About Me

I have always been a jazz person. Apart from family influences, I think City Lite played an important part in my musical taste development. I remember listening to the station religiously, especially when was studying. While everyone else was listening to Michel and Madonna, I would sing along with Seawind.

I also got into the whole glam rock era. Every kid had to learn to play those in the guitar after all. So my batchmates and I would take turns showing off what we could play. None of us was any good, but hey, it was fun anyway. Better than attending classes right?

Anyway, one of my concerns then was finding the correct and complete lyrics of my favorite songs. We didn't always have Internet you know. So now I took the liberty of compiling songs that I have liked all these years. New and old, you'll find all the good ones here.

I think I'll also publish my mp3 list in case anyone out there wants to swap.


Bridges
Sergio Mendes, Kevyn Lettau

I have crossed a thousand bridges
In my search for something real
There were great suspension bridges
Made of spiderwebs of steel

There were tiny wooden trestles
And there were bridges made of stone
I have always been a stranger
And I've always been alone

There's a bridge to tomorrow
There's a bridge from the past
There's a bridge made of sorrow
That I pray would not last

There's a bridge made of colors
In the sky high above
And I'm certain there must be
Bridges made out of love

I can see him in a distance
On the rivers of the shore
And his hands reach out in longing
As my own have done before

And I call across to tell him
Where I believe the bridge must lie
And I'll find it, yes I'll find it
If I search until I die

When the bridge is between us
We'll have nothing to fear
We will run through the sunlight
And you'll meet me halfway

There's a bridge made of colors
In the sky high above
And I'm certain there must be
Bridges made out of love

La, la, la...


Cry Me A River
Diana Krall

Now you say you're lonely
You cry the long night through
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you

Now you say you're sorry
For being so untrue
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you

You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember, I remember, all that you said?
You told me love was too plebeian
Told me you were through with me and

Now you say you love me
Well, just to prove that you do
Come on and cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you
I cried a river...over you...


Don't Know Why - Norah Jones

I waited 'til I saw the sun
I don't know why I didn't come
I left you by the house of fun
I don't know why I didn't come
I don't know why I didn't come

When I saw the break of day
I wished that I could fly away
Instead of kneeling in the sand
Catching teardrops in my hand

My heart is drenched in wine
But you'll be on my mind
Forever

Out across the endless sea
I would die in ecstasy
But I'll be a bag of bones
Driving down the road along

My heart is drenched in wine
But you'll be on my mind
Forever

Something has to make you run
I don't know why I didn't come
I feel as empty as a drum
I don't know why I didn't come
I don't know why I didn't come

Falling Forward
(written by Julia Fordham/John Watkin)

I've been living on wishes, living on wishes all my life
And I wish I could make one
To make everything in your world right

I'm falling forward while you wait behind
Lost for your reasons and missing your time
And I, I, I'm, I, I, I'm
Wishing for you (falling forward)
And I, I, I'm, I, I, I'm
Wishing for you

And I'm only an hour, not even an hour away
But you're keeping your distance
We're more than a million miles apart these days

I'm falling forward while you wait behind
Lost for your reasons and missing your time
And I, I, I'm, I, I, I'm
Wishing for you (falling forward)
And I, I, I'm, I, I, I'm
Wishing for you (falling forward)
And I, I, I'm, I, I, I'm
Wishing for you (falling forward)

And suddenly I'm the villain of the piece
You're lying awake, wondering how I sleep

I'm falling forward while you wait behind
Lost for your reasons and missing your time
And I, I, I'm, I, I, I'm
Wishing for you (falling forward)
And I, I, I'm, I, I, I'm
Wishing for you (falling forward)
And I, I, I'm, I, I, I'm
Wishing for you (falling forward)
And I, I, I'm, I, I, I'm


Far Away
lyrics by Kevyn Lettau



Listening to the rain
all sounding the same now that you're gone
where are the plans we made
caught up in yesterday, far away

Playing with your hair
whispering the words I want to hear
I can remember when
nothing was said or done from far away

Why does this happen
no one really know
it's hard to believe
when your heart is up and gone

Just another day
looking for a way to make it through
everything comes and goes
promises never known, you're far away, hey yeah

Why does this happen
no one really know
it's hard to believe
when your heart is up and gone

Your footprints in the sand
the way you'd understand my ups and downs
color is fading past
will the memory last from far away

I can remember when
nothing was said or done from far away

Everything comes and goes
promises never known, you're far away

Color is fading fast
will the memory last, from far away, far away.......

