Why a "Travelling Blog?"

I started writing for my web-log: “Cara Mo An” sometime in the middle of August 2007, as a matter of enjoying my new found small happiness while indulging brief interval of rest at any given time.

It becomes a leisurely experience squeezing literature out of my weary mind with the prodding of the heart. Writing becomes doubly encouraging with the aid of multifaceted facilities that are just click-away under the environment of world-wide-web.

This compilation is a 35 pages hard copy of those pleasant moments spent wisely. Printing production was made possible by computer desktop publishing. And proudly to say, I myself lovingly do the bookbinding of those first batch copies, and eventually commissioned the professional expertise of Visa Press in fixing the succeeding voluminous prints.

Recalling my formative academic years spent in my hometown school, I felt some longing ness then for materials of literary genre to satisfy my appetite for reading and somewhat awaken whatever latent endowment I might have on creative writing.

That memory of inadequacy, now serves as my inspiration to dedicate this humble work to all schools around my hometown, Caramoan; to share and spread the good habit of reading and possibly inspire the young ones to gain proficiency in creative writing.
Reaching out to budding writers in my hometown is my foremost consideration in reproducing this in printed form. Like them in my time, I too, thirsted for some material references to nurture the muse in my mind. Thus, I aptly call this: Traveling Blog, a vehicle for those who share my love and appreciation for literary arts.

The realm of consciousness on blogosphere, bloggers or blogs are not yet prevalent in the rustic
nature of lifestyle in the countryside such as my beloved hometown, Caramoan, a peninsula, 4th class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Bicol Region. I have chosen to launch this
maiden voyage of “traveling blog” into that uncharted blogging world in my homeland.

Let this blog keep on rolling.

Thank You Father Chulie

Thank you for your prayer support and your encouragement.

It feels good to know that there are friends out there that you can count on in trying moments of our lives. Persons whom you can lean on standing by your side just to give you assurance that they are there for you.

For being so, I thank God for the gift of you. May the Lord continue to shower you and your loved ones his choicest and abundant blessings.

In Christ,

Fr. Jess "Chulie" Obias, MF

Dear Father Chulie:

When I wrote about the metaphors of life's journey which I dedicated to you, I myself, was actually surprised by the relative ease and spontaneous flow of thought that dawned on me at that time.

I started writing it right after having my supper, glued on profound meditation until the wee hours for two consecutive time. And I wondered for that extra stamina and adrenalin that claimed my supposedly spent body and weary mind after daytime stressful preoccupation.

What is my inspiration, motivation or encouragement which awaken that muse in my mind? I really do not know.

We are not actually akin to many things. We do not belong to same age group, neither a part of each other’s circle of friends, nor, sharing at least similar hobbies or interests. We have never talked but have just seen each other aimlessly and in very rare instances. The only connection I can think of - is that we both belong to our beloved hometown, Caramoan. But still I guess, that was not the propeller that moved me.

I just really don’t know yet. I just follow the rhythm of my heart. I just thought you deserve to be honored and thanked for having chosen the path of being of service to human spirituality. And I just thought of you how difficult to lead a life full of sacrifices as a Man of the Cloth. Then, here comes a prayerful man, asking for prayers. You have been generously praying for others, how could I, or we, to turn our backs to the man who have given his all and yet for now just asking a part?

It’s our turn to thank you.

http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Human Heartbeats in a Lifetime

In one of my Yahoo Groups Forum, a former colleague – Bong Fornal, posted a piece on “ Strange Facts About Our Human Body ”, which states a particularly interesting line:

“ Your heart beats some 37,000,000 times a year. During your lifetime, it will beat some two-and-a-half billion times.”

Well, it caught my attention because just few days ago, I have posted on my blog: “ On Slowing Down ” , a passage about the heart of hummingbirds, quoting part of an essay from The American Scholar by Brian Doyle.

“ Every creature on earth has approximately two billion heartbeats to spend in a lifetime. You can spend them slowly, like a tortoise, and live to be two hundred years old, or you can spend them fast, like a hummingbird, and live to be two years old.”

Please take note now of the proximity of the data: two-and-a-half billion times versus approximately two billion heartbeats.

Of course, the most accurate way of measuring the actual heartbeat of a human being is to hold on to his wrist with forefingers then record the rhythm of the pulse or tap a stethoscope on his chest and listen on the heartbeat. Since we are trying to find out the lifetime average heartbeat of a human being, then we have to commission a number of replicate samples, from birth to death. In this case, there is big possibility that the sample will outlive the one doing such chores. You see, it’s very complicated to know the bare truth, so I abandoned such idea.

Due to that cumbersome research method, I was constrained to challenge my humble mathematical sense.

To keep my work simple, I consulted a reliable source for my facts and figures.

“ Wikipedia says: Heart rate is a term used to describe the frequency of the cardiac cycle… Usually it is calculated as the number of contractions (heartbeats) of the heart in one minute and expressed as “beats per minute” (bpm)… The heart beats up to120 times per minute in childhood… and the adolescent’s about 80-100 bpm. … when resting, the average adult human heart beats at about 70 bpm (males) and 75 bpm (females), however, this rate varies among people and can be significantly lower in athletes.”

“ Wikipedia further states: Life expectancy is the average number of years a human has before death, conventionally calculated from the time of birth… Homo sapiens live on average 32.6 years in Swaziland and on average 81 years in Japan. The oldest confirmed recorded age for any human is 122years, though some people are reported to have lived longer.”

The following information is derived from the Encyclopedia Britannica, 1961, as well as other sources:

Humans Average Lifespan (years) by Eras

Neanderthal, 20

Upper Paleolithic, 33

Neolithic, 20

Bronze Age, 18

Classical Greece, 20 - 30

Pre-Colombian North America, 25 - 35

Medieval Britain, 20 - 30

Early 20^th Century, 30 - 40

Current World Average, 67

With those above given data, I will use them whether you agree or not.

Ave. Bpm = {(80-100Adol) + 70M + 75F}/3 samples = 78.33 Bpm

Ave. World Lifespan = 67 yrs = 25,550days = 613,200hrs. = 35,215,200 mins.

Therefore: 32,215,200 mins x 78.33 beats/mins = 2,523,416,616 heartbeats in a lifetime

Rounded off: 2.5B - HB

Oh, yeah, it feels good.

http:caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

On Slowing Down

I have learned to adapt into drifting gracefully by taking one day at a time. I must pause doing things that deliver me fast to weariness and let go of situations I cannot hold anymore.

Now, I found writing as a balancing act. It is an activity done sitting down. It does not cause blood pressure to shoot up, it only cause your heartbeat to slow down.

I got an inspiration, again from my writing idol, Wilfredo O. Pascual, Jr., a two time Carlos Palanca Grand Prize Winner for Literature, on an essay he read in 2004 from the book, The Best American Spiritual Writing.

In Joyas Voladoras, Brian Doyle wrote about and compared the hearts of hummingbirds, whales and men. " Consider the hummingbird for a long moment" he writes. " A hummingbird's heart beats ten times a second. A hummingbird's heart is the size of a pencil point. A hummingbird's heart is most of the hummingbird...

" Each one visits a thousand flowers a day. They can dive at sixty miles an hour. They can fly backwards. They can fly more than five hundred miles without pausing to rest. But when they rest, they come close to death: on frigid nights, or when they are starving, they retreat into torpor, their metabolic rate slowing to a fifteenth of their normal sleep rate, their hearts sludging nearly to a halt, barely beating, and if they are not soon warmed, if they do not soon find that which is sweet, their hearts grow cold, and they cease to be …

“ Hummingbirds, like all flying birds but more so, have incredible enormous immense ferocious metabolisms. To drive those metabolisms, they have race-car hearts that eat oxygen at an eye popping rate. Their hearts are built of thinner, leaner fiber than ours. Their arteries are stripped to the skin for the war against gravity and inertia, the mad search for food, the insane idea of flight. The price of their ambition is a life closer to death: they suffer heart attacks and aneurysms and ruptures more than any other living creature. It’s expensive to fly. You burn out. You fry the machine. You melt the engine. Every creature on earth has approximately two billion heartbeats to spend in a lifetime. You can spend them slowly, like a tortoise, and live to be two hundred years old, or you can spend them fast, like a hummingbird, and live to be two years old.

