Memorandum of Agreement Between You and Me

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

            This Memorandum of Agreement, made and entered into by and between:

            ME, referred to as FIRST PARTY, and

            YOU, herein referred to as SECOND PARTY.

WITNESSETH

            Whereas the FIRST PARTY is a man who is willing to support, encourage and make true the hopes and dreams of the woman he loves.  And whereas the SECOND PARTY is the identified beneficiary of this undertaking.

Whereof, for and in consideration of the foregoing premises, both parties hereby agree to the following:

1. That the FIRST PARTY will agree to stay by the SECOND PARTY's side, and let her know how beautiful she is despite a so-called "bad hair day".

2. That the FIRST PARTY will always let the SECOND PARTY have the last say---no matter what.

3. That the FIRST PARTY will always let the SECOND PARTY know if she has some spaghetti sauce on her cheek to prevent her from embarrassment. 

4. That the FIRST PARTY will make sure the SECOND PARTY gets to splurge on her favorite ice cream and cake when it's that time of the month---if she wants to. Well, SECOND PARTY can splurge on them anytime she wants, as long as she's prepared for the tummy-ache the next day (which FIRST PARTY will ultimately nurse and slightly nag about). 

5. That the FIRST PARTY will hold SECOND PARTY's hand, kiss her on the cheek and hug her tightly when she needs it. FIRST PARTY respects SECOND PARTY's space and will only openly show affection when SECOND PARTY asks for it. That does not mean, however, that FIRST PARTY is cold and insensitive. Both FIRST PARTY and SECOND PARTY agree on the dynamics of this.

So haters can like, back off.

6. That most importantly, FIRST PARTY will work hand-in-hand with SECOND PARTY in making sure that they both GROW and FLOURISH in their personal walks with Christ. That by the end, when  at death they do part, they are secure of the other's ultimate destination. This is the most vital prong to this memorandum, and this bears the most value to the agreement. This, in actuality, is at the very core of the whole relationship---and should stay there for the rest of their lives. 

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have signed this memorandum of Agreement by their respective duly authorized representative on the date and place written in the Lord's Word.  

Amen.

Syncing

I touched your chest
And noticed we weren't in sync
So while you slept
I took the butter knife

I Cry

I cry for what this world has become
Where we hurt to get respect
Where we leave to feel wanted
Where we cry to be heard

I cry for all that we do
How we destroy so we can build
How we exploit to be fair
How we cry to be understood

I cry for the past we have lost
For the now that suffers
For the future we are unprepared for
For the fact that I HAVE to cry

To be heard,
To be wanted,
To be understood,
To be LOVED.

And I still cry,
And I will keep on crying
And I will never stop
Until I don't have to

Haiku for the Tone-deaf

We never sang well
You were flat and I was sharp
But we had music

Leaf and Breath

This pretty little land of candy
Lighting up what's fine and dandy
Lions jump and sing a song
Sheets of paper make it strong

Holding back and letting go
Strapping up, we never know
Mits of cloth just cover shoes
Tersely, stern, old, fat recluse

Full of love and what could be
Leave all those what could've been
Chant a song and say a verse
Sustain your awful-minded purse

Suits the hate yet more on joy
Use your vigor, you little boy
Zone out grief and enter light
Urban dreams and rural heights

Top it off with tearful songs
Sheets of paper made me strong
Urging me to just go on
Living life yet leaving wrong

Holen

I honestly think
of all the things I become
When I'm with you
I become a marble

You know, the blue kind
With swirly things in it
Because when you look through it
You say you see the ocean

But you know it's just a marble

Goodbye February

You, my butterfly
I caught for myself to love
Lie dead in a jar

The Joy of Christianity

Believing in God does not mean you're weak-minded. You can always know what atheists know. But you can believe on what they don't. 


Believing in Jesus proves you have the guts to give up what you don't know, and what you will never know to a belief that this limited, pain-ridden, unfair earthly existence is not the end of it. 


That there's something more. 


Something better. 


Something PERFECT.

Don't ever tell ANYONE--and I mean ANYONE--what I'm about to say to you

Ok, so here's the thing. I really, really, REALLY wanna tell you something. I just don't want to say it bluntly. That would be stupid and boring. And I know how you hate that.

No, really. I wanna say it NOW, I just don't wanna come off as cheap. I mean, who would want to know something like that in such an unprofessional, impulsive, uncreative way? I want to say it at the right time, at the right moment and with all the right feelings. Just to make sure I do it right.

I don't know when will that be, and neither will you. I'm planning it to be a surprise. You know, like how the time we flipped your car off the street? Yeah, THAT surprising. Like, AMAZEBALLS surprising. 