Finding Out The Hard Way - Cynthia Rhodes

I can't take all the blame, now can I
It takes more than one to lose such a fine line
That lies between, that holds together
I'll turn the night to turn the tide, oh! ...

Chorus:
And I'm, findin' out the hard way
It's gonna take some tears
A little bit of heartache
We're like islands in the stream
Watchin' all our dreams start to fade
Fadin' away ...

A moment gone is gone forever
It's like water through your hands
And you go spin the wheel of misfortune
Watchin' in turn, with livin' you learn
And oh!
(Repeat chorus)

Bridge:
I keep reachin' out
I've come up empty handed
And then I let you down
But then I leave you stranded
(Repeat chorus)
Adlib:

And I'm, findin' out the hard way
It's gonna take some tears
A little bit of heartache
We're like islands in the stream
Watchin' all our dreams
Start to fade, fade away ...
(Repeat chorus)

Start to fade, fade away
Start to fade, fade away


"Girlfriend" - Julia Fordham


Don't tell me to stop crying please just hold me while I do
Soothe me with your silence and just cradle me to you
Don't push me for my reasons or expect me to explain
How can I in five minutes shift a lifetime's hidden pain?

Don't tell your girlfriend about me 'cos your girlfriend
won't like girls like me
Don't tell your girlfriend about me
If you just hold me, hold me, hold me....

I went to see a psychic and I paid for good advice
He said "Forget a romance 'til you've sorted out your life.
Be your own mother and your father and your sister and brother,
And even try to crack the art of being your own lover...

Don't tell your girlfriend about me 'cos your girlfriend
won't like girls like me
Don't tell your girlfriend about me
If you just hold me, hold me, hold me....

In my darkest hour you'd be mine, these wildest dreams
are no crime, or are they? Girlfriend
Coming from a place of need, not one of abundance,
You see he told me. Girlfriend

Don't tell me to stop crying, please just hold me while I do
Soothe me with your silence and just cradle me to you
Don't push me for my reasons or expect me to explain
How come I say I'm happy to be on my own again...?

Don't tell your girlfriend about me 'cos your girlfriend
won't like girls like me
Don't tell your girlfriend about me 'cos your girlfriend
won't like girls like me
You don't have to tell your girlfriend about me
If you just hold me, hold me, hold


How Insensitive

Antonio Carlos Jobim

How insensitive
I must have seemed
When she told me that she loved me
How unmoved and cold
I must have seemed
When she told me so sincerely
Why she must have asked
Did I just turn and stare in icy silence
What was I to say
What can you say when a love affair is over

Now she’s gone away
And I’m alone with the memory of her last look
Vague and drawn and sad
I see it still
All her heartbreak in that last look
Why she must have asked
Did I just stare in icy silence
What was I to do
What can one do when a love affair is over


Invisible War - Julia Fordham


Invisible war, seems we're fighting an invisible war
Strained manoeuvres, keeping silent score
In this invisible war
Every day I seem to lose you more
Both wishing it was like before
In this invisible war

Talk about a fine line between love and hate
We've lost more than our direction of late
Talk about a fine line between lovers and friends
We've never been lovers and now we're not even friends

In this invisible war, seems we're waging an invisible war
Every day I seem to lose you more
In this invisible war

It wounded deeply the scar is here to stay
Opening up at all the little things I do and say
You always want things to be as before
So I make you angry and you bleed a little more

In this invisible war, seems that we're waging an invisible war
Every day I seem to lose you more
In this invisible war

Want to go away I still love you
Got to go away I always love you
Got to be away Time heals all wounds

INVISIBLE WAR


I Can't Help Myself - Julia Fordham


I steal a glance at you, and save it up for later
You see what I've come to? I really should know better

But I can't help myself, help myself (can't help it)
I'm lost in you
I can't help myself, help myself (can't help it)
I'm lost in you

I lie awake at night to savour what it is I've stolen
I'm hoping that you might know where this is going

But I can't help myself, help myself (can't help it)
I'm lost in you
I can't help myself, help myself (can't help it)
I'm lost in you

And the funny part is I feel no guilt and no shame
I guess where there's no action there's no blame
And if I had an ounce of sense left I'd keep it that way too
And I think of you, I think of me
And remember what will be will be
And I'm looking forward to the day
Where I don't have to feel this way

I can't help myself, help myself (can't help it)
I'm lost in you
I can't help myself, help myself (can't help it)
I'm lost in you
I can't help myself, I'm lost in you darling, I am lost
I'm so lost, I can't help myself

I can't help it
I can't help it
I can't help it
I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't...


