Women’s Paradise

I’ve decided to learn Spanish. According to my mentor, the best way to learn a new language is to immerse oneself in the culture of the people speaking your target lingo. Literature abounds in cultural depictions. I picked El Paraiso de las Mujeres. It’s quite cute getting used to the words and the accent. Really fun start.

Considero necesario dar una explicacion el origen de este libro. (Instantly, I can guess the meanings of about five main words: considero, necesario, explicacion, origen and libro.) I used Google translate to help me figure out the exact word-by-word meaning.)

Here it goes: “I consider it necessary to explain the origin of this book.”

Ademas hay que hacer una confession. La novela esta en crisis actualmente en todas naciones. (We also have to make a confession, the novel is in crisis today in all nations.)

Es casi imposible encontrar un camino virgen de huellas. (It is almost impossible to find virgin tracks.)

La originalidad novelesca va siendo cada vez mas ilusoria. (The original novel is becoming increasingly illusory.)

Then I realize, I should find other write ups to translate in Spanish.

I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself. (No me importa tanto lo que soy a los demas como lo que soy para mi mismo.)  I bet I need to consult someone from Spain to check the construction of this one.

Creyo que sa vida anterior habia sido un ensueno. (He believed that his previous life had been a dream.)

I admit with this last sentence, I barely had a clue what each word means.

That’s all for now.

Why I love Sheldon Cooper

Credits:thatshoweseesit.wordpress.com

Let me be crisp and laconic at my description here. I’d simply list 10 things I love about Sheldon:

1. His bluntness/mockery spares no one.

2. His platonism is unbelievably real.

3. His monologues are fun to listen to.

4. Habits and routines are supposed to be boring, but he makes them appear so funny.

5. His eidetic memory didn’t make him a great liar.

6. He has a formidable self-confidence.

7. He calculates about everything.

8. He brushes aside anyone who’s interrupting his point/story.

9. He never finds himself having nothing to do.

10. He’s incidentally sweet and he’s clueless about it.

That’s about it, folks. Why do you “heart” Sheldon?

Adios, Issaiatic

A haven I founded when in search of a listener,

I shared what I thought to the world of unknown ears,

You came, you stayed, you left, you bumped here again…

I’m not leaving the web yet, just carving a new niche.

I’d be glad if you’d pass by I AM ISSA.

Adieu.

Engkanto

Slumbering like a baby in a tiny room, I awoke as my aunt shook my left shoulder. I didn’t hear myself scream, but the neighboring rooms might have panicked, and laughed as I shouted too loud. Perhaps they were wondrin’..what happened to me.

It was a quick, all mixed-up dream, but I was able to find links. My eldest sister bore a super tiny baby whom oddly unnoticed by my family members. I told her there must be something wrong with the baby because it looked too small. I tried counting how many months old the baby was- six months and still the size of a hand. There. The next scene was a struggle to the forest – perhaps I was looking for a cure to the baby’s condition.

A few scenes I barely remember and I stopped in a sink near the exit of the forest. There were even lovers plotting meeting nearby, who happen not to see me at all. Perspective’s back to the baby – it turned into a doll..and I wonder why I didn’t mind the transformation – I didn’t even give out a sigh. A stocky, brown-skinned woman with a wavy hair spoke as she looked intently,’Yari ka’.

I asked, just in my mind, ‘what? why?’ Yet loudly said, ‘What did I do?’

‘Pag hakbang mo nang tatlo at may makakasalubong kang lalaki, batiin mo. Pag babae, wag mong pansinin,’ she warned.

Unsettled, still puzzled, I was unable to do as I was instructed. Weird, ’cause I stepped more than three and I passed by some men who don’t seem to see me. All of a sudden, I came across with a girl, about my age, wearing all white long sleeves and pants, face I don’t remember ’cause I didn’t recognize. I must have uttered, “Thank you.”

I thought she didn’t notice nor hear me, but what a shock! She whispered to my right ear from the back! I believe that’s where I screamed. Good thing, my aunt was sleeping beside.

That was supposed to be a second nap for the day, which turned into a quite deep sleep. As I said, I rarely dream, and when I do I knew it meant something or it was caused by something. Of course, I knew why or do really I?

Sand Storm

Hindi ko sigurado kung dapat magkasama o magkahiwalay ang sand at storm, ang alam ko lang maalikabok.hehe.. Sa kasalukuyan ay nakakaranas na ako ng manaka-nakang panggugulo ng mga buhanging basta na lang hahampas sa balat at buhok ko. Di naman nakakasuya. Nakakahiya lang ang kalalabasan ng hitsura matapos maligo sa mainit-init pa man ding sand.

Well. Halos ilang buwan na rin naman ako rito. Mag-aapat pagdating ng ikapito ng Mayo. Ngunit bahagya pa lang nakapagsimula ng trabaho. Trabaho. Ang lugar na ito ay mainam lamang talaga para sa paghahanap-buhay hindi permanenteng pamumuhay. Sa tingin ko, kahit gaano katagal mamalagi ng Pinoy o Pinay sa lugar na ‘to, iisa ang itinitibok ng puso nila, ang makabalik sa bayang sinisinta.

Bakit nga ba maraming Pilipino ang di maiwaksi ang kanilang pinagmulang bayan? Hindi na dapat ‘to itanong ngunit para may panimula bago ang litanya, binanggit ko na rin. Walang walis tambo sa Dubai.hehe. Walang fish net na brush sa labahan. Wala pa akong nakita na tablang gawa sa kahoy. Walang hilaw at malutong na mangga. Bihira ang makakasalubong mong bagong ligo. Kakaunti ang puno. Hindi dalisay at malinaw ang tubig na pampaligo. Maraming kinalakhang bagay ang di mo matatagpuan.

