Viva! Le Chuck!

Another blog episode! This is another installment of “spanking” another guy like I did with Robin, the Boy Wonder in my previous post.

I found it very interesting to learn some of the unsolved mysteries of this world.  Thus, I chose this  unsolved mystery human being for yours truly to spank with.

Here’s another dose of life’s greatest unsolved mysteries: “The Chuck Norris Saga.”  

 Now, don’t get me wrong with the spanking business, Carlos Ray Norris Jr. (better known to the world as “Chuck Norris”) happens to be one of my all time favorite action hero.

He comes out guns blazing in “Missing In Action” to riding them motorbikes punishing terrorists in “Delta Force” to the cowboy riding without the brokeback malice in “Walker: Texas Ranger” to being idolized by a wannabe martial arts kid in “Side Kicks.”

Overall, the guy is primo “101% pure power-beefed up-money back-guaranteed-walking assault- lethal weapon-of a man!” 

But there are things that I noticed about Chuckie’s movies, which is somewhat of a mystery as well.

Let’s start dissecting them in no particular order: 

1. He doesn’t die in almost all of his movies. (That’s like viewing one hundred or so of his movies, and clearly he did not die in any of those movies!)

2. Holy! Fist of Fury! He did die fighting Bruce Lee in the movie “Way of the Dragon” right? (It doesn’t count! Since he didn’t die in the line of duty as a soldier! Geez! give the guy a break!)

3. He either portrays a has-been soldier, a sergeant mc coy!, a colonel braddock, a walker texas ranger, or some commando. (With the exception of “Side Kicks” where he played a martial arts master. Finally! no guns for this prime stud)

4. His methods of martial arts moves are either disarming his opponents with his famous “chuckie chops” or using his ”chuckie” side kicks to knock them teeths down.

5. His awesome “never-leave-home-without-it” Chuck Norris hairstyle.  (Yup, it’s gotta be the hair mon, gotta be the hair!)

6. His favorite choice of weapons are either an Uzi or one of them big o’l guns that really hurt like s#$% (Even Granny Goose would go gaga over this awesome display of fire power!!)

7. His unlimited hairy or so chest hairs! (Geez! That’s weird, now where did this come from?!)

8.  How he doesn’t break a sweat just by swatting them flies or mosquitoes in seconds. (Okay, that one I made that up. Although it’ll make a good scene right? Mr. Miyagi hello?!)

9. His clearly patented ”chuckie” beard ( See number 7 for the reason!)

10. Lastly, his fetish for headbands everytime he kicks some major arse! (Yup, the guy is fond of wearing these in some of his movies! It’s true..oh yes it’s true!!)

Now you know what I think about Chuck Norris, try visiting this website: www.chucknorrisfacts.com  to learn more what others think about him.

Till the next blog, I’m outta here before O’l Chuck decides to spank me with his almighty kicks!

Holy! Blogsite! It’s the Robin Express!!

I was watching some videos on the Youtube the other day, when I came upon some old videos of tv show ”Batman.” I smiled with glee, reminicing the days, when I used to watch this show back in the 80’s. 

By the way, this show was created way back in 1966. Pretty old you might say!

Adam West and Burt Ward, collectively known as “The Dynamic Duo” were the actors who donned the costumes portraying Batman and Robin respectively. 

Anyway, while watching some of the episodes of the tv show, I couldn’t help but noticed how Robin would utter some of those famous ”holy lines” of his, which to some can sometimes be downright weird especially when he says it at the spur of the moment.

I decided to do some research on those famous “holy lines” and came up with some interesting quotes from the boy wonder himself. (Disclaimer: These do not reflect my views,  just got this from the net dudes. Try surfing it!)

