Self Check 04.30.2012

Realized the following lately.

1. I am an arrogant condescending dogmatic asshole when heated up in an argument. I will henceforth be more cautious with my choice of words and with my choice of thoughts [if the latter is even possible], especially, but not limited to, during heated arguments.

2.a. I thought that I was helping people when I get straightforward with them, when I tell them negative comments establishing the fact beforehand that I was airing my own opinion, that whatever I say is subject to discussion, that I could be wrong though I thought that they should know what I would have to say.

2.b.i. I thought that it’s always been best to check what motives people have behind their words, such that when someone says something causing another person lack of ease, discomfort or offense, that person should not be fully blamed because he had good intentions of saying it.

2.b.ii. A concept opposing “motive-based” principle is “interpretation-based” and by “interpretation-based,” I’m referring to: people should choose their words based on how it will be understood or interpreted by the other party.

2.b.iii. E.g., John tells Peter he smells awful with the intention of making Peter aware thus moving toward the goal or motive of helping Peter out. Peter got offended. Where’s the flaw in this scenario?

2.b.iv. To resolve this, I think the “sender”of the message should either carefully use words that will not cause any uneasiness, discomfort or offense to the “recipient” of the message or if he would need to be frank, then he should mention his motive first or maybe even ask for consent from the “recipient” on whether he would like to hear what the former intends to say. On the other hand, I think that the “recipient” of the message should as much as possible not take criticisms negatively or maybe even ask for the “sender’s” motives to understand why he would be stating such remarks.

2.b.v. I will henceforth do my best to be this [stated on 2.b.iv.] type of “sender” and “receiver.” Especially during heated arguments.

3.a. I think that words are being defined so that everyone will be on the same page with the meaning. However, as one dictionary would define words slightly differently from another dictionary, then people also have slightly different interpretations of words, especially with abstract words. I think this difference cannot be fully closed but I believe there’s certain threshold that both parties could meet such that one person’s interpretation of a certain word would not be detrimental with another person’s interpretation.

3.b. If the case is that people have different interpretations of words, then my set purpose – which is to understand life, love and people – just exponentially increased its range. This is somehow hurtful but I’m still pursuing.

4.a. I used to define the word “judgmental” like this: you THINK someone has this character because of one or two scenes pointing to the possibility of that character. When you TELL that person that specific character, then that becomes arrogance or frankness but for me, you don’t have to speak to be judgmental.

4.b.i. For me, the root of being judgmental is when you rely to inconclusive data, e.g., you have only two scenes showing that someone has this certain character yet you are considering the thought of the character as an accepted fact, that you don’t give that person enough chance to prove whether the possible character you think he so possesses is something that he really does or does not have.

4.b.ii. I used to apply, since admittedly I could sometimes be assertively arrogant [or arrogantly assertive, you take your pick], that when I tell someone something negative in the middle of a discussion, then I am in fact giving that person the chance to defend himself.

4.c. I’ve realized that my definition of the word “judgmental” is something unique and complicated. I’ve heard another slightly different definition of the term and mine appears to be detrimental with theirs. I will henceforth drop my own definition of the term and will go with their own until I find a way to close the gap between my definition and theirs.

5.a. I reassured myself that more questions are looming over when discussing the potential answers.

5.b. I heard the following line that I am yet to understand – “Don’t look for answers, then question is already the answer” [crap, I'm not sure if this really is the line, somebody correct me please].

5.c. Cogito ergo perplexus. I think therefore I’m confused.

This is a major self check. I could use all the help that I could get and I intend to talk to people more for this.

One-Zero

What’s the difference between one and zero? Without batting one’s eyelids, we can say that the answer is one. The way I see it though, it could be 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001, 0.0000…n >>> 0.0000…<infinity>. So between one and zero is a very vast space for me.

