Leaving 2006, Welcoming 2007, with Questions

I listened to the Corrs’ CD and thought of leaving you questions from each song. I tried answering, too.

• WOULD YOU BE HAPPIER

Have you ever wondered where the story ends, and how it all began?

I sometimes do. In some monumental situations (perhaps only for me), I often wondered where they began, and because they all end – those special moments, I often wondered where the story ends, too. Not that I do not know where they ended, but I cannot really remember how exactly they ended.

Would you be happier if you were with someone together?

I am happy with my life with Papsie. I cannot imagine a life without him. I think I cannot be happier. But I must admit that no one knows what life is from another circumstance.

• SO YOUNG

When you were young, were you just running wild and free?

No. Youth is not like a normal phase of my life. But what is normal anyway?

• RUNAWAY

Did you run away when you have fallen in love?

I did not run away with anybody. But I left home for Papsie.

• BREATHLESS

Did someone made you feel breathless, tempted you, teased you until you can’t deny the loving feeling and made you long for his/her kiss?

Yes.

• RADIO

Have you listened to the radio and found that after a while that someone is in your head, swimming forever, tangled in your dreams?

Felt like this when I had fallen in love with Papsie.

• WHAT CAN I DO

When was the last time you whispered to yourself:

What can I do to make you love me

What can I do to make you care

What can I say to make you feel this

What can I do to get you there?

Funny, that I remember having those questions when I was a young girl having a crush to somebody who doesn’t even notice me. It was during my high school days. Remembering the boy now, I can’t even fathom how I got a crush on him. It is a realization how vulnerable young girls can be – to think that they are in love when they are just infatuated.

• THE RIGHT TIME

Do you always find it hard to sleep?

Not always.

What situation allowed you to tell yourself ‘this is the right time, once in a lifetime’?

When I left home for somebody.

• I NEVER LOVED YOU ANYWAY

Was there a time you were grateful you did not make the move for someone you’re bored with, and endured with for as long as you did?

Yea, I think so. It’s a feeling of being happy it’s over.

• IRRESISTIBLE

In your lifetime, have you met someone who is irresistible – whose aura is natural, physical, indefinable and illogical at the same time?

Oh, yes, and they are dangerous people, too! ha ha ha

• FORGIVEN BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Were there individuals you have forgiven but not forgotten?

A lot. And I think we should not forget them and forget the ill doings they had done. That way, we are always on guard, and not let them hurt us again.

What questions, huh… You can choose to pick one or all of the questions to answer. I think it’s not a bad assignment for the new year. 😀

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!!!

Dread

It’s only past 2:30am while I am writing this. I was awakened from what I thought was a nightmare – a fierce stray cat had invaded the house and hurt the two remaining little kittens Karen had. Sundance, the beautiful gold kitten got lost one day leaving only a few traces of blood near where the kittens were. It was a puzzle unsolved.

The door to the kitchen leading to our room was tightly closed. I thought at first that I really had a nightmare. I went straight to where the kittens were but they were gone and Karen was nowhere in sight, too. I went to the comfort room first before investigating again where the kittens were. They might had wandered under the living room chairs. But they were not there. And Karen seemed agitated. I followed her gaze and lo! one of those male stray cats was inside the house under the dining room table and one of the kittens was beside him, not moving and was wet around the neck area. I pretended not to see and looked for something that I could use to pound on the cruel animal. I found the floor map and used the handle to strike the cat. I was able to made him leave but was not able to give that animal a hard hit.

Frightened, he went straight to the window at the living room where the upper jalousies were left open but was closed probably because it was where he entered. The cat got frantic and did not know what to do. I also did not know what to do. He dashed in front of me and went under the table in the dining room again. Karen got hold of the little kitten and they were like in a duel, baring their teeth and giving out sounds of defense against each other. I got frantic, too. It could be worse if I let them fight inside the house. So even feeling reluctant of opening the door leading to our room and towards the laundry area, I did what was logical at the moment – to save Karen and the little kitten. And to save me from hysteria, too.

The little kitten, which I named Broccoli, lay on the floor, moving her feet, looking like dizzy. At first, I was just gloomily looking at her, thinking that her neck must have been injured that bad. I touched her and she made a faint sound. I felt very sad about the hopelessness of the little kitten from the hands of a fierce cat. After a while, I lifted her and brought her to the area where they used to be. I found the other kitten hidden in between the wall and a paper bag. He must have hidden when that cat attacked.

Broccoli is now feeding after Karen, their mother, lovingly caressed and cleaned the neck area. I thought she was going to die. The case of Sundance is closed. The verdict about that intruder cat remains hanging.

