Punzi's Corner Blog: July 2009

Wednesday, July 29, 2009
This day in history from:

Prayer for Generosity

First, some apologies are in order:

1. Sorry for the stray notes, I was in a hurry and I wanted to get this out. Of course, there's performance anxiety also.

2. Sorry for the cheap equipment I used to record this. I just used an iSight webcam, and Photobooth with some editing from iMovie.

3. Sorry for the bad audio. I just used my computer's built-in microphone. And I was quite near it when I was recording. Just lower the volume while playing.

4. Sorry, all you can see is my belly, with some glimpses of my chin and the flute. People who know me personally know why that is so. But I can assure you, I played this one live.

5. Finally, sorry Fr. Arnel Aquino, S.J. for messing up your recording by my lay-over track.

6. As a catchall, sorry for those I have offended in making this recording.

Now for a background:

Even with my blog blackout, I wanted to do something special for this year's Feast of St. Ignatius. Well, there's a lot to be grateful for. For one, it's my school's sesquicentennial. Second, it's my son's first year in the Ateneo and he seems to be having the time of his life.

This is the first piece I have learned on the piano and on the flute. It is but fitting that I record this piece first.

I started practicing using my YFL-221, but I ended up using my main flute for this, my Yamaha YFL-471. There was a big difference between the two flutes.

The song is "Panalangin ng Pagiging Bukas Palad" by Fr. Manoling Francisco, S.J. and Jandi Arboleda I will post the lyrics here but it's the Filipino translation of St. Ignatius of Loyola's Prayer for Generosity.

So here goes:

Panalangin ng Pagiging Bukas Palad
(Fransico, S.J. and Arboleda, Ofracio, translated lyrics from Prayer for Generosity)

Panginoon, turuan Mo ako maging bukas-palad
Turuan Mo akong maglingkod sa Iyo
Na magbigay nang ayon sa nararapat
Na walang hinihintay mula sa 'Yo

Nang makibakang di inaalintana
Mga hirap na dinaranas
Sa tuwina'y magsumikap na hindi humahanap
Ng kapalit na kaginhawaan
Na 'di naghihintay kundi ang aking mabatid
Na ang loob Mo'y siyang sinusundan

Panginoon, turuan Mo ako maging bukas-palad
Turun Mo akong maglingkod sa Iyo
Na magbigay nang ayon sa nararapat
Na walang hinihintay mula sa 'Yo

Tuesday, July 28, 2009
This day in history from:

Thank you, Cory

The best time to pay tribute to a person is when that person is still alive.

"My term is ending. And so is yours. As we came, so should we go.” -- HE Corazon C. Aquino, 1991 in her final State of the Nation Address

Thank you President Aquino, for everything.

If this is your time, I only wish for your painless and peaceful journey.

Sunday, July 26, 2009
This day in history from:

The Wedding Dancers

Been waiting all day (along with the chores of this Saturday... choir excluded because it's not a chore... but I now digress) for this video to be put out so I can post it here:

Such a happy event. Never fails to bring a smile...

Friday, July 24, 2009
This day in history from:

Awesome Wedding Entrance Procession...

If I get married again (and that's a really big IF), I like the wedding procession to look like this:

Forget solemnity, a wedding is supposed to be a celebration and sacrament of the love of a man for his woman. And as one of the comments in YouTube goes, "Since when is having any fun disrespectful of God?"

A hat tip to Gabe Mercado for this find.

A happy weekend to all.

Sunday, July 19, 2009
This day in history from:

Law School Musical

To all lawyers/law school students:

Is this your law school song/story?

It sure was mine... heheheheheh!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend...

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
This day in history from:

Repost: Let the Wookie Win

Going over this blog's stats, I noticed someone search this blog entry I made almost four years ago. And this entry still finds relevance until now.

I don't know why that is so. It's either one party to this analogy is too patient or has grown numb and another, too cunning or too brutal, or a combination of all of these factors.

So for today, just to break the blog blackout (which is still in effect and I'm grateful I'm still getting significant hits despite such silence), I thought I'll repost that same entry. Read for yourself and see it's still relevant:

Han Solo: I'd let him have it, it's not wise to upset a Wookie.
C3PO: But sir, no one worries about upsetting a droid.
Han: That's 'cause droids don't pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookies are known to do that.
C3PO: I see your point, sir. I suggest a new strategy, Artoo. Let the Wookie win.

-- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Anybody familiar with this scene from the original Star Wars? If not, let me set up the scene for you.

In their intergalactic travel, Chewbaca and R2D2 were playing some sort of a hologram chess game. R2D2, being the droid, beat Chewbaca everytime and he's getting frustrated already. Han Solo starts with the suggestion above.

