Birth, school, work, death

A SHOUT OUT … Like a butterfly coming out of its chrysalis, I would like to announce the coming birth of our daughter this November. Paunlakan nawa ninyo kami habang sinasalubong namin ng galak at saya ang kapanganakan ng aming supling, ang magbibigay ningning sa aming mga araw at gabi –

Si ALAB GABRIELA.

Salamat … minsan-minsan lang naman ako nagyayabang todits.

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There is an upcoming event here in the Tri-State area. Dubbed SUMISIGAW : Common Ground. This is the 1st Annual Filipino and Filipino American Youth Festival. Gaganapin ito sa ika-9 ng Nobyembre. This event was organized by some New York and New jersey based groups tulad ng Philippine Forum, Lakas Diwa: Filipino Youth Alliance of New Jersey, Pintados at FORWARD (Filipino Organization for Women’s Advancement, Rights and Dignity. To read more, hinango ko ito mula sa kanilang press release –

“Filipino Youth Organizations from the Tri-State Area collaborate to produce the upcoming youth festival centered on the themes of building community and bridging the gaps between Filipinos, Filipino Americans and all communities of color. Using art, education, and celebration as foundations we aim to find Common Ground.

Performances by:
Balangay / Chris Campos / Deep Foundation /Faith Santilla /Hanalei Ramos /High Fidelity/ Ian Carandang /Johanna Almiron /KADENA /Kinding Sindaw/ Mambola /Maritess the Magician/ Nilikha /Pintados and many more!

Workshops Topics include: Folktale Storytelling, Philippine Folk Games, Creative Writing, Filipino Women: HerStory 101, Women and War, Intergenerational Relationships, the Prison Industrial Complex, Taking Direct Action, the Philippine-American War, Know Your Rights for Youth and Adults, Philippine Indigenous Music, Dance and Eskrima Presentations, and Filipino Film Screenings!”

Sounds like a pretty big and good event. Will attend it of course. Sabi nga sa flyer ng event na ito –

NOT JUST LOUD. MORE THAN PROUD. Amen!!!

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Went to Jersey City the other weekend. Naghanap ng Batchoy. Hindi lamang basta batchoy, but iyong Lapaz batchoy. Hindi naman talaga kuha ang orihinal na lasa at timpla na nakagisnan sa Visayas. But if you are like more than 10,000 miles away from home, any taste that resembles it will do. Kulang sa kagat ang sabaw, at kulang din ng sangkap tulad ng laman-loob, at paminta. But, solb pa rin. Kahit na sa ganito lang ay makuntento ang himihiyaw kong tiyan. Isang klase lang naman kasi -- ORDINARY. Walang SPECIAL (maraming laman loob), at SUPER SPECIAL (may itlog at utak pa). Inaaang!!!!!! Patayugan naman ng ihi.. este , kolesterol at triglyceride!!!

Napadaan na rin sa TATAK PILIPINO. It’s a heritage store selling Pinoy handicrafts, products, pinoy tapes, VCDs at CDs, shirts, books and tsismis magazines, barong at tapis, at marami pang iba. Bagong branch ito. Nilagak sa Jersey City dahil maraming Pinoy. Bumili ng tabo!!! (Sabi nga nila, you will know that a Filipino lives in the house kasi may tabo sa banyo!!). At napagtripan naman ang “barrel man” … hehehe…. Na-alala n’yo pa ba si “barrel man”? Bumili rin ng 80’s movie sa VCD – BAGETS 1 tsaka BAGETS 2. Walang’ya … seminal growing up movie ito!! Hehehe…. It gives me shivers everytime I hear that line from the opening song – “coz I’m growing up .. getting down .. putting my both feet … on the ground …” Tama ba yung pagkanta ko? If not, hindi ko ‘ata nabibigyan ng justice ang singer. Si Gary V. ba? Tsaka ‘yung “Just Got Lucky” ng Joeboxers!!!

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Digmaan laban sa Iraq. Sari-saring mga opinyon. Different ideas. Clash of personalities. Demonizations. Patayugan ng apog. Ano ang balitang dala ng dyaryo, radyo at ng CNN? Totoo kaya? May malaking ANTI-WAR mobilization sa Washington, DC last October 26. Humigit kumulang na 100,000 daw ang dumalo. May media black out at dinawn-play sa mainstream media. Ano nga ba ang tama? Ano nga ba ang mali? Maling nagmumula sa tama? Sa usaping ito ay mga buhay na ng mga tao ang nakataya.

Halloween dito kahapon. Maraming kabataang nag-trick or treat. Kakatok sa mga bahay-bahay at hihingi ng kendi, tsokolate, etc. Naka-costume sila. Syempre, dapat nakakatakot. Meron ding nag-costume ng Batman, Tinman, Fairy, etc. Bad trip. Wala akong nakitang costume ng manananggal, kapre, tibalang o kahit si Kapteyn Barbel o Panday man lang. In the spirit of the so called celebration, ay namigay din kami ng candies. Jovial ang mood. Though, I still prefer what we are doing sa Pilipinas lalo na sa Todos Los Santos. Pupunta sa puntod ng mga ninuno, lilinisin ang nitso, ipagdadasal ang mga kaluluwa sa purgatoryo, kakain ng suman at biko, at magmamahjong sa sementeryo. Hehehe…. Walastik din naman tayong mga Pinoy.

And death will usher in the re-birth of the wilted flower. Padayon!!! *

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