You’ll Never Walk Alone

For some strange reason, this song has stayed with me the whole day. A lovely reassurance that everything would be alright.

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm
There’s a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of the lark

Walk on, through the wind
Walk on, through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm
There’s a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of the lark

Walk on, through the wind
Walk on, through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on, with…

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I Want

I am finally done trimming the carabao grass early this morning. Hooray.

A few days ago, Jovy taught me how to download the I Want  app on my tab, tried it today  and I super enjoyed watching two movies, listening to Pilipino Christmas carols on YouTube and I also watched the final games of the UAAP Season 82  which ended a few minutes ago. I only watch basketball during the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) season. Ateneo won for the third straight year with UST coming in second in the basketball championship. It was a lovely game with both sides of players giving their best shots. I think I told you in my other posts that I seldom watch television much less a movie. Occasionally though, I catch some movie adaptations on YouTube. The I Want app is owned by one of the largest networks in the country, ABS CBN. It has news, entertainment, music, variety shows, drama series, sports and movies especially produced by ABS CBN. I had a grand time selecting two movies to watch, one is even dubbed in English which I think was for international release. I finally found it a joy to watch something while in bed 🙂 For a while checking my blog and reading other blog posts and reading  books were relegated to the back seat 🙂 Our local talents/artists are truly gifted.

Maybe I would watch one more tonight before going to sleep.Haha, it’s a marathon.

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They’re Back

Nissa was still on vacation leave until yesterday. She watched the Backstreet Boys DNA World Tour Manila last night together with a friend. Twenty four years ago, my young daughter became a fan. She bought CDs and magazines of the boy band and  also watched their previous concert held here several years ago. Josef and I had to watch a movie at Ali Mall while waiting for her.

Back then, we all hummed and sang along to their brand of music. They have grown old of course and have regrouped again for this world tour. Nissa was ecstatic. She went to the venue early. She took shot of the group but she posted these photos on her wall at FB, a picture of much older Nick Carter and of the group. She even took a video of their opening number. You can hear the shouts and “kilig” moments of their loyal fans. She booked her ticket six months ago I think. My, but the tickets are so expensive. She also watched other foreign artists who held concerts here before she got married.

A loyal fan. She told me they have a new album.

PS
Watching other videos uploaded by Nissa. The hat dance was lovely 🙂

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Dance To The Beat

Done a week-old laundry early this morning, watered the garden, cleaned the house and now it’s time to relax…. 🙂

It rained last night, first rain in May but I guess it was just a drizzle. It didn’t even wet the grass so much.  When  I woke up, the heat was terrible. It was not your usual early morning breeze where you feel the cold a little before the sun rises.

I’ve mentioned earlier that I am enjoying listening to Josef’s Bose soundlink mini – clear crisp sound, buong-buo as they say in Tagalog.  Bose’ wireless speakers are really good especially when you play instrumental music.  It delivers pure natural sound and the bass is just right, deep but whole. It’s like playing music on a big stereo but you only have a portable, wireless speaker.

Music is the language of the soul, so we hear artists say. It evokes memories. Have you ever remembered one particular event in your life that you associated with music? It makes us laugh, it makes us cry. If you love listening to it, you are in good company. According to some scientific studies, music lowers stress and improves health. Listen to it, sing along, tap your feet while listening.

Lately, I’ve used my transistor radio a lot listening to some old songs while catching on my reading. There is a radio station here that does not have commercial breaks, just good old music all the way.

Sing that tune, dance to the beat, shout with joy. Music will always be here after all.

 

 

 

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Water Is Life

This makes me smile.

For the second time today, I watered the plants a few minutes ago. They are so dry even the carabao grass is not growing as it should.  So many things kept intruding, the latest book I finished this afternoon, the songs being played on the radio all day long.  There is this radio station that broadcasts news and entertain phone-in questions from listeners in the morning but plays old music, think 60’s and a spattering of 70’s music, until the wee hours of the morning the next day.

