much of a distraction. I suppose another, less populated, tour is needed.

Los Vagrant

If you had the money (and all the freaking papers needed) to spend a week in Las Vegas, would you go? I ain’t the city’s biggest fan--it’s too, hmmn Vegas-y and loud for me, but I’d sure go. Assuming the money I had could fill a couple of dump trucks, I’d go just to spend a night each in all them fancy vegas hotels travel show hosts on TV rave about to no end. A hotel is good recreation in my mind; 24/7 air conditioning, fresh towels and sheets when you WANT them, nifty shampoo and lotion bottles for your other trips, and yes--room service.

Fickle

The Singapore GP’s just around the corner, and while I still think Formula One is bordering on being hypocritical by expressing its desire for eco-friendly motorsport on one hand and hosting a night race that needs to be illuminated like the surface of the sun on the other, I’ll most probably still tune in. I promised myself I wouldn’t watch this race, yes, but a compelling factor in my reconsidering the boycott was a new HDTV a good friend recently bought. Guess another boring street circuit can’t be that bad.

Yo, Vinnie!

You know what I’d like at precisely this moment? A yard--front or back, it doesn’t matter. All it has to be is outside and green. There are still nights when the sky over our small patch is relatively clear, and I am glad that the wonder brought about by just staring at the heavens has yet to leave me. I’d put in a bench or a rocking chair, probably a small table, and not much else. Yeah, I’d have to get outdoor furniture covers but it shouldn’t be a hassle. Even if it was, quiet nights inducing neck pain would be worth the trouble.