Robin’s Holy List:

Holy Sardine!
Holy Nightmare!
Holy Merlin The Magician!
Holy Long John Silver! A Pirate Parascope!
Holy Glue Pot!
Holy Polaris!
Holy Demolition!
Holy Halloween!
Holy Heart Failure!
Holy Costume Party! That’s The Penguin!
Holy Hallucinations!
Holy Marathon Batman! I’m Getting A Stitch.
Holy Captain Nemo!
Holy Bikini That Was Close!
Holy Heatbreak! Miss Kitka
Holy Almost!
Holy Jumble! 
Holy Kleenex Batman! It was right under our nose and we blew it!
Holy Rosary Batman, it’s the Pope!
Holy No deposit! No return!

See? Told you it can be downright weird. Now here are more quotes.

Robin: “Whoa! You came down that pole like a pro, Alfred.”

Robin: “The batcomputer is none too frisky today, Batman.”

Robin: “Well, we’re dressed for investigating, so let’s investigate.”

Robin: “Sorry, Batman. I slipped on the Baked Alaska.

Robin: “Catwoman mentioned an assault on Mount Gotham.”
Batman: “But where is Mount Gotham?”
Robin: “I don’t know… Holy Alps! I’d better brush up on my geography!”

Robin: “Ole, Batman! Ole!”

Marsha to Aunt Hilda: “You bumbling old hag, you’ve failed again.”
Robin: “That’s no way to talk to an old lady!”

Batman: “Let’s go Robin, we’ve nary a second to lose! Vamanos!”
Robin: “Right amigo!”

Batman: “I’m glad you’re up on your foreign languages, Robin. They come in handy when fighting crime.”
Robin: “Si, si, Batmon.”

Robin: “I bet even Shakespeare didn’t have words for such villainy!”

Robin: “This’ll teach that crook to be a litterbug. He should put trash in the proper waste container!”

Batman: “Robin, take the word ‘bank’ and spell it backwards.”
Robin: “K-N-A-B. Knab!”

Robin: “They’re throwing fish at us!”

Robin: “It’s all a blur. Like a horrible day-mare.”

Robin: “There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip, Batman.”

Robin: “The way we get into these scrapes and get out of them, it’s almost as though someone was dreaming up these situations, guiding our destiny.”

Robin: “Batman, I don’t dig this.”

Robin: “Joker’s blackmail threat isn’t worth a tinker’s darn.”

Batman to Catwoman: “The odds are about right, four against one.”
Robin, coming out of hiding: “Four against two, Batman!”
Batman: “Robin!”
Robin: “I couldn’t resist. You were taken in by her, but I’m too young for that sort of thing.”

Robin: “Gosh, that’s some ergo, Batman.”

Batman, pointing: “What’s that?”
Robin: “I guess I’m tired, but it looks like alphabet soup!”

Robin: “I never knew there were no punctuation marks in alphabet soup!”

Robin to Black Widow: “You she-devil! Have you short-circuited Batman’s brain?”

Bruce: “I don’t know how you constructed this playroom as a surprise without us knowing about it, Aunt Harriet.”
Dick: “Or this slot car raceway. It’s the coolest, Aunt Harriet!”

Robin: “I’ll take the emergency bat-tunnel. It comes out on Highway One and I can catch a bus to Gotham City.”

Robin: “I’d sooner see the Russians in the Hexagon than Penguin!”

Batman: “We’ll go out the window and down the batropes. Otherwise we’ll be mobbed.”
O’Hara: “Mobbed? In Police Headquarters?”
Robin: “The flower children think we’re cool, man. Like, we turn ‘em on, you know.”

Batman: “Shall we, Robin?”
Robin: “Let’s, Batman.”

Dick, getting on Batpole: “What happened to the signs, Bruce?”
Bruce: “Alfred removed them to put a new coat of paint on the Batpoles.”
Dick: “Good ol’ Alfred.”

Bruce, after giving Dick his first car: “Remember, this isn’t the Batmobile.”
Dick: “Don’t worry, Bruce. Highway safety is every citizen’s prime responsibility.”

Batman: “One blast of cool air kills these blooming cannibals far quicker than they can devour any human repast.”
Robin: “Gosh yes!”

Robin: “Beach bums. We should have worn our baggies.”

Robin: “You know I wouldn’t fight a female, even a small army of females!”