And I want you to not think about what I said and just relax and let yourself be surprised. I seriously want to see that cute face you make when you feel like you just shat bricks. Not that I want you to actually DO that. But well, you know, you get my point.

But seriously, I really hope you would be surprised. I mean, you totally deserve to be. I'm your best friend and I want the best for you. And I believe what I'm going to say would be best for you.

Well, I don't know. I mean I WANT to say it to you, but I'm not really sure you'd react and stuff. I mean, it's all mushy and stuff...

Ok, so I'm talking too much again. And there might be that off-chance of you already finding out what this "thing" I'm going to say is. But I don't care. We say things when we feel the rush of our emotions. Ugh. Gross.

Sooo yeah, I gotta go. I'll see you later? Maybe around 5? Whatever. Just text me.

Oh, and yeah, I think we should be together. Bye. 

(I had written this well over 2 years ago for someone. Haha. Youth, so stupid-inducing)

The Filipino Worth Writing For

When asked to characterize literature in the Philippine context, the most conventional way to do so would be to gather them thematically and just describe them by the topics they are about. And because of that, A lot of people would hold no regard for the correlation between the time these literary works were written and their themes. If they had looked more closely at how certain times bring about certain issues, then they would have found that it was more sensible to categorize literary works of art, whether here or abroad, by the time they were written. I did so myself, although not as in-depth as most historians, and I found out that not only were these works time of composition and subject matter correlated, but also the way they were written.

Let’s take for example, the pre-colonial era. Where datus and barangays were all over the place. Their main concern was NOT how they had to live under the oppression of the Spanish friars---simply because these issues were non-existent and more certainly, not their business. They wrote about their biggest issues at that time, their day-to-day lives. They had songs about fishing, poems about childbirth and stories about activities that you might consider today as “extremely mundane”.

 "Where's the bloodshed? There's no bloodshed?"

They had little problems, or more appropriately, problems that had a smaller range of influence. They were concerned with their own villages and so, had a very limited variation of topics they could write about. This constrained environment also affected HOW they wrote these works. Since they had their own villages to mind, they never found it feasible to interact with distant villages and share customs with them (except when their fighting against each other). Which lead to them enjoying their own little ways of expressing their creativity in their most conventional method---which, unfortunately for us, tended to be in ORAL form.

That, and a whole lot of booty shaking.

And so, the Spaniards came. They came and colonized our country, took over our government, mistreated our people, and engaged in constant war with us. Along with this came 333 years of angst-y writing, despising the Spanish rule and vowing that one day, we shall indeed be free from the “fell clutch of circumstance” (well that was from a Victorian poem, but you get my point). This actually was good for us Filipinos. We were introduced to new forms of literature, new ways to write things, and new things to write about. So, in a way, that Spanish colonization became beneficial for us---although in aspects not many Filipinos have learned to appreciate.

Well, depends on your definition of "Appreciate".

After the Spaniards, came the Americans. And they gave us English and the works that come with it. And that was mainly their biggest contribution in terms of literature in the Philippine context. We were taught how to speak and write in English and in return, we gave them works of art written in English  And aside from that, we also got to write about the many American exploits our people witnessed. Such as:

...well, I think it'd best if we move on.

And so, here we are, post-colonial Philippines. We have our government back, we finally have been recognized as an independent country and have gotten rid of our colonial roots, or have we? We have gone up from having such a limited variety of topics to talk about to having history records worthy of an Oscar for “Best Screenplay”.  We can endlessly talk about our country and still catch some attention. We cannot bear to leave our colonial roots behind as it was what opened our eyes and our imaginary brain-doors to what the world wants to read about. These bloody invasions MADE us who we are. And I believe THAT is something worth writing about. 

2013 FTW

This year will be the best year of my life so far. I don't know why or how, but it will.

This year, I will be happier than I have ever been. I will dream happy dreams and I will achieve them.

This year, I will be at my best.

This year, I will smile my biggest smile, I will laugh my heartiest laugh, and I will hug my warmest hug. I will enjoy this year, because it was made to make me happy. 

This year, my friends will say I look awesome. My parents will say they've never been prouder. And my girlfriend will say she loves me even more. 

This year, I am going to conquer my fears. I am going to be victorious. I will win. Even when I'd lose, I'd still win. 

This year, I will be the best man I have ever been. I will be completely different, yet very much unchanged. I will be filled to the brim, and I will overflow. I will be invincible yet fragile. Independently dependent. Chaotically serene.

This year, I will begin my journey of getting better and better. I will finally start growing, developing. I will finally start. This year. 

And I will be the best that I have ever been.

Will this year be the best year of my life? 

No, it won't. 

This year will be the best year of my life---so far.

Happy New Year, Everyone!