- Joyas Voladoras by Brian Doyle from The American Scholar

Wondered what a hummingbird is? It’s “Anga-wit” for Caramoanons.

http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Dedikasyon para kay Padre Chulie Obias

An saimong pangapodan, mag-alay nin pangadyi sa Banal na Espiritu, sa pag-arang nin pasabung sa isipan, na matangrawan nin liwanag an pangarap-karap na maging magkanigo asin madahom an kamugtakan sa dai pa siertong destinasyon.

( Your appeal for prayers to the Holy Spirit, imploring enlightened guidance, so that you may be led treading into betterment in the still unknown destination. )

Kun saro ako sa lalaoman na mangadyi, masanong sana ako sa saimong kamaw-otan, o kun nagpataw-pataw pa an boot nin alinlangan, hangad ko na lamang an saimong kaligtasan asin karahayan.

( If I will be tasked to pray, I'll go in chorus with the whims of your heart, or when stuck in a moment of indecision; then, I would just pray for your safety pass and wellness in everything. )

Ano daw iayon pa ining mga berso na alay ko saimo? Mga hinorop-horop nin pagtobod asin ladawan nin buhay-buhay; na gikan sa sakuyang alintataw asin sikdo nin kinurab-kutaban na irarom nin boot.

( What if I add these verses that I'm dedicating to you? My contemplative beliefs and picturesque of living; flowing out of my imagination and thoughts prompted by rhythmic beatings underneath . )


An Gamgam
( The Bird )
“ Namata ko an sarong gamgam, lupad sana nin lupad, dangan nawara sa panan-aw. Harayong lupalop, manlaen-laen na lupalop - saiyang inagihan, inabutan, hinalean; Sagkod sain asin noarin? Alagad an hustong kahapotan: ano an estado nin futuro na dai pa nin kasimbagan?

( I kept an eye on a bird, flying steadily, then lost in the horizon. In a far away land, over many foreign lands - that bird passes, arrived, departed; Up to where and when? But the real question is: the question of uncertainty. )

Alagad may anag-ag nin paglaom, sa pagsolnop kan aldaw, masaen pa man an gamgam,? kundi, humapon!.

(But there is flicker of hope, at sunset, where do birds go? but to perch on!)

Napara an sakuyang kapung-awan kan mahiling an nagdangadang na nagkupa-kupang gamgam, nagreretiro, hanap an dating togdonan. Sa dating togdonan, pospos nin taraytay na nakadapo an mga tugang na gamgam – nagkatiripon sa senyal kan pag uklo kan aldaw sa solnopan.

( My melancholic mood vanished away, as soon as I caught sight of the fast approaching bird, on his return flight, going back to its rightful perching branch. Along that branch, those birds of the same feather, flocks together – reunited by the the symbol of the setting sun towards the west. )

An Pawikan
( The Sea Turtle )











“ Nasilag ko an buhay kan pawikan, an saradit na mga puro-pawikan, nagpa-erinotan sa paglabto pasabat sa lungso kan kadagatan. Sa kada gatos na nagpalawod, saro o duwa sana an salvador sa bautismo nin peligro sa primer año kan saindang sapalarang pagkabuhay na palibot nin manlaen-laen na predatorio.

( I reflected on the way of life of a sea turtle, those hatchling turtles, racing toward the beach, facing against the tide. For every hundredths of those who ventured for life, only one or two survived after a year, out of that perilous nature of their habitat, which are full of predators. )

An naturalesa kan pawikan, minauli sa baybayon na ginikanan sa laog nin magkanigong panahon.

(Sea turtles are perennial homing creatures. They go back in due time to the shore where they once belong.)

Sa kada ribo na luminayas na napadpad sa mas halawig pang lawod, saro o duwa sana an milagrosong nakakasampot asin nakakasusod makapuli sa parehong lugar na puntong kinamundagan saiya.

( For every thousandths of those hatchlings, only one or two, will survive into maturity, and successfully be able to claim back its birthplace.)

An pagbabalik, may magayon na darang bareta, an pagwaras nin ginatos na banhi para sa panibag-ong buhay. Matapos an pag-atang nin biyaya, nakagayak liwat sa saiyang pambihirang biyahe pabalik sa azul na kalawodan. Ngapit pa, sa kundisyon na dai narebusak an dating erok, minabuelta liwat an pawikan sa tiyempo nin kada ika 2 o tolong taon, tanganing palawigon an saindang kasugpon na henerasyon.

( There is happy news in this return journey, the sea turtle will lay hundreds of eggs to start a new life. After that act of life offering, it goes back to start anew, an amazing journey into the deep blue sea. Thereafter, when its former habitat remain unspoiled, it returns in 2 to 3 year cycle, perpetuating a new generation of their own. )


An Kasili
( An Eel )








“ Nangalas ako sa naturalesa kan kasili. An mga milyones na ogbon na may 2 pulgadas na sirilag na hitso nin naghirikol-hikol na kasili, saro sanang direksyon an puntirya. Guminikan sa maaskad na tubig sa dagat, nag-asba sa sulong, maski hababaw o basa sanang dalan aagihon, maabot sana an destinasyon na malabsay na tubig na irayahon.

( I am amazed by the natural instinct of the fish, eel. Those millions of progeny, squirming 2 inches glasseels, have only one direction to go. From its spawning ground of salty waters, they migrate consistently at all cost, into brackish, and further ending into body of fresh water upstream. )

Mina-irok nin huro-halawig na panahon, sa malibog, malipot-lipot asin madiklom na kamugtakan. Nakaulnok sa aldaw, minabûtwa kinabanggihan sa pagsibo nin makakakan. Hastang mahinog an reproduktibong edad, harani na an aldaw nin saiyang paglalayag, pabalik sa ginikanan na lugar na tubig na maaskad.

( Dwelling upon this body of water for a longer period of time, preferring murky, temperate and dark abode. Buried in daytime and feeding at night. Until reaching sexual maturity, it’s time to return to the ocean. )

An pagsangkay kan baha an hinahalat na tiyempo, an saiyang gagamiton na behikulo tanganing menos an peligro sa halawig na pagsoysoy sa anod kan salog na minasundo sa dagat.

(Awaiting the opportune time, when flood rose to convenient level, there goes the eel , embarking to travel at lesser risks by conveniently drifting into rushing waters - ending at the mouth of the sea.)

Igwa nin mga suanoy na tawong nakaheling sa eksodos kan dakulang kasili sa panahon nin pagsangkay kan baha sa salog o danao. Nangalas sinda sa sobrang pakadakula kan naheling na kasili. Ini an pig-apod ninda na:

“ tuminandayag na kasili.”

(There are few ancient people who really witnessed this kind of exodus of a great eel; along the bank of a river or lake, at a time water rises at excess level. They called the gigantic eel to have been transformed into monstrous proportion )

An tandayagan pasiring na sa ultimong destinasyon, sa lugar na hararomon asin gatos na milya pa an rayo, An hinalean, babalikan; kun saen nagpoon, duman tataposon. An momento nin supremong pag-alay nin buhay nasa kaganapan na. Matapos mahiris an 15 milyones na ga-dagom na sibol na naghirikol-hikol, iyo an naging mitsa kan pagkautas kan saiyang buhay na may dakilang kadahilanan.

(That gigantic one is well on its way to final destination, into the ocean that is still miles away. A place departed, there to return; from where started, there to end. The moment of supreme sacrifice is at hand now. After spawning not less than 15 millions of squirming organisms, follows the end of life of the greater one - who had just served its noble purpose.)

An gamgam, an pawikan, an kasili: anas mga marhay na simbolo nin paglayas asin pag-abot sa lamenting destinasyon.

( The bird, the sea turtle, the eel: are fitting symbols of departures and arrivals into their rightful destination. )


http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Prayers and Support for Sis Becky (Jing) Bien Saret

To KSeans, Caramoanons and Friends:

We are almost silent, perhaps due to denial state of feeling, and the fact that it is hardest to accept, how this tragic accident happen to a person, who is well loved, a beautiful woman-inside and out, kindhearted, good-natured; surrounded by a peace loving family circle.

