Combination

This blog has been in existence because of my love for the combination of both poetry and essay. I have been writing those for the last twenty years and most of it were published in this blog and some were written on scratches and were already gone. This combination has been the formula behind inversetutuldok and until now it is working for me.

Obviously, I have been telling my family about my passion for the written words and fortunately my wife and my kids are always supporting me for this. I often recall to my kids about the time when I was still in elementary school and actively joining school contests about writing and declamation. Though I did not win often, still I had that experience of writing essays and have somebody read it and judge it.

Lately, I've been busy helping my kids experience the same. They both joined their school contests for Essay Writing and Declamation. Nicole was on the level for Grades 1, 2 and 3 while Sam entered the level for Grades 4, 5 and 6. On the first week, I devoted some time studying their pieces and trying to develop actions and gestures while putting emphasis on certain words and elements of the poem. When they have memorized it, we practiced it diligently.

For the essay, I let them write their candid opinions on certain subjects and helped them connect the dots between these opinions and make it worthy of reading. My wife Thess also enrolled in my writing workshop, though she always thought she would ace it, hence she did not dare write a word on paper. According to her, it was all written in her mind. I see.

On the day of the contest, I gave my last advice to my kids and let them work their way out. When I arrived home that day, Sam said that there were many good contestants and she thought she gave them a good fight. Nicole on the other hand, just gave her shot, not the best though, but still it's a good shot according to her.

Essays and poems are really good combinations. Most poets are also well known essayists while great essay writers have been found writing poems also. I have been doing this also and it works for me, how about for my kids?

During the Linggo ng Wika celebration, my kids' school gave the awards to all deserving students, future poets and essayists.

Nicole got the third place for the Declamation contest competing with Grades 2 and 3 while Sam got the second place for the Declamation and the first place for the Essay Writing.

When I thought about how good are my kids when it comes to this, well I always tell myself, it is a good combination of my wife's witty X-chromosome and my talented Y-chromosome. Perfect pair.

To conclude, this blog has been in existence because of a good combination, not only of poems and essays but more importantly because of my wife and daughters.

A Few Good Men

Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.  ~William Shakespeare

 

When I learned that they have filed for resignation, I was silently protesting and groping for answers. Questions keep filing up at the back of my mind. I don’t know the real score on where and what went wrong with them, all I knew was that a part of me would simply wanted to win them back. But sadly I cannot, because we are not on the same department, they are not my subordinates. I cannot teach an apple tree to bear bananas. It was depressing to know that there are things that won't happen the way you wanted it to happen and much more frustrating is that you cannot do something about it.

I could have asked them to stay, but I thought I don’t really hold their future nor dictate their decisions so I opted not to intervene. I know it was a difficult choice for them and probably have undergone so much thinking before they came up with that. It was their choice and it was as they thought for the betterment of them.

We were not that very close friends but I get to bond with them every once in a while. The thing is, I saw a young Edong in them - heart burning with the desire for work; putting passion into their chosen fields but in the end, still coming up short from the expectations of their superiors. Needless to say, it was just a matter of perspective for self improvement. The engineers thought that they have done their job very well but the managers thought otherwise. I have been in the same situation before and frankly, it was not good. You will try to hate everyone including yourself, and when that happens, you hit rock bottom. Perhaps, they have reached their lowest point also.

I may have not known the real reason behind their resignation but I salute them both for doing what they have done to the company. Aside from doing the best in their line of work, they have also captured the hearts of almost all ladies in the company, simply because of their unwavering humility and friendliness.

At this point in their lives, there is no other way but up. And I strongly believe that they would go far beyond their expectations. God is always good. 

I'll see you guys around! 

    (p.s. exactly 4 years ago today was also my last day in my previous company...)

Tagos sa Kaluluha

(salamat sa isang kaibigan sa pagpapaunlak na aking gawan ng tula ang kanyang karanasan,

ang tulang ito ay kalahok sa isang pakontes ni Iya)



Sa galit ni Tatay, aaminin kong ako’y natatakot

Tingin pa lamang niya, wari’y apoy na nanunuot

Bibihira lang mamalo, ngunit latay kapag ika’y inabot

Subalit pagkatapos noon, aatakihin na siya ng matinding kalimot

 

Si Nanay naman ay kakaiba kung magalit

Kasalanan mo man o kahit ikaw ay pawang nadawit

Maliban kasi sa palo, may matatalim pa na sinasambit

Pipigain ang puso mo hanggang sa mamilipit

 

Kaya kong tiisin ang mga hambalos ni Tatay

Ilang araw lang kasi, maghihilom na ang mga latay

Ngunit ang mga sugat mula sa mga sermon ni Nanay

Dala-dala ko habang ako’y nabubuhay

 

Ang mga matatalas na salitang sa bibig nakawala

Parang sibat na tumatagos hanggang kaluluwa

Sa munting kasalanan, parusa’y habambuhay na iniinda

Patawad aking Nanay... bagkus mahal pa rin kita.

image source

 

Nutribun

Nutribun, ito yung tinapay na inilalako sa murang halaga para sa mga mag-aaral sa pampublikong eskwelahan noong panahon ko. Programa daw ng pamahalaan ito bilang pantawid gutom ng mga estudyante noon. Upang solusyunan ang lumalalang malnutrisyon noon sa mga kabataan, ito ang nakitang sagot - Nutribun. Panalo.