I Thought It Was You - Julia Fordham


Don't say your world lights up when I smile
'Cos you know it's too late for talk like that
And as this love fades, we both know that I have been betrayed
I'm not looking for the answer, baby
I'm just looking for a little love
We're all looking for something, baby
And for a minute, a minute, a minute

I thought it was you
I thought it was you
I thought that it was you
I thought it was you

Don't say that you'll be there when I need you
'Cos where are you when I need you now
I need you
The truth hurts
Ooh I'm hurting now I'm hurting ooh
I'm not looking for the answer baby
I'm just looking for a little love
We're all looking for someone baby
And for a minute, a minute, a minute

(Repeat chorus)

I wouldn't change a thing except the ending
'Til the part where you broke my heart
Everybody's talking about forgiveness
I can't forgive you for leaving me

I'm not looking for the answer baby
I'm just looking for a little love
We're all looking for something baby
And for a minute, a minute, a minute

(Repeat chorus)

Like A Lover


Like a lover, the morning sun
Slowly rises and kisses you awake
Your smile so soft and drowsy
As you let it play upon your face
Oh, how I dream
I could be like the morning sun to you


Like a lover, the river wind
Slides and ripples its fingers through your hair
Upon your cheek it lingers
Never having known a sweeter place
Oh, how I dream
I could be like the river wind to you


How I envy the kiss that knows your lips
Let it be me, my love
And a table that feels your fingertips
Let it be me, let me be your love
Bring an end to the endless days and nights
without you


Like a lover, the velvet moon
Shares your pillow and watches while you sleep
Its light arrives on tiptoe
Gently taking you in its embrace
Oh, how I dream
I could be like the velvet moon to you


I could be like the morning sun
I could be like a lover to you

"(Love Moves in) Mysterious Ways"
(written by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford)


Who'd have thought this is how the pieces fit
You and I shouldn't even try making sense of it
I forgot how we ever came this far
I believe we had reasons but I don't know what they are
Don't blame it on my heart, oh

Love moves in mysterious ways
It's always so surprising
When love appears over the horizon
I'll love you for the rest of my days
But still it's a mystery
How you ever came to me
Which only proves
Love moves in mysterious ways

Heaven knows love is just a chance we take
We make plans but then love demands a leap of faith
So hold me close and never never let me go
'Cos even though we think we know which way the river flows
That's not the way love goes, no

(Repeat chorus)

Like the ticking of a clock two hearts beat as one
But I'll never understand the way it's done, oh

(Repeat chorus)

Love moves... in mysterious ways....

LOVIN' YOU
(M. Riperton R. Rudolph)

Lovin' you is easy cause you're beautiful
Makin' love with you is all I wanna do
Lovin' you is more than just a dream come true
And everything that I do is out of lovin' you
La la la la la la la... do do do do do

No one else can make me feel
The colors that you bring
Stay with me while we grow old
And we will live each day in springtime
Cause lovin' you has made my life so beautiful
And every day my life is filled with lovin' you

Lovin' you I see your soul come shinin' through
And every time that we oooooh
I'm more in love with you
La la la la la la la... do do do do do

Manhattan Skyline - Julia Fordham


What chance did I stand? How could I resist?
Your American arms and your French kiss
From New York to London, London to New York
With this broken heart so British

Ooh ooh yeah yeah
As broken as the Manhattan skyline

Ooh ooh yeah yeah
As broken as the fragments of my mind
My mind my mind

New York to London...yeah

Now our love is lying like some troubled land
Now you are my Ireland, and I'm your 'Nam
From New York to London, London to New York
With this broken heart so British

Ooh ooh yeah yeah
As broken as the Manhattan skyline

Ooh ooh yeah yeah
As broken as the fragments of my mind
My mind my mind

I should cry more tears for Israel
Instead of dwelling in my own hell
And my love and my world's plight
They're still giving me sleepless nights

What chance did I stand? How could I resist?
Now this broken this broken this broken heart...
So British

Ooh ooh yeah yeah
As broken as the Manhattan skyline

Ooh ooh yeah yeah
As broken as the fragments of my mind


Moonlight - Sting

In the moonlight
When the shadows play
When the thought of what could happen
Takes your breath away
Sighs and whispers
Quiet laughter in the air
Unspoken invitations everywhere

In the moonlight
All the words you say
Make it relatively easy
To be swept away
In the half-light
Can we trust the way we feel
Can we be sure that anything is real?