Rebecca Bien Saret, Sis Jing, as we fondly call her, met a serious accident together with her husband, Milan, a few days ago on the street of Magarao. She is in coma, and had undergone at least two major operations at Mother Seton Hospital in Naga City. I may not be accurate with the details and it's too painful to further enumerate. What is certain, is that she and her family, is in dire need of our full support- be it moral, spiritual and financial.

Only God can make life-saving Miracle, that is why we have to implore Him with our prayers. But man can also make one, but only small miracles. If we can pool our resources together, then, we can at least sustain the financial requirements in maintaining the operation of life supporting machines attached to her and continue the supply of medicines that feed her.

Giving moral support in this lowest moment in the lives of her family is most appropriate.

Let us give our share, in return that we do not want this unfortunate event happen to us.

Let us make our yahoo groups put to work. Let us campaign here for prayers, moral and financial support.

Use this venue to gather the necessary informations, contact numbers and account numbers where we could forward our love offerings.

Wake up, actually, am rushing this letter, tomorrow may be too late.

Very truly yours,

Tony Co, Nanyi Fernandez, & Tanny Valencia.
October 12, 2007
http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

At CLSU Collegian: Marianito Bitara, Prolific Writer of His Time

There was a small building at the back of CLSU Post Office, its plain facade faces the old registrar's office, and on its backside, is a Ladies' Dormitory. That small building, housed the Office of the CLSU Collegian Editorial Board.

As far as I can remember, the helm of CLSU Editorial Board was being held by top caliber
student journalists, namely, Gil Valenzuela, Nenita Garcia, and Nicanor Soliman, in their order of
succession, in a span of more or less 5 years, the length of my
stay in CLSU as student.

There was a humble guy who served as staff writer under those three great Editors-in-Chief. In the spirit of giving credit where credit is due, I would like to do the honor of presenting him, with my arms both wide-open and on bended knees, to call on MARIANITO BITARA, as the most prolific writer of his time at CLSU.

The first time I met him was on the early part of the first semester of my freshman year, 1980. He stays at a Dorm that I forgot the number now. But it is somewhat an elite dorm, because it does not belong to the majority of men's dormitory rows. It housed mostly Vet-Med students. His dorm is located adjacent to the Office of the Student Affairs (OSA), on the other side of the road, is the Faculty Canteen and the Bachelor's Pad. It is also a strong stone throw to hit the old market and just a mild stone throw to disturb a mass being celebrated by Father Glansbeck at the University Chapel.

Mar for short, showed me volumes of thick compilation of his published articles chronologically arranged and clipped in folders. No floppy diskette or CD yet by that time. He is not only good at writing, but also has an eye for photography, both literally and figuratively. You could usually spot him with a camera wrapped around his neck and always walks in a hurry.

He confided to me that whenever he writes a story line involving a male character, he usually gives him a name of Jessie for English and assigns Jesus for Tagalog medium. He is actually expressing a subtle exaltation of his religious belief.

He has a lot of articles published even on newspapers and magazines of nationwide and commercial circulation. No other student writer who made that concerted effort of exporting his works outside the campus and earning honorarium along the way.

I do remember one of his photo depicting a house moved the bayanihan way, but not on men's shoulder, rather, with the aid of modern mechanical advantage, on wheels, thus, the title: Bayanihan on Wheels, gracing Panorama Magazine.

Shortly after that brief encounter, I took the CLSU Collegian qualifying exam. Later, we found ourselves in the same editorial board. That was the start of my career as a trying hard staff writer.

Believe me, I only have one article contributed to the CLSU Collegian in my entire stint as a trying hard writer. Remember the title of my article? ... "Kasi'y Cdt. Private lang tayo" , and I received an honorarium of less than a hundred peso for that. I'm sure it's less than a hundred peso because I was counting coins when I received that money. And I guess, there is no hundred peso monetary bill yet at that time. What I can recall are those widely circulating big 1 peso coins and two peso paper bills.

But Marianito Bitara gets paid for his numerous article contributions per issue of the CLSU Collegian, in the amount that could more than matched his Cocofed stipend of P400.00. He usually tops in payroll over other equally prolific writers, like Tony Barroga-Literary Editor and Armando Lajom-Pilipino Editor.

Unfortunately, Me and Mar is not that close. In fact, I quarrelled him one time when he wrote something on my friend over petty misunderstanding with a dorm mate at ladies dorm 5. I ran like a knight in shining armor, so to speak, in defense of my dear friend. I detest the blind item he wrote putting my beloved in bad light. I contend that such story of personal conflict has no place on a school newspaper like ours, and that the subjects are not showbiz materials.

Well, that was 27 years ago, and I could just sheepishly smile from cheek to cheek at times I pondered about it. Hi Mar!, peacetime already!!! Gimme Five!!!

Mar is in Texas, USA now, and to my surprise, I saw him on You Tube holding a placard that proclaims: “Equal Custody for Good Dads”. It turned out that he is staging a lone rally for a cause about Equal Parenting Rights when he caught the attention of KBTX News, a television Network based in Texas. The sight of him in that bold and courageous instance prompted me to salute him left and right altogether. He is more than a prolific writer this time. He is a Great Dad too.

Mar in America, is now sporting a new packaging. Call him Mark with a “K”.

You can get in touch with him at mtbitara@equal-custody.org or watch him at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVuaA4L1KQ8

http://caramoan.blogspot.com

Kwentong CLSU - Magkabalitaan Tayo

Mula nang mailathala ko sa Blog at Yahoo Groups ang aking mga artikulo tungkol sa ala-ala ng aking panahon kasama si Dr. Jose L. Tabago at pagmumuni-muni sa “Feel Young”, napukaw ang pansin ng aking malalapit na kaibigan dahil sa muling nakapa nila ang pagkakalapit ng aming damdamin sa bisa ng pasasalarawan ng istorya.

Ang paksang pinag-uusapan ay nag-uugat sa iisang lugar na aming pinanggalingan na naging malaking bahagi ng aming buhay, ang CLSU. Ang mga tauhan ay maaaring kilala o di kilala, ngunit ang natitiyak ko, sila man ay may magagandang ala-ala na nais balik-balikan, ang mga araw ng kasibulan sa CLSU.

Nais ko ring tukuyin, na isang pamamaraan ng pag-akit ito sa mga kasapi ng on line forum na kinabibilangan ko, na maglabas din ng kani-kanilang natatanging personal na kwento upang lalong maging masigabo at mayaman ang talakayan.

Tunghayan ang palitan ng mga salita:

Biglang sumulpot sa CLSU Artist Club Yahoo groups ang e-mail ni Pepito Duque, isang matagal nang nawawalang kamag-aral.

" Thank you for making me feel young. You really have some talent. You still have that Tony Co in you back in CLSU days. Keep writing and I think you have deep thoughts about that once familiar emotion of being young.

This isnt your best. Hehehe …. Pepe ”

Sinagot ko agad at copy furnished ang EYSE Yahoo groups:

" Oy PEPS, buhay ka pa palang hayop ka, as in homo sapien (nde hayup ha?).

Mga EYSE (tawag sa mga members ng Artist Club) !, ito si Bro. Pepito Duque, ka kontempor-anyo ko sa CLSU. Magaling siyang kartonista.

Mula sa pagbobote, pagbabakal, pinasok na rin niya ang pagkakarton.

Malikot ang kanyang isip at lalong lalo na ang kamay, sa paglikha ng mga nakakakiliting obra sa pag-guhit. Paborito nyang guhitan ang mga CR, dingding ng mga malilinis na pinturadong building, locker sa dormitoryo, pader at bakod. Me kakaiba rin siyang kakayahan na sulatan ang t-shirt ng sari-saring bandalismo habang nakasuot ito at hindi namamalayan ng manhid na tao.

Ang hindi na lang niya masulatan masyado ay ang kanyang nag-iisang kuwaderno na gamit sa aralin.