I’ve been practicing one-zero belief for several years now and I have only realized lately that I’m still having a hard time making decisions because between one and zero is endless. One question would be: which decimal place value do I stop with? This is where practicality sets in. I normally stop when it would become impractical to progress. [I'm not sure I'm making sense, really.]

*One-zero basis, as I’ve blogged before, is taking either only one or zero and nothing in between. This is highly idealistic. OR this is my excuse for easily giving up when things get a little messed up. At the same time, this also becomes an encouragement when I’m still expecting an outcome. I do NOT apply this all the time, though.

Example 1. In school, when I’d be late, I would sometimes just miss the entire class, taking on “zero.” And no, I don’t do this now; I simply can’t afford to do this now.

Example 2. Before break up, I would do everything not to let go, making use of “one.” So it is expected of me to cut all communication and burn all bridges after the break up, taking on “zero.” This also explains why I’ve never believed in friendship after failed relationships. [Of course if the relationship would have to end, then it's an obvious failure - this is how I choose to see it.]

Example 3. I hate it when people use Filipino absolute adjectives – “LAHAT do’n matalino, LAHAT maganda, LAHAT mapagpakumbaba [etc.].”

Taking on “one” is the same thing as “not doing things half-baked” or simply doing your very best or putting your heart on certain tasks. Although taking on “zero” is something I couldn’t totally understand myself. Sometimes I think that I’m just lazy so I have to come up with this one-zero scheme to justify my indolence.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Born under the Scorpio sign, I think I’m cursed with the “duality disease.” Choosing between right and left is not at all an easy task for me. Someone acts really weird, I could think of a possible reason behind the act. Someone becomes surprisingly nice, I could think of a possible hidden agenda. Good news to most would not necessarily be good news to me. Bad news to people is an opportunity. But no, I don’t judge. I “consider the possibility” left to be proven.

I think I’m a living paradox – I’m self-contradictory and, admittedly, I get drawn into self-contradicting ideas and people. I laugh crying and sometimes cry for no apparent reason. To justify that, I cry for reasons I cannot explain in words. I also miss crying sometimes. And to explain that too, I believe crying is one of those activities I consider part of “living” instead of simply “existing.”

When I heard of the line “you have to know evil before you can understand good [or something close to this],” I wasn’t very comfortable. I thought that was simply an excuse for all the wrongdoings in this world. When people use this line trying to justify their ill actions, it makes me half-furious and half-curious – I wanted to understand the “why’s” behind the scenes, or schemes.

This would sound nuts but I think some people can relate to this – I seriously think I have a dark side, like an evil alter ego, and I’m not referring to skin complexion. I think my chattering monkeys are way too noisy and there’s a huge dormant anger within me that I think I’ve either been suppressing or nursing. So any given bad day would lead me back to all the reasons why I’ve decided to be agnostic. Agnosticism is partly my excuse for not taking on “one” dealing with all these questions. The questions are simply endless, I don’t think I have the capacity to unearth all the questions about the universe but I treasure every answer I get and put them on a pedestal called Truth.

Back in Baguio, maybe it was the liquor, [our circle in Baguio, by the way, is into mysticism] I felt like there were strange forces trying to contact me wanting to get in me. I’m not sure if I was in a dream then but it felt like they were requesting entry since they knew I’m curious “to go to the other side”  - some phrase I’m not exactly sure of even within the context of this sentence. I was openly telling my cousins about how I thought some energies were trying to communicate with me. My cousins kept on telling me that I’m a good person [and I agree, to a certain extent] and that it’s not a very good idea to delve into “the other side.” I wasn’t sure then if should grant entry, even now actually.

I still believe in one-zero basis [I know some people might look at me differently after reading this, I don't mind], given that what I’m discussing actually exists, I’m not sure if I should take on “one” or “zero” [duality]. It’s not even a question of whether I could handle it – of course, I could handle my darker side, it’s more of (1) am I making sense? did I just really publish this? am I not getting crazy yet? and (2) do I have to?