Stars keep secrets as they wander indiscretely
While the echoes of a song go drifting by
We must be careful not to lose our way completely
Or the magic that we seek here
We can't be sure will be here

In the morning
With the moon away
And if in each other's arms
Is where we're meant to stay

In the love light
When our eyes have grown accustomed to the daylight
We'll see what waits for us to share
For all the things we've dreamed of in the moonlight
Will be there


NEVER EXISTED BEFORE
(Riperton -Rudolph - Thedford)

E7SUS-DM7-E7SUS-C#m7-F#m7-Bm7-DM7oE7SUSoAM7-A7
So you ask me what do I see
When I look into your eyes
I see things that have never existed before

Shall I tell you all that I find
In those beautiful eyes I can try
But it never existed before

E7SUS-AM7-DM7-F#m7-E7SUS
A silvery moon... a will in the park
The tunnel of love... a kiss in the dark
The light of the stars... the clouds in the sky
The fireworks on the fourth of July

And you ask me what do I hear
When you whisper my name
Music plays that has never existed before
Oh, and I don't know why
Buty it's there just the same
And it's plain that it never existed before

The song of the rain on flowers in spring
The wind in the willow trees murmuring
The laughter that falls the children at play
Like church bells that call all the people to pray

So you ask me why do I glow
Well, I think you should know
I'm in love and I never existed before

Never Give Up
Amy Holland


I can tell it's gonna be
Another night alone
And I don't have the energy to go out on my own
When you're gone, I just want to hide
I can't go on,
Til you're here by my side

*But I will never give up, I'll never give up
I'll never believe that love just fades away
Never give up, I'll never give up
I'll never give up
I'll never give up

In the middle of the night, I wanna reach for you
I'm so uneasy when you're gone
I don't know what to do
It's so hard just to go downtown
I'm not happy
Til I'm home safe and sound



Porcelain - Julia Fordham


I am very very much in like with you
I hope that it's okay 'cause it's all I can do
'Cause you treat my skin like porcelain,
Rare and special porcelain
Even though you know I know you know
That this is not the real thing...

Oh, isn't it enough what I'm giving to you, baby?
Oh, isn't it enough that your kisses drive me crazy?
Oh, isn't it enough, isn't it enough?

I read a book like you, it says for what it's worth
People only really get what they deserve
And I hear a voice cry out within
Relax, enjoy the porcelain
Treatment feels like liquid gold
A treasured hand for me to hold

Oh, isn't it enough what I'm giving to you, baby?
Oh, isn't it enough that your kisses drive me crazy?
Oh, isn't it enough, isn't it enough?

Porcelain, porcelain
You treat my skin like porcelain...

In the big, big scheme of things
Beyond the rare and special porcelain
Beyond the joy, joy and the dis-at-ease
Well there's a place for me...

Porcelain, porcelain....

Sometimes I think I should say I love you too
If words are free, why can't I spare the best for you?
'Cause you treat my skin like porcelain
Rare and special porcelain
Even though you know I know you know
I'm cracked from all of this living

Oh, isn't it enough what I'm giving to you, baby?
Oh, isn't it enough that your kisses drive me crazy?
Oh, isn't it enough that I'm checking for you, baby?
Oh, isn't it enough that your kisses drive me crazy?
Oh, isn't it enough, isn't it enough?

Isn't it enough?
Isn't it enough?


Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars
Antonio Carlos Jobim - Gene Lees

Am7 Am6 G13/-9 Gm7 C7/6 C7/+5 Fmaj7 Fm6 Em7 Am7 D7 Fm6 Am6
Am6 G13/-9
Quiet nights of quiet stars, quiet chords from my guitar
Gm7 C7/6 C7/+5 Fmaj7 F6
floating on the silence that surrounds us
Fm6 Em7 A7/+5
Quiet thoughts and quiet dreams, quiet walks by quiet streams
Am6 Dm7/A Dm7/-5
And the window looking on the mountains and the sea, how lovely
Am6 G13/-9
This is where I want to be, here with you so close to me,
Gm7 C7/6 C7/+5 Fmaj7 F6
until the final flicker of life's ember
Fm6 Fm6 Em7 Am7
I who was lost and lonely, believing life was only
Dm7/A Fm6 Em7/-5 A7/+5 A7 Dm9/A
A bitter tragic joke, have found with you
Fm6 Am6
the meaning of existence, oh my love
Am7 Am6 G13/-9 Gm7 C7/6 C7/+5 Fmaj7 Fm6 Em7 Am7 D7 Fm6 Am6


The Day You Went Away
(Wendy Matthews)

Hey, does it ever make you wonder what's on my mind.
I was only ever running back to your side.
I never cried, I just watched my life go by.
It's just a pack of lies, Cos you're leaving me behind.
Why after this long is there nothing I'll keep.
Oh I can shout, you'll pretend you're falling asleep.
I live a lie yeh believing that you're mine.
It's just a waste of time, Cos you're leaving me behind.
Hey, there's not a cloud in the sky.
It's as blue as your good bye.
And I thought it would rain on a day like today.
Hey, there's not a cloud in sight.
It's as blue as your blue good bye.
And I thought it would rain the day you went away.
Hey, does it ever make you wonder what's on my mind.
I was only ever running back to your side.
Hey, there's not a cloud in the sky.
It's as blue as your good bye.
And I thought it would rain on a day like today.
Hey there's not a cloud in sight.
It's a blue as your blue good bye.
And I thought that it would rain the day you went away.
He's on the buses and the aeroplanes
with some groceries and a sleeping bag.


"Where Does the Time Go?"


If I could have a pound for every moment I've spent worrying
On all the little things in life that frankly there's no hurrying
Then I would be a rich girl I wanna be a rich girl soon
But going at this rate I think that it might take
Till there's life on the moon...

Where does the time go? Does anyone know?
Where does the time go? Does anyone know?
Where does the time go? Does anyone know?

If I could have a sneak preview to all the earthly reasons
It takes to make the theme of time then I'd be a girl for all seasons
And I wouldn't have to worry I wouldn't have to worry oh no no no
It just seems kind of funny that there's some things I'll just never
Know

Like where does the time go? Does anyone know?
Where does the time go? Does anyone know?
Where does the time go? Does anyone know?

We were only just saying just the other day
How it's really amazing how the days just seem to slip away
And it's right before my very own eyes
Oh there's some things that we'll never, we'll never know, like

Where does the time go?
Where does the time go? Does anyone know?
Tell me where does the time go?
Tell me where does it go?
There's some things we'll never know

If I could have a pound for every moment I've spent worrying
On all the little things in life that frankly there's no hurrying
Then I would be a rich girl and I wanna be a rich girl soon
But going at this rate I think that it might take
Till there's life on the moon...

Oh where does the time go? Does anyone know?
Oh where does the time go? Does anyone know?
Oh tell me where does the time go?

Where does the time go?

I've been counting all my days, I've been counting all my nights
Tell me where does it go?
Where, where, where, where, where does it go?
The time go, the time go, the time go
Where, where, where, where does it go?

Does anyone know?

I've been counting all my days, I've been counting all my nights
Till I can be with you


Without Me

Claire Marlowe

I had an inspiration to call you on the phone
To tell you I once loved you
There ain't nobody home
The night is cold and empty
Are you out there alone without me?

It's really for the better, that you're not in today
I shouldn't still be trying to talk to you this way
But I can't give up hope
You'll start to notice you're without me

Without me
How can you live without me?
My world is gone
You carry on
Without me

I've made my life fulfilling to take you off my mind
My head is always willing
My heart is not that kind
I'm the one who left you
You're the one who's fine
Without me

Without me
How can you live without me?
My world is gone
You carry on
Without me

Bridge:
Laugh if you want
You have no right
It was just like you said
I'd spend my nights alone
Without you

Without me
How can you live without me?
My world is gone
You carry on
Without me

DECEMBER 31, 2000

Wow! It's the last day of the year. It has been very eventful hasn't it? Unfortunately a lot of the relevant news have been mostly negative. But then again, that's a matter of perception. Anyway, I would just like to announce that I've created a mailing list for 'Green Horizons'. Yep, even the name is new. I finally figured out a good name for this site. As I was saying, the list will of course focus on spreading information regarding crucial environmental issues and will also serve to mobilize members just in case a worthwhile project comes up.