Di ko maubos maisip kung pano siya naka graduate. Di ko alam kung sa awa o takot ng pamunuan ng CLSU kaya siya pina-graduate.

Simula nun maging alumnus na siya, naging malinis at maaliwalas na ang kapaligiran sa CLSU. ... Tony Co "

Hindi nakatiis si Rudy Sadia, kapwa ko Cocofed Scholar sa CLSU, sabi niya:

" naaaliw ako sa blog mo, sana nga magkapanahon din akong magsulat. Maaring sa paraang itoy makatalamitam natin ang mga dating kamag aral natin sa clsu. Katulad ni Pepe na bigla na lang sumusulpot samantalang huli kaming nagkita ay sa Sultan Kudarat, pero ngayoy nakikipagbuno na ang dila sa banyagang bansa.... Rudy “

Sinundan uli ni Rudy ng e-mail, bilang balik ala-ala sa masasayang araw namin ng pagtatanim sa Digdig:

" parang hindi century plant ang pangalan ng halamang tinanim natin sa digdig. Mas mabuting itanong natin kay Felino, alam mo namang kabisado non pati mga middle name ng lahat ng cocofed scholars, wanted nga siya ngayon ng dzmm papalit kay Ernie Baron.

Dapat dinagdag mo pa kay Peps yung bubble gum na dinikit niya sa may urinal ng men's CR ng College of Engineering at linagyan ng paskel na, PLS.DONATE!... Rudy "

Nasisiyahan ako sa naging reaksyon ng malalapit kong kaibigan. At nabanggit na rin ang pangalan ni Felino Linga, BSAEn '85. Tinatawagan ko siya na magparamdam naman.

Kapag lumabas na si Felino, marami pang susulpot na ka-kontempor- anyo naming kasamahan, tulad nina Roy Oracion - uncle ni Leo Oracion ng Everest, Nida Fadul - walang kinalaman sa frat hazing, at iba pang kaklase na mahihilig tumawa. Yun iba naming mga kaklase na ayaw lumitaw, ay kuntento na yata sa pagbabasa, tulad ng kwentong ito.

Tony Co, BSAEn'85
http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Ika-2 Yugto: DR.JOSE L. TABAGO, MAKA-KALIKASAN

Ang subject code: Ag En 8 na may deskriptong Soil & Water Conservation Engineeering, ginugugulan ng panahon ng lektura sa silid aralan at praktikal na ensayo sa labas ng paaralan.

Mapalad ang aming klase sa pagkakatalaga sa amin ng isang Dr. Jose L. Tabago na may tumpak na kasanayan sa nabanggit na araling larangan. Siya ay may masteral na antas sa Environmental Engineering mula sa Asian Institute of Technology ng Bangkok, Thailand, taong 1973. Pinag-igting pa ito ng katatamong Doctoral na pagkadalubhasa sa programang Water Resources Management sa lupain ng mga kowboy, Oklahoma State University, 1983.

Ang istilo ng pagtuturo ni DJLT ay hindi yung ang estudyante ang maghahanap ng kasagutan. Sadyang itinuturo nya ito. Kaya nga naturingan ang guro na mag turo. Hindi tulad nung iba diyan, self-service ang ginagawa samin. Tatambakan ka ng sangkatutak na assignments, hanggang kaunti na lang ang panahong natitira para sa kanyang pagtuturo.

Mabait si DJLT, madalas gumamit ng kuwento sa pagtuturo na umaaliw at nagpapatindi sa hangarin ng mag-aaral na matuto. Hindi ko pa ni minsan narinig na magtaas siya ng boses sa klase, maliban kung siya ay may sinisigawan.

Masipag si DJLT dahil hindi siya pumapalya o nahuhuli sa pagpasok sa aming klase, maliban na lang kung natrapik sa loob ng CLSU.

Higit na masaya ang aming naging pagsasama dahil sa ibinigay niya sa aming karanasan na madungisan ang aming mga kamay sa pagtatanim ng mga "century plants o centurium" nga ba yun?. Nagaganap ang ganitong maaksyong gawain sa isang bulubunduking lugar na dinarayo namin tuwing araw ng Sabado, Digdig Ranch, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.

Ipinaliwanag sa amin ni DJLT na ang centurium ay mabisang-madaliang pananggalang sa naligalig na lupaing dumadausdos (soil disturbance or erosion). Ito ay sa kadahilanang mabilis tumubo at dumami ang nasabing halaman. Kumakapit agad ito sa lupa na siyang agarang lunas sa lumalalang pagka-agnas ng lupa na maaaring kahantungan nito kung pababayaang panot ang bahaging tuktok ng bundok.

Mabilis ding mag-isip ng solusyon o pamamaraan si DJLT. Minsan, kinapos ang aming punlang centurium. Maulan-ulan ang araw na yon. Bumaling ng tingin si DJLT sa kabilang pisngi ng bundok at napangiti sa kanyang nakita, mga damong ligaw, cogon grass!

Agad niyang pinulong ang kalalakihan at itinuro ang Cogon na siyang magiging kahalili na pupuno sa espasyong kailangang taniman. Agad naming inatake ng sabunot na umaatikabo ang mga cogon at inilipat sa kabilang bahagi ng bundok. Ibayong pagmamadali ang aming ginawa dahil malapit ng kumagat ang dilim at madulas ang daan.

Lumipas ang ilang linggo, pinagtuunan naman namin ang pag-aaral ng mga teorya na ginaganap sa loob ng silid aralan.

At sumapit ang takdang araw ng aming pagbabalik sa nakawilihan ng bulubunduking kapaligiran, masarap na simoy ng hangin at sari-saring paswit na tunog ng huni ng mga ibon. Nakapamewang si DJLT, gumagala-gala ang paningin. Nasisiyahan sa tanawin na malalago at ganap nang luntian ang mga pananim ng mga bata. Ang centurium at ang ibang bahagi ng cogon na nakalatag. Napawi na ang panganib na gumuho at mag-unahan gumulong pababa ang mga lupa.

Napalingon ako sa kabilang pisngi ng bundok, nakita ko ang bakas ng pinagkuhaan namin ng cogon. Buhaghag ang lupa. Ito naman ang nagsisimulang maagnas.... aaaaahhhh.

http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Feel Young

I really do have this morbid feeling that for every single day that passed, is a day less to my remaining days on earth. It is a mathematical certainty. And I consciously know that.

I found out that writing about the past, is one way of dispensing anti-aging therapy. I realized that whenever I view those scenes behind by closing my eyes, I could vividly see pictures of myself and colleagues still in our youthful dispositions, vibrant, mostly slim, black and long hair, stomach in, childish, not much money, yet, happy go lucky; sort of like that.

Even if I look at myself on the mirror today, or meet those old acquaintances in their new looks, no matter how grayish the hair, maybe balding, potbellied, good looking, dressed in style, or whatever they made of themselves, it would hardly alter my imagination. Still, the old images of ours will reverberate in that fleeting moment of tripping the memory lane. Really, our eyes under the dark has its own memory time line.

When the actual writing has been done, I post them for posterity on the internet, an infinite storage library on space. In this sense, I have this great feeling that I have defied a state of oblivion for a particular slice of my life.

At my age of 30 plus, yes, that is still mathematically correct, I have stopped counting beyond that, I frequently indulge recollecting the good old days, by rewriting those scenes that entails a lot of imagination. Thus, I feel young every time, by doing that.

You want to be young once in a while? Try to recover your finest moments behind, freeze them and take advantage of this timeless and boundless way of keeping it, the way I treasure them. And feel young along the way.






http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Isang pagpupugay kay DR. JOSE L. TABAGO, PhD Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University, 1983

Nais kong isalaysay ang ilang natatanging kabanata, bilang mag-aaral ng CLSU, tumutukoy sa panahon at asignatura na BS Agricultural Engineering - Batch 1985.

Sa aming ika-lima at huling baitang sa kolehiyo, araling taon 1984-85, unang pagkakataon naming nakilala si Dr. Jose L. Tabago, na noon ay sariwang-sariwa pa galing sa katatapos na pagpapakadalubhasa sa Oklahoma State University.