Alfred: “Thank heavens, master Robin. I despaired of ever seeing you again.”
Robin: “The despair was mutual, Alfred.”

Batman: “Don’t forget to drive on the left, not the right.”
Robin: “I won’t, Batman. I learned that when we got our international driver’s licenses!”

Alfred: “Master Robin! I just heard you were dead.”
Robin: “You heard wrong. Uh, wrongly.”

Robin: “Pip-pip, chin-chin, and toodlio.”

Robin, outside a women’s changing room: “We can’t step into that most hallowed and forbidden no-man’s land without closing our eyes.”

Dick, reading in the library: “Gosh, Bruce. That Genghis Khan was quite a guy.”

Batgirl: “He’s so authoritative. So confident.”
Robin: “The more you work with Batman, the more amazing he seems.”

Dick: “Gosh, Bruce, those muskrats and muskdeer sure are musky.”

Robin: “It’ll be a cold day in August when we’re scared of you, Riddler!”

Batman: “Nice listening, Robin.”
Robin: “Awww, gee, it was nothing, Batman.”

Robin: “We give crooks no quarter, but we always deal with them fairly, too!”

Robin: “Awww, come on, you crook. You can’t be all bad!”

Robin, looking at a book: “Gosh, could it concern us?”
Batman: “It certainly could. Look at that title.”
Robin: “The Truth About Bats.”

Aunt Harriet: “Now you march yourself straight over to that piano, young man!”
Dick: “Golly G minor, Bruce, do I have to?”

Dick: “Wise up, you guys, life isn’t this easy!”
Suzy: “Well, that’s easy for you to say, you’re the ward of that rich millionaire!”
Dick: “That has nothing to do with it!”

Dick Grayson (in disguise as a ‘bad-boy’, about Bruce Wayne): “What a skin-flint! If I didn’t swipe dimes from the butler I wouldn’t even have cigarette money.”

Robin: “Holy New Year’s Eve, he has me in his famous trick streamers!”

Cheerleader Suzy: “Gee, imagine being taken to jail by a chauffer.”
Bruce: “The Wayne Foundation for Delinquent Girls is hardly a jail, Suzy.”
Dick: “Heck no, there are teams and clubs and everything.”

Robin: “No clues here, Batman. No secret writing. It’s just what it looks like - a perfectly ordinary asbestos book cover.”

Robin (to Batman, when facing Bookworm’s henchmen): “Six of them, two of us. The odds are in our favour.”

Batman: “Smells like soup.”
Robin: “Darn good soup.”

Lisa (to Batman, handing him a card): “Excuse me, the kidnapper dropped this as he was leaving. Perhaps it might be of some help?”
Robin: “Clues are always helpful.”

Batman: “Put your flippers up, Penquin!”
Robin: “We caught you with your feathers down!”

Batman (looking at map, attempting to determine of secret entrance to hideout): “If my trigonometry is correct, it should emerge right here.”
Robin: “I’ll never neglect my math again.”

Batman (untying Robin from torture device): “Robin, are you all right?”
Robin: “Just a little sore, Batman, that’s all.”
Batman: “Well, one of Aunt Harriet’s good, nourishing meals will set everything right.”
Robin: “I sure worked up an appetite.”

Robin: “Alred, if ever we had need of our brain power, it’s now.”

Alfred: “Should we not have informed the police and requested their aid?”
Robin: “I didn’t dare chance it. They’re great guys, Alfred, but they can be a little heavy-handed too.”

Robin: “I bet Batman is the only one in the world with a hand steady enough to paint false fingerprints.”

Alfred (dressed up as Batman): “I pray our deception succeeds, Master Robin.”
Robin: “Just puff out your chest and look virile, Alfred.”

Robin: “Is there anything lower than a lawyer who mocks the law? Or an artist who takes up crime?”

Now, we can’t let Robin have all the fun without mentioning the Dark Knight and his comrades now do we? 

