Kaya nating pag-isahin ang darating at aalis

I don't think there is a studio version of Kabaka. It is one of my favorite Cynthia songs ever since I heard it when she performed live at Sambalikhaan in 2009. The only copy I had was from my low res camera with really bad audio. I am glad she sang it on her last gig. And the audio's pretty good, too.

Kabaka

Words by Vim Nadera
Music by Cynthia Alexander

May ilang bukang liwayway 
na kakulay ng taglagas

may ibang dapit hapong
liwanag na sumasabog

Kung minsan ang puting puwang

palawakin man ng iyak

ay nagiging isang pumpon

ng kandilang di maupos

Hanggang kaya mong

gumising

at kaya kong managinip

kaya nating pag-isahin

ang darating at aalis

Habang may kapangyarihang

pangarapin at mangarap

walang laban ang kahapong

matuldukan ang susunod

Kung minsan ang puting

puwang

palawakin man ng iyak

ay nagiging isang pumpon

ng kandilang di maupos

Bakit ba may inaasam

tayong ayaw maganap

pagkat ngayon ay mayroong

bukas natin ang handog

Hanggang kaya mong

gumising

at kaya kong managinip

kaya nating pag-isahin

ang darating at aalis

Dumaan ako

A riveting music from the talented Ayala siblings. Even more heart-wrenching since they sang it during one of Cynthia Alexander's "send-off"gigs before she moves to the USA. She cited lack of support as her reason for leaving the local music scene, and the country for good. After decades of contributing beautiful and intelligent music, the pain and frustration of unrequited love finally took a toll on her. Just like a fruit that fell off the tree, straight to the river.

At the end of the video, both were seen tearing up. =( Goodbye to one of the musicians I "grew-up" with. 'Til the next live performance.

Dumaan Ako

*Lyrics by poet and painter, Maningning Miclat.

Dumaan ako sa tahimik na ilog

Ang buong mundo ay parang natutulog
Kung may bunga mang sa tubig ay mahulog
Parang ang puso ko itong nadudurog

Kung mag-isa ako ay huwag nang isipin

Sa dilim ay dapat pa akong hanapin

Habang may luha ay huwag pang ibigin

Sa pangarap ko ay huwag nang gisingin

Kaya kong maghintay sa mga tula mo

At makinig sa awit mula sa kabilang dako

At sa paglalakad sa lilim ng mga puno

Matutuklasan ang laman ng pusong malayo

At mapapanood ang sayaw ng mga tutubi

Sabay sa indak at lipad ng ibong humuhuni

At hihinahon na itong di mapakali

At makakahimlay sa mapayapang gabi

Dumaan ako sa tahimik na ilog

Ang buong mundo ay parang natutulog

Kung may bunga mang sa tubig ay mahulog

Parang ang puso ko na itong nadudurog

Parang ang puso ko itong nadudurog.

Coffee Prince-ing in Butuan City

"You calculated everything to make sure you wouldn't get hurt. Without a care for me." - Choi Han Kyul to Go Eun Chan

Ooops. Tinamaan ako dun, ah. Hehe.

Dramalog #1

Dramas watched online:

1. Goong

2. Personal Preference

3. City Hunter

4. Boys Before Flowers

5. Mackerel Run

6. Protect the Boss (+/up to 6th ep only/couldn't take it)

7. 49 Days (just finished!)

8. The First Shop of Coffee Prince (ongoing)

Dramas watched on TV

1. Princess Hours/Goong

2. Lovers in Paris

3. Save the Last Dance

4. Three Dads with One Mommy

5. Cinderella's Sister

49 Days

After dropping Protect the Boss for good, I tried 49 Days. So far, I am loving it! I love the story. I love the villains (asshole and bitch tandem). I love the "Scheduler" played by Jung Il Woo, who revised the typical Grim Reaper character into a young, techie, fashionable and yes, permed death angel. He's so fun to watch. And he just lights up the scene with his crazy facial expressions and rap songs. It just feels different without Min Ho, no? But it's a little comforting to know that Il Woo and Min Ho are best friends since their middle school days (that goes back to some 10 years).

I also love the human-body, Yi-Kyung. She has the face of a real human being, a stark contrast from the lady in PTB who've probably had a hundred plastic surgeries to look like that.

Status: Episode 8. I'm practicing a little restraint here. I'm not keen on finishing ASAP so I'm taking sweet time.

Finally, a tattoo on my left wrist

I know that I have high tolerance for pain. But raising the expectations to great (pain) proportions really helped me get through the first needle touch down. I realized how difficult my design was because of the details that I wanted for the feather to appear really light. Damn the hundreds of lines!

The pain is relative to the body part. But one thing is for sure: it IS painful. I mean, your skin is being scraped off! That's gotta be painful unless you're not human or you're on anesthesia. But is it tolerable? Yes. Though parts where the skin is not thick enough to withstand the skin-scraping action can get extra painful. The tip of the wrist was painful. But on the 2nd inch south, it's tolerable. The first 3-5 minutes can make you think if you're going to last until the end. But afterwards, you get used to the feeling. You can smile on the camera and eat donuts.

But of course I am only talking about a two-inch tattoo.

Now, how am I going to explain this to my father? HAHA!