Bamboo

When the headlines stink (which happens… umm, everyday) and another friend leaves this archipelago (now this one happens every month or two, no kidding), Bamboo gives me hope.

Fields of Gold

You’ll remember me when the west wind moves among the fields of barley. You can tell the sun in his jealous sky as we walked in fields of gold

Sting’s Fields of Gold. Perfect poetry.

My name is Luka

It is 2:22 in the morning. My eyes are tired but my mind is awake, my fingers madly scrambling to take notes from the reviewer. I want to lay down but when I am reminded of my review ‘plan of action’, my mind goes, “Read, read, read… Type, type, type”.

The song “Luka” is playing on my MP3 player and suddenly I drift back to 21 years ago. I am almost the same position, on my study table (minus the laptop, of course). The window is on my right side and I can see the boys’s dorm. There, right across the canteen. I can still see the brightly-lit, double-row of windows. Can’t believe it’s been that long ago.

Music and Daddy

Last night, my balikbayan uncle treated us to dinner at Mesa (at Greenbelt). Us included me, hubby, sis and bro-in-law, and three aunts.

After dinner, we proceeded to Merk’s for some drinks and entertainment. The band ‘Acoustic Jive’ was there with Lani Misalucha’s sister (allegedly) as female vocalist. A guy who looked like the actor who played trainor of Russell Crowe in Cinderella Man was lead male vocal and acoustic guitarist. He had a great voice, and he charmed us with his jokes and smiles.

The rest of the band consisted of middle-aged men (middle-aged?) who seemed like they were unattached to the audience but played really well. They looked like aging fathers who left their wives and grown-up kids at home simply because they loved playing music. The one on the flute was very good but a little weird and expressed no emotion at all. The lead guitarist was great (!) and looked geeky (which in my opinion, impressed me even more; I love geeks!).

They played songs that sis and I were familiar with. We didn’t know we knew many of the songs but we have heard them several times in our childhood because of Daddy. We liked them. They reminded me so much of Daddy. Though I enjoyed the music, I really, really, really missed him dearly. When they sang ‘What a Wonderful World’ by Louie Armstrong upon our request, I wept quietly. Of course, it did not help that I’ve had two bottles of light beer then (my first in more than 8 years).

The band was generous enough to play all of our requests: ‘Beyond the Sea’ by George Benson which was a song I loved and knew only from ‘Finding Nemo’ (it played as the credits rolled in the end). We also requested ‘Our Love’ by Michael MacDonald. And ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ which the girl sang. I would have loved it if the guy had sung it (Sting version). By the way, the requests were Tita A's idea; great taste in music!

They also played a song that I heard for the first time but immediately fell in love with: ‘The Man Who Can’t Be Moved’. I need to find it! Plus, they did a couple of The Police songs like ‘Roxanne’ and ‘De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da’. Loved it.

Yesterday also marked what could have been Daddy and Mommy’s 36th wedding anniversary.

How I wish Dad were still with us to enjoy it. And Mommy as well, ‘cause when Daddy is happy, Mommy is happy. And when they are happy, sister and I are happy.