Reporter: What about the exploding shark?
Batman: That was an unfortunate animal who chanced to swallow a floating mine.
Batman: Confoudit, the batteries are dead.
Robin: Gosh Batman, the nobility of the almost-human porpoise.
Batman: True, it was noble of that animal to hurl himself into the path of that final torpedo. He gave his life for ours.
Batman(reading one of riddler’s riddles): What has yellow skin and writes?
Robin: A ballpoint banana.
Batman: Of course.
Alfred: Bless my dustpan!
Bruce Wayne: This nasty soup we’re in is largely of my own brewing.
Penguin: DE-lightful!
Riddler: DE-hydrated!
Batman: Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb.
Commissioner: Penguin, Joker, Riddler… and Catwoman too! The sum of the angles of that rectangle is too monstrous to contemplate!
Robin: Holy Halucination!
Batman: I wish it were Robin, but it’s not, it’s 5 dehydrated pirates… rehydrated!
Robin: Anti-matter, you mean they won’t be coming back?
Penguin: Happy happenstance!
A Sign: Foam Rubber Wholesalers Convention
Robin: And turn off the ventilation system.
Batman: Robin is right, the whole security council may have been dehydrated.
Action Sound Titles(as pirate plunges into ocean): Ker-Sploosh!
Batman: Let’s go, but… inconspicuously… through the window.
Riddler: We shall spring them from The Joker’s Jack-In-The-Box, through that window, out over the sea, and into the waiting arms of The Penguin’s Exploding Octopus!
Admiral: We haven’t done anything foolish, have we?
Batman: Disposing of pre-atomic submarines to persons who don’t even leave their full addresses? Good day, Admiral!
Batman: Yet, an exploding shark WAS pulling my leg…
Commissioner: The Joker!
Batman: Pretty FISHY what happened to me on that ladder…
Commissioner: You mean where there’s a fish there could be a penguin?

There’s more where that came from, but then I’ll have to post a very long blog for these. Heck, it might even bore you to death. 

I’ll spare you the agony of reading a very long list of quotes. So, if you happened to be a fan of these quotes, do yourself a favor and browse the net and search for those other quotes.

What will happened to the dynamic duo? Will this be the end of the caped crusaders? Will this blog site reveal the true nature of their evil personality? Will Robin finally reveal his deepest desires for our favorite dark knight? Tune in next time….same blog time…..same blog channel….

Silent Lucidity…

For many weeks, or possibly months? I have been silent on this little sanctum of space…Maybe sometime I’ll pour another loadful of those strange thoughts again. For now, I’ll stay invisible till I get my bearings straight…I must find my way back again……

……

“Goin’ Where The Wind Blows”
      (MR. BIG)

Someone said life is for the taking
Here I am with my hand out waiting for a ride
I’ve been living on my great expectations
What good is it when I’m stranded here
And the world just passess by
Where are the signs to help me get out of this place
If I should stumble on my moment in time,
How will I know
If the story’s written on my face, does it show
Am I strong enough to walk on water
Smart enough to come in out of the rain
Or am I a fool going where the wind blows
Here I sit halfway to somewhere
Thinking about what’s in front of me and
what I left behind
On my own, supposed to be so easy
Is this what I’ve been after
Or have I lost my mind
Maybe this is my chance coming to take me away
If I should stumble on my moment in time,
How will I know
If the story’s written on my face, does it show
Am I strong enough to walk on water
Smart enough to come in out of the rain
Or am I a fool going where the wind blows
Here I am walking naked through the world
Taking up space, society’s child
Make room for me, make room for me,
make room for me
Am I strong enough to walk on water
Smart enough to come in out of the rain
Or am I a fool
Going where the wind blows
Going where the wind blows
Going where the wind blows
Going where the wind blows

It’s never easy letting go…not just yet….

These past few days are still somewhat like a blur to me. I seemed lost and possibly might not find my way back again.

There are times I’d think about him and this would bring tears in my eyes. I missed him terribly. I missed his calls. The long talks we always had whenever he would call me. 

The times he’d listen to what I have to say on a lot of things about life. But most of all, I missed the way he’d tell me how my music matters to him the most.

