Mitsuru

When I was about 11, my Dad gave me a cassette tape of Chopin’s nocturnes and told me to just listen to it and let the beautiful melodies carry me to places that I have never been to. "Just go with the flow," he said. Although I did not quite get it then, I certainly understand it now. I had it on my Walkman and cassette player for years until it died a natural death due to the inevitable wear and tear. I have since bought a similar recording on CD years ago where I would usually listen to the very familiar tunes in my quiet moments. It helps my mind relax and dream of the future in stressful times. And today, I am returning the favor. I say Dad, let the familiar melody of your favorite nocturne bring you joy wherever you are today. Requiescat in pace. Happy Birthday Akihiko-san!

Hi Everyone! Thank you so very much for the support you have shown throughout my over 30-year performing- and- music- making career. As a way of showing of showing my gratitude. I'll be holding a special concert in December dedicated to you. However, I need your help...I'd like to ask you to help me shape this show by letting me know exactly what you'd like me to sing! You can send in your request through this website until September 30, 2009. And if you have any photos with me, please send them to the Photos page. I'd love to have a copy for my scrapbook! Plus, I'm giving out an extra treat! After the deadline for requests has passed, we'll tally the entries to get the top 3 most requested songs. Everyone who asked for any of those songs will be eligible for a raffle where I'm giving away tickets to this special concert. So send in your requests now! I so look forward to hearing from you! See you in December! Lea Salonga

I was up late the other night doing my usual stuff when I decided to drive into the nearby Taco Bell for the so-called fourth meal. I got there in less than 5 minutes and waited for another five in the drive thru before my orders were taken. I bought a steak burrito and some nachos and proceeded to pay my bill which made me laugh upon seeing the devil’s number printed on the receipt- $6.66! The number of the beast, my a** and laughed my heart out. I drove back to my flat like the devil and got there in 3 minutes flat. I climbed the stairs in slow motion and made sure that I did not make a sound lest I might disturb the old man downstairs who was probably deep in slumber. I opened the door and went straight to the kitchen. I popped a caffeine-free Diet Pepsi from the fridge, settled myself on the couch and watched a re-run of Cold Case on the TV while partaking of the meal in front of me. The burrito was really good while the nachos were a bit soggy already but who cares, the best part ...

Yes, 7-time world champion Michael Schumacher is back in Formula One. He will be driving the other Ferrari up until Felipe Massa is fit again to drive for the Italian carmaker. This is good news to Ferrari and F1 fans alike, and I am equally delighted for I have not followed F1 as much as I did ever since his retirement in 2006. This is another challenge for him and knowing how competitive he is, people will naturally expect him to win some races. But whatever the outcome, it will not diminish the fact that he is one of the best, if not the best, driver in Formula One history. Now, it’s time to take those vintage red Deutsche Vermogensberatung caps out as the prancing horse will definitely be flying again.

"In 1950, Michigan was 1 of 8 states in America that collectively produced 36% of the world's GNP." "Detroit was the greatest manufacturing city in the world." Detroit native and controversial superstar - rapper Eminem paid homage to his hometown in this video of Beautiful , the fourth single from his latest chart-topping and million-selling album “Relapse.” The said video was shot at Detroit’s famous and historic landmarks from its golden years. Now these historic buildings like the Packard Motor Car Company Plant, the Beaux- Arts train station, and the original Tiger Stadium, that were all built prior to 1914, are nothing but shadows of their former selves. By watching the video, one can see the sad state of the City of Detroit nowadays; down on her knees and out of luck. Detroit may recover some of her pride someday but probably will never be able to equal much less, regain her glory days. It’s sad when a once beautiful city succumbs to urban decay. The forme...

The Filipino people used to celebrate their Independence Day on the 4th of July, the same day the people of the United States celebrated theirs. It was not until 1964 when Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal changed it back to the date when Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed our independence from colonial rulers in Kawit, Cavite in 1898. Hence, we Filipinos now observe June 12th as our Independence Day while July 4th was subsequently renamed as the Philippine-American Friendship Day. Our “friendship” with Uncle Sam goes back a long way and it’s a good thing, as many would attest to that by saying that it’s really good to have a big brother looking out for you. Many believe that the Philippines benefited a lot from its friendship with the United States more than the United States benefited from us. What if I tell you that it's the other way around? Indulge me. History will tell us that Uncle Sam (even if he will not admit to it or give us proper credit for it) has a lot ...

* cold night * warm embrace soft music * slow dancing sweet wine * mind games brown eyes * blue eyes masked emotions * repressed passion

“In the depths of every heart, there is a tomb and a dungeon, though the lights, the music, and revelry above may cause us to forget their existence, and the buried ones, or prisoners whom they hide. But sometimes, and oftenest at midnight, those dark receptacles are flung wide open. In an hour like this, when the mind has a passive sensibility, but no active strength; when the imagination is a mirror, imparting vividness to all ideas, without the power of selecting or controlling them; then pray that your grieves may slumber, and the brotherhood of remorse not break their chain.” - Nathaniel Hawthorne Northern Michigan, Seasons, Sunrises, Beaches, Waterfalls, Mountains photo credits: coloneljohnbritt

Farrah Fawcett was my favorite angel in Charlie’s Angels She was every young boy’s darling while growing up in the 70s & 80s She defied the norms when she posed for Playboy at the ripe age of 50 Her futile battle with the Big C was well- documented and became the staple of America’s penchant for reality shows No matter how we view the life that she led, it cannot be denied that she was a woman who was not afraid to speak her mind and follow her heart no matter what She was a woman in her own right. + I liked Michael Jackson I followed his meteoric rise to the top of the world and his free-fall thereafter But I did not buy the sexual molestation allegations that were hurled against him by people with hidden agenda that was further fueled by the media into a conflagration that consumed his fragile soul He was part of my growing up years; I’ve danced to his music, listened to his songs and bought his records I understood his eccentricities and frailties as a person I was able to separ...

