Sunday Story and Photograph: Me and Ed Sheeran on Mother's Day

I don't have Ed Sheeran in my saved Spotify playlist.

Not because I don't like the guy or his music but, because I don't feel the need to add him on my personal saved playlist because you can literally hear his music EVERYWHERE! At work, in classy or cheap shops, taxis or any kind of commute or to whatever place that music can be played Ed is there. Almost all singers both famous, wannabes and you-tubers are doing covers of his music to the point of making his Perfect song IMperfect (sigh*).

Anyway it's perfectly understandable.  Who wouldn't love Ed Sheeran?  Apart from him being a genius song writer and possessing an awesome voice that gets to your heart's core, the guy is also (freaking) adorable with his "all-time-casual-attitude, cutie smiles, ginger head plus looking like Ron Weasley.

Personally, I love Ed Sheeran's music because most of them is written from the (his) heart meaning, they are all so so true.  They seem to be always written as a story that anyone who listens will know WHAT happened and HOW to feel.

So what the adorable Ed has to do with (my) Mother's Day?

If you had been following this blog you will know that there are several things that pulls me (back) to writing/blogging.  Sometimes its the "rain", "a song lyric" and always is "my being a sucker for sad things".  And hard as I try not to but... Mother's Day really makes me feel sad.  In spite of my age and me being a happy mother I can't help but, this day always drives me back to my fourteen year old self - the year when I lost my mother.

So here I go again finding myself  reunited with my old lappy browsing old photographs while listening to whatever music Spotify play in my headset-piped-ears with the strong urge to write without any specific topic in mind.  All I know is that huge piece of sadness again is back hanging in my chest.

And for some twist of fate Ed Sheeran suddenly played.  The melody is familiar but the lyrics... I think this is the only time I really listened to it... and I cried... once again I cried on Mother's Day... and I write...

SUPERMARKET FLOWERS

I took the supermarket flowers from the windowsill 

I threw the day old tea from the cup

Packed up the photo album Matthew had made

Memories of a life that's been love

Took the get well soon cards and stuffed animals

Poured the old ginger beer down the sink

Dad always told me. "don't you cry when you're down"

But mum, there's a tear every time that I blink.

Oh I'm in pieces, it's tearing me up, but I know 

A heart that's broke is a heart that's been loved.

So I'll sing Hallelujah

You were an angel in the shape of my mum

When I fell down you'd be there holding me up 

Spread your wings as you go 

And when God takes you back we'll say Hallelujah 

You're home

I fluffed the pillows, made the beds. stacked the chairs up

Folded your nightgowns neatly in a case 

John says he'd drive then put his hand on my cheek

And wiped a tear from the side of my face

I hope that I see the world as you did cause I know

A life with love is a life that's been lived 

So I'll sing Hallelujah

You were an angel in the shape of my mum

When I fell down you'd be there holding me up 

Spread your wings as you go 

And when God takes you back we'll say Hallelujah 

You're home.

The story behind the song 

"Ed Sheeran's grandmother was very ill during the time he was making the record and she passed away at the end of him making the record.  He wrote the song as a tribute to her grandmother.  He wasn't initially going to include the song on his album "Divide" but during his grandmother's funeral his grandfather encouraged him to." (CTTO/Source: Web)

As for my story...

I Held You Till Your Last Breath
When You Lose A Mother The Mourning Never Stops

Sunday Poem and Photograph: She Who Loves The Beach

It’s the second week of the new year and the official summer time in tropical Philippines is still two months short and yet all I’m thinking about is the beach.

While people were stressing themselves with the holiday rush and parties, I was busy hopping from one beach to another.  I know this sounded weird but as I’ve said on my new year's post, I’m having flighty feet lately and my body has been shouting to spend time with nature specifically to the beach.  But, family and work obligations got in the way during the summer so when I got the chance to take a vacation I grabbed all the opportunities!  The hell I care about the cold December breeze I went beach and island hopping! I even ignore a gorgeous year-end party at the Palace Pool Club and declined other holiday-related invitations.

Out of itchiness and longing, I even spent time (and money) to an urban man-made beach in the city.  However, it just worsen the longing rather than it served as a temporary remedy.  The longing stays… and persists.

Why?

Well I feel that life is incomplete if you didn’t allow your being to have enough commune time with the beach.  For me it’s a catharsis…

No words can express

Her depth of contentment

As she walks along the beach,

As the waves laps against the shores.

They create the rhythm of her life

Balmy breezes kiss,

Her sun-bronze skin,

and she wonders...

Could there ever be a greater destiny

Than to be born with a love

For the treasures of the sea?

“She who loves the beach”

Location: Sabang Surfing Beach, Baler
CTTO: Poem

Happy New Year! 2017 Is In!

Happy New Year!

I’m typing this while still figuring out what photograph I should be using for this post as I really don’t have an idea to where this post is going. I just really wanna say HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!
(redundant I know… sigh).