Potpourri

The other day I distributed pictures of most of my officemates which Fujicolor printed in matte. I inscribed “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you!” at the back of each picture. It was a surprise to many and the act generated a concoction of comments and moods. Most of them thanked me and greeted me, too. But there are some dissatisfied recipients who one or the other uttered not a word or exclaimed with discontent. I struggled not to give my comment (which is, “I can’t do anything about the face. I just took pictures.”) because I didn’t want to ruin an almost perfect day. I told my friends anyway, “My gosh, gusto pa yata may hawak siyang korona at scepter!” (My gosh, I think she wanted her picture with a crown and a scepter!) The remark elicited laughter from my dear friends.

Really. People can be so unpredictable and frustrating. Which reminds me of a classmate friend in college. We were given a project in our Graphics class to draw our faces on a 1/4 sheet of illustration board using charcoal.  Because she didn’t know how to draw, she asked me to draw her face without instructions or reminders. Off I drew her face from a 2″ x “2 picture. It was not an effort to me (bragging aside),  it was a challenge for me LOL! (I was just joking, or am I? he he nah, she’s a friend, people). Then the following day, I gave her the finished product excitedly. It was perfect for me – it was an exact replica of the 2″ x 2″ picture. Boy was I good.

To my surprise, my friend shrieked, “Bing, bakit ganito ang ilong ko?” (Bing, why does my nose look like this?)  I  frantically looked at the obra and there it was, an exact replica of the small picture and the real person. “Sana niliitan mo naman ang ilong, parang namagang kamatis, e!“(I wish you made my nose smaller, it looks like an embellished tomato!) I made my argument that she did not give an instruction about the nose. To make the story short, I revised the obra and made the nose smaller or as she had said, cuter.

Christmas Once Again

The other day, a boy was singing “Sa may kotse, ang aming bati…” when we were stuck in traffic. Kay laughed at the idea. She said, the boy’s just being reasonable – he can’t be singing “Sa may bahay, ang aming bati…” because we are on board a car.

It’s Christmas once again. Just like the other Christmases of my life, even with the merry-making, expect the challenges of dysfunctional individuals who reserve this special season to make me feel bad. Expect the predicaments that they will give ON CHRISTMAS SEASON.

Sometimes these repetitive episodes suck. A book tells that when one forgives it doesn’t mean one must forget because if we forget the wrong things that were done, these people will keep repeating the same things. We are not teaching them the right path, or the right thing to do. We must forgive but not let these people do the same wicked things on us. It is like allowing the enemy to inflict harm on us. Sounds very right to me.

Then there are those people who act kind or good. Only this season. Right after, back to the indifferent mode. Maybe expecting that the ‘kind acts’ will be equal to the gifts this season. Who would in his right frame of mind give something to someone who had treated him/her badly?

But at times, it pays to be artificial or ‘tupperware’. It pacifies intrigues, it averts or tones down resentments, and it strengthens connection with those you really care for but has strong ties with those who are hateful. That’s why it sometimes helps to play the game. It doesn’t actually mean you are superficial. You are working for a common good, or for peace. After all, this is the essence of the season.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR AHEAD, DEAR BLOG FRIENDS!!!!

Strike him so that he can feel that he is dying.

–         Suetonius (69? – 140?)

     Roman historian and biographer.

If you had watched Imbestigador this evening, you must have experienced a heartbreak seeing a sick man, husband and father to three kids, being maltreated by his nine-year old daughter, and also by his wife.

The man got ill and his wife was left with a burden of working for the family, taking care of the children, and taking care of a sick husband.  The eldest child, the nine-year old daughter was left with the responsibility of taking care of her siblings when her mother is away.  She was also left with the responsibility of taking care of her sick father.

I don’t know but the cruelty that I saw was among the wickedest.  A neighbor, out of concern, took a video of the scenes and it showed how the nine-year old physically hurt the skeletal father by pounding his head with a tabo while bathing him, or hitting him with a broomstick.  A scene also showed how she poured hot water from a kettle followed by a kick at the sides.  Who would have thought that a nine-year old could even hammer the knee of a helpless being, much more her father?

The misery did not end there.  He got more kicks, pulled hair, and head hits to the wall, when his beloved wife arrives.  It seems that her anger to the situation was poured to the piteous man who does not have the capacity to defend himself but with moans.

It would take a lot to heal the family – more than the numerous psychiatric sessions they require.  They are all victims of the situation.  What had made the situation worst is the frail nature of the mother who could have saved the children, especially the nine-year old, from the confusion, by being strong.  I pity the child.

You are blessed little kittens to experience the love from around you.

When They are Kids No More

What would replace

all the joy?

all the solitude?

all the noise?

all the lessons learned?

and the innocence?

———–

POST SCRIPT –

“You may not be a kid anymore and soon you will be a grown up, but I will take care of you always when you’re sick like I used to when you were small.”