I’m more inclined taking on “one;” in fact, I think it’s simply a matter of time. Or is it?

Random Scenes [aka Dreams]

I can’t remember the last dream I had but typically it would consist of random scenes which sequence would not make sense. For example, I remember having the following in one of my dreams: a crying atheist friend, canned octopuses, people openly showing their genitals, one of my work colleagues and my mom talking to the last neighbor she would be talking to. At the end of that dream, I did not find any sense as far as the scenes are concerned and as far as the sequence is concerned. Correction:  everything made perfect sense until I woke up. If my dream would start with me watching a Korean movie in a country called Hyperia, eating roasted flamingo in squid sauce instead of oyster and ending with seeing half-naked Aphrodite in Mount Olympus, I wouldn’t be quite surprised.

A: I think I managed to dream earlier while still awake.

[There's a lengthier intro to this post which will be available soon. This means I'm half-asleep writing what you're currently reading [or half-awake, your pick], considering someone would actually read this. This also means I just delivered a teaser for my next blog. Hoorah!]

I just came from a team building [aka, special drinking-slash-singing-slash-bonding] session with my work colleagues. It was set in Laiya, Batangas, about four-hour travel from work. I was on a jeep feeling high because sleep was almost up for grabs. During these times when I’m tired and my mind is just a few moments away from sleep, I’d get different moods. Sometimes, I’d be emotional feeling sorry for myself again [this is so 2000 and late, though]; sometimes, I’d feel overly sensitive that any random vagrant could make me cry but not sob since I still have my vanity wall up [not because I worry I might look like Shrek or something but because I'm not comfortable crying in front of dear friends, let alone in public]; another mood has taken place earlier when I felt inexpicably light and happy and joyous [and abnormal and autistic, kidding]. For some reasons related to most likely my next post [another teaser, this is the last], I decided to meditate and focus on what my mind would allow me. That was when the random scenes started conjuring out of the blackness of the night [since my eyes were closed, of course]. And just like my usual dream, I cannot recall what actual scenes appeared. They were random for sure, I remember something [smoke, maybe] moving upwards hitting the ground gently cracking the earth with that smoke turning into vines ever quickly growing upwards still, growing tall but not gaining girth with small scarce leaves. The vines reached about 10 to 15 feet then tree houses started popping on top of them, balancing the houses was out of the question. The houses were not the size of an actual house, just enough though to show an image of my crush [wahaha], with the same images in each house.

B: I think I directed that scene with her images in those small houses standing on thin tall vines. They weren’t ‘my’ houses though and not ‘my’ vines.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I have this gift [I think this is the first time I'm using the term 'gift' to describe this] that sometimes I’d have a very short random dream so short and so random that I would only remember it the moment it happens.  This kind of dreams is quite different from my usual dreams since these short random ones would not make sense until they happen [my normal dreams would perfectly makes sense until I wake up and I'm repeating this line on purpose]. It’s been a while since I had this kind of dreams.

C: Here’s a crazy thought: if I actually dreamt earlier on the jeep, then maybe – just maybe -  if I would just focus some more, then I might force in those short random dreams and since I’d be awake then, then maybe I could take note of that dream and [tada] just relax and wait for it to happen. [I felt the need to take a short pause after that last line.]

An even crazier thought: [I'm gonna use a mathematical equation for the next line to make it sound less crazy; I feel like in words the following will be totally nuts and absurd (but why am I getting the chills?)] IF A and C are TRUE, then B put with C is *undefined. [Wait, that's not really mathematical.]

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I think I just need to sleep now to dream. Or am I already dreaming?

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Checked my older Friendster blog posts, searched for “dreams,” ran quick spell/grammar check, pressed print screen, opened Paint, hit ctrl+V, cropped JPEG file. Here’s the finished product:

Jason Mraz Live in Manila Concert 10.30.11 – First Concert I Attended

Today’s my birthday! And this is the only birthday I recall that I’m single and not feeling emo or melancholic or even nostalgic. No yearly month-long birthday blues this year and I woke up with a very positive aura today. I feel like embracing the earth and dancing waltz with the world today.

