Ang Kaligrapo


Gabi-gabi niyang isinusulat
ang pangalan ng pag-ibig.

Sa gamay na sining ng kamay,
Buong hinahon niyang binubuno
Ang pagbuo sa mga guho ng alaala:
Lawa, gubat, araw,

Buong ingat na inilalapat sa pergamino
Ang pinsel na dumudugo sa itim na tinta,
Tinatalunton ang di-nakikitang padron
Ng koi, kawayan, apoy.

Lagi ay hangad na maging detalyado.

Ang bawat kumpas ng kamay ay para
Sa pagkamalapit ng balat sa tubig,
Sa nagkubling katahimikan sa luntian,
Sa masidhing lamuyot sa liwanag.

Ganito rin noong may isang nag-abalang
Taluntunin ang mga di-nakikitang padron ng koi
Sa kaniyang mga pisngi, ang kadawagan ng kawayan
Sa kaniyang dibdib, ang dakilang apoy sa kaniyang pusod,

Isang pergamino itong katawang minarkahan
Ng mga simbolo, na kagaya nitong gamay
Na sining ng kaniyang kamay,
Ay hindi kailanman magawang malimot.

*I have said before na hindi ako magpo-post ng mga tula ko dito sa blog ko, but I guess it's time na palayain na ang mga ito.

*Ang larawan ay mula dito. 

1 Blued & Noted

Glad I went to a Multiply site I bookmarked, where some downloads are up and available for free. I was able to download Mandy Moore's new album, Amanda Leigh.

Amanda Leigh is Moore's first and middle name, respectively. The album is a collaboration with Mike Viola: songwriter, singer, pianist, and guitarist.

Mandy Moore talks about her new album in her website. She says that:

I'm fully aware that when some people hear my name in a musical context, it's not often equated to anything earth-shattering. Yet, in many ways, this new record finds itself in a similar vein to the previous one, "Wild Hope." While “Amanda Leigh” was recorded in a much more concise period of time, both albums just feel like a real body of work, more connected to each other – both personally and musically.

When starting to really brainstorm about where the next musical venture should live, I decided to reach out to a few favorite artists of mine to see if they'd be interested in collaborating. I met Mike Viola through a mutual friend, Inara George, and within minutes of our first encounter, the mere mention of my love for Paul McCartney’s “Ram” set our working relationship in motion. Before I knew it, we were sitting around a microphone in his home studio writing a song. I quickly realized that Mike and I shared a love of so much of the same music and he innately understood the direction my music was taking me and where I wanted to take the music. Although it was immediately clear in my mind, I'm not sure I even asked Mike to produce the album; I just assumed he would…thankfully our collective assumptions and hopes prevailed.

Suffice it to say, our common admiration (or perhaps, obsession) for the likes of Todd Rundgren, Joni Mitchell, CSNY and Nilsson, among many others, ran amok throughout the writing and eventual recording experience together.

From my perspective, the process of co-writing is rather vulnerable and can often be fairly hit or miss. It really takes the right partnership to allow honesty and comfort to reign. What worked so well with Mike and I was that we obviously brought different things to the table but worked from the same place.... we had one common interest in mind. We pushed one another and never thought twice about fearlessly stepping up to the plate with any and all ideas.

We toyed with a number of ways to record the record….turn my house into a recording studio, go the conventional route of finding a great space in L.A. and even the idea of combining these two avenues. Mike had often talked about including his friend, Ducky Carlisle, who was not only an encyclopedia of music but also a kick-ass drummer with a super cozy studio in the basement of his home outside of Boston. Sure, it was a deviation from the way I've recorded music in the past, but it felt like the only way to go about working on this record.

Reception about the album stays positive:

Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+, stating that it was "much more fun" than Wild Hope and praised the songs "Merrimack River", "Pocket Philosopher", and "Song About Home." The CD also topped the website's Must List the week it was released.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic wrote the album is a "clean, classy collection of AAA pop." He also went on to say that, "[Mandy] has successfully dropped all the tacky accoutrements of her past and turned into a sweet, classy singer/songwriter whose charms are readily apparent here, her best adult pop record yet." (3.5/5 stars)

IGN wrote, "With Amanda Leigh, Moore has succeeded in crafting a personal record that is entertaining, even compelling at times, but isn't weighed down by heavy themes, misguided irony, or complex arrangements."