Hindi ako maaring magkamali sa ngalan ng bansang pinanggalingan nya, dahil iyon ay tunog kowboy, na agad kong inihambing sa impluensiya ng kanyang pananamit at tindig, na siyang tumambad na kawangis niya nung unang araw ng oryentasyon sa klase, kung saan siya ang aming magiging guro sa Soil and Water Conservaton Engineering. Matipuno at tuwid ang kanyang tindig, naka-pailalim ang pang-itaas na damit, nakasinturon na may malaking bakal, lumalagatak ang takong ng sapatos na katad na parang bota. Minsan nagsusuot din ng sombrero tulad nung sa mamang nakasakay sa kabayo habang humihitit ng sigarilyong Marlboro. Hindi ba’t ganyan ang dating ng magiting na kowboy?

At saka noon, pag napupunta ako ng Maynila, nadadaanan ko sa Taft Avenue ang mga sikat na lugar na kumukuti-kutitap sa gabi, may malalaking pangalan na Oklahoma, Arizona at Dakota. Ewan ko ba, basta nun ipakilala nya ang kanyang sarili at pinanggalingan na Oklahoma, biglang lumipad isip ko sa isa pang Oklahoma na nasa Taft nga.

Pero hayaan muna natin ang usaping kowboy na yan at di naman talaga yan ang pakay ng aking salaysay. Nais ko lang bigyan daan ang aking sariling opinyon, na sabihin ang mga bagay na nasilip ko ng mga panahong yun na may kaugnayan sa: kabutihan, kagalingan, kasipagan, at kadakilaan ni Dr. Jose L. Tabago.

Si Dr. Jose L. Tabago ang nagdala ng kauna-unahang kompyuter sa College of Engineering.

Si Dr. Jose L. Tabago ang nagmulat sa Batch namin ng tuwirang pagkilos para sa pangangalaga ng kalikasan.

Ngayun, i-isa-isahin ko na kung bakit at papano nangyari:

Sa panahong 1984, wala pa masyado sa kamalayan ng mga mag-aaral ng CLSU ang tungkol sa personal computer. Si Dr. J.L. Tabago, bitbit ang dating gamit na kompyuter sa OSU, o sige, Oklahoma State University na nga. Buong giting na ipinagmamalaki niya sa harap ng buong klase ang kagilagilalas na kapangyariyan ng kanyang komputer sa bilis mag proseso ng mga letra at numero. Isinalarawan ni Doc na sa pamamagitan ng diskit ng komputer, maitatago mo dun ang maraming aralin na kung susulatin ay katumbas ng isang baol na papel na kaybigat bit-bitin. Nagbabala pa siya na ingatan ang diskit dahil puedeng nakawin ang mga datus sa loob nito sa pamamagitan ng pagsipi sa isa pang diskit sa ilang pindutan lang.

Napapanganga kami lahat. Ang hawak lang naming kompyuter ng panahong iyon ay casio calculator. Feeling nga namin mas hi-tech na panahon namin kumpara sa mga alumni na naging mga instructor na rin namin. Sila yun mga nagsipaggamit pa ng sliding rule, at itago na lang natin sila sa mga pangalang, Dr. Ireneo at Melissa Agulto, JV dela Cruz, Romeo Gavino, Nestor Candelaria, Arman Espino, Tito Aguinaldo, Ed Cayabyab, Francis Cuaresma, Benjie Gargabite, Emmanuel Sicat, James Mata, at Theody Sayco.

Isang hapon, tumatagaktak ng alinsangan sa tindi ng init ng araw, napatapat ako sa engineering faculty room, natanaw mula sa kinatatayuan ko, isang sulok sa gawi pa roon, may isang munting silid, aba!, naka air-conditioned na pala ito, nasa gitna ng ibabaw ng lamesa nakaupo ang kamangha-manghang CPU na may sukat, humigit kumulang, sa taas na 5, lapad 15, haba 17 na pulgadas, kung saan, nakapatong din ang Monitor na nakasindi, at tila nagliliyab ang mga letrang kulay luntian sa background na itim. Naisip ko, talagang napakaselan ng kalagayan ng kompyuter na ito na nagmula pa sa OSU. Kailangan pala ang malamig na kapaligiran habang gumagana ito.

Paglampas ko sa Faculty room, napatapat naman ako sa Drawing Room kung saan mas malamang na makita mo si Prof. Avelino Reyes. Sa gitna ng kanyang klase, nagtama ang sulok ng mga mata namin ng roomate kong ilocano, tumatagaktak sa pawis, sumenyas pa sakin ang nguso, “napudot!“.

Kinaumagahan, muling nasulyapan ko ang mahiwagang kompyuter. Nakapatay ang aircon, nakapatay din ang kompyuter. Pero, nakatalukbong ang kompyuter. Parang nanibugho ang pakiramdam ko. Naalala ko tuloy ang nakaraang gabi, kung saan napuyat ako ng husto, di makatulog dahil sa pesteng lamok. Ala kasi akong talokbong, este, kulambo.

Ibinida pa ni Dr. J.L. Tabago, gusto daw i-trade-in nung kumpare nya yung stainless jeep nito, kapalit ng kompyuter nya. No deal! Hindi man lang sya natinag o nasilaw sa stainless Jeep na sikat na sikat noon. Parang kulang nalang magpalatak si Doc ng salitang: “ano ko bale?“ , pero wala yan sa lengguahe o karakter ni Doc. Isa siyang kapitag-pitagang personalidad.

Nung panahong iyon ay wala pang computer subject, subalit, si Dr. J. L. Tabago ay nagpasimuno sa pagmumulat sa mag-aaral ng usaping kompyuter. Makalipas ang ilang buwan, dumating ang maraming kompyuter sa CLSU para gamitin ng Cashier’s Office. Naalala kong dinala niya kami doon sa gusaling administrasyon at pina-pindot ng tigkakapiranggot.

Mataas ang moral namin sa bagong karanasan, kung kaya’t nagtatag agad kami ng samahan ng mga mag-aaral na nais mabansagang makabago at makakompyuter ang adhikain. Tinawag namin ang samahan na “Bits & Bytes Club“. Ang unang pangulo namin ay si Noel Bigyan at ako yata yung pangalawang pangulo. Siyempre pa, si Dr. J. L. Tabago ang kauna-unahang Taga-Payo. Kagulat-gulat ang dami ng aplikante noon. Sa isang iglap, talo pa namin sa dami ng miyembro ang ibang samahang Frat na halos kalahating dekada nang nananatili sa loob ng CLSU. Ang pagkaka-alam ko, buhay pa ang Bits & Bytes Club sa CLSU. Ang hindi nila alam, buhay pa rin kami na nagsipagtatag nun.

Ngayun ko napagmuni-muni, ang laki na ng agwat ng uri ng kompyuter noon at ngayun.

Palagay ko nga, baka ang ninunong kompyuter na yun, di pa makapagpatakbo ng maayos sa spreadsheet program na supercalc or multiplan. Ha ha ha ha ha! Nagagamit lang yata yun sa Wordstar. Ha ha ha ha ha! Ang motherboard nun nasa kilobyte pa lang ang memory. Ha ha ha ha ha!

Ang mga halakhak na yan ay hindi isang panunuya, bagkos ay diwang aliw na aliw sa abang simulain ng kompyuter sa CLSU. Hindi man lang nabawasan ang pagkilala ko sa dakilang simulain na sinindihan ni Dr. Jose L. Tabago. Sa ganang akin, hindi mahalaga kung sino ang naka-imbento ng mag-wheels. Higit na may pabuya ang nakatuklas ng paggamit ng gulong. Ngayon, ang kamalayan ng mga taga CLSU sa kompyuter ay higit nang naglalagablab.

Susunod… ang pagiging makakalikasan ni Dr. J. L. Tabago. Abangan.

http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Take a Look at the Coconut ( Sarong Reparo sa Niûg )

Scientific name: cocos nucifera, common name: coconut. Some call it: noce di coco in Italy, cocotier, said the Frenchmen, kokoc by the Russians, kokosnoot spoken in Dutch, nei in Hawaii, niu for the Poynesian voyagers: niûg is the name for Caramoanons




(A tribute to the Coconut and the Coconut Farmers who made my education possible through the COCOFED Scholarship Grant)


Nasasambit ko minsan an sakuyang aspirasyon na isurat an mga bagay-bagay na harani sa boot, orog pa, kun an tema may relasyon o gikan sa namomot-an kong banuaan, Caramoan.