Friday afternoon, I watched Paranormal Activity 3 by myself with the customary large cheese popcorn and large iced tea plus lots of tissue. Dating myself is something I look forward to every time I get the calling, which is weird because I don’t really look forward to getting that calling. The need to watch a movie by myself would simply build up and I think I’ve acquired an automatic meter that turns green when there’s enough build up [like this makes sense, yeah!]

Friday night was even more exciting. I was supposed to drink with my former housemate in Alabang but he was running late since he was at Resorts World earlier that day and I was also a bit wasted playing arcade and watching PA3 and the mall was already closed then so I decided to have our drinking session re-scheduled again for who knows when. En route to our house on the jeep though, I still had the lust for alcohol so I texted every person on my texting planet, even those I’m not too close with. I got one response confirming her availability – after my begging plea, that is. It was from my younger sister, Joan, which I call my younger bro. I asked Joan to invite our elder sister, Mary Jane, along so that night, the Anciano siblings were drinking and partying together for the first time. We started drinking at Central in Landayan, a pedicab-ride away from our house but my sister wanted to hear live music so we decided to guzzle down our bucket of Tanduay Ice and move to La Aplaya in Alabang for acoustic music. The first band was playing songs for my elder sister’s age so she was having her time as all of us were. The best thing about this drinking spree was that Ate Jane offered to pay our tab. Tabs actually, since she paid both for Central and for La Aplaya and I simply let her.

Saturday night, I was in the office. But what’s one night in the office when you’d be off again the following day?

Yesterday was the very peak of my birthday week. It was one of the highlights of my existence, for crying out loud. I missed his first concert so when I heard mid-September that Jason Mraz was coming back to Manila, I really made preparations. And by preparations, I mean financial preparations. I was really wanting to get a front seat regardless of the price but my concert buddy found it too expensive. We got tickets in the Upper Box section. We by the way got seated next to APO Hiking Society’s Danny Javier, who was with his wife and son.

I counted 23 songs, which was more than what I was expecting. Between 8 pm and around 10.20 pm, Jason Mraz and Toca Rivera, his percussionist-slash-back-up, had been playing almost non-stop. Both Jason and Toca did a good job involving the crowd with the concert. It was simply massive!

Highlights of the concert were as follows:

When Jason and Toca came to the stage, of course.

Sixth song, Lucky, first song the crowd was familiar with. He was singing Colbie Caillat’s part effortlessly. Part of the third album, We Sing We Dance We Steal Things; track 3.

Seventh song, Fly Me To the Moon. I don’t think anyone was expecting this song from him. He’s got some tricks up his sleeves.

Eleventh song, Please Don’t Tell Her. One of the highlights for me only because I know this song. Track 10 on his second album, Mr. A-Z. This is one of Joan’s favorite songs.

Fourteenth song, You and I Both. They used a misleading intro to this song and when Jason hit the first lines, the crowd was simply wild! First track on his first album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come.

Fifteenth song, The Remedy. Number 15 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 2002. Oasis’ Wonderwall was sampled in the middle of this song performance. First album, track 3.

Seventeenth song, Life is Wonderful. He was mouth-fluting (using his mouth to emulate flute sounds) towards the end of this number. It was really fun. First track on his second album.

Nineteenth song, Rescue. I haven’t heard this song but Jason dedicated this to a certain Cecilia. I was imagining hundreds of brows raised hearing this song dedication.

Twenty-second song, a made-up one. He was singing lines like, “I’m delighted that you could all come,” “Where do we go from here? The beach” and “I wanna go up with you …I wanna go down with you.” The crowd was just frantic with every line he dropped in this song.

Final song, I’m Yours. Everyone was on a  standing ovation singing along with this song. I got goosebumps all over my body, I was practically awed with the crowd’s response, enjoying every moment of it.