The Dallas Morning News noted that, "Amanda Leigh turns more compelling with each listen...How great that she left the Britney Spears factory behind."

My Crazy Music Blog also gave a positive review, declaring, "Amanda Leigh, overall, is a throwback to an earlier time but a successful throwback. Moore effectively adds a fresh perspective to her music & solidifies her folk/country/singer-songwriter sound with ease, grace and style.

Although I truly enjoyed her last album, Wild Hope, the new album sings more of Mandy Moore's soul. She turns to be one classic act, way past her contemporaries.

After listening (and dancing frantically) to Lady Gaga, it's time to chill out to the cool, sweet voice of Amanda Leigh.

2 Blued & Noted

A butterfly has visited us last night. It was July 1, and we thought Daddy would like to remind us that it is his month. His birthday is on the 30th. There are 4 chimes hanging, but the butterfly chose to rest on the chime given by Daddy's inaanak sa kasal (who's also our cousin). We wonder: did Daddy get tired of being a moth?

4 Blued & Noted

I don't have an addiction with maps, but I have maps under my possession. I've got two maps of the Philippines, and two world maps. I also have three Philippine maps printed by the Department of Tourism (the WOW! maps).

The thing is, I don't know how to read maps. I enjoy though looking at the particular shape and size of a country or a province (Italy is boot-shaped, Corregidor is a butete, and the Philippines being tagged as the "sick man of Asia"), and that vast blue spaces called oceans. Of course, I never fail to trail the dots of islands (Macquarie, Prince Edward Is., Cochon Is., Andaman Is.).

I have discovered these maps when we held a general cleaning of our house, and found these inside a worn-out bag my youngest sister used in high school. I straigthened these maps, then neatly filed them in a folder, and stored them in my plastic storage. Once in a while I take them out from storage, then peer at them to find if the lines have changed, or if a country grew larger overnight (I think maps should automaticall reflect if one country absorbed a smaller one, or owned one in aggression.).

The Philippine maps I have are both classified as a political map. It shows the various provinces of the country, the provincial capital, population, land area, density, date when the province was established, climate, municipalities, barangays, cities, major dialects, and the zip code. The newer map states that the current president is Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Tenure of office: 2001 - Forever. What! It actually says 2001 - Present. Hmmm... Does present equates to forever?

I remember that we used an economic map in our Economics class in high school. This one shows the economy of the land, the products each province produce or manufacture (barrel man in Cebu?).

This website listed the different types of maps available:

Planimetric Map. A planimetric map presents only the horizontal positions for the features represented. It is distinguished from a topographic map by the omission of relief, normally represented by contour lines. Sometimes, it is called a line map.

Topographic Map. A topographic map portrays terrain features in a measurable way, as well as the horizontal positions of the features represented. The vertical positions, or relief, are normally represented by contour lines on military topographic maps. On maps showing relief, the elevations and contours are measured from a specific vertical datum plane, usually mean sea level.

Photomap. A photomap is a reproduction of an aerial photograph upon which grid lines, marginal data, place names, route numbers, important elevations, boundaries, and approximate scale and direction have been added.

Joint Operations Graphics. Joint operations graphics are based on the format of standard 1:250,000 medium-scale military topographic maps, but they contain additional information needed in joint air-ground operations. Along the north and east edges of the graphic, detail is extended beyond the standard map sheet to provide overlap with adjacent sheets. These maps are produced both in ground and air formats. Each version is identified in the lower margin as either joint operations graphic (air) or joint operations graphic (ground). The topographic information is identical on both, but the ground version shows elevations and contour in meters and the air version shows them in feet. Layer (elevation) tinting and relief shading are added as an aid to interpolating relief. Both versions emphasize airlanding facilities (shown in purple), but the air version has additional symbols to identify aids and obstructions to air navigation.