(I said some time ago, I have this aspiration to write on anything close to my heart, much more, when it delve on topics akin to my hometown, Caramoan.)

Sa pagbana-bana nin siertong tema, naisip kong hamihamon an sakuyang recuerdos nin
kamusmusan, an amay na panahon na primerong nagkaigwa nin animo an sakuyang kaisipan, sa padabang lugar na mabulod-bulod na daga kan Caramoan. Tuminambara sa alintataw ko an imahe nin tan-awon na napapaligidan nin mga tinanom na kaniugan.

(While pondering on a specific subject matter, I choose to reckon my childhood memories, those early days of awakeaning , on my cherished land – full of backdrop of rocky and rolling hills, that is in Caramoan. It flashed on my psyche, a scenery of green plantations of coconuts.)

Sa puntong ini, nahaman an tema sa isip ko, mga patara-tara manongod sa nagkaperang detalye kan sarong niûg. An niûg, an naging halawig asin dakulang maray na kasurog sa mga pang-ekonomiyang pangangaipuhan kan kadakling Caramoanon, ta maski pa ngani, kontra-pilo an maburu-buelta nang pagbisita kan mga distrosong raot na panahon, poon pa kan panahon na daing kasagkuran.

(At this instance, I knew the topic already. I would like to write on the nitty-gritty of a coconut being. Such coconut, that has been a lifelong and very significant source of livelihood for most Caramoanons, despite of its drawbacks suffered on devastating howling winds that frequently visit Caramoan, since time immemorial.)

Maw-ut ko na repasohon an mga lingua franca na sambit kan mga tubong Caramoan, sa pagmidbid sa manlaen-laen na kaapodan sa niûg, base sa edad kaini - hale sa pagiging lambû, hastang tumagas. Pambihira nang madangog an mga makunsuelo asin mga en-puntong bernakulo, diit-diit nang nawawara sa bukabularyo, kasabay sa pagpara kan buhay kan mga anoy-anoyon tang samatuang Caramoanon.

(It is my earnest wish to review the peculiar dialects uttered by native Caramoanons, in naming and identifying the different stages of development of a coconut fruit. It is becoming rarer to hear those amusing and exacting tongue, by and by, losing spot in our casual vocabulary; tagging along and as if racing - with the demise of those idiosyncratic elders of Caramoan.)

“ Sa pagtangad sa sarong lanyûg na puon nin niûg, nahiling ko an mga buok nin saralak na nagkapirang rawog nin lumbod, matagas, asin laya ng niûg. An layâ ng niûg, kun dai pa sakatûn, o sanggotûn - sa madaling sabi, gusihûn.. minaalang na maray an bunût, nahuhubas an sabaw; salida an pagtambû nin ampol- maputi, mayomhok na matagok, sarong kumol-kumol na maharamismis kakanon.”

(“By looking up at a tall coconut tree, I sighted bunches of coconut fruits – clustered into some young, some matured, and some over-matured. An over-matured fruit in this case, when neglected to be hand-picked, or scythed with an extension pole, in other words – remained unharvested, its fibrous husk will continue to dehydrate, its juice inside the nut drying-up, giving way into the emergence of an embryo that would gradually be growing - whitish, absorbent and moist, a ball of softy mass that is sweetish to eat.)

An anuman na nasa taas, nararata. An apod sa niûg na narata, tangkû. Kadakli sa tangkung niûg, may laog na ampol. Ngapit pa, minabut-wa an saradit na gamut na nagkamang palagbas sa sadiring bunut, giya nin gravidad sa paghanap nin daga na makupuan para sa destinong maging sarong panibag-ong henerasyon.

(What is it up there, will eventually fall down. That fallen over-matured coconut fruit becomes a seed, most of them already have developed embryo, and in a matter of time, roots sprout out of its husk, guided by the law of gravity, find anchor on the soil and claim itself its destiny to become a new generation.)

Sarong layang niûg, tinubuan nin ampol dangan tuminangku, pero nugayud, minatangkû mun-â, hastang tubuan nin ampol, despues, ma nagin tambuan.

(An over-matured coconut fruit, develops embryo then falls, but in other ways, it falls first, sitting undisturbed underneath to develop embryo, and finally takes the form of a young coconut seedling.)

An nagtatalubong puon nin niûg, markado nin mga garong tinalanggahan an hawak nin huli sa gira kan nagkatirik-is na palâ-pâ. An palâ-pâ, iyo an dahon kan niûg na piggikanan kan gihoy na pansighid, asin an ugbos, tunay na pamatos na nakaburibod sa ibos . Inuusar man an tinalakid na palâ-pâ, bilang atop sa pobreng payag-payag na harong.

(A growing coconut tree shows ringed step-like gradient on its trunk, a mark from fallen pinnate leaves. Pinnate leaves are our source of midribs which we use as a broom, while its young-still folded leaves, is an ideal spiral wrapper for glutinous rice delicacy. Inter-woven leaves becomes a useful thatch for a humble hut.)

Sa laog nin poko mas o menos singko hasta siete anyos, segun sa maray-rahay na panubo, handa na sa premirong pamunga an puon nin niûg, asin dagos dagos na mamumunga hasta sa posibilidad na panahon nin gatos na anyos.

(In approximately 5 to 7 years old, under circumstance of healthy plant growth, a coconut tree is much likely ready for its first fruit bearing days, and possibly to produce prolifically in a span of a hundred years.)

Sa pag ulwat kan unlung na nakasagipit sa mga puon nin palâ-pâ, iyo na an, an senyales na bados na an puon kan niûg. Daing gayo ikalangkag, minabuk-ad tolos an unlung, minaluwas an garong giring-gitingan na mga paklang, na inaapod na, arayu-ay, an burak kan niûg.

(The emergence of inflorescence, making its way in between petioles, shows the sign of a start of being a productive tree. It will not take too long, the bud will open to display its blooming flowers.)

Sa lambang paklang kan buk-ad ng arayu-ay, mina-tambo an mga bukô-bukô, na nagin gao-ô, na sa ika-pirang semana, nagiging mga arub-ob. Sa estadong ini pelegroso na mapayog an ibang bunga sa nagkapirang remalasong kamugtakan. Arog kan mapurohan nin makosog na paros, ma-sugod nin alimbuyog, o kaya, matiyempuhan sa panahon nin atake nin helang kan niûg.

(On every stem of its fountaining flowers, will the numerous nodules appear, which will soon develop into pre-matured nuts, and within few weeks, grows a little bit bigger with only water content inside. It is during this stage that the fruit bearing process undergoes a very fragile moment that would precipitate abortion. Like susceptibility to strong winds to cause pollen to fall, attacked by bees, or probably hit by certain plant diseases.)

Sa paglipas nin nagkapira pang aldaw, kasunod na an pinakamasiram na parte nin pakinabang sa niûg, an panahon na puede nang sakatun an malinghud. An amay na parte iyo an malinghud nin daraga, lab-as an berdeng kolor kan bunut, masabaw, asin malumoy na maray an laman. Sa pag-agi nin gasinong turog sana, minatagas tulos an buok nin niûg, asin inaapod ining malinghud nin para-ayam.

(And in the passing days, the most awaited delicious part of enjoying coconut becomes at hand. Young coconuts are ready for picking, preferably by climbing. An earlier harvest or younger version of young coconut is said to be preferred by a maiden. Its flesh is jelly like and very succulent to eat. After a few overnight sleep, it matures into what is called young coconut for hunters.)

“ segun sa suanoy na istorya, an malinghud nin para-ayam, iyo an literal na kakanon kan mga para-ayam, nin huli ta dai nagdadara nin balon na kanon sinda, tanganing dai maparongan kan hayop na saindang katuyuhan na dakopon. Kadakul pa nin ritual na arte nin pagtubod an Para-ayam, siring sa saindang kakanon na malinghud, pig bat-ak an buok na patak-ras na garong lampaso, bakong tigbas na pahalabang ba-ak.”