You see, there was a time when I contemplated on walking away from music. I wanted to quit for the very fact that I felt, that maybe my passion wasn’t there anymore. I told my dad about my decision to quit.

He laughed at my decision and said that he doesn’t believe me. He told me that music is in your blood, once you have it, its there for good. Overall, he told me never to quit music no matter what.

This conversation took place sometime this early January or was it December I lost track of the exact date.

Since then, I’ve pondered on what to do with my life. When he left last February 24, all my inspirations that came from him apparently died as well.

Lately, I haven’t felt any passion with regards to playing music. It’s as if, someone turned it off with a flicker on the switch. 

Right now, I’m sitting here in my work desk, thinking about all the things that he told me a while back.

Maybe in time, I’ll get that passion back. For now, its pure numbness. An empty shell of what was once a passionate musician.

* Here’s a pic that I got from my sister. This was way back 1974 when my dad was still in his early teens.

papa1974.jpg

And here’s something from Boys to Men..to go along with this pic.

 GoodBye

How do I say goodbye to what we had?
The good times that made us laugh
Outweigh the bad.

I thought we’d get to see forever
But forever’s gone away
It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

I don’t know where this road
Is going to lead
All I know is where we’ve been
And what we’ve been through.

If we get to see tomorrow
I hope it’s worth all the wait
It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

And I’ll take with me the memories
To be my sunshine after the rain
It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

And I’ll take with me the memories
To be my sunshine after the rain
It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

It’s time to come home….

My dad went home to our creator last Sunday, Feb 24, 2008 at 1:01am. He finally found the courage to go home. My sister told me last week that he was too scared to let go because of me. He didn’t want to leave without seeing me. I knew it was impossible, because of the visa problems and such. I had to tell him to let go, and not worry about me.We haven’t seen each other for almost 13 years. And now, with his condition, I knew I will never get that chance to see him again. It really hurt to tell him about letting go. He already suffered enough, and I think it’s time he needs his rest.

On an early Feb 24 morning, he did just that. After taking his last breath, he finally left to go home. My sister called me at the exact moment he took his last breath. I asked her to place the phone over his ear, and proceeded to tell him about everything that I needed to say.

His final wish was to be cremated and his ash to be buried here in the Philippines. He also wanted half of his ash to be given to my sister, and half to mine. The rest of his ash will be buried in the cemetery.

Right now, I feel broken and lost. Maybe, because I truly miss him that much. I know I’ll heal in time. For now, I’m taking it one step at a time.

I’ll post one of his favorite song from the glam rock band “Cinderella.” I feel this is what he wanted to tell me before he went home….

Pa, wherever you are…know that I’ll miss you…and I love you…thank you for inspiring me not to give up on my music and also for influencing me on my music. I will never forget everything you taught me about music…

Coming Home 

I took a walk down a road
Its the road I was meant to stay
I see the fire in your eyes
But a mans got to make his way
So are you tough enough for my love
Just close your eyes to the heaven above
Im coming home
Im coming home

I took a ride in a world
Ill be spinnin for the rest of my life
I feel your heart beatin baby
Ooo sometimes it cuts like a knife
So are you tough enough for my love
Just close your eyes to the heaven above
Im coming home
Im coming home

Im coming home
Where your love tonight can shine on me
Im coming home
Where your lovin arms can set me free

I took a walk down a road
Its the road I was meant to stay
I see the fire in your eyes
But a mans got to make his way
So are you tough enough for my love
Just close your eyes to the heaven above
Im coming home
Im coming home

Im coming home
Oh yea
Im on my way oh yea
Im coming home
Im coming home

Here we go ooo yea, ooo
Im on my way
Come on baby, come on now
Let your love, shine on me

Sing along, Im on my way
Come on baby, ooo
Shine on, shine on, shine on me
Come on baby, Im on my way
Come on baby, let you love shine on me
Oh yea, shine on me
Oh yea, shine on, shine on me
Im on my way
Im on my way
Im on my way

To dream from reality…

Today, I feel empty. I am in a stage of accepting the reality..yet a call from within implies me not to accept it just yet.