Jason threw his headband and a very lucky lady on the front row got it. I knew I should have taken one of those damn front seats!

Jason Mraz is the best performer, ever. This is biased, of course, since I haven’t really heard a lot of other performers. He was having fun playing his notes with his signature di-bi-dit-dat yodeling and his growling and his falsetto are just impressive. He was having fun, the crowd was having fun, it was just awesome!

Jason Mraz promised coming back in 2012. I think I have enough time to prepare for this one.

Here’s the list of the songs he performed:
(I’m not finding the titles for the songs number 5 and 13, forgive me.)

1. Land Down Under.
2. The Dynamo of Volition. Third album, track 10.
3. Live High. Third album, track 5.
4. If It Kills Me. Third album, track 11.
5.
6. Lucky. Third album, track 3.
7. Fly Me To the Moon.
8. The World as I See It. Single released for iTunes, September 2011
9. The Woman I Love.
10. A Beautiful Mess. Third album, track 12.
11. Please Don’t Tell Her. Second album, track 10.
12. I Won’t Give Up.
13.
14. You and I Both. First album, track 1.
15. The Remedy. First album, track 3.
16. Details in the Fabric. Third album, track 7.
17. Life is Wonderful. Second album, track 1.
18. When We Die.
19. Rescue.
20. Butterfly. Third album, track 4
21. The Freedom Song.
22. (Made up song).
23. I’m Yours. Third album, track 2.

My Top 20 Songs of All Time

Planned to put this on my blog site August 11 of this year. This shows how busy — or how lazy — I’ve been. Got videos and lyrics linked to the song title, so please check if you wanna hear the songs.

Roll the red carpet…

20. For You – John Denver – Heard one of the local FM radio jocks back in high school say that this would be his wedding song. Haven’t checked if it did happen.

Genre: Oldies / Country
From Album: Higher Ground, 1989
Song Length: 3.20

19. Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader – Laid back. Very positive. Not quite rock, not quite a love song. Not quite disco, not quite senti. Original song recorded in 1968 by an American band called Boffalango with Sherman Kelly on vocals.

Genre: Electronic
From Albums: Onka’s Big Monka, 1999; A Walk To Remember Soundtrack, 2002
Song Length: 3.52

18. No More Lonely Nights – Paul McCartney – It’s one of those songs that would not really make a very strong impact the first time you hear it but it kind of grows into you. This song reached number 6 in the US and number 2 in the UK charts.

Genre: Oldies / Pop
From Albums: Give My Regards to Broad Steet Soundtrack, 1984; All the Best! double album compilation, 1987
Song Length: 5.12

17. I Will Still Love You – Stonebolt – Perhaps the least recognized song and song artist combination on my list. This song is truly one of the most romantic songs out there. I find this song intense and very passionate. Given any lonely day, this song could make me cry. Stonebolt is an early 70′s Canadian rock band.

Genre: Pop / Rock Ballad
From Album: Stonebolt, 1978
Song Length: 3.09

16. This is Home – Switchfoot – When you feel like you’ve found your place on the planet and that there’s nothing more you could ask for, then this is the perfect song for you. I’m not sure if this song has been perfect for me yet. There are two music video versions of this song. One was shot with footage from the Narnia movie and, seven months later, another version was produced as part of the promotion of  “The Best Yet” compilation.

Genre: Christian / Alternative / Pop Rock
From Albums: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian soundtrack, 2008; The Best Yet compilation, 2008
Song Length: 3.57 (radio edit); 4.01 (soundtrack version)

15. Crying Like a Church on Monday – New Radicals – There’s something about the word ‘crying’ that got me stuck with this song for a very long time. Sad and full of angst, when lead vocalist Gregg Alexander sings the word ‘crying,’ you could almost imagine tears in his eyes.This song is one of the only three songs by New Radicals that I know. Someday We’ll Know and You Get What You Give are the other two.