For so many nights now, I let the radio tuned to this station while I read. It’s a soothing feeling of nostalgia and remembrance listening to old songs. I keep the volume very low, good enough to just hear the music playing. Some people get distracted listening to the radio and reading at the same time. I’m not. I got used to it.

Going back to the garden, sometimes it is just so nice to aim the tip of the water hose to your feet and on your face and feel the flow and spray of water, so refreshing. It’s summer and I can’t help thinking of those beach trips we used to have.

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Going Back ….Remembering

Back in 2016, I almost have an equal number of posts and followers. Now though, my number of followers has eclipsed my posts for more than a thousand.  I try to blog every day but sometimes, I am not inspired to or I am busy.

Last night, I watched a concert….on YouTube. I was inspired  by  a friend’s post, a fellow blogger when he wrote about Todd Rundgren’s song called I Saw The Light.  You can visit Pete’s posts here. I started with the 70’s songs then went on to find other artists in that era. Then I found this video about the Bee Gees, how their career evolved from small kids when they migrated to Australia and went back to England later on.  Imagine those famous compositions of Barry Gibbs and the twin’s lovely voices.  I was inspired.

I also played The Eagles songs which they recorded live in one of their concerts in Maryland. I remember now, Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s I had this Walkman which could play a cassette tape and you can listen to it via an ear phone.  I remember buying an album of The Eagles and playing it repeatedly on my portable cassette player.  When I was still working at the Bank of the Philippine Islands, I would spend lunch break going to Music One and would listen to new albums and new releases on their CD players provided  for their customers.

Music soothes and before you know it, you are so engrossed  and let time pass away. Beautiful music, talented artists, what more could you ask for?

 

 

 

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Movie Adaptations Of Jayne Eyre

It was triggered by playing some gold old music at YouTube. Think Percy Faith, Kenny G. and Mantovani.

Last night, while listening to Kenny G. I thought of the movie Dying Young which starred Campbell Scott and Julia Roberts. Although the ending was a bit sad, I’ve always liked watching it. And the music of Kenny G. in that movie is to die for. Yes, I was lucky enough to find the book by Marti Leimbach but the latter was not as good as the movie adaptation.  I am still listening to the soundtrack as I write this. You’ll surely like this one. I have a CD too of the movie soundtrack.

This afternoon, I looked for some movie theme songs and came across one of the movie adaptations of Jane Eyre. According to Wikipedia, ” Jayne Eyre the 1847 novel by English writer Charlotte Brontë, has frequently been adapted for film, radio, television and theatre, and has inspired a number of rewritings and reinterpretations.” 

I watched the  1997 version starring Ciaran Hinds and Samantha Morton. Come to think of it, I am not even familiar with the actors in this particular movie adaptation. I read the book during my college days and clearly have forgotten the details of the story although I remember the names of the characters until now.  I have to google the summary and compare it with the movie. It was not the same as in the book but I loved it just the same. The ending was different too.

I am really into movies much except when there is one that I like to watch.  One of these days, maybe I’ll read the book again or maybe watch another movie adaptation. Jane Eyre is one of those classic books that is still popular today.

“I remembered that the real world was wide, and that a varied field of hopes and fears, of sensations and excitements, awaited those who had the courage to go forth into it’s expanse, to seek real knowledge of life amidst it’s perils.”

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Music, Always Music

It’s one of those days when you wake a little bit early and you’re done with the household chores for the day. All you got to do is to prepare something  for lunch later.

There are times when you feel so lazy and you want to go back  to bed and just catch up on the latest book you’ve been reading since last night. But then you think of other tasks  that you can do. Blog? Re-pot plants? Take Noki for a walk? Make comments on that controversial issue about your university’s alumni association?  Or just stay here and share some random thoughts for the morning.

I think of music. and we all know that aside from bringing us those happy moments of  years and days past, it is also therapeutic. It calms our soul, it makes us dance to the beat  or it make us smile and sing along with the beautiful melody.