Apart from that, I would also like to announce that Green Horizons now has a WAP site. If you have a WAP-enabled cellphone, you can check it out at http://tagtag.com/green. So please do check it out ok? You can report smoke belchers and other environmental violators through that site, so please keep the URL handy. Thanks!

Happy New Year!

OCTOBER 21, 2000

It's been a long time since I last wrote here. Nothing much has changed with the site since the last time, except for the two new links that I added. I'm still pretty much up to the same things: chasing after buses and other smoke belchers in the highway, and listing down the numbers. Does something actually happen when I report them? Someday I hope to find out - and it better be in the affirmative.

JUNE 26, 2000

Have you ever ridden a jeep? I just did. It's not the first time. I must have ridden over a hundred jeeps in my lifetime, but tonight I decided to write about it.

Jeeps are notorious smoke belchers, no doubt about that. Jeepney drivers are more often than not, aggressive drivers, the way they swerve and stop in the middle of the road. From that depiction, there seems to be an air of irresponsibility about them. But somehow, I don't want to jump to that conclusion. Assuming you drive 6-8 hours a day in Manila's streets, I believe traffic will inevitably get to you. Conversely if traffic was in order, I would assume that everyone will take a more leisurely stanc since you have no motivation to display your driving 'skills'. In the same respect, I believe every vehicle owner would like to have a clean-emission car. So why are there so many smoke belching jeeps?

Probably because the jeepney owners can't afford to pay for maintenance. Pop quiz: among the concerns of your hand-to-mouth earners, would you pick the environment over your daily sustenance? Of course not. As one person, you would not be able to trace the environmental cost of your acts the way you can determine the direct consequences of not having food on the table.

Thus, the solution to this source of air pollution seems to hinge on economic gains as well. As such this implies a more active participation from the government. Clean air, after all is a public good. If we cannot trust people to make choices more beneficial to the public than the individual, then perhaps we should have the MMDA and the LTO ensure compliance to public benefit choices. At the same time, the capacity of individuals to sustain themselves must not be taken away.

That's quite a tightrope. Unquestionably, the annual vehicle registration must be very strict with environmental compliance standards. Old vehicles with very high costs of maintenance should be phased out. Other vehicles must be tuned up and fitted with pollution-minimization devices. Part of that cost could probably be shouldered by the government, perhaps also based on the financial background of the vehicle owner.

Where would the funds come from? Well, as painful as it would be for me as a consumer and driver, I believe the tax on fuel should be jacked up. After all, income taxes are more easily avoidable than consumption taxes. This measure will make vehicle owners more conscious of their driving activities and will encourage mass transport. Note however, I wouldn't want incomes to be more insufficient than present. As such, mass transport, apart from being cleaner should also be affordable. The MRT I believe is a good start. We need more trains, more routes at the current level of prices. Personally if I can get to Makati faster, cheaper and more conveniently in the MRT than with a car, then I will shift behavior. It's reasonable to believe other people will behave similarly.

While I believe other people see the logic to this argument, I would expect a lot of objections on the premise that the current taxes are onerous as they are. True enough. Perhaps, other taxes must be fine tuned then to accomodate this one. I would suggest lesser direct taxes which rich people with scheming accountants can easily avoid. Another reason for possible objections would be a general distrust for government officials. There is an inherent, although seemingly justified fear that officials will merely pocket the new taxes, much like the Senators and the Congressmen do with their CDFs. This would thus necessitate another challenge to the goverment: to be transparent with the use of funds; to be accountable for the usage of the funds; to act with integrity in order to gain public trust.