Genre: Alternative / Pop Rock
From Album: Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too, 1998
Song Length: 5.02

14. All That I am – Joe – Another wedding song. If you could sing this song to your lady, especially if you could reach the high notes, or even just for the attempt I guess, I’m sure you could get her to bed, if you know what I’m saying. I used to sing this song to my girl. Come to think of it, there were two of them I used to sing this song to (using falsetto for the high notes, since I can’t hit them).

Genre: R&B
From Album: All That I Am, 1997
Song Length: 4.12

13. Plane - Jason Mraz – Jason Mraz can literally chew on his words and still let the audience digest the message. His songs are just fast-paced, almost rapping but still really singing. And he can hit the high high notes and can artistically play with the melody, ever swiveling from one tune to another and still not getting out of tune. I think he could produce a hundred versions of the same song. Spellbinding, Plane is one of the most addictive Mraz songs.

Genre: Pop / Freestyle
From Album: Mr. A-Z, 2004
Song Length: 5.13

12. Faithfully - Journey – Once I was in an acoustic bar at MOA, one of the patrons requested the song Faithfully. The band didn’t know the song then but now Faithfully is known to every Filipino. No offense to Arnel Pineda but Steve Perry’s version is not very easy to top. Jovit’s version is just terrible, by the way. I wasn’t really a fan of this song until I listened to it with my earphones with full-blast volume. I was having goosebumps then.

Genre: Pop Ballad
From Album: Frontiers, 1983
Song Length: 4.27

11. It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve – Barry Manilow – This is my saddest song of all time and it’s a Christmas song. I sometimes find myself humming this song just about every time of the year. I think I do that either because this song reflects how I feel on those occasions I’m humming it or that there’s a need in me to outgrow the song and the feeling.

Genre: Oldies / Pop Ballad
From Album: Barry Manilow Live, 1977
Song Length: 4.21

10. Somewhere Only We Know – Keane – Nostalgic is one word to describe the song. It could make you sadder if you’re already sad but it could make you feel more in love if you’re already in love. There’s just something in Keane’s music that directly affects the heart. Their words speak truth, that’s why I like the band. Somewhere Only We Know made a lot of appearances in TV (Life, Glee, Grey’s Anatomy, American Idol, Victoria’s Secret Ads), in Films (The Lake House,  Laughing Out Loud, He’s Just Not That Into You) and has been covered by numerous artists like Natasha Bedingfield and Lifehouse.

Genre: Alternative / Rock
From Album: Hopes and Fears, 2004
Song Length: 3.57

09. Starlight Express – El Debarge – First recorded by Ray Shell in 1984, El Debarge’s version came out in 1987. Written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the same mastermind behind The Music of the Night (Phantom of the Opera), Don’t Cry For Me Argentina (Evita) and Memory (Cats). This song brings back old high school feelings, which is weird because I got fond of the this song just last year. Starlight Express is part of Webber’s musical with the same title.

Genre: Pop Ballad
From Album: El Debarge, 1987
Song Length: 3.46

08. If You Ever Come Back – The Script – One of those goodbye songs, this is an upbeat song that’s really sad when you listen to the lyrics. This song actually made my cry, just like majority of the songs on this list (I’m a crybaby, I know). For some reason, I’m not getting tired listening to this song.

Genre: Pop / Alternative
From Album: Science and Faith, 2010
Song Length: 4.02

07. Endless Love – Lionel Richie / Diana Ross – For me, this song is like the epitome of all love songs. At the same time, I’m one of those hopeless romantics who believe in… errrm… well… endless love [sheesh]. I believe all generations will hear and will appreciate this song. This song is originally a soundtrack of a movie of the same name starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt. Endless Love was also covered by Luther Vandross with Mariah Carrey and also by Kenny Rogers. The song appeared in movies like Beethoven and Happy Gilmore, among others. Endless Love was at number 1 for 9 weeks in US Hot 100 from August 9 to October 10, 1981.