So maybe to add some sense(less) words to this post, I will just randomly mention what happened/changed or whatever with me in 2016. Personally, nothing significant really except that I gained weight (which actually is continuous.. another sigh). Hmmmn.. what else…

• I’m back being workaholic (my family says)
  
• I write less but read more - different kind of stuff. My fingers though still has this constant itch to unite with the lappy to post even the most senseless story like this one.
• I’m having flighty feet lately and tried to give in to it as long as my schedule and budget permits.
• I don’t have major goals except to be happy and chill! and I think I’m succeeding (smiles)
  So I think my year is just good enough.

For this year, I guess I’m just gonna continue my goal – to be happy and to chill!  So what about you guys? Specially my blogger friends... I miss you all by the way! 

Sunday Quote and Photograph: Forgive Them Anyway–Mother Teresa

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you.
Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.”

***~***

The photograph subject was from a pamphlet given to us along with some rosaries by the missionary nuns when we visited Missionaries of Charity Home of Joy for the Sick Children in Tondo, Manila, Philippines.

I took the photos earlier today as I woke up inspired by the news that Mother Teresa of Calcutta will be canonized.   Then I posted this at around 6:00 PM on a Sunday, 4th of September 2016 while watching CNN's current news that the noble Mother Teresa has just been named a SAINT!

She’s now Saint Teresa but I still prefer to call her my Mother Teresa.

***~***

TRIVIA/FACTS:

Mother Teresa is known in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta since her canonization today 4th September 2016. She was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun and missionary born Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on August 26 1920 and died on September 5, 1997.  She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religeous congregation which run homes for people dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis. Source: Wikipedia

***~***

This post first appeared on my:

Instagram

Twitter

Sunday Thoughts and Photograph: The Mojos Are Back

It’s Sunday and raining heavily everywhere, my whole hypothalamus system is celebrating yey!
Sunday is usually my laziest day of the week.  When the family is not out during Sundays, this is when you will literally find my body littering and loitering in every corner of the house except in the corners where the wifi signal is weak ha ha.  This is the time when I’m ignoring the dusts, the sink, the laundry etc etc.  This is the time when my being OC is in immunity mode.

Though sometimes my being a mother interfers with my lazy Sunday when hubby and kids specifically request for a dish or menu that they missed from my cooking.  If not, then we are all dependent to food delivery or eat out on Sundays. You can also call this as my procrastination day or whatever term that is synonymous to being LAZY!  yes LAZY!

Sunday was also (used to be) my union day with my lappy and other gadgets that’s why in spite of my being busy with my regular job and motherhood, I still managed to create blog posts from time to time.  Reading online about miscellaneous topics was also my time to sneak in my blog hopping. 

Then suddenly… for some reason that I can’t really recall (until today) I stopped blogging, blog hopping and stop doing things related to blogging.  HIATUS! Even updating my social media accounts became lesser, to the point that my Instagram “The366DaysAttempt2016” was also affected.  Though I have daily photos to post, my interest became as tasteless as the sugar brand “Equal”.

Today… tonight… I found myself reading stories in Wattpad, I rested for a while to stay away from the lappy’s heat but before I left my swivel I grabbed one of the books piled on my home desk beside my lappy.  As usual It’s one of Jessica Zafra’s which later I realized I’m done halfway with the book but… unfinished.  Just like the rest of the books that I started some six months ago.

After the book break I remember I was googling something when I chanced upon a link that mentioned about my blog site.



I won’t detail how this made me feel “emo”.  But after reading the link I started typing away.

Finally I am materializing what I have planned with my “The366DaysAttempt2016”.  I picked a skeleton post from my Instagram and created a full blog post.

***

This post first appeared on my Instagram and Twitter.



The scene was captured at past 3AM on a Monday but this was a scene the whole day of Sunday, 14th of August 2016.

Books, Wattpad and Open Live Writer are all present on this Sunday – the whole day.   This means that I’m back to reading real books and online and OMG blogging! 

Hope the mojos would stay and not only an effect of my pluviophile heart and brain.

Today Is A Good Day To Write - Sharing My Pluviophile Playlist

7:55AM on A Monday, 8th of August 2016

If you happen to see a lady standing under the rain capturing the moment in still photo or video - that is probably me!

Up to you if you consider me insane. but hey don't you know this is the reason why I chose a waterproof mobile phone? So I can capture the rain anytime that I'll be caught at the moment.

Dunno why, but the rain is my cathartic to a lot of things, It makes me feel calm. Makes me think logical. Makes me break the hiatus on about anything. Motivates me to write (and I'm redundant on anything about the rain so forgive me).

Anyway, you might have noticed by now that this is not the first time I posted a rain video on my social media accounts. I think just the other night I also posted one. Though I didn’t like that one much because there was lightning and thunder. It's not calming nor cathartic. I like the rain but not the storm .

