I have often wondered why many nursery rhymes speak about bad things and mishaps.         Take a read of two of the popular ones below.         “Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after.”         Internet sources noted that the rhyme’s earliest version, which… Read More »

 Proud Mary. Mary was routinely checking her parked car when she heard faint, frightened and repetitive squeaks emanating from within an empty metal garbage receptacle nearby. Curious to know the reason for the noise, Mary walked to and surveyed the bin, to find a trapped and hapless small squirrel inside. The squirrel had nothing to cling to or… Read More »

        We are all in this together, aren’t we?         There is no I in YOU. It’s also true in ME.         Not an I too in OUR, as far as the eye can see.         I is irrelevant in US.  And so it is in WE.         Walk the talk TOGETHER as right as can be.         The First Person is all of… Read More »

        “Magandang araw. Kumusta na?” “Mabuti po. Kayo po?” Isalin at bigkasin man sa kahit anong wika, ang pakikipagpalitan ng malugod na pagbati at magalang na sagot ay tunay na kaaya-aya. Higit sa pagiging kasiya-siyang ugali, dulot nito ay ngiti, galak at saya.         Dahilan ito kung bakit lagi kong hangad na maglakad-lakad sa kahabaan ng mga kalsadang pumapalibot sa… Read More »

Throwback Beautiful Sunny Sunday Morn Butch Galicia         It was a beautiful sunny Sunday morning. The phone rang. It was from an unknown number, an unknown caller. Normally, I don’t talk to strangers. But I picked up and said “Hello.”         At the other end of the line, a lady’s calm, collected, confident and reassuring voice greeted me. She asked… Read More »

Kabesang Betong: Bakit mayroon pa ring boto sa mahabang lockdown?         Impong Tasyo: Dahil sila’y out of reach ng mga naniningil ng utang?  *****         Tatang Kulas: Overstaying na ang COVID-19, ah!          Impong Tasyo: Lalayas din ang diyaskeng ‘yan. Basta, always be positive.         Tatang Kulas: Pasitib? Mag-isa ka! *****         Although it may be quite awkward to say so these days,… Read More »

“Is this the town of San Isidro?” tanong ng misyonaryong Amerikano sa mga kalalakihang nag-uusap sa harap ng maliit at kaisa-isang sari-sari store sa puso ng bayan.  “Wen,” sabi ng Ilokano. “Wai,” tugon ng Magindanaw. “Haw,” ingon ng Ilonggo. “Ho?” sambit ng Tagalog.  Umalis na iiling-iling, wari’y kausap ng Kano ang sarili: “Seriously? When, why, how, who?” Madalas… Read More »

It was the afternoon of July 12. Amid dark heavy clouds looming above, King Sun took every chance to peek through a shady curtain and spread his radiant summer rays. It was welcome weather, a respite from a prior nine-day heat wave and humid blast that hit Toronto.         Braving the outdoors was most tempting. However, being on the… Read More »

The pandemic is absolutely far from over. COVID-19 is still up, about and around.         A breathe of permanent relief will only happen when the deadly virus is gone and aground. *****         Momentarily, all hands are regularly and persistently urged to go back to the basics.         Wash hands for at least 20 seconds more often.         Help prevent a viral… Read More »

 There’s that leap of a year on February 29. Very soon, Spring 2020 will officially begin, as a marked Gregorian calendar date, on March 19 in the Northern Hemisphere.         Meteorological movements, however, will continue to remain unpredictable. As usual, we will leave it to the weathermen to tell us, in the most believable of ways, what the heavens… Read More »