tree sketch series (eighteen)

tree sketch series (eighteen)
Originally uploaded by jdthinker

"a woman has strength that amazes men.
she can handle trouble and carry heavy burdens
she holds happiness, love and opinions
she smiles when she feels like screaming
she sings when she feels like crying
cries when she's happy
and laughs when she's afraid
her love is unconditional
there is only one thing wrong with her...
she sometimes forgets what she is worth... "
--- from a text message sent to me

hmmm??? possible...

Your Birthdate: August 24

You understand people well and are a natural born therapist. A peacemaker, people always seem to get along when you are around. You tend to be a father or mother figure to friends, even to those older than you. You enjoy your role, and you find that you are close to many people. Your strength: Your devotion Your weakness: Reliance on others for happiness Your power color: Lilac Your power symbol: Heart Your power month: June

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

i'm older than you think!

You Act Like You Are 26 Years Old

You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel like an adult, and you're optimistic about life. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. You're still figuring out your place in the world and how you want your life to shape up. The world is full of possibilities, and you can't wait to explore many of them.

What Age Do You Act?

filipinoness/pinoyness... more or less... :D

if you're pinoy, read mo 'to ... :)
Originally uploaded by jdthinker

***due to the busyness of the holidays i never got to read the newspapers... recently i had the time to peruse on my fave articles and one of my favorite authors (GCF - i so love what she wrote!) have this to say:


the life drama of the pinoy
is like filipino cooking
no recipe, no formula,
all pakiramdam,
kutob and tantya.
a whole lot of rekado
sama-sama, halo-halo
tikim timpla,
tikim timpla.

once removed from the stove
you think tapos na?
hindi pa!
now comes fine tuning:
patis, kalamansi, bagoong,
vinegar, garlic, toyo
and siling labuyo!
ay - sarap na!
don't edit a french chef
like that - lagot ka!

adobo ni lola is different
from adobo ni nancy
and adobo ni rosa.
one hundred ways to cook adobo
pati lumpia, pati pansit
iba-iba.

the pinoy's tastebuds
are variegated --
to originality and muti-tasking
he's fatally oriented.

in the restaurant each pinoy
will order his own,
but "waiter! put everything
in the middle kasi everyone
will share-share."
one slice of cake
-- six forks!

please pass that tuna belly,
patikim naman ng teriyaki!

in da future to come
when experiences abroad
come home to roost
ano kayang bagong potahe
ang susunod
sa choc-nut ice cream,
durian pie and bibingcrepe,
taba ng talangka pasta,
sinigang na corned beef
and kamote bread?

shall we ever sit down quietly
to a meal, agreeing finally,
tamang-tama ang timpla
oh my gulay, okay din pati kulay

the pinoy has drunk the dregs
of sour tuba and bitter eggs
husto na! tama na!
huwag makibaboy, makibaka!

we're descended, after all,
from lemurians and maharlika,
we've tasted diwata wine -
we know what it is to be sublime.
we mounted a revolution
we replaced the whole cast,
the company we've chosen
is honorable at last.

joke lang! sori, pangarap!
tinatawag na forecast.
aalsa ba ang masa?
puputok ba ang upper crust?
kaming palaman ng sandwich
shake, rattle and roll
whom do we trust?

-- Gilda Cordero-Fernando, lutong pinoy

*** galing! she so got it right! :D

lovesongs for the weary and the hopeful hearts

I made this music player at MyFlashFetish.com.

ngayon

kahapon
Originally uploaded by jdthinker

"ngayon ang simula
ng hiram mong buhay
ngayon daidig mo'y
bata at makulay
ngayon gugulin mo
nang tama't mahusay
bawat saglit at sandali
magsikap ka't magpuyagi
maging aral bawat mali...
ngayon
bago ito maging kahapon
ang pakakataon
sana'y wag itapon
ikaw tulad ko rin
ay may dapit hapon
pag ika'y napalingon
sa nagdaang bawat ngayon
nasayang lang na panahon...
ituring mong kahapo'y
waring panaginip lang
ang bukas pangitain n'yang
ganda'y sa isip lang
kung bawat ngayon mo
sa'yo ay laging sulit lang
kay ganda ng buhay
bukas mo'y matibay
dahil ang sandiga'y
ngayon..."

-- lea salonga,ngayon (a basil valdez original) -- from her songs from home album
i have vowed to be more steadfast in my pursuit of learning and wisdom... i have told myself to be absolutely firm on my decision not to be bothered by the past afterthoughts that meddle my brain... but i can still feel the enemy creeping in ... breathing close by... yet couldn't get close enough to get a grip... the above song talks about living in the moment... basking in the now of things and never looking back with regret and expecting too much from the future... this God-planned journey... this steps of faith... mostly uncertain... i could be like whom i was before and worry to death... but there is a difference now... i wish i could shout it out and be proud about it... but i can't boast that much... i'm still under repair... i can just smile my secret smiles and know i'm doing far well than what others think i'm doing... because i have learned to trust God... even if i have looked and acted rather silly at the start of the year before and maybe even now... but what is yesterday but history... and what is tomorrow but a maybe... now is here... even if i'm sometimes not in tune at all... i am aware... i know... i see... i sense... i feel... that is our difference... in my silliness i sometimes look oddly stupid that i may seem to be incapable of learning anything... yet...i can... i did... i have... and continue to do so... come along... now. blessed be!

travel on

travel on
Originally uploaded by jdthinker

"blessed is he who expects nothing for he shall never be disappointed. "
-- Alexander Pope

*** beginning or continuing... i go now... pressing on... much to be and do... yet nothing planned but an advance thank you to God for whatever is coming my way.
there is much to watch out for... but i have learned to take things one day at a time... i sense a light film of worry somewhere near but there is nothing major to be bothered of... if i let the enemy in... what is the use of learning all my lessons... i am not perfect yet... nor will i ever be... i will just level up at times and improve a bit... society and the people around me will dictate what they believe is supposed to be... but God will tell me otherwise... He will send an assurance that i'm doing well... in whatever it is that i am doing... before, i have always let things get to me... pretending to know and understand... yet totally clueless of many things... i have gone passed that... maybe only a few steps... maybe within hearing and seeing distance... but far enough to be out of reach... no turning back... because that means giving up... as long as i have my belief that God is with me... " i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..." my journey is long... may never truly end... i may not have any travel companion to aid me in my hour of need... i may be the most boring and disappointing being you'll ever know... but then what do you know... you may think what you think but that is all there is... you do not know me nor do i know you... we end there... roads unmerged... lives parallel now... stuck in the middle of strangers... all figuring out what to do and how to be... press on, jdt, press on... no other letter can affect you anymore... no matter how great... blessed be God forever.

rock songs i really like

I made this music player at MyFlashFetish.com.

leap year of faith

leap year of faith
Originally uploaded by jdthinker

minutes to go... and the leap year begins... i am not outside as you know... staying away from firecrackers... hello! i got burned (not from firecrackers). that's enough blast for the year... but that doesn't mean i'm not celebrating... i am... will just be watching the fireworks from the neighbors'... the air smells of it already... but i sense something more thick than the firecrackers' smoke... boundless hope and a whole lot of faith... gosh! i'm having a secret smile moment again! :)
wrote this a few minutes before midnight at my flickr page... happy new year to all!