Why did I quote this Star Wars dialogue?

It reminds me of what is going on right now. It seems like the administration and its attack dogs are playing R2D2, using smarts to win their political survival. The Filipino people are getting frustrated already with all these "mind games" or these " jedi mind tricks." It may just come a point where our Chewbacas will pull out people's arms out of their sockets when they lose this game. Especially when it's their very survival that is at stake.

I think the Filipino people can only tolerate intellectual competition to a certain extent. Just observe how we Filipinos react to losing an argument. Just look at how some people would flip a chess/checker board in our local barbershop when on the verge of losing.

So it is in this political game. People can only stand being "outsmarted" by people who use too much legalities and technicalities to a certain extent. Let us not wait until the Filipino people breach that threshold.

So I suggest a new strategy Artoo...Let the wookie win!

(A thousand pardons for using a Star Wars analogy.)

Tuesday, July 07, 2009
This day in history from:

I'm starting with the...

MAN IN THE MIRROR
(Written by Siedah Garrett / Glen Ballard)
Michael Jackson

I'm gonna make a change,
for once im my life
It's gonna feel real good,
gonna make a diference
Gonna make it right...

As I, turn up the collar on
my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowing my mind
I see the kids in the streets,
with not enought to eat
Who am I to be blind?
Pretending not to see their needs

A summer disregard,a broken bottle top
And a one man soul
They follow each other on the wind ya' know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)
(Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah)

I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It's time that I realize
That there are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me, pretending that they're not alone?

A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream
(Washed-out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind ya' see
'Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me
(Starting with me!)

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Change his ways - ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that..
(Take a look at yourself and then make that..)
CHANGE!

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Man in the mirror - Oh yeah!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Better change!)
No message could have been any clearer
(If you wanna make the world a better place)

(Take a look at yourself and then make the change)
(You gotta get it right, while you got the time)
('Cause when you close your heart)
You can't close your... your mind!
(Then you close your... mind!)
That man, that man, that man, that man
With the man in the mirror
(Man in the mirror, oh yeah!)
That man, that man, that man,
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Better change!)
You know... that man
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
(Take a look at yourself and then make the change)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah
(Ooooh...)
Oh no, no no...

I'm gonna make a change
It's gonna feel real good!
Come on!
(Change...)
Just lift yourself
You know
You've got to stop it,
Yourself!
(Yeah! - Make that change!)
I've got to make that change, today!
Hoo!
(Man in the mirror)
You got to
You got to not let yourself...
brother
Hoo!
(Yeah! - Make that change!)
You know - I've got to get
that man, that man...
(Man in the mirror)
You've got to
You've got to move! Come on!
Come on!
You got to...
Stand up! Stand up! Stand up!
(Yeah! - Make that change)
Stand up and lift yourself, now!
(Man in the mirror)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Aaow!
(Yeah! - Make that change!)
Gonna make that change...
come on!
You know it!
You know it!
You know it!
You know it...
(Change...)
Make that change.

Saturday, July 04, 2009
This day in history from:

Poker Face

Yes, I admit. I am a Lady Gaga fan and I have been so since I heard her.

Happy weekend!

Poker Face
Songwriters: Germanotta, Stefani; Khayat, Nadir

Mum mum mum mah
Mum mum mum mah

I wanna hold em' like they do in Texas Plays
Fold em' let em' hit me raise it baby stay with me (I love it)
Lovegame and intuition play the cards with Spades to start
And after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart

Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh
I'll get him hot, show him what I've got
Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh,
I'll get him hot, show him what I've got

Can't read my,
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)
Can't read my
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)

P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)
P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)

I wanna roll with him a hard pair we will be
A little gambling is fun when you're with me I love it)
Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun
And baby when it's love if its not rough it isn't fun, fun

Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh
I'll get him hot, show him what I've got
Oh, oh, oh, oh, ohhhh, ohh-oh-e-ohh-oh-oh,
I'll get him hot, show him what I've got

Can't read my,
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)
Can't read my
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)

P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)
P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)

I won't tell you that I love you
Kiss or hug you
Cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin
I'm not lying I'm just stunnin' with my love-glue-gunning
Just like a chick in the casino
Take your bank before I pay you out
I promise this, promise this
Check this hand cause I'm marvelous

Can't read my,
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)
Can't read my
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)

Can't read my,
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)
Can't read my
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)

Can't read my,
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)
Can't read my
Can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
(she’s got to love nobody)

P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)
P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)

P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)
P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)

P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)
P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face
(Mum mum mum mah)