So for now, I leave these lyrics from the band “Heart” to sum up what dreams are sometimes made of…

“These Dreams” 

Spare a little candle, save some light for me. Figures
Up ahead moving in the trees. White skin in linen,
Perfume on my wrist, and the full moon that hangs over
These dreams in the mist.

Darkness on the edge, shadows where I stand. I search
For the time on a watch with no hands. I want to see
You clearly, come closer than this. But all I remember
Are the dreams in the mist.

CHORUS
These dreams go on when I close my eyes. Every second
Of the night, I live another life. These dreams that
Sleep when it’s cold outside, every moment I’m awake,
The further I’m away.

Is it cloak and dagger, could it be Spring or Fall? I
Walk without a cut through a stained-glass wall.
Weaker in my eyesight, a candle in my grip, and words
That have no form are falling from my lips.

CHORUS
These dreams go on when I close my eyes. Every second
Of the night, I live another life. These dreams that
Sleep when it’s cold outside, every moment I’m awake,
The further I’m away.

BRIDGE
There’s something out there I can’t resist. I need to
Hide away from the pain. There’s something out there
I can’t resist.

The sweetest song is silence that I’ve ever heard.
Funny how your feet in dreams never touch the Earth.
In a wood full of princes, freedom is a kiss. But the
Prince hides his face from dreams in the mist.

CHORUS
These dreams go on when I close my eyes. Every second
Of the night, I live another life. These dreams that
Sleep when it’s cold outside, every moment I’m awake,
The further I’m away.

CHORUS
These dreams go on when I close my eyes. Every second
Of the night, I live another life. These dreams that
Sleep when it’s cold outside, every moment I’m awake,
The further I’m away.

Last call before boarding..

Today, I received a text message from my aunt, telling me that my dad had almost slipped into a coma.  All I could do right now is pray, pray that he’ll come home to where he truly belongs.I managed to talk to him last Saturday night. I called him up. He could barely talk since I was told that he was on respirator. The good thing about it is he can hear me on the phone. I proceeded to tell him everything that were needed to be said. All the things that were kept bottled up inside me over the years. The things that I should have said to him back then.

I broke down in tears, I couldn’t control my emotions anymore. He said some words which I barely understood, because he was whispering the whole time we talked.  I told him how I looked up to him despite what happened to us both. I said I was sorry for not being there for him to help deal with his “inner demons” during that time.

I told him how I love him, that I hope I have lived up to his expectations as a son. I wanted to know if he was proud of me, for everything that I did during the course of my life. He said he was proud of me, for overcoming any obstacles that came my way. He said that he was proud of me for being a musician, for finishing school and for getting a job.

I thanked him for influencing me on my music, because if it wasn’t for him, I would have never learned what rock and roll was all about. He influenced me in how to appreciate all types of music genres. I can never forget the times he’d made me listen to glam bands like Skid Row, Slaughter, RATT, Cinderella and many others.

I told him that I’ll always look up to him for inspiration in life. Finally, I said that he needs to go home to my lola and lolo up there. I know I will never get that chance to say goodbye to him so I said my goodbyes. Knowing with a heavy heart that he’ll be going away forever, I told him to be brave to wherever journey he might take after his sleep. 

I ended our conversation with me still crying…

And today, I’m listening to one of his favorite song from the glam band “Cinderella.” It made me remember him. This song probably sums up on what I’m feeling right now. I altered some of the lyrics since the song was written for a girl.