So just to make this one different, I'm going to share another idiosyncrasy of mine on being a pluviophile.  When it's raining I'm playing songs about rain... go ahead laugh!  But you might want to listen to my "Pluviophile List"

10. Rain by Creed
  9. Early Morning Rain by Peter Paul and Mary
  8. Crying In The Rain - Cover by A-Ha
  7. Rhythm Of The Rain By Cascades
  6. November Rain by Guns N' Roses
  5. Have You Ever Seen The Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
      (This is a 1970's song but I also like the 2006 Rod Stewart cover)
  4. Tag-ulan by After Image
  3. Ulan - (I love the original by Rivermaya but) Bamboo's version is gold
  2. Ulan by Cuesh

  1. Sa Tuwing Umuulan - Earser Heads Cover (Regine Velasquez cover when I'm feeling "emo")

I just listed ten songs but there's actually more.  What about you? Do you play songs about rain when it's raining? 

***

P.S. 

If anybody is searching among my list the song "Basang-Basa Sa Ulan" by Aegis - it's not in there but I play it when I'm trying to annoy a person who's on emo due to a heart problem .   I usually play this song when the person is least expecting it and it never fails to make everybody laugh ha ha.

*****

This post first appeared on my 

Instagram

Twitter

The Windmills On My Mind

I’m writing this around 5:00 AM on a Black Saturday, 26th of March

I’m still fascinated by the feeling I experienced when I get to come near and see with my own naked eye this fascinating creation – a WINDMILL!  

The Windmills Of My MInd - Kizoa Video Editor - Movie Maker

54 MW Pililla Windfarm - Sitio Bugarin, Pililla Rizal

The WINDMILL which actually is a product of human technology but I confess that I am soo soo fascinated with it.  So you must understand that I will be narrating my experience through this post with much feelings to the point of over reacting (forgive me)! 

Seeing a real windmill is actually in my secret bucket list that is why the wind farm in Ilocos Norte is in my travel list this year so I can see the Bangui Wind Farm.  While waiting for my hopeless schedule to free-up so I can sneak the Ilocos Norte travel plan, I came across a post by a fellow blogger about a wind farm in Pililla, Rizal. I was like – OMG! it’s technically within Manila!

So you can’t imagine my excitement when while we were driving through the mountainous and beautiful roads of Rizal during our annual Vicita Iglesia, I spotted a glimpse of the gigantic tall windmills towering among the mountains of Rizal!

I was screaming excitedly to my husband that we need to get off!  And when we reached the foot of the hill where the windmills are planted , I was over excited that I didn’t even feel the burning temperature of the vicinity. I ignored the burning heat, the dust and vehicles that were driving through and out of the hill. I completely forgot everything! I was just looking up astounded by the sight of the windmills.

CONFESSION:When I came very near the foot of the windmill, the sight overwhelmed me. I was drowned was engulfed by an unexplainable feeling while watching the blades gracefully but powerfully rotating in front of me. I became more fascinated by nature - unbelievably thinking how STRONG the wind that can make these gigantic blades to wheel.

While hubby was taking my photos with the windmills as back draft, I was actually checking my back from time to time  I was paranoid with the idea that the giant blades will slash my back. Crazy thoughts I know but it’s actually what I felt.

 

TRIVIA:
One of my most fave TV advertisement when I was young was the “Dutch Maid Milk” commercial.  I’m not sure if anyone out there can still relate to this (LOL).  The reason why I like this ad is because there were windmills on that advertisement (another LOL to myself).  When I’m mentally writing stories (yes I do that) with farm setting, there’s always a windmill in my mental illustration.  This is how much I’m fascinated with windmills back then and till now.

FACTS:
The "Pililla, Rizal" Wind Energy Service Contract granted to Alternergy Philippine Holdings Corporation (APHC) covers an area of 4,515 hectares.  This Wind Energy Service Contract (WESC) has two phases, Pililla Wind Power Project and the Mt. Sembrano Wind Power Project.  The project consists of 27 wind turbine generators grouped into three clusters with aggregate capacity of 67.5 megawatts (MW). The said project, after completion will interconnect to Meralco’s Malaya-Teresa 115 kilovolts (kV) transmission line located just 10 kilometers from the project site Source: Wikipedia

MORE FACTS:
The title of this post is inspired by the song titled "The Windmills of Your Mind" by the French composer Michel Legrand and English lyrics written by American Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman.  The song was introduced in the film "The Thomas Crown Affair" in 1968 and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in the same year.  Several great singers recorded this song but I love the version by Barbara Streisand and Jose Feliciano. Source: Wikipedia

The same song is the background music in the video on this post.

~***~

This post is part of my “The 366 Days Attempt 2016”  and first appeared on my:

Instagram 

Twitter

Facebook