(“ according to folktales, such young coconuts, are really the staple food of hunters, since they avoid bringing in table foods on their hunting grounds to evade detection from the very sharp sense of smell of those game animals. Aside from that, hunters are very superstitious. It form part of their ancient practice and beliefs. For instance, opening the coconut should be cut crossed-wise like a scrubbing husk at home, not the usual lengthwise chopping.”)

Aldaw sana man an diperensya kan edad, munan mo, lukadun na an tagas kan dating malinghud. Alagad an lukadun na pigsabi dai pa puedeng benepisyuhon na luka-don, o koprason. Mas angay ining pig-kudkod na magsirbing panira sa kamote, luto-un na magin dulceng bukayo, o i-ayon sa tinuk-tok na buyod na hago-hago na, na pigpatos sa dahon nin kalabasa, o bien, natong.

(An age difference of another few days, certainly in advanced stage, it’s half ripe. At this stage, it can not yet be processed into drying for copra. It is better grated and used to compliment eating sweet potato, cooked into sweet dessert-like foods, or mix into chopped fermented shrimp delicacy, wrapped in squash leaves or an edible kind of taro leaves.)

Paabante nin paabante an proseso nin pagtagas, medyo maragamo asin manag-om na an namit sa karne kan niûg, mantang minagian an timbang kan bunut na naggugurang an mga urat. Sa puntong ini, igwa nin manig-sarong buok nin niûg na nabubuyon. An termino iyo an landû, na mina-sadiring rata ngapit. Mata-pû asin madaling matukal sa bagol an laman kaini. Lasaw an gunaw na mapupuga.

(The process of maturity is advancing, which makes the flesh of the coconut firmer and have a nutty taste, while the fibrous husk weighs lesser. An this point, there might be few under-develop nuts to find among them as casualties, and it will just fall by its own accord. The meat is crunchy and easily detach from its shell. The essence of coconut cream that can be extracted from it, is less potent.)

An paladan na minasunod na pahinogon iyo an pig-apod na gasiraban. Minatagas-tagas pa man sana. Alang-alangon na gunawon, matagas na man na maray na pasayon.

(Those surviving nuts developed into an early stage of maturity. It gets harder but not yet fully a generous source of coco-milk, but too hard already to be eaten raw.)

An sunod, sinû. Kinahinogi, kinatagasi. Tama na sa panahon na gusihûn. Matagok an gunaw, matubod na lanahon, makantidad nang koprason, dai na dapat gulpihon an resiko kan comprada.

(Next, stage of prime maturity. Ripened, Hard. Just in time for harvest. Full cream, edible oil source at optimum, commercially valuable copra product – must not be imposed with big rediscounting of weight by the copra buying station.)

Kun dai nahiru an sinû, dayaday na minaalang asin minaribay an kolor kan bunût. Ini an estado ning pagiging layâ, pauli na sa pinun-an kan istoryang ini. Sa pagtubo kan ampol, pagkaputul kan matapû ng putihan sa rawog na kinukupoan, minatangkû sa sadiring gabat, naging pisog liwat.

(Unless harvested in time, its husk will gently undergo dehydration and discoloration process. It becomes an over-matured nut, reverting into where we started this story. Into germination of embryo, cutting-off from its brittle cluster by its own weight, fallen as a seed, again.)

An sirkulo nin pauro-otrung istorya nin perpetual na kamogtagan kan buhay kan sarong puon nin niûg, sarong teorya na sanang kaisipan sa satuyang panahon. Dai ma-agwanta na masalidahan nin bag-ông tubô an kaniogan, kung lalaoman sana na naturalesang tumambo an tangkuan. Gusgos na asin lanyug ng maray an mga natatadang tindog na kaniogan. Panahon na nin durungan na pagsalida nin makabag-ông semilya nin niûg, por sobre sa dakulang pakinabang sa satuyang kabuhayan, maski na, para sa mga makuapo man lamang.

logspo(The seemingly never-ending cycle of propagating nature of coconut plants, becomes only a mere theory in our time. It can not sustain restitution of its own lost kind, if we just depend on its slow evolutionary form of germination. Those standing coconut trees left nowadays are already very old and less productive. It is high time for mass replantation and replenish them with hybrid varieties, in view of its life sustaining importance in our lives, even, just for the sake of our grandchildren.)

http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Welcome to my Blog: http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Greetings!

Reading Blogs has become my favorite pastime these days. It displaces a great deal of time spent on my supposedly old habit of reading books of general interests.

I become an avid follower of a number of blog authors who are churning out masterpieces that excites my imagination. It becomes my source of wisdom and entertainment. Somehow, such kind of exposures, evolved as an inspiration to me, to become wiser and at least witty.

I have been asked for my e-mail address from time to time for more than a decade, and I can't offer any. I stubornly closed my mind due to quandary of tasking my rusted faculty of learning anew the rudiments of internet surfing.

Somebody had then created for me my e-mail address. It took me some time to follow the mere procedure of opening it - to retrieve incoming e-mails, much more tedious, when I have to send outward e-mails.

The motivation and encouragement to learn how to open e-mails, and eventually accessing blog sites dawned on me when I met Wilfredo O. Pascual, a Carlos Palanca awardee for literature in 2004, and this year, declared winner again for literature , becoming a two time Palanca Grand Prize Winner. I was introduced to peek at his blog site: Secret Gospels, Sacred Sites with the guidance of a brod at CLSU Artist Club, Elito Circa.

I read a few of his opening lines:

" I was born on the eve of winter solstice, when the
earth is inclined farthest away from the sun, that
time of the year when the day is shortest and the
night longest." ......

The way his words arrived on me is just magical . That was the start of my zest in viewing all his recent entries and searching more from his archived posts. By and by, I gained little progress everyday pressing the right keys and learned to enjoy interacting with on line computer.

Thank God, for having Willi, Elito, and Caramoan@groups.msn.com, which served as my acclimatization and prelude to my taking a new role, of that being a neophyte blogger. Really a trying hard blogger.

Welcome to http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com


Tony Co as Jack the Majic Dragon

Speech by ALEXIS before an audience at the Mapua Institute of Technology

A pleasant afternoon to all of you .. I belong to the School of Multimedia Arts and Sciences and I was appointed CSC representative.

I take this responsibility as part of a challenge, and an opportunity for development, to be a well rounded student of Mapua Institute of Technology.

While taking the honor of being the CSC representative, I am bound to exercise leadership by example. And this means, abiding by the rules and regulations of the school, develop appreciation and promotion of this relatively new course curriculum, the Multimedia Arts and Sciences. Inspire my fellow students to perform well in academics and extra-curricular activities, in order to garner honors for the School of Multimedia Arts and Sciences.

An specific initial move, I am respectfully submitting my idea of establishing a pioneering student organization, exclusively for MAS students; as a vehicle in consolidating our efforts, a unifying factor, to be able to realize our noble objectives.

We aim that the organization will ultimately earn a distinct character of excellence, in and out of the campus. An identity deserving as that of being a product of School of Multimedia Arts and Sciences of Mapua Institute of Technology.

Thank you.

Alexis B. Co

My Jewels in the Palace

Archemis B. Co / Kim
11-18-1986


Ang paborito kong cartoon karakter, si ikabod bubwit, likha ng premyadong kartonista, Nonoy Marcelo. Yan ang naitala kong pangalan sa birth certificate para sa panganay ko. November 18, 1986 nun, P1500.00 pa lang sweldo ko, P750.00 ang kensinas. Sa awa ng Diyos, nagkasya naman panggastos sa isang klinika lang ng freelance midwife ang panganganak.

Nakita nung hipag ko ang birth certificate na nakalapag sa tabi ng kama ng kapapanganak kong asawa at napuna ang nakatalang pangalang "Ikabod". Hindi sya komporme at agad nagbigay ng payo na kawawa naman daw paglaki ng bata kung "Ikabod" ang pangalan. Dun kami nahimasmasan ng mga oras na yun at nataranta sa paghanap ng kapalit na pangalan.

