What people must know about her

Once and for all, I will tell you the reasons why despite my being a rock, blues, and jazz music lover I still remain as one of Kyla’s avid fans. Many of my friends (who rarely watch GMA shows) wonder why I am head over heels in love with Kyla’s music. Some of them would even give me a contemptuous look as they ask me “why not Regine, Sarah, Nina, or Charice?” Ugh!!!! Well, besides her being cute, sweet, and professional, in terms of musicality, she’s way better than her contemporaries (the screaming biriteras).

****

(thanks to prettypayaterz)

No, not that she cooks. This is just to give you an idea on how she possessed such melismatic voice, which is very rare in the Philippines. This would somehow explain why her high-class original songs don’t appeal to the masa. And take note, she writes her songs too (extra points), and her penned songs have been nominated as best RnB song/ballad in Awit Awards and Katha Awards.

(thanks to niccholson01; watch until the last song for a sample of her scatting).

I was amazed when I knew she’s also a fan of THE Ella Fitzgerald. Those who were able to witness her sing that 7-minute scatting on Janno Gibbs’ concert have become her loyal fans, and like them, I’m still looking forward to watching her sing again standard jazz songs. As a matter of fact, her latest album shows an obvious transition to jazz. The songs are just too jazzy perhaps for the common masa to appreciate, and it’s okay (its not their fault anyway).  As long as the quality isn’t compromised, it’s fine with me even if she revives song (she herself is a victim of this “revival syndrome”).  There are still a lot of things to watch out for about Kyla, and I couldn’t care less about people who do not like her simply because, so far, I still trust my taste in music.

After 48 years…

HAMBACK!!!!!!!!!!! after 48 years!!! Sorry for being gone for a long time. Just like what my previous post says, it has been a big STRUGGLE! I’ve never been as busy as this. Busy doing many things and working for different groups and organizations, and in the end find myself totally broke. Cool… But then, I know all my efforts won’t go to waste. I’m staying hopeful (what’s the use of being named Earnest Hope?).

Finally, I found time (and reason) to go blogging again. I dropped by to share with you this slideshow I uploaded to youtube. Some of you might have watched it already, but for those who continue to visit my blog though it has been abandoned for a long time, this is my gift to you.

Here’s my own composition, Kneel and Pray. Drop a comment on youtube if you like.

Make a song in 1 hour

My favorite activity during the IPR of the Silliman Peace Advocates 2 weekends ago was our song and poetry night. We were asked to write a poem and make a song in just one hour, then we had a presentation after. We had to pick a topic, and we got the most difficult one… I think. The topic was “STRUGGLE”. It was really a challenge, and it was super fun during the presentation. Anyway, here’s the lyrics of our song. My groupmates were Hannah Kadile and Kristine Cada.

 

 

STRUGGLE

 

Hininga’y hinahabol

Sikmura’y kumakalam

Pawis ay dumadaloy

Kalian matatapos itong struggle!

 

Sigaw ng panggagahasa

Awit ng pagdurusa

Luha ng pag-aalala

Struggle mo at struggle niya – struggle!

May pag-asa pa ba?

 

-Chorus-

 

Sa mga taong nagdaan – struggle!

Hanggang sa kasalukuyan – struggle!

Bukas ay ganun pa rin ba? Struggle!

Kaluluwa’y napapagod na

 

Patutunguha’y tila kay layo

Katawan ay sumusuko

Nitong struggle ba tayo’y magkasama

 

Sana ay di nag-iisa – struggle!

 

Kayraming bagay sa mundo na di maintindihan

Ngunit ang tanging alam, naghihikahos itong bayan – struggle!

Sana it’y pinapansin ng karamihan

 

-Bridge-

 

baka nabubulag na sa huwad na kalayaan

O di kaya’y nalulunod na lang sa kasakiman

Horoscope again

Friendster Horoscope again! It’s really weird that it seems to know my daily struggles. hehehe!

There are absolutely no obstacles standing in your way right now, yet you think you are restricted — why? Whatever your excuse is, it’s still an excuse, and it’s got to be ignored. Stop focusing so much on what you don’t have (money, time, patience, support, etc.) and start focusing on what you do have — massive amounts of talent, creativity, and passion. You can make it work if you just apply yourself. Believe in yourself — after all, everyone else certainly does.

Okay. This time, I’ll do what it says. hehehehe!