Dad, you may not be reading this right now, but I want you to know that your final trip is with him up above. I know you want to come home and I know you will be there soon..I’ll be taking the next trip someday as well..see you on the other side…

Heartbreak Station

Waiting at the station
Tears filling up my eyes
Sometimes the pain you hide
Burns like a fire inside
Look out my window
Sometimes its hard to see
The things you want in life
Come and go so easily

He took the last train out of my heart
He took the last train
And now I think Ill make a brand new start
He took the last train out of my heart

Watching the days go by
Thinking bout the plans we made
The days turn into years
Funny how they fade away
Sometimes I think of those days
Sometimes I just hide away
Waiting on that 9:20 train
Waiting on a memory

He took the last train out of my heart 
He took the last train
And now I think Ill make a brand new start
He took the last train out of my heart

My daddy’s on the fly and he’s never coming back
My love is like a steam train rolling down the tracks 

He took the last train
And now I think Ill make a brand new start

Let fate decide it’s course….

This morning my sister called me up. I never expected her to call on such an early time. Anyway, she informed me about my Dad’s condition. She started to cry the very instant she talked about my Dad’s ongoing battle with kidney and liver failure. Turns out, my Dad’s organs are now failing him. Even worst, was that he was bleeding from the inside as we speak.She narrated how she tried to talk to my Dad at the hospital where he was confined. Apparently, part of having your kidneys and liver fail would also mean that you start losing your memory.

My Dad couldn’t even remember my sister’s name anymore. She tried to talk some sense into him, but the conversation between them ended up in a different sort of direction.

She said that the doctors told her that my Dad’s condition had worsened. It didn’t seem like there’s any more hope left for him. I gave my sister some inspiring words about not to think too much about the whole ordeal. Especially, if she’s pregnant with her third child, she doesn’t need this kind of stress right now.

We knew how this happened. But, sadly we weren’t there to guide him. To tell him that things aren’t what they’re supposed to be. His inner demons have taunted him for years. He needed a way out. There wasn’t any that could help him deal with what he’s going through. Countless times I have told him to deal with those “demons.”

It’s either you face them, or let them swallow you till you fall from grace.

He choose to have them swallow him.  He thought he could manage, but he thought wrong.

We ended our conversation, and for a moment I was left without anything else to say. It’s like time suddenly stopped to see what I have to say about the whole situation.

I have nothing to say about the whole thing right now, I know he’s out there in the other side of the world fighting for his life right this moment. While, I’m here on the other side, trying to motivate some semblance of my life to go on living. 

I’m preparing for the worst. I don’t even want to go there not just yet. No, I’m a stubborn person for thinking such thing. But, again those signs point toward that way.

Whatever the outcome….I guess fate decides how it must be played…

Maybe this song best explains on what I should have told my Dad back then.

“Stuck in a Moment” 

I’m not afraid
Of anything in this world
There’s nothing you can throw at me
That I haven’t already heard
I’m just trying to find
A decent melody
A song that I can sing
In my own company

I never thought you were a fool
But darling, look at you. Ooh.
You gotta stand up straight, carry your own weight
‘Cause tears are going nowhere baby

You’ve got to get yourself together
You’ve got stuck in a moment
And now you can’t get out of it
Don’t say that later will be better
Now you’re stuck in a moment
And you can’t get out of it

I will not forsake
The colors that you bring
The nights you filled with fireworks
They left you with nothing
I am still enchanted
By the light you brought to me
I listen through your ears
Through your eyes I can see

You are such a fool
To worry like you do.. Oh
I know it’s tough
And you can never get enough
Of what you don’t really need now
My, oh my

You’ve got to get yourself together
You’ve got stuck in a moment
And you can’t get out of it
Oh love, look at you now
You’ve got yourself stuck in a moment
And you can’t get out of it
Oh lord look at you now
You’ve got yourself stuck in a moment
And you cant gt out of it

I was unconscious, half asleep
The water is warm ’til you discover how deep
I wasn’t jumping, for me it was a fall
It’s a long way down to nothing at all

You’ve got to get yourself together
You’ve got stuck in a moment
And you can’t get out of it
Don’t say that later will be better
Now you’re stuck in a moment
And you can’t get out of it

And if the night runs over
And if the day won’t last
And if your way should falter
Along this stony pass

It’s just a moment
This time will pass….

Those loud thunders in the night..