Genre: Oldies / Pop Ballad
From Album: Endless Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, 1981; Why Do Fools Fall In Love? (Diana Ross single), 1981; Lionel Richie, 1982;
Song Length: 4.26

06. All Behind Us Now – Patti Austin – A painful song that’s not so melodramatic in tune. I’ve heard this song first in grade school I think, when the world was still bright and sunny and all that. Then the tune of this song haunted me and I didn’t know the title nor the any lyrics. Then the words came out line per line and with help of some colleagues, I remembered how amazing this song was. Grammy awardee, Patti Austin’s voice sounds seasoned and sweet but still very sharp and distinct.

Genre: Pop Jazz / R&B / Dance Rock
From Album: Patti Austin, 1984
Song Length: 4.59

05. Fallen - Lauren Wood – Played in Pretty Woman (starring Julia Roberts), I thought this song was sang by a male artist with a unique accent. I really like the intro beat of this song and the entirety of the song of course. Laid-back, kinda puts you on the mood and makes you want to fall in love. Lauren wood initially formed a band in 1972 called Chunky, Novi and Ernie  and in mid-70′s another band called Rebecca and the Sunnybrook Farmers before she had her solo career in 1979.

Genre: Pop / Pop Jazz
From Album: Pretty Woman soundtrack, 1990; Lauren Wood, 1999
Song Length: 4.01

04. Back 2 Good – Matchbox Twenty – Full of angst, lead vocalist now solo artist, Rob Thomas sings out all his hatred in most of his songs including Back 2 Good and Push. I normally remember this song AFTER break ups (the word after emphasized for another song on this list). Thomas is recipient of three Grammy awards for song Smooth: Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Most Popular Music Collaboration with Vocals.

Genre: Rock / Alternative / Pop Rock
From Album: Yourself or Someone Like You, 1996
Song Length: 5.40

03. Somewhere in the Middle – Dishwalla – Lead singer Rodney Browning Cravens has one of the best voice qualities I’ve ever heard. His notes are sharp and unlike other rock band vocalists, his voice doesn’t crack into huskiness. Somewhere in the Middle is usually my imagined theme song DURING break ups.  The song says it all – sometimes, we all get confused whether to stand up and fight or just give up everything. The name dishwalla comes from a Hindi term for “a person providing cable TV to a neighbor.”

Genre: Rock / Alternative
From Album: Opaline, 2002
Song Length: 3.42

02. Beauty and Madness – Fra Lippo Lippi – This song is another timeless classic. I bet this song will be part of the airwaves and of videoke playlists for many generations to come. I haven’t heard anyone sing this song better than Fra Lippo Lippi. The name of the Norwegian band, Fra Lippo Lippi comes from a Robert Browning poem, Filippo Lippi. The band parted ways in 1988 but the title track, Light and Shade and Beauty and Madness became immensely popular in the Philippines prompting the band to visit the country and perform sold out concerts.

Genre: New Wave / Pop Ballad
From Album: Light and Shade, 1987
Song Length: 4.19

01. The Boy’s Gone – Jason Mraz – This song is deep, intense and broad. One needs to read the lyrics a couple of times to decide what the song is all about. Somewhere within this song reflects my very insights about the world (wow, sure!). Track 11/12 on his first album. I hope he’d sing this in his concert next week.

Genre: Pop Rock / Rock Ballad
From Album: Waiting For My Rocket to Come, 2002
Song Length: 4.15

Uno, the Toddler Mongrel

Born April 25, 2011, our half-Golden Retriever half-Mongrel bitch is now four months and 21 days old. Take a look.

Also, check the previous post for her baby pics and look how fast she’s grown.

Uno, the Mongrel

*Hover on the pictures, check the labels, post comments. Thanks!

*Hover on the pictures, check the labels, post comments. Thanks!