All Apologies

One night I was so depressed I went to my room and tried to sleep, but I was so bothered that I thought I needed a little help from my friends. So what I did, I sent a text message to my friends asking for just 1 word (as in one word only). They were all wondering why, but they did not bother asking me that night (just the next day hehehe!). They just answered my text message. One answered “effect”, one answered “ghosts”, one replied “word”, and a very close friend answered “sorry”, which really bothered me more! I didn’t ask for an explanation since that would break the rules of my game. Now, in order to get a little hint of what she meant, I made another game. I sent another message to all my friends saying, “give me 1 word that comes into your mind when you hear the word ’sorry’”. I had all the answers listed! FUN!!!!!!!

Here are their answers. I’m putting five asterisks next to the answers that had so much impact on me.

SORRY = ?

• flowers           – Biema (ah… the romantic Biema)
• weakness       – Christine PK (hmmm… keeping that “strong” image?)
• cliche             – Jerry (maybe he’s getting a lot of it)
• apologetic      – Ta Mark (is that you ta mark? hehe)
• sorry              – Pogs (of course Pogs, of course)
• ooops!            – Natalie (what a reaction)
• sheyts!           – Tam2x (what a reaction again!)
• mistake*****  – SECRET (hmmm. It’s the person who answered sorry in the first game)
• pain*****        – Tracy T. (true!!!!)
• plastic*****    – Claudio S. (very “claudio”? haha! peace bayot!)
• nganuman?     – Cheenee (that’s supposed to be 2 words!!! Ngano man – why. Following the rules ha!)
• tralala             – Hannah (annoying of an answer! hahaha!)
• sadness*****   – Jeni (di ko ka explain)
• lu-oy (pitiful?) – Jude (ambot ni jude)
• agony*****       – Michal (saying sorry could set you free)
• guilty*****        – Jay-ar C. (haha! not all the time though)
• Why?                 – Mommy Mel (English translation of Cheenee’s answer! hehe)
• Really?              – January (skeptical??? hehehe)
• Chances*****    – My brother Kim (WOW!!!!!!!! true true true!!!!)
• Forgiveness      – from 5 persons: Johan, Gilron, Calvin, Edsel, and Lynnie

FUN RIGHT????!!!!!

SURPRISE SURPRISE!!!!!!

Alright!!!! And now… the surprise. Duh! Many of you have already seen me after I arrived from Bacolod, so it’s not a big surpirse anymore. But for those who waited for it here in my blog, well, I woke up one morning and felt like I need a little (or big) transformation.

From this…

 

 

 

 

 

TO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

how about that?!?!?!?!?!

An interesting mix

Here’s another proof that an RnB artist and a classical singer can actually have an outstanding duet. Well, yes. It’s Kyla again. hehehehe! Her duet with tenor Ervin Lumauag (who happens to hail from Bacolod city, just where I am right now) which was the finale of GMA’s anniversary special (Experience GMA) was superb and very inspiring. The title of the song is “Because we believe” by Andrea Bocelli and Carola.

Another meme

Time: 08:39

Location: Bago City

Companion: My shadow

 

 Got tagged by Neil Ross

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? nope…
   
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Three days ago? While watching “Across the Universe”, that part where a boy is singing “Let It Be” in the middle of a war. LOL!!!!!
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Everybody hates it coz they can’t read it, but I find that an advantage so I’ll say YES…
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Fish meat???!!! Is that accepted?
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? buyag! di pa ko ka afford…
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? naman! of course! haha! 
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Ayay! A lot before…now… ambot
   
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, thank God! I already lost my esophagus, can’t afford to lose my tonsils.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I don’t think so. I don’t like that kind of adventure.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? none
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No… I’m always in a hurry. 
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physical strength or emotional? physically– haha! obviously not… emotionally– i think so…
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Mango/cookies and cream…
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? their aura… hahahahahahah!
    
15. RED OR PINK? red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? the visibility of my ribs?
    
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my father…
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? – back? never mind
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? blue jeans, white shoes
    
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? McDo fries!!!!!
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? silence………..
    