Ang panuntunan ay dapat magsisimula sa "A" at gusto ko unique pero pangkaraniwan pakinggan. Ayaw ko ng dala-dalawang pangalan at mala-burgis ang tunog.

Gumawa kami ng maikling listahan ng mga pangalang pagpipilian, tulad ng Ariston, Artemis, Archemides, atbp., mga pangalang angkin ng mga bantog na sinaunang tao sa mundo. Naging tila salawahan ang pamimili sa panibagong pangalan, at sa gitna ng kawalan ng katiyakan, bigla naibulalas ng aking esposa: "yun na lang kayang" Archemis ba yun?", dala ng nagkabuhol-buhol na dila. Aba! ayos sa pakinig ko yun ah. Parang korupsyon ng Ariston-Artemis-Archemides. Naging unique nga. Binura namin ang "Ikabod" at pinabinyagan sa "ARCHEMIS" na me palayaw na Kim.















Alexis B. Co / aL3kZiz
11-03-1990

Lumipas ang apat na taon, dumating ang pangalawang supling. Sa pagkakataon ito, hindi pa rin tumpak na napagkasunduan ang magiging pangalan, gayung papalabas na ang bata sa sinapupunan matapos ang siyam na buwan.

Sa mga sandaling iyon, hinatid ng esposa ko ang sarili niya sa ospital at ako naman noo'y nasa Mindanao sa pagtupad sa tungkulin sa aking amo na siyang nagpapa-ikot ng aking mundo sa bisa ng minimum wage law. Sa pamamagitan ng RCPI long distance call, muling tumambad ang usapin ng magiging pangalan ng bata.

Wala talaga kaming nakursunadahan na mag-asawa sa mga nakaraang pamimili ng pangalan. At ako'y napalingon mula sa maliit na bintanang salamin ng telephone booth, natanaw ko ang nakabukas na telebisyon sa kabilang dako ng establishimento, kasalukuyang napapalaban ng boksing ang paborito kong boksingero ng Argentina na si Alexis Arguelles. Ano pa nga ba? e, di "ALEXIS" na.

Argenia B. Co / Argen
12-02-1991

Makalipas ang dalawang buwan nung laban na yun ni Alexis Arguelles, lingid sa aming kaalaman, may namumuo na naman palang buhay na paparating sa aking mag-anak. At gayun na nga, halos sumukob sa loob ng isang taon, iniluwal ang pangatlong supling. Sa sandaling ito, may lakip ng ibayong kagalakan, dahil sa dalawang magkasunod na lalaki, sa wakas, babaye ini! Hindi naging masalimuot ang pamimili ng pangalan, walang kalituhan, walang agam-agam. Pinagpilian namin ang Argentina at Armenia. At siya'y tinawag naming ARGENIA.























Arvina B. Co / Arvie
03-09-1996

Muling nagkaroon ng apat na taong agwat. Isa na namang miyembro ng pamilya ang karagdagan sa aming kaligayahan. Isang malusog at pink na pink na angelita ang aming biyayang natanggap. Animo'y inipit ang ilong at tila kudlit lamang ang bibig.

Bilang isang manlalakbay na tindero, muling nakaraos ako na di makita ang hirap na dinanas ng aking mahal na esposa sa pagluwal sa isang naglilikot na angelita. Mahabang oras ang ginugol sa pagsusumikap na maging natural born citizen ang panganganak. Umabot sa pahalang na posisyon ang bata, kung kaya't hindi naiwasan ang pagpasya ng doktor na isailalim sa hiwa ng kutsilyo ang panganganak.

May isa akong among babae na Belinda ang ngalan, Bina ang palayaw. Pag natutuwa sakin, inaalok ako mag vale, pag-inis, inis na inis talaga. Sa kanya ko nakuha ang pangalan ni ARVINA.








Adrian B. Co / Nonoy a.k.a. Palampado
04-24-2004

Sapat na ang apat. Subalit, heto, humabol pa makalipas ang pitong taon, ang sa ngayon ay sisiga-sigaan sa pamamahay namin. Ang peste ng mga kagamitan sa bahay. Hindi lamang nauubos kundi dumarami pa ang mga pigurin, baso at plato sa kababasag nito. Gayun daw talaga pag tatlo ang puyo. Kung titigan mong maigi, meron pang isang maliit na namumuong puyo sa kilay.

Ang pangalan nya ay sama-sama na naming pinagtulongang pag-usapan, kasama na ang apat naming malalaki ng anak. Hango sa ngalan ng simpatikong bida ng nauusong koreanovela nang mga araw na yun, at sa suhestyon ni Arvina, at sa pinagtiyap na kaparehang mungkahi ng isang kaibigan, siya'y tinawag naming ADRIAN. Ngayun, siya'y Principe ng Kakulitan, wala man lang ni bahid ng kabaitan tulad ng angking karakter na ipinakita ng koreanong si Adrian.












http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com

Ode to my Hometown

Sometime ago, in one of my rare moments of tranquil solitude, I heard a humming in my heart - a soft, whispery, soothing melody. But it soon dawned on me that it was not a song, it was a word - a word we love so well.

C-A-R-A-M-O-A-N

Like a symphony, it filled my soul.

And I smiled dreamily and drifted off to that far away place of calming peace and serene contentment, when I quietly realized that I was uttering it repeatedly and in a variety of fashions.

Such was the magic in the word. I was hypnotized, mesmerized, spellbound. And lost in the reverie, I found myself saying the word slowly, relishing every syllable, reliving all the good memories that my birthplace gave me.

Soon, I came back to my senses, but not without first discovering the numerous hidden meanings and subtle connotations behind the name of our hometown that is Caramoan.


Listen !




CARA MO AN
Lalaw-gon mo an! ( that is your face ).
The phrase suggests that you should take care of "your face" or your reputation, because that is how you will be judged - on face value.




CARAMO AN
Pointing at ourselves, we say "kirita an"
Caramoanon First policy: "Bago ang iba, Caramoanon ngon-a" so goes a slogan hanging on a signpost at the riverbank, adjacent by the church.

CA RAMO AN
A way of speaking in a distorted or garbled manner.
"Deficil magkasinabutan an ramo-ramo na pagtinaram-taram."
This is a call to keep an open line to one another and to share clear and truthful communications with each other, as a definite way to better understanding among the townfolks.




c ARAM o AN
"Aram mo an" - you know it!
Yes, it is an encouraging word that compliments and boost self-esteem.
Caramoanon! You can do it.

CARAMOANg
"Mus-i-ngon" Untidy. A negative trait. But not at all, if that would be the proof of one's dignity of labor. It's still a common sight for Caramoanons carelessly making their hands dirty, toiling on the fields, and looking forward to harvest the fruit of their labor.

CA RAMOaN
Ka Ramo_n - sounds like a familiar pseudonym uphill.

cARA MO AN
That is your covetous desire.
This brings to focus a negative trait which is akin to our so called "Crab Mentality".
What a way to remind us that "Envy is the root of all evil".

Playing with the word led me to learn some homonyms and homographic possibilities, such as:




Carahan
A kind of sea turtle, of which the name Caramoan was derived from.




Carahayan
Goodness, state of well being.

Canamoan
A certain kind of root crop said to be endemic in Caramoan, and so goes another theory as the origin of the name, Caramoan.

Well, so much for nostalgic thoughts and homogenous sounds.
Just remember, when you speak the word CARAMOAN, you bring to life good memories, fun times, deep affection and undying love.

Value your name and family honor, for that is how you are judged.

Consider the will being of your fellow Caramoanons before anyone else's.

Remember that you are among the best and you can do it, whatever the challenges might be.

Beware of the "Crab Mentality" .

Project and promote nothing but Goodness and you will reap Abundance - in friendships
and in blessings.

No matter how far away you stray, always return to Caramoan, as the sea turtle - Carahan does from distant shores.

That is the true Caramoanon, for a Caramoanon is a symphony of many good things. And because this generation will hand these very same values down to the young ones.

The Caramoanon is a Living Concerto, a Timeless Melody.

http://caramoan-kanvar.blogspot.com