Kung sa hitsura at laki, walang pinagkaiba ito sa mga monay. Pero mas siksik ang laman nito di gaya ng pandesal. May katigasan nga lang ito na kapag kinagat mo, aakalain mong may palaman na, pero wala pa pala.

Inilalako ito na nakalagay sa isang tray na umiikot sa klase, kasama ang sankaterbang chitchirya, na kailangang maubos lahat bago ibalik sa canteen. Mahusay na inilahad ito ni Bob Ong sa kanyang unang libro, ngunit nakakalungkot isipin na hindi nya nabanggit ang nutribun. Kung ilan kayo sa klase, ganoon din kadami ang binebentang nutribun. Sa maniwala kayo o hindi, inabot ko pa ang nutribun sa halagang bentesingko sentabos.

Compulsary ang pagbili dito, kung wala kang baong pagkain, nutribun ang sagot sa kagutuman mo. Kung wala ring pagkain si Bantay, nutribun ang sagot. Kung may kaaway ka, nutribun lang din ang sagot. Kung marami kayong ipis sa bahay, nutribun ang dahilan niyan. Pero kung gusto mong mawala yung mga ipis sa inyo, nutribun lang din ang tanging solusyon. Minsan kahit ipis, nauumay din.

Nasa Grade 3 ako noon nang minsang magkulang ang perang napagbilhan ng mga nutribun. Galit na galit noon ang aming titser na si Mrs. Barila, pilit kaming pina-paamin kung sino ang kumuha o kaya hindi nagbayad ng nutribun. Nanlilisik sa galit ang kanyang malalaking mata sa likod ng makakapal niyang salamin. Umabot pa sa puntong nagbanta siya na susunugin daw ang kwarto namin hangga’t walang nagsasabi sa amin ng totoo. Takot na takot kaming lahat, lalo na ang mga kaklase kong babae. Nang magsindi siya ng kapirasong papel at nilagay sa may pintuan, doon nag-iyakan na ang iba.

Tumawag ng pansin ang palahaw ng iba kong mga kaklase, kaya to the rescue ang ibang mga titser doon. Hindi ko makalimutan ang mga pangyayaring iyon dahil ilang araw na nagdulot iyon ng takot sa aming lahat. Walang umamin sa klase namin dahil alam kong wala naman talagang nangupit noon, baka nahulog lang o kaya na-misplace. Malaking bagay na kasi ang sinkwenta sentabo noon na halaga ng dalawang nutribun.

Ngayon, hindi ko na nababalitaan ang nutribun. Matagal na siyang wala sa sirkulasyon. Napalitan na ito ng mga pancit canton, rasyon na bigas o kaya nilagang itlog. Sa eskwelahan nga ng anak ko, hindi rin nila ito kilala. Hotdog sandwich, ham and egg sandwich, donut at minsan croissant ang kilala lang nilang mga tinapay. Hindi nila naranasan kung gaano kasarap na patabain at pasiglahin ng kakapirasong tinapay na iyon.

Nanunumbalik ang mga alaala sa akin dahil noong isang buwan, ipinagdiwang natin ang Nutrition Month. Nagkaroon ng isang Quiz Bee tungkol sa Nutrisyon doon sa paaralan ng aking anak, isa si Sam sa mga sumali dito. Kung titingnan ko ang hitsura ni Sam at iisipin kong Nutrition quiz ang sinalihan nya, baka makumbinse akong kami na talaga ang grand winner.

Kung ikukumpara ko kasi ang laki ng mga estudyante noon (panahon namin) sa mga estudyante ngayon (panahon nila Sam), hamak na hindi kami uubra sa palakihan. Walis ting-ting laban sa vacuum cleaner.

Ibig sabihin ba nito na hindi masustansiya ang mga kinakain ng mga bata noon kumpara sa ngayon? O sadyang mas mabilis lang kami magsunog ng taba kesa sa mga kabataan ngayon na ang alam lang na laro ay panay on-line games.

 

Kung tutuusin, malaki na nga ang pinagbago ng panahon. Wala na ngayon ang hinahangaan kong nutribun. Ngunit dahil sa kanyang angking kapangyarihan, kahit ilang taon na ang lumipas, nag-iiwan pa rin ito ng kakaibang panlasa sa mga kabataang gaya ko. 

ps. Si Sam pala ang naitanghal na kampeon sa kanilang Nutrition Quiz Bee. :)