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? brown (boring?)
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? sauteed garlic
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? employer
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Actually no. hahaha! Jokeness duy!
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Boxing, particularly the fights of Manny Pacquiao
    
27. HAIR COLOR? black
28. EYE COLOR? black/brown (I’m not sure, never stared at my own eyes)
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? nope…
30. FAVORITE FOOD? FISH FISH FISH
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Movies with Scary Endings. LOL
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Jan Dara (hahahah! Sa makasabot lang) 
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? blue
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES? HUGZ
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? A lot!!!! hmmm… hmmmm… fine, cheesecakes
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? dunno…
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? dunno…
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Wala…
    
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Oh… just noticed this internet cafe got no mouse pads
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Take Five – TV 5… shake mo TV mo!!! hehehe 
42. FAVORITE SOUND? My voice… but-anay diay?!
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles (As I’ve said, I recently watched Across the Universe)
44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Germany
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? singing really low notes? Is that a talent?
    
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Oroquieta city
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Aiken, Easter, and Jello

Woke up and felt like doing it

Oooops… relax green minds! Hehehe! This is just about a surprise. Yes, I have a surprise for all of you, but I will reveal it when I am back from Bacolod. I will be there for 6 days and will be using my new TM number… Oh… Is that another surprise? That I am using TM now? That finally I listened to all of you globe subscribers? Well, it’s a work requirement. Haha!

Anyway, so pano? Ingat! Just wait until my next blog entry… will post a photo! Hahah! That’s a hint. For those who know the secret, just be silent. Don’t spoil the show.  yippeeeeee!!!!

Transformation

I’m back!!! I was in San Isidro, Bais last Monday and Tuesday for a community exposure with six members of the Silliman Peace Advocates (SPA). I was there as one of their guides. The experience wasn’t new to me as I’ve been exposed to communities of fisherfolks back in Mindanao. My grandma and my mom were known lab-aseras (fisherwomen/fish vendors). As a matter of fact, they taught me how to collect seashells and catch fish when I was still 7 years old.

I can’t also forget those days when my parents used to bring me to this family of Muslim fisherfolks. They were very nice, and I still can remember those times when they bring me to the middle of the sea to observe how they catch big fish. Then, when I’m back to the shore, I play with their children, swim, eat, and laugh with them. As we reach home, my parents would then ask me and my brother to sell the fish to our neighbours. That then makes me want to claim that for once in my life, I was a lab-asero too. Hehe!

That was fun and memorable. I was a child then. I was just after the fun and excitement. But now that I’ve grown up, I begin to see the sad reality that to be a fisherfolk is not totally enjoyable. Especially in the case of these people from San Isidro who work both as fisherfolks and as sugarcane farm workers. They don’t own their lands too. We saw their difficulties in life. In fact, this exposure brought a big impact to the lives of the SPA members who lived in the community just for a day and a half. It gave them a lesson in life that they will never learn in the four corners of their classrooms. One of them even made a poem about his experience, comparing his life to that of his foster parent. Indeed, it was a life-changing experience for them. Here’s the poem of Gus Ganir, SPA’s cultural committee head.

 

“The Preaching of Seashells”

I

 

On that day,

when I toiled,

I died.

 

My soul

fell away like petals in mud

and my memories,

smooth like sea shells

or rough like barnacles

that my hands had gathered

so distrustfully

in vain, dripped away

into the vast stillness of the sea.

 

In vain,

because when I got out of the mud in the night,

I looked at what I have gathered

in my hands

to see the sea’s gifts.

And I did not know

whether to cry out in joy or in despair

when I saw not seashells

but the petals of my soul

and the trickling of my memories.

 

Did I live a death?

Or did I die a living?

 

 

II

 

Half-century fisherman, by now,

the crescent of death

should be

glinting in your eyes,

delaying your gait,

peeling the soles of your feet.

 

But,

breaking the words of nature, unjustly,

your cord with the sea

never did sever – her milk was ready

for you.

Seashells.

 

So, in gracious silence

I,

a child of many places – cordless,

gazed jealously

at the youth of your fifty years – rich of life

with a question:

“Where is my mother?”

 

And I knew then

That to ask is to begin

living.

 

(In gratitude of Tatay Karping and the fisher-folk of Bais – San Isidro. By Gilbert Augustin Ganir)

 

 Among kuha!

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our way to the shores

 Kim and valerie

  

Stef got the first shell! Amazing!

Blanche: “how? oh how?!”

hala naay gold!

Khalil with his Kuya Andres

 

Ate stef and baby blanche with the kids

on our way to Tangculogan elementary school, Gus gauna!

Gus pa cute sa lantay

Kate helping the women with their livelihood project                                                                         

It’s me and Kuya louie! Da pogi!!