Sinulog is right around the corner, and the feeling of the festivities are starting to take shape every place in this city that I went to. Well, for starters everytime I come home from work, our “used-to-be-silent” neighborhood would suddenly break into a loud thunderous sound, emitting from the trumpets, drums and other percussions right across our house.

For those that who do not know, I happened to live in the same neighborhood as the Sandiegos. Yup, you guessed it. Val Sandiego and the rest of his crew he calls “The Sandiego Dancers” were practicing their routines behind closed doors during the night, for what I believe is their offering once again to Sr. Sto. Nino this coming Sunday.

Now, I dare not complain about the whole thing, since Val happens to be a close family friend of ours, and my late Lola would treat him like a son and somewhat family member as well. Not to mention the fact that over the years, my aunts, cousins and even my sister has joined the Sandiego Dancers during the Sinulog Festival, winning awards here and there every year. So, there’s no stopping these guys from practicing almost every night. Besides, this is only on a “temporary” basis since after the festival this Sunday, everything will be back to normal as it was before.

These guys have been doing it year after year, night after night of practicing, rehearsing the whole dance routines, etc. It’s no wonder they have been winning awards to the point that they were eventually banned from joining the Sinulog dance contest.

The reason? Because as some would call it “protest,” that the Sandiego Dancers have been winning year after year and it’s taking away their ”supposed” right to win other awards as well.

 I wouldn’t know how Val and his crew managed to snagged those awards before, but what I do know is how dedicated they are in their crafts in arranging their dance routines and such.

From the dance choreography to designing the costumes for the dancers, Val has done them all(with some help from his wife “Boging” and his other costume designers).

It’s a good thing that Val and Co. have not taken this so-called protest as a form of insult. Rather, they are flattered by these protest that some contingents have brought before the board members in charge of the Sinulog Festivities.

So, since they couldn’t enter the contest due to the ban, they decided that the best thing to do was to offer their sacrifices to Sr. Sto. Nino during the festival.

I recalled back in 2002,  just two days before the Sinulog festivities, tragedy struck Val and his family. On that peaceful afternoon his house caught fire, and quickly spread around their surroundings including their appliances, beds, etc.

I remember people beside Val’s house hurriedly grabbing whatever things or appliances or clothes that they can possibly save from their houses, all the while screaming and hollering for help from nearby residents. I saw Val running towards our garage grabbing his collection of Sto. Nino from his house and placing them in our garage.

I was in awe looking at him, not because for his bravery during the fire, but for his dedication in saving as much of those Sto. Ninos as he can. He never bothered to save any of their clothes or appliances during that fire.

He would later on say, that despite the tragedy that struck him and his family, his faith and beliefs in the Sto. Nino made them more stronger than ever. So strong was their faith that despite the incident, they still went on with the festivities during the Sinulog, minus their costumes that were burnt along with their things.

During that Sinulog day, they wore t-shirts that were plain white, symbolizing their faith and their strenght to carry on with the festivities. I was told that people were cheering on during their performance. I guess everyone must have read the newspapers about the fire and knew how difficult must be for them to continue on despite what happened.

Val and the rest of The Sandiego Dancers never asked for any sympathies from the spectators during their performance on the streets and on the grand stand that day. Instead, they showed people that faith and trust in God is what kept them going and that people shouldn’t give up on whatever trials that they may come across their way.

That’s why people in my neighborhood respected him that much because of who he is, and what he is today.

Tonight, I’ll still get the distinct pleasure of those thunderous drums echoing in the distance. But, I know that deep inside Val’s house they are perfecting yet another of those dance routines or steps for the coming Sinulog. 

Did I mentioned that years ago, Val offered me a slot to be one of his dancers? Now, that would be some good o’l experiences to write about. Sadly, I never went through with it for the mere fact that I chickened out on the whole thing. 

No regrets, because I chose not to participate for my own personal reasons. Oh well, to everyone out there…Pit Senior! Have a safe and merry Sinulog to all…

* Did I also mentioned that our house also caught fire the same day that Val’s house burned down?We almost lost our house, but thank God for those Firemen.. well, that’s another story…