I used  to collect CDs of  popular and contemporary singers and musicians. Think Richard Clayderman, the Bee Gees,  Fleetwood Mac, Michael Buble and other  talented musical artists. My daughter Nissa is a fan of the Backstreet Boys. She has CDs and even  magazines about them. She even attended their first concert here in Manila.  Don’t ask me, I could no longer remember when.  Through constant playing of their songs, I learned to love their music too. N Sync is  another  boy band  that she loves and I became familiar with some of their songs. Now, I love the Pentatonix.  The present singers are just as good but for me nothing can beat those artists of the 60’s and 70’s. I am an old soul.

We Filipinos boast of musical talents  some of whom are known worldwide. Take Lea Salonga,  a recipient of several awards in her field. Martin Nievera is one  talent that we could really be proud of.  Arnel Pineda is a Filipino singer/songwriter also known internationally.  Ogie Alcasid is a song writer/singer, comedian, parodist and an actor. His songs are played every day in the air lanes.  There are so many more out there.

Plato in one of his famous quotes said:  “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”

 

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Some Songs Of Old

Oh gosh, my carabao grass needs trimming again.

This is what happens when it rains almost every day  and the grass grows like crazy. Maybe I have to postpone trimming it for a week more until after I’m done visiting my doctor for another monthly check-up. I am scheduled for lab tests on the 20th of this month. Growing older, getting old, every which way you look at it, time is inching its way too fast.

Didn’t I say I am excited to see my friends tomorrow?  It’s been a while since we have seen each other last.  I just cooked  a kilo of chicken pork adobo today  which we’ll have tomorrow for lunch along with fresh veggies from the garden.  Adobo tastes so much better a day or two after when the sauce has seeped through.  It’s a Pilipino recipe that is so easy to prepare but tastes so good. I like dry adobo.  We sometimes serve it with quail eggs.

Presently listening to some old songs on YouTube. Pete’s blog post  triggered it actually.

It’s nice to go back sometimes to the 60’s music  and dream of those days when life was simple and you were younger.  Procol Harum is good in A Whiter Shade of Pale. Just finished watching some of the greatest golden hits of the 60’s. I love the Motown sounds too. There was a time when I was still working when I would bring a small cassette player with an ear phone  and listen to some music on cassette. Music One was a favorite place  to go to during lunch break.  Back home, the CD player  was of constant use.  I have compiled those sounds during the British Invasion. Nowadays though, I just rely on my small radio which I take outside when I am gardening. I could listen to the latest news and some music in between.  Music soothes the soul.  It also makes me smile.

I found these four books (they’re actually in a series) by Nora  Roberts. It’s a story of four brothers who were adopted in their younger  years. I’m in book 3  and enjoying it.  I am done with 85% of my reading challenge at Goodreads.

How was your day?

 

 

 

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When Music Soothes The Soul

Right after Josef and I trimmed the plants this afternoon, he played some songs which he downloaded on his cellphone.They  are an eclectic mix of slow rock, modern jazz  and a sprinkling of old songs which I was surprised to listen to. I love the songs of Jason Mraz but I love old songs better. Maybe it has something to do with age. Moonriver is a classic song of old. Yes, he downloaded  Moonriver, a version of Andy Williams. I am reminded of the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s  and Audrey Hepburn of course.  I have that book, a thin and small hardback copy given by a close friend a couple of years ago.  I read it now and then to remind me of that story of Holly Golightly. and Paul Varjak ( George Peppard).

Music makes us feel better, right? Victor Hugo once wrote that “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent” I love listening to it. It soothes the mind and the tired and aching muscles  relax a little.

Lately, I’ve been lucky to find some Australian authors too, most of them write about history.  I am on my 48th book since January 1. Maybe I’ll get to finish the reading challenge earlier than the end of December 2017. I found more memoirs and book of poems plus a little of Psychology. I can’t wait to read them all.  Have you ever participated in Goodreads’ reading challenge? I’ve done it for the last three years. I am also updated with my favorite authors’ blog posts. They do write blogs too, mostly about their new books.

When one is inspired with music and books, everything is right with the world. Do you love music too? What’s your favorite song?

 

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