R.I.P. Ramon Zamora

Ramon Zamora, veteran action star, the Bruce Lee of the Philippines, whose name is synonymous to Philippine kung fu, died last night of a heart attack.

Most other celebrities would not warrant this treatment from me, but Mr. Zamora saved my life once. This is not a joke.

When I was three months old (many, many moons ago), I contracted salmonella, and was hospitalized for a month, complete with dextrose tubes going into my head since none of my other veins could be tapped. As part of my treatment, I needed a certain type of imported milk called EL-110.

Unfortunately, at the time, EL-110 supply was running short in the Philippines. My parents and their many relatives and friends called all retailers in Metro Manila as well as the provinces, but there was no EL-110 to be had. One retailer said that his last box had just been bought by the action star, Ramon Zamora, for his own child.

My father steeled his nerve and went to the Zamora residence, and asked if he could have even just one can of milk. Good man that he was, Mr. Zamora allowed my father to purchase four of the precious cans from him, which was enough to tide me over until the next batch of imports came through (and then there was an oversupply due to our created demand).

For years, we have been ever grateful for this deed. I'm sure that this was just one of the helpful things that he has done for others. I'm sure he's received the warmest of welcomes in heaven.

i'm sensitive

(Jewel)

I have this theory that if we're told we're bad
Then that's the only idea we'll ever have
But maybe if we are surrounded in beauty
Someday we will become what we see
'Cause anyone can start a conflict
it's harder yet to disregard it
I'd rather see the world from another angle
We are everyday angels
Be careful with me 'cause I'd like to stay that way

maayo man lawas nila, macho man...

Funniest. Dub. Ever. I can imagine one of my cousins speaking Benj's part, ka-boses ni Manong Ramil. Hahahaha!

a shiver in my bones just thinking...

about the weather...

Like the Weather
10,000 Maniacs / In My Tribe
Words/Music by Natalie Merchant

The color of the sky as far as I can see is coal grey.
Lift my head from the pillow and then fall again.
With a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather.
A quiver in my lips as if I might cry.

Well by the force of will my lungs are filled and so I breathe.
Lately it seems this big bed is where I never leave.
Shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather.
Quiver in my voice as I cry,

"What a cold and rainy day. Where on earth is the sun hid away."

I hear the sound of a noon bell chime.
Now I'm far behind.
You've put in 'bout half a day
while here I lie
with a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather.
A quiver in my lip as if I might cry,

"What a cold and rainy day. Where on earth is the sun hid away?"

Do I need someone here to scold me
or do I need someone who'll grab and pull me out of this four poster dull torpor pulling downward.
For it is such a long time since my better days.
I say my prayers nightly this will pass away.

The color of the sky is grey as I can see through the blinds.
Lift my head from the pillow and then fall again
with a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather.
A quiver in my voice as I cry,

"What a cold and rainy day. Where on earth is the sun hid away?"
I shiver, quiver, and try to wake.

our family name and the cane toad

Was listening to Kim Atienza on Umagang Kay Ganda yesterday morning. Apparently, the cane toad is known in the vernacular as palakang (insert-our-family-name), having been brought over by our rich hacienda-owning relatives to curb pests in the sugarcane fields. Well and good, if it weren't extremely poisonous! Gahh. Our family name is associated with an extremely poisonous (and rather fugly) toad.


Last Song Syndrome : Umagang Kay Ganda

shelf matters

Since I'm down with the flu (been quite sickly lately, not enough vitamins?), I fixed the shelf in my room. This is my "current" stack, while the rest of the books are in the library/guest room/mahjongg room:

The Time Travelers' Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - Rea just returned it before she left for Dubai so I'm seriously considering re-reading the Detamble tale

The Faery Reel (Tales from the Twilight Realm) ed. Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling

The Green Man (Tales from the Mythic Forest) ed. Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Roget's Thesaurus - hee! I tell it as it is

Knight Fantastic ed. Martin H. Greenberg & John Helfers

Pharaoh Fantastic ed. Martin H. Greenberg & Brittiany A. Koren

Secrets of the Ancient Goddess by Brenda Gates Smith

Departures by Harry Turtledove - "Persia has conquered Greece" hooked me in. Besides I got it at 80% off at a Goodwill clearance sale.

Dragons of Time Dragonlance Anthology

Hmmm, more than half are anthologies of short stories... much has to be said about my lack of focus on things right now. But then, I finished the Deathly Hallows in eight hours straight. Jonathan Strange, you're next.


Ambient Noise : Skeleton Key on HBO

rain, rain on my face

Nice, nice weather.

Overcast but not rainy, and more importantly, cool and breezy. I just realized that I hadn't turned on my fan yet.

Oh well. We did pray for rain. Err. And were we then supposed to pray for it to stop? Hee.

As befits the season:

Downpour on my soul
Splashing in the ocean, I'm losing control
Dark sky all around
I can't feel my feet touching the ground

But if I can't swim after forty days
and my mind is crushed by the thrashing waves
Lift me up so high that I cannot fall
Lift me up

uncle ben on fire drills

Someone once wisecracked that how come in elementary when you were tasked to line up during a fire, the line had to be by height, with the tall kids in the back--did the tall kids burn more slowly? [Insert canned laughter here.]

Maybe because I'm older--definitely not wiser--but I think we know the answer to that question now, right? It's because no one should be overlooked or left behind, and if the tall kids were in front, smaller kids could be overlooked in the confusion. I guess to be tall in elementary is like to wielding power in the real world. Uncle Ben Parker always comes to mind: "with great power comes great responsibility". In short, the big kids should look out for the little ones, give way so that those who aren't as gifted as they are would be safe first. It isn't really the way things are, but isn't that the way it's supposed to be?

Ah, idealistic me. That's why I get so sad and disappointed sometimes.


Last Song Syndrome : Spice Up Your Life - sorry, just saw a feature on the Spice Girls' reunion tour

rain on me

I got hooked on The Dawn early. Beyond the Bend days, thanks to JC, who wasn't just my Natural Science teacher but also my rock music guru. Some of my favorite songs of all time, but most of them were not commercial successes unlike the San Miguel anthems Salamat or Iisang Bangka Tayo. Some of the songs that I still sing in my head to this day that I cannot find anywhere else are Rain On Me and Hey Isabel, aside from the more popular Beyond the Bend and Little Paradise.

I always thought that I had a copy of Beyond the Bend in CD format (because I do know I had a tape copy, along with the Menudo tapes, hee), but a quick check of my "assets" yields no black and gray Beyond the Bend. I fairly recall having a copy of this, but (a) I could have been dreaming and confused it with the OPM Timeless Collection of The Dawn; or (b) I could have lost it during the move. I'm leaning more towards (a), so if you would know where I can get a copy of this album, please please PLEASE let me know.

-oOo-

Gahd, was I really just dreaming about owning this CD?

red-orange

Errr... I seem to really like drinks in the same color family.


Last Song Syndrome : Prince Ali, fabulous he... (was looking for Aladdin backgrounds for Ali's scrap page)