Hoping against hope that all the things mentioned will fall into place, what then will happen to the displaced jeepney drivers? (They will be displaced because of the takeoff of other mass transport services). Now we're dealing with employment. At this point the discussion may be stretched too far already not to mention my nagging doubts of my competence in continuing. I do welcome continuations or even objections from other people. After all, in the end it doesn't matter to me how it's accomplished as long as I can enjoy my cheap jeepney ride without having such a dirty face afterwards.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MAY 30, 2000


Well it's been two months since the supposed phaseout of leaded gasoline. Mayor Binay has since promised to once again step up his anti-smoke belching campaign. Virtually all the buses that I observed last weekend were smoke belchers. So where does this leave us?

I guess it just means that we're still in the thick of it. I remember a time when I used to drive to the office early (haven't done that in a while..hehehe). I would drive along EDSA coming from SM City going south. After I cross Quezon Ave, I was not able to see the flyover from there. That's how much smog we go through. With that as my guide, I know that the vigilance must continue.

So, isn't it about time that you joined the fray?

If you have an article to submit, a violation to report or a general comment to make, kindly make use of the guestbook or e-mail me at cianoy (alt) yahoo.com. Anyway, while you're at it, you might as well check my other sites. There are links below of course ;-)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 9, 2000

Baguio

As I typically wake up a couple of hours earlier when I'm away from home, I took the opportunity to commune with nature as I've often wished that I could. And nature did not disappoint. Right at the smack of dawn, I saw an array of sunlight colors that were beautiful by themselves but were poetic in their unison. In the brief time that I walked, I was at the point of hyperventilating, not really in sheer appreciation of the scene as you might guess, but actually because I had so much fun breathing in and out all that mist. It could be God's way of preparing me for my eventual rendezvous with snow, but that's for another time.

In the midst of my walk, I tried to recall how many times I've taken these leisurely walks at any time of the day in so many different places. And from there I likened my experiences with dawn and dusk to falling all over in love with the same person but for different reasons. As I gather my strength in the vibrancy of the morning, so do I take in the serenity of darkness as it blankets the countryside.

As I looked upon the different trees, all majestic and proud where they stood, as well as the general landscape I was amazed at how excellent an artist God must be. But despite sleeping through all my humanities class sessions, I would boldly claim that no expressionist painter has ever created something so moving and that no realist has ever breathed that much life in his work. The texture was so thick, it would have fallen of a canvas if for argument's sake someone did manage to replicate it anyway. And the prohibitive cost of paint will no doubt make such a project infeasible. It then occurred to me (in between my mist laden breaths of course) this experience was God talking. Indeed God spoke with clarity though devoid of words and He delivered a message more powerful than any Powerpoint armed, synergy-talking business executive could.

It was a calling if I ever heard one. All these years I've been falling in love over and over with such sceneries. To me that means it is either a message or that I am easy. I would really prefer to believe the former, so former it is. Thus I speculate that all those moments were rare and fleeting by design. For me to appreciate the beauty to understand what it means, I should have first experienced how it was without, for it is a very human trait to overlook what is abundant in supply. I am tempted to discuss the inviolable law of supply and demand, but better judgment brushed aside the thought.

Instead I would delve on my desire for my children to experience such as well. But I realize that it won't be the case unless everyone else in the world would also grasp the concept. That calling is by no means person, gender or culture specific. It is certainly not mine alone, but in fact for me to share. Only a collective effort to strive towards a world filled with trees, clean air and water would do the trick. So I guess what remains is for me to do my part, and hope that everyone else hears the calling amidst the vibrant buzz of industry and snoring people that might have been flanking them the night before (oh you'll know what I mean when it happens to you.)

And so here is where I end my treatise. A different calling - that of freshly cooked French toast - beckons.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ORIGINAL TEXT

What I'm doing is really simple. I will collect information regarding smoke belchers, as well as other polluters and law breakers in general. I will do my role as a concerned citizen and send out such information to media and concerned government agencies. That's about all I can do, but I promise to do it the best I can. All I ask is that you kindly help me out in my cause, no matter how futile it seems. Besides, giving up won't do us any good now would it?

I have a guestbook here. If you have something to report, please jot it down there. Meanwhile, I also linked various sites where you can inform yourself about agencies, hazards, programs or anything about the environment at all. If you think you have a good article, or have found a good site regarding this, kindly send me a copy of the file or link and I'll gladly add it to this site.

At the risk of sounding too wholesome, tell your friends about this site and let's do something together. Nasobrahan yata ako sa captain planet ah...