Photomosaic. A photomosaic is an assembly of aerial photographs that is commonly called a mosaic in topographic usage. Mosaics are useful when time does not permit the compilation of a more accurate map. The accuracy of a mosaic depends on the method employed in its preparation and may vary from simply a good pictorial effect of the ground to that of a planimetric map.

Terrain Model. A terrain model is a scale model of the terrain showing features, and in large-scale models showing industrial and cultural shapes. It provides a means for visualizing the terrain for planning or indoctrination purposes and for briefing on assault landings.

Military City Map. A military city map is a topographic map (usually at 1:12,550 scale, sometimes up to 1:5,000), showing the details of a city. It delineates streets and shows street names, important buildings, and other elements of the urban landscape important to navigation and military operations in urban terrain. The scale of a military city map depends on the importance and size of the city, density of detail, and available intelligence information.

Special Maps. Special maps are for special purposes such as trafficability, communications, and assault maps. They are usually in the form of an overprint in the scales smaller than 1:100,000 but larger than 1:1,000,000. A special purpose map is one that has been designed or modified to give information not covered on a standard map. The wide range of subjects that could be covered under the heading of special purpose maps prohibits, within the scope of this manual, more than a brief mention of a few important ones. Some of the subjects covered are:

    * Terrain features.
    * Drainage characteristics.
    * Vegetation.
    * Climate.
    * Coasts and landing beaches.
    * Roads and bridges.
    * Railroads.
    * Airfields.
    * Urban areas.
    * Electric power.
    * Fuels.
    * Surface water resources.
    * Ground water resources.
    * Natural construction materials.
    * Cross-country movements.
    * Suitability for airfield construction.
    * Airborne operations.
 
Foreign Maps. Foreign maps have been compiled by nations other than our own. When they must be used, the marginal information and grids are changed to conform to our standards, if time permits. The scales may differ from our maps, but they do express the ratio of map distance to ground distance and can be used in the same way. The legend must be used since the map symbols almost always differ from ours. Because the accuracy of foreign maps varies considerably, they are usually evaluated in regard to established accuracy standards before they are issued to our troops.

Atlases. Atlases are collections of maps of regions, countries, continents, or the world. Such maps are accurate only to a degree and can be used for general information only.

Geographic Maps. Geographic maps provide an overall idea of the mapped area in relation to climate, population, relief, vegetation, and hydrography. They also show the general location of major urban areas.

Tourist Road Maps. Tourist road maps are maps of a region in which the main means of transportation and areas of interest are shown. Some of these maps show secondary networks of roads, historic sites, museums, and beaches in detail. They may contain road and time distance between points. The scale should be carefully considered when using these maps.

City/Utility Maps. City/utility maps are maps of urban areas showing streets, water ducts, electricity and telephone lines, and sewers.

Field Sketches. Field sketches are preliminary drawings of an area or piece of terrain.

Aerial Photographs. Aerial photographs can be used as map supplements or substitutes to help you analyze the terrain, plan your route, or guide your movement.

Still, I have the difficulty of reading maps. Maps for me are useless when I travel. Landmarks become obscure, names of places become foreign to me. Hay, bobo talaga ako.

When my high school classmate told our class one day that she planned to take up something about Geography in college, I just said "Wow!." Heavy nun, tsong! Almost 70 percent of our class failed to pass this test by our History teacher on which we needed to identify the countries (and capitals) using a blank map. She always got the highest marks. 

Well, she eventually took up Broadcast Journalism, and currently works for a shipping company. I wonder if she forgot how good she was in tracing those lines on the map, those lines almost invisible, those lines almost.

Blue Notes

At dahil jan, up na ang aming revamped, all-new, all-fresh, bonggang-bonggang official Pinoypoets website!

Check it awwwww! Just type www.pinoypoets.com and browse the pages! It is that easy!

Baliktanaw:

June 2005

June 2008

Hindi ko alam kung bakit wala akong entries para sa Pinoypoets anniversary noong 2006 at 2007. Hmmm...

2 Blued & Noted