I came across a home video by Sara Hickman while lurking YouTube today. Although I am not that familiar with her career as a singer, her song, Simply, touches me in a very special way. I have not heard this song in more than a decade and hearing it again is like a breath of fresh air for me. Actually, it was really bittersweet. You see, the song is a favorite of somebody dear to me and the melody is simply beautiful… Beth, my college buddy used to sing the song in our ’tambayan.’ On some occasions, I would end up accompanying her on my old acoustic guitar while she would fill the air with her hauntingly soft beautiful voice. I even remember now of composing a short instrumental piece based on the song in her honor while under the influence of the spirit of the great San Miguel. We became friends during the second year of our Pre- Med-- dissected cats together, goofed around in chemistry lab, fooled our geriatric professor not once but twice, good-naturedly embarrassed one another coun...

Manny Pacquiao proved once again why he is boxing's reigning Pound-4-Pound King and one of the best fighters of all time with a brutal demolition of Ricky Hatton in the second round of the scheduled 12-round fight. The Mancunian Brawler, the reigning International Boxing Organization & Ring Magazine's Light Welterweight Champion, who has not lost a battle at 140 lbs was never in the fight as Pacquiao peppered him with wicked left and right hooks punctuated with vicious lead lefts right from the onset of the fight en route to a stoppage in what was deemed by many as a complete annihilation of Hatton, who was knocked out senseless even before he hit the canvas. I caught the fight on the "free" Internet Live Stream feed and I gained some extra points in the "one-upmanship" department over some of my friends here when I correctly predicted that Manny Pacquiao will send Ricky Hatton into his "Wonderland" in the second Round days before the big fight...

Got a phone call today from Aling Nena, a middle-aged Cebuana married to a retired US Navy serviceman and the proprietor of the lone Filipino Store in the area. She’s a hilarious but kindhearted lady who can expertly chop the Lechon with the Bolo which always makes her husband amazed and in awe. Aling Nena : Hello, Bill punta ka dito ibigay ko sa’yo ulo ng Litson. Samahan ko rin ng dalawang paa. Yung dalawang paa bigay ko rin sa aso ko.

"The act of suicide is condemned by the Church but for Capiz Archbishop Onesimo Gordoncillo, victims should still be given Mass especially if certified by the doctor to be not in their right mind." - GMANews.TV Funny, but nobody in his/ her right mind will knowingly take his/ her own life, if you ask me. :)

4+1+1+1+9+7+0 4+3+16 7+16 23 2+3 5 Base-2 Number System= 101 Base-3 Number System= 12 Fire 39 Apollo 13 4500 13° 7' 60 N, 123° 43' 60 E Can you solve the puzzle? Grab 'em by the horns, ram 'em into the wall and it will lead you to the...

Another "raw" excerpt from the The Adventures of the Dragonfly Eaters ... TATA BALAS, the resident Wiseman of Basag always had a ready answer for everything and anything- from the inherent wisdom of the kabad-kabad (electric fan) to the winning potential of every fighting cock. Thus, cockfighting aficionados, which are plenty in that community by the sea, sought his advice for free; by merely looking at and counting the scales on the chicken’s legs, he could distinguish a winning breed from a lousy one. His winning percentage, though, is another story for he was always partial to the Manok ni San Pedro. But call it divine intervention or what, the white chosen ones always end up as “burugsukan” - losers, in the hack fight. Still many cock-suckers (no pun intended) came to him for advice. And he did his role of fortune telling with relish and gusto. His expertise, though, is not only confined to the cock at hand. In fact, you can ask him anything and everything under the sun p...

been lazy for eons now. too rotten to write. blame it on the winter blues. but spring is on the horizon. the fields will be green and full of blooms soon... The late Sir Alan Arthur Bates, CBE reciting one of my favorite poems-- William Ernest Henley 's Invictus in this old UBS commercial reignited my appreciation of the beauty of the spoken word.

"What do they want to exit? That we don't need no education? Anyway, because of this, where will be our grade school pupils picked?" Oh, it's raining outside aren't we? He-he Confused? Read on... ‘Drowned in mystery’ and other boo-boos By Antonio Calipjo Go Philippine Daily Inquirer MANILA, Philippines—The following are among the more than 500 items of a similar nature that may be found in the just-released public school textbook (copyright 2008) in Reading for Grade 6 titled “English For You and Me,” written by Elodie A. Cada , published by Book Wise Publishing House Inc. , and printed in Bangkok, Thailand: • The airport is open to passengers only. • Humans may turn blue when they cry. • The engine of the tractor is sleeping now. • Ms. Vera, please entertain this computer. • Vietnam Nurse Contacts Bird Flu. • To Heal Earth Yourself, Start with Your Cat. • She lives in a place that is drowned in mystery. • I got a butterfly with flowe...

Yes, Barack Obama secretly visited the Philippines in mid- December '08 and met Philippine President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo for a sumptuous dinner at Malacanang Palace. Obviously, Mr. Obama fell in love with the Filipino cuisine. But what followed next is every Secret Service agent’s nightmare… Good thing, We, Filipinos are known for our “Laging Handa” attitude and prevented the charismatic President- elect from releasing an unauthorized edition of his masterpiece, “The Audacity of Poo” in the hallowed grounds of Malacanang’s banquet hall. Thus, Mr. Obama survived his ordeal, left the country of Jeepneys in a jiffy and is now healthy enough for his inauguration tomorrow as the 44th President of the United States of America.