Ang mga nagugustuhan ko? Maraming ibon sa kalye ‘pag umaga. Maganda ang landscape ng mga halaman sa kalsada. Nagtataasan ang mga gusali. Maraming sasakyang pandagat na abot-tanaw (parang naaalala ko ang pangarap kong maging pirata). Makulay ang mga taong nakakasalamuha (physically, linguistically, culturally,etc.-ly).

Sa huli, hanap ko pa rin makadaan sa bahay ng tinuturuan ko. Masarap kasi ang pakiramdam na kasali ka sa isang pamilya, may kasalo at kausap habang naghahapunan. Sa palagay ko, tahanang mauuwian pa rin ang palaging hahanap-hanapin ng puso ko. Nawa’y ipagkaloob ang aking munting kahilingan.

Saved by the Ash

While tons of stranded Britons must be cursing Eyjafjallajoekull Volcano’s eruption, I was saved by it from reprimands due to late action. Though the volcano erupted last week, April 14, to be exact, the ash left airspace unfit for travel.

And how did it save me? I was supposed to book a German doctor’s flight from Berlin to Abu Dhabi, yet his preference was unavailable so I put him on waiting list. There. Until April 19, the booking was not confirmed so I almost panicked to death (yeah, I sometimes worry this much). So I spoke to the Travel Agent supervisor to give me other travel options, which happened to be just one. Emirates Air from Rome. The only open flight from Europe to UAE. Since the Doctor-Speaker is traveling from Berlin, he has to take the train before he could fly to UAE. Crap.

My boss wants him to fly through LH because the connected flights are more convenient for him since he’s coming from Berlin yet what is available now is the flight from Rome,only.OUCH.

Anyway, the ash was the best excuse. And it makes me thank this disaster for saving me from my dilemma. Yet, how many suffered? That had me thinking.. instead of celebrating, I should have been mourning in silence. God, claim their souls.

CTRL Z

Though I have been striving to be accurate, I have failed many times,

Despite the effort to be correct, I end up making mistakes,

Efficient it is to think clearly and critically,

Than always depend on Ctrl Z.

Bite This Cookie!

Offered at AED 650 (7,906.89 Php), I was at first hesitant to buy it.. ’til I grew hungry. I grabbed a bite of LG’s cookie phone released sometime in December, 2008.

For three years, I’ve enjoyed my white chocolate (LG) phone and I kinda miss the simple and speedy scroll so when Ate Alma showed me this, I just found myself touching it and never letting go.

A treat on my first salary, I bet there’s nothing wrong with that.haha.. I was supposed to buy a digicam or treat myself to a Moroccan bath but who could refuse a cookie? Hence, I munched, and munched and I still want more of it. I hardly send SMS, so it’s good. I do get bored often while walking so it’s a great way to space out.

Hermit me.hahaha.. But I am going to enjoy this purchase- I’m pretty sure of that.

Wanna have some cookies? Go,bite!

The Day I Fell In Love with Juju

“Did you catch any fish?,” a little yet persuasive voice had me looked back and… down. Those big, green, questioning eyes with thick, curly lashes made me pause completely. I had to control myself from gushing..what a cute tiny lady!

Then she spoke again, “Could you take these?” She meant the two air-filled swimming gears wrapping her small arms. Gladly, I came to her and took those tight stuff from her arms.

“Were you swimming alone?” I queried.

“I’m with my dad and Ale (his brother),” she replied, pointing her finger to a thin, blond  boy swimming close by and a tall, smiling guy from a distance..

We sat on the sand. Then her brother walked towards us.

“You’re Ali,right?”, I asked. “Yes, I’m Ale with an “e.”

“His name is Alexander”,said Carmen.

“And she’s Juju,” teased Ale. I saw Carmen’s forehead wrinkled, looking confused more than annoyed. Then he went on, “Her name is Carmen Juliet but we call her Juju.”

While sharing bits of stories that brought us to Mamzar Beach that fateful day, Juju munched all the chips so she ran to her dad and took two small plastics of Doritos, then Ate Alma came to give us some drinks. I gave her water, which didn’t seem to satisfy her, so I shared my Mirinda.

When I felt the sun burning my back, I opted for a quick plunge leaving Juju with Ate Alma. Juju asked me to catch some fish for her. I knew it’s absurd to try to get some fish without tools but I couldn’t break her heart by saying so. She’s too hopeful, it’s tough to be honest.

Perhaps tired of talking and just looking, she came near the shore and shouted at me. “Come, come!”

I followed her while quietly cursing the hot sandy surface, she stopped at the hammock. How observant. I hardly saw that spot. She asked me to sway the handle. And I did so.

“Reach the sky!,” shouted I.

“What is “reach”?,” asked Juju. Her dad is French while her mom is Mexican, so English is just her second language.

“To catch something high with your hand,” I was glad her face brightened at that.

Signaling a halt, I ceased the swaying. She went down, and tapped the hammock’s seat with her right hand,  apparently saying it’s my turn. I laughed at the thought but I struggled not to show it. I helped her swing the hammock. I heard the sweet whisper of the wind while my eyes were closed. And when I opened them, Juju was asking again, “do you want sandwich?”

She’s got a dragon in her tiny belly. Yet her feet are jelly. She could hardly walk on the coal-like sand.

I gave her a piggyback ride to the shore.

And the day went on as if it’s not going to end. Though it did.

I don’t normally like young girls yet Juju is not the normal girl you can ignore. She’s my small fish always wanting to be chased. She never plans anything yet she’s getting what she needs. She doesn’t care if her curls are all over her face. Or if the sand entered her nostrils. By the way, she loves surprising me with beach stones that looked ugly, yet her persistence would convince me to keep them. I did fall in love with Juju, did I not?

YKK…